Daytona International Speedway’s hometown driver, Scott Lagasse Jr. returns to NASCAR Nationwide Series competition this Fourth of July in a joint effort between RAB Racing and TeamSLR. Lagasse Jr. will be piloting the No. 29 Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow Toyota Camry in Friday’s Subway Firecracker 250.
The St. Augustine, Florida-native will be making his 57th NASCAR Nationwide Series start, and will look to finish ahead of the field after 250 miles in his return to one of NASCAR’s largest and most exciting tracks. Lagasse Jr. will be paired with veteran crew chief Chris Rice, who boasts a near-perfect lap completion record (99.5%) at the famed superspeedway, as well as a best finish of third. In addition to his hard work on the track, Lagasse Jr. would like to raise awareness about an initiative close to his heart, keeping Floridians safe. And he wants to remind everyone that ‘Safety Doesn’t Happen by Accident.’
The ‘Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow’ initiative began in 2011 with the goal of increasing awareness and decreasing crashes, injuries and fatalities of bicyclists and pedestrians in the state of Florida. As part of the Florida DOT’s focused initiative, the ‘Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow’ campaign is being presented via television, radio, social media, transit advertising, and through local education and enforcement activities. The message that ‘Safety Doesn’t Happen by Accident’ is a reminder for all roadway users to pay attention and follow the rules of the road.
Specific tips for reducing pedestrian and bicycle fatalities include:
Pedestrians: Always use the crosswalk and look both ways before crossing
Motorists: Stop before turning right on red and always yield to pedestrians
Bicyclists: Make yourself visible and always signal your intentions so drivers know what to expect
Everyone: Pay attention to the road, every time, every trip
“Driving the Alert Today Alive Tomorrow Car at Daytona is a great opportunity for TeamSLR to partner with FDOT & RAB,” said Lagasse Jr. “I am always excited to race at Daytona, this is home for me. We all worked well together in February and I am excited for the opportunity to work with Chris Rice and RAB. Our car was really fast in the draft, but unfortunately that changed on pit road. We look forward to a great race and improving on our finish earlier this year.”
“I am excited to partner with FDOT to spread the word and remind everyone of the dangers for pedestrians and bicycles on the road. We can all help reduce deaths if we stay alert and pay attention. This Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety Campaign really hits home with me. I am an avid bicyclist myself, and to see this effort to make Florida a better state to be a cyclist or pedestrian is great. Please join me in making a difference.”
The Boy Scouts of America continue to play a significant role in Lagasse Jr.’s race program and are a perfect fit as a partner with the FDOT Safety message. The BSA and Lagasse Jr. have been successfully providing unique opportunities for Scouts through motorsports for the past 2 years and continue to expand the relationship and positive impact for all.
The Subway Firecracker 250 will be aired live on ESPN2 Friday, July 4th at 7:00 p.m. and broadcast on MRN.
About the Florida DOT:
The Florida Department of Transportation’s primary responsibility is to coordinate planning and development of a safe, viable, and balanced state transportation system serving all regions of the state, and to assure the compatibility of all components, including multimodal facilities. Florida’s transportation system includes roadway, air, rail, sea, spaceports, bus transit, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities. For more information on the Florida Department of Transportation, please visit www.dot.state.fl.us. For more information on Florida’s Focused Initiative for pedestrian and bicycle safety, please visit www.alerttodayflorida.com.
About Scott Lagasse Jr:
Scott Jr. has been winning races since the age of seven on motorcycles, karts, modifieds, NASCAR Late Models, ASA Series, ARCA, Dirt Late Models and more. Scott is now focused on winning at the top levels of NASCAR. For more information about Scott Lagasse Jr./ TeamSLR and The Boy Scouts of America NASCAR program, please visit www.teamslr.com. Keep up to date with Scotty by following him on Twitter @scottlagasse FACEBOOK/ scottlagassejr
About RAB:
Originally founded in 2005, RAB Racing with Brack Maggard is a Concord, North Carolina-based auto racing team that fields entries in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. RAB Racing has fielded entries in the ARCA Racing Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. This season will mark the sixth season of full-time NASCAR competition for the organization. With the support of Toyota, RAB Racing is poised and ready to take the next step in capturing the organization’s first NASCAR Championship. To learn more about RAB Racing, visit www.TeamRAB.com.
