Press Release | March 30, 2017
NASCAR Legend Ernie Irvan Named Grand Marshal Of Harley-Davidson Charlotte Half-Mile
Photo Courtesy Scott Hunter/NASCAR
This is a press release American Flat Track…
from Daytona Beach, FL (March 30, 2017) – Former NASCAR star and Daytona 500 winner Ernie Irvan has been named the Grand Marshal for Saturday’s Harley-Davidson Charlotte Half-Mile at The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Round 3 of the 2017 American Flat Track season.
“Competing in Charlotte – the heart of NASCAR – it’s great to have legendary driver Ernie Irvan as Grand Marshall for the Harley-Davidson Charlotte Half-Mile,” said Cameron Gray, Chief Operating Officer of AFT Events. “Racing fans have fond memories of Ernie’s many victories and his heroic comeback. Motorcycle fans can relate to his charging style and take-no-prisoners attitude.”
Irvan raced for 11 seasons at the top level of what is now called the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, winning 15 career races, 22 poles,68 top-five finishes and more than $11 million in career winnings.
He won the 1991 Daytona 500 for Morgan-McClure Motorsports.
“It’s going to be awesome to be Grand Marshal,” Irvan said. “I used to watch Flat Track racing when I lived out in California, and I remember Ricky Graham being the guy to beat. I’ve been to The Dirt Track to see sprint cars and stock cars, and it’s a neat facility and well kept – just like anything Bruton [Smith] does.”
Since his retirement from driving in 1999, Irvan remains active in stock car racing nurturing the career of his son Jared.
Saturday’s Harley-Davidson Charlotte Half-Mile concludes AFT’s season-opening three-race Southern Swing with the Harley-Davidson Charlotte Half-Mile at The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday, April 1. Both the season-opening Harley Davidson Daytona TT at Daytona International Speedway and Atlanta Short Track at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, GA, featured record crowds and great racing. Live coverage can be viewed on FansChoice.tv, beginning at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT. Tickets can be purchased at https://www.showclix.com/event/charlotte-half-mile.
