Media and Influencer Day at Homestead-Miami Speedway

Continuing a busy week for the track, Homestead-Miami Speedway held its Media and Influencer Day on October 15.

With race car rides and drives by NASCAR Racing Experience and interviews with RFK Racing driver Ryan Preece, HMS President Guillermo Santa Cruz, and Miami artist Romero Britto, who will be the honorary creative director for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race, attendees were brought up to date on the upcoming NASCAR Championship Weekend.

We asked Santa Cruz why this event was so important.

He told us, “One of the keys to the work that we're doing here at Homestead Miami Speedway is getting closer to the community. One of the things that I said when I got here two years ago was that we have to own our backyard. And we have to not bring Homestead closer to Miami, bring Miami closer to Homestead. And to have people understand that we are not that far away. We are different, but we're different in a good way. And we are warm, we are welcoming. This is paradise. This is racing paradise. And we want people to feel that draw of Homestead and to come down here and enjoy really enjoy some of the finest racing anywhere in the world let alone NASCAR and to feel the excitement and the vibe of NASCAR at Homestead and at the Speedway.”

He continued, “We also understand we have to come to them and we have to open the doors and this is a very unique market it's a multicultural multilingual market that's a reality of it and we have to be everywhere. Once people see NASCAR, once people come here, they fall in love with the sport.”

In talking with a number of attendees, it was clear that they will be taking this message to their followers.

We also talked with Ryan Preece, driver of the No. 60 Ford for RFK Racing. His win at Daytona earlier in the year helped propel him into the Championship Chase.

We asked him what he likes about racing at HMS. Ryan said, “From a racer standpoint, all you want as a race car driver is to have options when you're on the racetrack. And one of the conversations that's always had is dirty air. At Homestead, you can throw dirty air out the window because you have the bottom, the middle, the top, up against the fence. So from a race car driver standpoint, it gives you options. It's a test to see how well you can save your tires. So, it makes for a great race and it's really challenging.”

He also told us he plans to come down to Homestead early to go fishing with his crew.

We also asked Ryan about preparations for upcoming races, particularly Talladega and Homestead.

He responded, “I’ve been watching a lot of Talladega Nights trying to prepare for it. But yeah, I mean, when you win the last Super Speedway and I didn't feel like we just kind of lucked into it. I felt like we persevered. We put ourselves in position and we did it. So, I was really happy about that. So that makes me excited about that. Phoenix, Martinsville, short tracks. There's a lot of potential there. And yeah, I know. So, I mean, for me, I feel like the final four races really fall into everything that I and RFK are excelling at. At Homestead last year, RFK Fords ran really well. So I feel like some of the things that we've learned this year, that hopefully we can elevate that a little more and be a contender.”

Romero Britto talked with the News Leader after his ride around the track with a NASCAR Racing Experience driver. Following up on his remarks at the announcement of his partnership with HMS and NASCAR, we asked him about the mural for the Speedway’s tower.

He told us, “My inspiration was the race, was NASCAR. And of course I live in South Florida, so super bright, super happy, super... Just as we are here in South Florida, in South Dade, you know, here at the racetrack. So, all that together, came out, that beautiful mural and the trophy as well.”

He continued, “I'm thrilled to have my work part of something so special not only for Homestead, but Florida, but to America. NASCAR is the most loved race series in America. That means the biggest in the world. So I'm so happy to be part of that, part of history, part of the history of NASCAR as well.”

For more information on Championship Weekend, November 6–8, visit www.homesteadmiamispeedway.com.