LEXINGTON, OH, August 5, 2015 – The high-pitched children’s voices intoning “Drivers, start your engines!” will be replaced seconds later by the throaty growl of 40 or so highly-tuned NASCAR XFINITY Series racing machines as the Nationwide Children’s Hospital 200, the season finale at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, gets under way on Saturday, August 15.
Ten Patients Champions from the renowned Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus will serve as Grand Marshals for the unique event – and all have been paired with NASCAR XFINITY Series drivers to design their paint schemes, one of many special experiences that the children have been a part of leading up to and during the event.
“Everyone at Mid-Ohio is excited to host our third annual Nationwide Children’s Hospital 200 and welcome the best up and coming NASCAR drivers,” said Craig Rust, President of the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. “We know that our fans will enjoy a great weekend of heart-stopping road racing action as these guys have shown that they are ready to beat and bang around Mid-Ohio, going full out from flag to flag — and it’s all for a great cause, to support the important work of Nationwide Childrens’ Hospital.”
“Nationwide is thrilled to continue its support of NASCAR and help bring NASCAR racing to central Ohio for the third consecutive year,” said Terrance Williams, Chief Marketing Officer at Nationwide. “We see the Nationwide Children’s Hospital 200 as an opportunity to illustrate our passion for both NASCAR and the hospital in a unique way; shining a national spotlight on future NASCAR superstars and the great work of Nationwide Children’s Hospital.”
Mid-Ohio will provide two full days of racing August 14-15, with Trans-Am Series and Pirelli World Challenge rounding out the weekend’s on-track schedule. The Trans-Am Series has set an all-time series record with 81 entries for the weekend, 11 more than the previous record set at Road Atlanta earlier this year. Pirelliw World Challenge joins the Nationwide Children’s Hospital 200 line up for the first time, running races for its TC/TCA/TCB classes.
Chris Buescher, current NASCAR XFINITY Series points leader, returns to Mid-Ohio to defend his memorable 2014 at the historic track. Drivers will be put to the test, navigating their way throug the twists and turns of the 2.4-mile challenging road course with its 15 left and right turns. The Columbus Children’s Choir will sing the National Anthem as part of pre-race ceremonies for the big race, which begin at 3 p.m. ET.
Tickets for Nationwide Children’s Hospital 200 are available now, starting at $55 for weekend general admission, with free admission for children 12 and under. Visit www.midohio.com or call 800-MID-OHIO (643-6446) to order tickets or for more information.
About Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
A comprehensive motorsports facility, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course features a permanent road-racing circuit with two primary configurations: a 2.4-mile, 15 turn, and a 2.25-mile, 13-turn circuit. The park-like, 330-acre complex is located in Lexington, Ohio, near Mansfield, 60 miles north of Columbus and 75 miles south of Cleveland. The track has been called the most competitive course in the U.S. and plays host to a diverse lineup of locally, regionally and nationally sanctioned racing events for amateur, club and professional drivers and riders. Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course opened in 1962 and is owned and operated by Green Savoree Mid-Ohio, LLC. For more information, visit www.midohio.com.