FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Texas Motor Speedway, Cowtown Marathon To Partner on
'No Limits' Half Marathon And 5k To Benefit Speedway Children's Charities
- Motorsports-Themed Running Event At Texas Motor Speedway To Debut
Saturday, Oct. 27
- Cowtown Marathon, Inc., To Handle Logistics, Course Layout For Half
Marathon And 5k
- Event Registration Available Now By Visiting www.nolimitsrun.com
FORT WORTH, Texas (April 14, 2012) - Texas Motor Speedway, in partnership
with Cowtown Marathon, Inc., will play host to the venue's first-ever "No
Limits" Half Marathon and 5k running events Saturday, Oct. 27, to benefit
Speedway Children's Charities-Texas Chapter.
The charity event will couple the expertise of the Cowtown Marathon
organizers with the uniqueness of Fort Worth's world-class motorsports
facility to offer runners of various levels an upper-echelon race with a
motorsports ambiance. The "No Limits" Half Marathon and 5k Benefitting
Speedway Children's Charities-Texas Chapter also will serve as the official
"Go Green" kick-off event for the Nov. 1-4 AAA Texas 500 NASCAR
tripleheader weekend at Texas Motor Speedway.
The organizers of the Cowtown Marathon, which drew a record 25,564
participants earlier this year and recognized as one of the premier running
events in the state, will handle all the logistics and sanction the course
layout for both the "No Limits" Half Marathon and 5k events.
"This is a concept we've been interested in for a few years because of the
uniqueness that Texas Motor Speedway as the venue brings to area runners,"
Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage said. "We're in the
event-planning business, but there is an enormous amount of logistics that
is very specific to runners and their needs. For us to provide a
first-class experience, we wanted to partner with Cowtown Marathon because
of their outstanding reputation in the running community. We look forward
to a great partnership and are optimistic that this can become one of the
signature fund-raising events for Speedway Children's Charities-Texas
Chapter."
Texas Motor Speedway will provide the dramatic backdrop that will
incorporate several signature elements of the state's largest sports venue
and give runners a themed event that is unlike any other in Texas. The "No
Limits" Half Marathon will incorporate the actual speedway itself that
plays host to NASCAR and INDYCAR stars in addition to the traffic-free
asphalt ring roads on the 1,500-acre site. The 5k event will be contained
to the speedway with just over two laps on the 1.5-mile oval.
"Texas Motor Speedway is an iconic North Texas venue and the facility is
an incredibly exciting and festive location to produce a road race,"
Cowtown Marathon Chairman of the Board Brian Hocker said. "We're looking
forward to producing a first-class running event in partnership with Texas
Motor Speedway in support of Speedway Children's Charities. Any proceeds
the Cowtown Marathon receives will directly benefit our C.A.L.F. Program,
which encourages youth fitness."
Similar to Olympic marathons, the final 1.5 miles of the "No Limits" Half
Marathon will have the competitors complete their stretch run inside the
expansive venue. Runners will cruise down pit lane, around the oval on the
wide, flat apron portion of the track surface and then receive the
checkered flag at the actual start/finish line. The course layout also is
expected to include a stretch on the concession/souvenir concourse beneath
the 112,522 seats on the speedway's frontstretch.
Other motorsports-themed plans include Texas Motor Speedway's 2012
Chevrolet Camaro Official Pace Cars leading the field for the start,
appearances by "The Great American Sweethearts," and race "pit crews"
at various mile markers, among others.
The motorsports theme will be highlighted by one of most distinctive and
unique medal presentations in the running community. The major category
winners (Overall Male & Female, Overall Male & Female Masters for Half
Marathon and Overall Male & Female, Overall Male & Female Masters, Overall
Male & Female Youth for 5k) will be treated to the same post-race
celebration in Victory Lane as the race winners in NASCAR and INDYCAR. In
addition to the medal presentation, each major category winner will receive
a Charlie 1 Horse winner's cowboy hat and fire a pair of Turnbull 45
Colt-style, single-action revolvers in celebration.
The Liftmaster Nationwide garage will be utilized for the running
expo/merchandise area on race day as well as the post-race party. Free
parking will be available in the infield for competitors and a free shuttle
tram service will be available for friends and family as well as overflow
competitor parking just outside the infield's South Tunnel.
The "No Limits" Half Marathon and 5k will be held the morning of Saturday,
Oct. 27, with registration and packet pick-up beginning at 6 a.m. CT with
races following. Exact start times will be announced soon.
Each participant's race packet also will include a special promotion for
race tickets for those interested in attending the AAA Texas 500 NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, Nov. 4.
Entry cost for the "No Limits" Half Marathon is $75 for early sign-up today
through May 1; $85 through July 31; $95 through Sept. 30; $100 through Oct.
25 and $125 on race day. The 5k entry is $25 through July 31, $30 through
Oct. 25 and $35 on race day. There also is separate pricing for corporate
and open teams in both the "No Limits" Half Marathon and 5k, and school
teams for the 5k.
Registration for this event opens today and competitors can sign up by
visiting www.nolimitsrun.com.
About Speedway Children's Charities-Texas Chapter: Since 1997, Speedway
Children's Charities at Texas Motor Speedway has distributed more than $8
million in funding to non-profit organizations in North Texas supporting
children in need. The funds distributed by Speedway Children's Charities
are raised through special events held throughout the year. Most of
Speedway Children's Charities events are geared around the three major race
weeks at Texas Motor Speedway. Operating as a 501(c)(3) non-profit
organization, the mission of Speedway children's Charities is to care for
children in educational, financial, social and medical need in order to
help them lead productive lives. Speedway Children's Charities could fill
the grandstands at Texas Motor Speedway 14 times with the number of
children we have helped since 1997. Our reach is far, and the dollars we
raise go to directly help children in our community. Children's
organizations in Collin, Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties are eligible
to apply for the Speedway Children's Charities' annual Founders and Partner
Grants. Qualified applicants must directly fulfill needs of children in our
area and be a registered 501(c)(3) organization. Visit us online at
www.scctexas.org to learn how you can help make the difference in the lives
of children living in North Texas.
About Cowtown Marathon, Inc.: The Cowtown Marathon exists to empower
healthy living by bringing the North Texas community together to create and
participate in races designed for all fitness levels. Operating as a
501(c)(3)Fort Worth-based non-profit, The Cowtown funds educational
initiatives and provides resources that support our healthy living mission.
The next Cowtown is February 22-24, 2013, and includes a marathon, half
marathon, 50k ultra, 10k, 5k, Kids 5k and Health and Fitness Expo staged at
the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas.
www.cowtownmarathon.org
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