The name will change, but the spirit remains the same. The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup will assume a new moniker next year—the NASCAR Sprint Cup—but NASCAR league officials announced this week that Homestead-Miami Speedway will continue to crown the champion of NASCAR’s most elite series.
Ford Championship Weekend has hosted the final race in the Chase for the NEXTEL Cup, as well as the final races in NASCAR’s Busch and Craftsman Truck Series, since 2002. Next year’s finale, falling on Nov. 16, 2008, marks the seventh consecutive year that Homestead-Miami will be the site for NASCAR’s crowning moment.
“Miami is a championship town—so many professional and college titles have been won here, ” said Homestead-Miami Speedway President Curtis Gray. “It’s an honor for us be able to carry on that tradition, and a seven-year run as NASCAR’s Championship Track shows that we’ve got something special going. The gorgeous weather, family-friendly activities and diverse culture make Miami the perfect place to end the NASCAR season. ”
Past NEXTEL Cup winners crowned at the Speedway include reigning champion Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart (2005, 2002), Kurt Busch (2004) and Matt Kenseth (2003).
TICKETS ARE STILL AVAILABLE for Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Nov. 16-18, 2007. Additional race-week festivities include Ford Racefest—featuring live concerts, interactive exhibits, NASCAR drivers and the NEXTEL Cup trophy on display—the Homestead-Miami Speedway Celebrity Golf Classic, the Hot Rods & Reels fishing tournament and Ford’s “Bailando Por La Copa” salsa finals.
| 
|