Hailie Deegan Joins Driver Lineup, Geoff Bodine to Serve as Grand Marshal, Al Unser Jr. as Color Commentator
CHARLOTTE (July 15, 2024) – With just days until the green flag waves for the SpeedTour All-Star Race at Lime Rock Park, even more celebrities have been added to an already star-studded lineup. Parella Motorsports Holdings (PMH) has confirmed modified and NASCAR legend Geoff Bodine as the Grand Marshal for the event, while two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr. will serve as the color commentator for the national TV broadcast that will air live on MAVTV and the SpeedTour TV YouTube Channel. In addition, Hailie Deegan has been confirmed to drive in the race, partnering with All-Star driver Ken Schrader in a Team SLR-M1 Racecars entry.
“I can’t wait to get to Lime Rock Park for this weekend’s SpeedTour All-Star Race,” said Tony Parella, Founder and CEO of PMH. “The driver lineup is beyond impressive, both with the All-Star drivers and Trans Am pros. Then, adding in even more legends like Geoff Bodine and Al Unser Jr., this is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime event.”
Hailie Deegan adds to an already impressive SpeedTour All-Star Race grid. A three-time champion in the Lucas Oil Off Road Pro Series, Deegan is the only female driver to accomplish the feat, and is also the only youth driver to win the Lucas Oil Off Road Pro Series Driver of the Year award, an honor she took at the age of 15. Since 2018, she has been climbing up the stock car and sports car ladder. Winning in the ARCA Menards Series West, Deegan recorded top fives and top 10s as she moved through the ranks in the ARCA Menards Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. She kicked off the 2023 season by leading laps en route to her first sports car podium in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge. By 2024, she moved up to the NASCAR Xfinity Series, where she’s recorded a career-best 12th-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway.
Serving as Grand Marshal for the SpeedTour All-Star Race, Geoff Bodine made his name in modified racing before moving to NASCAR’s top-three national series. Recognized as one of NASCAR’s All-Time Top 10 Modified Drivers, he holds a Guinness World Record for the most wins in one season with 55 modified feature wins in 1978. Named as one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers, Bodine was the 1982 Cup Series Rookie of The Year and went on to win the 1986 Daytona 500. In 1987, he won the IROC Championship while competing against some of the best racers in the world.
Joining Bodine in the pre-race ceremonies will be Reverend Heidi Truax from nearby Trinity Episcopal Church, delivering the invocation. The Connecticut National Guard will present the Nation’s colors, while local singer Katie Weiser, who also happens to be an ICU nurse, performs the National Anthem.
Al Unser Jr. will serve as a color commentator for the national television broadcast on MAVTV, as well as for the live stream on YouTube.com/SpeedTourTV. Unser Jr. is a two-time INDYCAR Champion (1990, 1994), as well as a two-time winner of the renowned Indianapolis 500 (1992, 1994). A versatile racer, he’s stood atop the podium everywhere from the Long Beach Grand Prix (six times), to the Rolex 24 at Daytona (twice), the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, and in World of Outlaws races. In addition to his two INDYCAR titles, his championship accolades include the 1981 SCCA Super Vee Gold Cup, 1982 Can-Am Championship and two IROC Championships (1986, 1988).
The SpeedTour All-Star Race takes place this week, July 19-20, with spectator gates open both Friday and Saturday.
Friday’s schedule features two on-track sessions for the All-Stars, with practice at 11:10 a.m., and qualifying at 3:50 p.m. ET. Fans will have a chance to meet their favorite drivers with both an IROC Panel Discussion from 1:30 – 1:45 p.m., and the All-Star Race autograph session at 2:10-3:10 p.m. ET. Both events will be held in the main paddock at the IROC Tent.
On Saturday, fans will have two more opportunities to meet the drivers. The day will kick off with another All-Star Race autograph session at 9-9:30 a.m. at the IROC Tent. Then, fans are invited to come to Pit Lane for a special Pre-Race Fan Walk, where drivers will be signing autographs starting at 12 p.m. ET.
Tickets for the SpeedTour All-Star Race are available at LimeRock.com. Kids 12 and under will be admitted free with the purchase of an adult ticket, and all activity-duty military and veterans with a valid military ID will also gain free admission to the event.