The children of four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, Jeff Gordon have been named Grand Marshals for the April 19 Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.   Ella (age 7) and Leo (age 4) will give the command to start the 24th running of the Food City 500.

“Over the years, Jeff Gordon has been a true friend to Food City and our region.  He has been a loyal supporter of Food City Family Race Night and raised countless dollars in support of our local food banks through his partnership with AARP’s Drive to End Hunger,” said Steven C. Smith, Food City president and chief executive officer.  “In appreciation for his many contributions to our company and our region; and to commemorate his final season competing for a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship, we couldn’t think of more befitting Grand Marshals for our Food City 500 than Jeff’s children.”

His combined determination, hard work and decades of experience have achieved an unparalleled roster of victories, boasting 92 career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories and third on the all–time wins and pole award lists.  Gordon is a three-time Daytona 500 winner, five-time Brickyard 400 winner, three-time champion of The Sprint All-Star Challenge and four-time Food City 500 winner - and the list goes on and on. 

Food City is Bristol Motor Speedway’s longest running sponsor and the second longest in NASCAR motorsports.  The Food City 500 gets under way at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 19, 2015.  Qualifying for the event takes place on Friday, April 17 at 4:45 p.m.  The Drive to Stop Diabetes 300 is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 18, followed by the PittLite 125 at 4:30 p.m. 

Tickets are still available and may be purchased at www.bristoltix.com or by calling the BMS ticket office at 423-BRISTOL (274-7865).

Headquartered in Abingdon, Virginia, K-VA-T Food Stores (Food City’s parent company) operates 105 retail food outlets throughout the tri-state regions of Southeast Kentucky, Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee. 

Speedway Motorsports is a leading marketer and promoter of motorsports entertainment in the United States. The Company, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates the following premier facilities: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Infineon Raceway, Kentucky Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway. The Company provides souvenir merchandising services through its SMI Properties subsidiaries; manufactures and distributes smaller-scale, modified racing cars and parts through its U.S. Legend Cars International subsidiary; and produces and broadcasts syndicated motorsports programming to radio stations nationwide through its Performance Racing Network subsidiary. The Company also equally-owns Motorsports Authentics, a joint venture formed with International Speedway Corporation to produce, market and sell licensed motorsports merchandise. For more information, visit the Company's website at www.speedwaymotorsports.com.