JOLIET, Ill. — Chicagoland Speedway has announced that nine-time AMA motorcycle racing champion Ryan Villopoto will serve as the official pace car driver for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Camping World 400 on June 30.
“I am stoked about this opportunity to drive the pace car for this year’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Camping World 400 at Chicagoland Speedway,” said Villopoto. “I’ve been a longtime fan of NASCAR, and I can’t wait to take the boys around the track.”
Villopoto entered the NASCAR conversation back in January when he sent a message via Twitter and Instagram to seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson, to get Johnson’s thoughts on bringing a pit bike race to Chicagoland Speedway during its NASCAR weekend.
The conversation took off in the social world, bringing Chicagoland Speedway President Scott Paddock to green light the event.
Last week, Villopoto spent the afternoon at Chicagoland Speedway with Ricky Stenhouse Jr., getting pointers on navigating the 1.5-mile oval, riding pit bikes and hitting golf balls from the top of the grandstands into the infield.
New to Chicagoland Speedway in 2019 will be the inaugural Pit Bike Nation, featuring motocross legends Ryan Villopoto, Jeff Stanton, Taylor Kinney, Damon Bradshaw Carson Brown, Mike Brown, Gary Semics, Kyle Vance, Willy Browning and a ride or two to be announced shortly.
For the first time ever, fans can watch former professional supercross and motocross racers duke it out on Pit Bikes during the NASCAR Summer Festival Weekend at Chicagoland.