For 12th Straight Year, “America’s Ambassadors in Blue” to Soar Over World Center of Racing, Feb.20
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 1, 2022) – The world-renowned U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will carry out the flyover for the sixty fourth annual DAYTONA on Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022 at Daytona International Speedway, the celebrated season-opening occasion for the NASCAR Cup Series (FOX, FOX Deportes, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
The flyover will mark the twelfth consecutive 12 months, and thirteenth whole, that “America’s Ambassadors in Blue” – formally referred to as the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron – will showcase their world-class expertise and exact choreography flying their signature “Delta” formation over the World Center of Racing at the top of the National Anthem for The Great American Race.
“The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds flyover is synonymous with our tradition-rich DAYTONA 500 pre-race ceremonies,” Daytona International Speedway President Frank Kelleher stated. “We’re honored to have them back for what will be a packed house for the 64th DAYTONA 500. It will be an exhilarating spectacle and a cherished moment to see for those in attendance, plus the millions more watching on FOX, as they soar over the Speedway at the end of the National Anthem.”
The Thunderbirds function six F-16 Fighting Falcons, the Air Force’s premier multi-role fighter plane. Assigned to Air Combat Command, the squadron consists of 12 officers and greater than 120 enlisted personnel serving in almost 30 Air Force job specialties. They have a rigorous schedule, performing hour-long demonstrations throughout the United States almost 30 weekends between March and November.
“The Daytona 500 is more than a precisely timed flyover for us,” stated Lt. Col. Justin Elliott, Thunderbirds commander and chief. “It marks the start of our present season and showcases the exhausting work and dedication of your complete squadron. While we by no means cease coaching to enhance the demonstration, we’re excited to start showcasing our efforts.
“We are grateful to the Speedway and community for their continued support and the opportunity to showcase the pride, precision and professionalism of the United States Air Force.”
Since the unit’s inception in 1953, greater than 400 million individuals in all 50 states and greater than 60 nations have witnessed the distinctive purple, white and blue jets in 1000’s of official aerial demonstrations.
For a choose group of Thunderbird crew members, the DAYTONA 500 will probably be in acquainted environment as they hail from Florida:
- Maj. Zane Taylor, Thunderbird 4 – Slot Pilot, is from Orlando, Florida.
- MSgt Sean Sirico, Maintenance Production Superintendent, is from Spring Hill, Florida.
- TSgt Ryan Leon, Electrical and Environmental Systems Tech., is from Hialeah, Florida.
- TSgt Paton Holmes, Line Cone, is from Islamorada, Florida.
- TSgt Seth McKinney, Egress Section Chief, is from Tampa, Florida.
- SSgt Alec Atkinson, Crew Chief, is from Lake Wales, Florida.
- SSgt Diana Quijada, Aircrew Flight Equipment Specialist, is from Tallahassee, Florida.
- SSgt Brandon Murdagh, Quality Assurance Tech., is from Orange Park, Florida.
- SSgt Joshua Echevarria, #6 Dedicated Crew Chief, is from Sunrise, Florida.
- SSgt Ryan Burns, Aircraft Maintenance Phase Tech., is from Pensacola, Florida.
For info on the 2022 DAYTONA 500 and all of Speedweeks Presented By AdventHealth occasions, which kicks off on Wednesday, Feb. 16 with DAYTONA 500 Qualifying Presented by Busch Light underneath the lights, followers can go to www.DAYTONA500.com or name 1-800-PITSHOP. Fans may also keep linked with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, in addition to the all-new NASCAR Tracks App, for the most recent speedway information.
About the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
The official mission of the United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron is to plan and current precision aerial maneuvers to exhibit the capabilities of recent, high-performance plane and display the excessive diploma {of professional} talent required to function these plane. The missions, goals and targets of the Thunderbirds will be summarized into one phrase: ambassadors. The crew is a bunch of touring spokespersons for the Air Force, demonstrating a transparent instance of America’s air energy. Performing at public venues tells the Air Force story, usually to individuals in communities which have little interplay with America’s army.
About Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a state-of-the-art motorsports facility and was awarded the SportsBusiness Journal’s prestigious Sports Business Award for Sports Facility of the Year in 2016. Daytona International Speedway is the house of The Great American Race – the DAYTONA 500. Though the season-opening NASCAR Cup Series occasion garners many of the consideration – in addition to the biggest viewers in motorsports – the roughly 500-acre motorsports complicated, also called the World Center of Racing, boasts essentially the most various schedule of racing on the globe. In addition to at least 9 main occasion weekends, the Speedway grounds are additionally used extensively for occasions that embody live shows, civic and social gatherings, automobile exhibits, photograph shoots, manufacturing automobile testing and police motorbike coaching. The iconic venue would be the website of a bunch of motorsports occasions early in 2022, starting with AHRMA Classic Motofest and the Rolex 24 At DAYTONA in January, and the sixty fourth DAYTONA 500, which can debut the primary factors race for NASCAR’s ‘Next Gen’ automobile as a part of Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth in February. The tradition-rich 81st Annual Bike Week At DAYTONA returns in March, that includes DAYTONA Supercross and the DAYTONA 200, and in May with the Heroes Honor Festival. Later in the summertime throughout Independence Day weekend, the monitor, in affiliation with Torneos, will host Soccer Fest earlier than the NASCAR Cup Series returns for the ultimate race of the common season with the Coke Zero Sugar 400 on Aug. 27.
