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Daytona's "Big Ticket" on Sale Thursday

17 July 1997

(July 16, 1997) -- Tickets for one of the most anticipated sporting
events in Florida history go on sale today (Thursday) at Daytona
International Speedway for the inaugural night running of the Pepsi
400 on July 4, 1998.

For years, sports fans have coveted seats to the Daytona 500, creating
a ticket demand for the race as high as any sports event in the world.
With the addition of lights to the famed superspeedway that has hosted
NASCAR events since 1959, Speedway President John Graham expects
demand for Pepsi 400 tickets to be nearly as high.

"A NASCAR Winston Cup race at Daytona under the lights is sure to be
one of the greatest spectacles in motorsports, second only perhaps to
the Daytona 500," Graham said. "Each year, through the combination of
huge television ratings and sold-out grandstands at the Speedway, the
Daytona 500 enjoys the largest audience in motorsports. With the
addition of lights, we expect the Pepsi 400 to be a very close
second."

Those who had reserved-seat tickets for the 1997 Pepsi 400 won by John
Andretti on July 5, will have until Sept. 15 to renew their seats for
next year's history-making event. Tomorrow's sale will allow fans who
did not have reserved seats for this year's race the opportunity to
place a deposit on seats for the 1998 event.  All reserved-seat
tickets for the 1998 event will be renewable for the 1999 Pepsi 400.

On July 4, Graham announced plans to make Daytona International
Speedway home to the world's largest sports lighting project by
erecting more than 130 light poles ranging from 70 to 140 feet in
height, 2,205 fixtures, 150 miles of wire, 800 tons of concrete and
2,600 square feet of mirrors to properly light the 2.5-mile
high-banked trioval.

Deposits for tickets can be made in person at the Speedway ticket
office or by calling (904) 253-7223.