Category: Kansas Speedway

Olympics speedskater named honorary pace car driver at Oct. 22 NASCAR race

Brian Hansen

U.S. Olympian Brian Hansen will lead the field to green as the honorary pace car driver of the 2018 Toyota Camry pace car for the Hollywood Casino 400 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series payoff race at Kansas Speedway on Sunday, Oct. 22.

“I look forward to having Brian here for the Hollywood Casino 400,” Kansas Speedway President Patrick Warren said, in a news release. “I always enjoy hosting athletes from other sports at Kansas Speedway and hearing their thoughts on the entire experience of race day.”

Hansen competes in long track speedskating and is a two-time Olympian (2010, 2014) who won the Olympic Silver Medal in men’s team pursuit in the Olympic Winter Games Vancouver 2010. A native of Glenview, Ill. Hansen is currently training for the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018.

As the honorary pace car driver, Hansen will lead the field of NASCAR drivers into formation for the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas, the track where Toyota driver Martin Truex Jr. won this spring.

Racing returns to Kansas Speedway this October for the Hollywood Casino 400 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, which is an elimination race in the playoffs on Sunday, Oct. 22 airing on NBCSN at 3 p.m. ET. The NASCAR XFINITY Series Kansas Lottery 300 will again be a part of the playoffs for the NASCAR XFINITY Series on Saturday, Oct. 21, on NBC at 3 p.m. ET, while the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards will wrap up their season and crown a champion on Friday, Oct. 20. Tickets are currently on sale by calling 866-460-RACE (7223) or online at www.kansasspeedway.com.

Pin honoring Earnhardt to be given away at Kansas Speedway

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (File photo)

Kansas Speedway will hand out commemorative lapel pins honoring Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the NASCAR Cup Series race on Oct. 22 in Kansas City, Kansas.

The pin will go to the first 19,000 fans through the gates, honoring Earnhardt’s 19 years of racing in the series.

“Dale Jr. has been one of NASCAR’s most popular drivers for over a decade,” Kansas Speedway President Patrick Warren said in a news release. “And with the Hollywood Casino 400 scheduled to be his last NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway, we wanted to do something to recognize him and the day.”

Earnhardt Jr.’s best finish at Kansas Speedway came in June 2011, when he finished second. In May 2015, he finished third. Overall, he has three top-five finishes and nine top-ten finishes at Kansas Speedway.

The grand marshal for the Oct. 22 race will be actor Jay Hernandez.

Racing returns to Kansas Speedway this October for the Hollywood Casino 400, which is an elimination race in the playoffs on Sunday, Oct. 22.

The NASCAR XFINITY Series Kansas Lottery 300 will again be a part of the playoffs for the NASCAR XFINITY Series on Saturday, Oct. 21, while the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards will wrap up the season and crown a champion on Friday, Oct. 20.

Tickets are currently on sale by calling 866-460-RACE (7223) or online at www.kansasspeedway.com.
– Information from Kansas Speedway

Festival fun in Wyandotte County …

Photos by William Crum

… At the Armory

Residents enjoyed a Mariachi and Folkloric Festival Saturday at the National Guard Armory, 18th and Ridge. (Photo by William Crum)

… At Kansas Speedway

Amy Pearce, Joe Pearce and Mike Pearce placed in the top 10 in the annual American Royal Barbecue held at the Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by William Crum)


…At the Renaissance Festival

Clare’s Crepes at the Kansas City Renaissance Festival, included, left to right, Maura Laramie, Clare Laramie and Molly Hayde. Every year Clare Laramie comes to the Renaissance Festival just to make crepes. People travel for miles just to buy the crepes here. I tried the ham and cheese crepes, which are the best I have had in a long time. This is another reason to go to the Renaissance Festival. The Renaissance Festival opened Saturday and runs on weekends, including Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 4, through Oct. 15. (Photo by William Crum)