Share this:

" />

Texas Motor Speedway to host ‘Back the Blue Night’ at Firestone 600

by Mike Haag | Posted on Thursday, August 11th, 2016

FORT WORTH – Texas Motor Speedway will play host to “Back The Blue Night” at the Firestone 600 Verizon IndyCar Series race on Saturday, Aug. 27, to display its appreciation for the dedicated service of police officers.

Carlos Munoz of Columbia, driver of the #26 Andretti Autosport Honda, practices for the Verizon IndyCar Series Firestone 600 at Texas Motor Speedway on June 10, 2016 in Fort Worth, Texas. The race was rained out and has been rescheduled for Saturday, August 27. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway)

Carlos Munoz of Columbia, driver of the #26 Andretti Autosport Honda, practices for the Verizon IndyCar Series Firestone 600 at Texas Motor Speedway on June 10, 2016 in Fort Worth, Texas. The race was rained out and has been rescheduled for Saturday, August 27. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway)

“Back The Blue Night” will honor police officers near and far by providing them and a companion free admission to the Firestone 600. Police personnel will be required to show their badge or proper identification at the gate for admittance to the event that will have general admission seating. Texas Motor Speedway also will extend this offer to all first responders that show proper identification at the gate.

The Firestone 600 will begin at 8 p.m. CT and be televised live on the NBC Sports Network. The race also will be available live on the IMS Radio Network as well as locally on 95.9 The Ranch.

The Firestone 600 is the resumption of the race that was postponed Saturday, June 11, due to weather and rescheduled for the following day. A total of 71 of the scheduled 248 laps were run June 12 before the race was suspended due to inclement weather. The race, which now is in the championship stretch of the season as the third to last race, will resume on Lap 72 with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports driver James Hinchcliffe leading.

The “Restart Your Engines” schedule begins with gates opening to the public at 4 p.m. CT. Race activities start with a Verizon IndyCar Series practice from 4:30-5 p.m. and an autograph session featuring the entire driver field from 5:30-6:15 p.m. on the main concourse.

Texas Motor Speedway will be offering fans attending the one-day event some additional perks including $1 hot dogs and Coca-Cola beverages from Levy Restaurants and the first 3,000 fans receiving a free vintage Indy-car t-shirt compliments of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. Properties. SMIP also will provide fans with free souvenir race programs from the original June event while supplies last.

All frontstretch seating, including premium sections, will be general admission and priced at $28 with children 12 and under at $10.

For more information, please contact the speedway ticket office at 817.215.8500 or visit www.texasmotorspeedway.com.

Story and photo courtesy of Texas Motor Speedway and Getty Images.

About the Author

Mike Haag has covered motorsports in San Antonio and South Texas for more than 35 years. In addition to covering motorsports for the San Antonio Express-News for nearly 28 years, Mike also has co-hosted TrackSmack with Dawn Murphy for 18 race seasons. In addition to being a writer, Mike taught high school English and Journalism for 30 years before retiring in May, 2020.