By Amanda Pflugrad
A bizarre set of events took place during the Daytona 500, with the weather and fire delay caused by the Juan Pablo Montoya explosion. Fans and drivers alike may have been relieved to have the next stop of the race in the Valley of the Sun for the Subway Fresh Fit 500.
It was the Thursday before the race that drew the first crowd of NASCAR competitors. The crowned 2012 Daytona 500 winner Matt Kenseth, NASCAR legend Darrell Waltrip and Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt arrived at Frank and Albert’s for the Night of Champions. The attendees enjoyed a night of food, mingling with the celebrity guests and recognizing the guest of honor, Kenseth. This event helped raise money for The MVP Foundation and the Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Recently inducted NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip expressed his excitement of having Kenseth at the event and mentioned their shared connection with the No. 17. In Waltrip’s terms, they are part of the “17 fraternity,” having both won the Daytona 500 while driving car No. 17.
Now we all know Waltrip and Kenseth are linked to racing, but you may be asking yourselves what is Coach Whisenhunt’s connection to NASCAR? Coach Whisenhunt was first introduced to NASCAR when he was coached by Joe Gibbs, now a NASCAR owner.
Darrell Waltrip concluded with positive remarks about The Subway Fresh Fit 500. He said, “This is one of my favorite racetracks and this is one of my favorite cities.”
