Fans Grand Marshall For TUMS Fast Relief 500
Fans will give the command for the TUMS Fast Relief 500.
For the first time in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history, all fans attending the TUMS Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday, October 25, will serve as the ‘Grand Marshal’ for the event. The announcement was made by Darren Singer, vice president of marketing for TUMS, and Clay Campbell, president of Martinsville Speedway.
TUMS, Martinsville Speedway and the NASCAR community will recognize the fans throughout pre-race ceremonies leading up to the final honors of giving the command ‘Gentlemen, Start Your Engines’ and starting the 500-lap event.
“The fans are the foundation of our sport,” said Singer. “This wasn’t a difficult decision. It provides an opportunity for the sport to show appreciation for their support. The fans come to the track each weekend, cheering and supporting their favorite drivers. On October 25, we will turn things around a bit as the motorsports community joins together to salute the thousands of fans that will be at Martinsville Speedway serving as Grand Marshal for the TUMS Fast Relief 500.”
On a few occasions, fans have been invited to join the designated Grand Marshal in giving the command ‘Gentlemen, Start Your Engines’. At the TUMS Fast Relief 500, the honor goes solely to the fans.
“Fans have been our top priority since Martinsville Speedway opened more than 60 years ago,” said Campbell. “Fans have always come first with us and what better way to show that than making them all the Grand Marshal. I can’t wait to hear ‘Gentlemen, Start Your Engines’ for the TUMS Fast Relief 500.”
TUMS returns as the title sponsor for the fall NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at the .526-mile track for the second consecutive year. Martinsville Speedway, built in 1947, is rich in tradition from its fan-friendly atmosphere to its famous concession item – the Famous Martinsville Speedway hot dog – and the grandfather clock trophy presented to each race winner.
The TUMS Fast Relief 500 is the sixth of 10 races that make up The Chase that will determine the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion.
The TUMS Fast Relief 500 is the second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race under the GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Consumer Healthcare banner in 2009. Goody’s, sponsor of the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 in March, is part of the GKS family which has enjoyed a long-term partnership with Martinsville Speedway.
The partnership between GSK and Martinsville Speedway began in the early 1980s with the Goody’s brand. The current TUMS three-year agreement began in 2008 with the TUMS QuikPak 500 and extends through 2010.
