2025 Daytona 500

United States Air Force Thunderbirds Back in Full Force for 2025 DAYTONA 500

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The highly anticipated Thunderbirds flyover will once again blow fans’ minds (and ear drums) ahead of NASCAR’s season opener

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 21, 2025) – The United States Air Force Thunderbirds are back at The World Center of Racing, showcasing the sights, speeds and sounds of F-16 fighter jets in front of a sold out crowd, just before the deep rumble of stock car engines roars throughout the venue ahead of NASCAR’s season opener – the DAYTONA 500.

This will be the 15th consecutive year and 16th overall that the Thunderbirds will perform a flyover ahead of The Great American Race at Daytona International Speedway.

“The Thunderbirds flyover is a tradition that perfectly captures the electric atmosphere of The Great American Race and has done so for the last 15 years,” said Daytona International Speedway President Frank Kelleher. “The sound of those jets soaring across the sky is something all of us here at The World Center of Racing look forward to every year. Between the pure adrenaline that comes with watching their performance and the energy of kicking off the NASCAR season in front of a full house, it’s a feeling you don’t get anywhere else.”

The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron “Thunderbirds”, also known as “America’s Team,” will perform their signature “Delta” formation just before the green flag drops for the 2025 DAYTONA 500.

The Thunderbirds are comprised of 12 officers along with more than 120 of the Air Force’s finest enlisted Airmen from across 32 different career fields. The Thunderbirds are a diverse group of individuals who are united, mission-focused and strive towards an almost unbelievable attention to detail. The pilots fly with extreme precision, sometimes closer than 16 inches apart, in the Air Force’s premiere multi-role fighter jet, the F-16 Fighting Falcon. As Ambassadors in Blue, their commitment to the mission and to each other inspires hope for America’s future.

“As America’s Team, the Thunderbirds are a unifying force, focused on inspiring America and communities across the world to pursue perfection and capture excellence,” said Thunderbird 1, Commander/Leader, U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Nathan “Sheik” Malafa. “We are excited to return for the Daytona 500. As the most prestigious race in NASCAR, it signifies the beginning of a grueling season for the drivers who will push themselves to perfection and our team shares that same commitment to excellence that will lead us through a very demanding and successful 2025 season. It is our honor to kick off this race for the 15th consecutive year, drivers get ready to start your engines!”

The iconic Thunderbirds flyover is just one portion of the entertainment and racing packed week that is Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth.

The action begins on Wednesday, Feb. 12, with DAYTONA 500 Qualifying Presented by Busch Light, setting the field for the Duel At DAYTONA, which occurs the following night on Thursday, Feb. 13, where drivers will battle it out for a spot in the coveted Great American Race.

The season-opening races for all three NASCAR national series as well as the ARCA Menards Series kick off on Friday, Feb. 14, starting with the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Fresh From Florida 250. Saturday, Feb. 15, will feature an action-packed double-header with the ARCA Menards Series race followed by the Xfinity Series United Rentals 300.

Then Sunday, Feb. 16, directly following GRAMMY® Award Winning Artist Pitbull’s pre-race show, the USAF Thunderbirds will perform their flyover, preparing both fans and drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series for an intense battle in the DAYTONA 500.

For more information regarding the DAYTONA 500 and Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth, please visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com.

About Daytona International Speedway

Daytona International Speedway is a state-of-the-art motorsports facility and was awarded the SportsBusiness Journal’s prestigious Sports Business Award for Sports Facility of the Year in 2016. Daytona International Speedway is the home of The Great American Race – the DAYTONA 500. Though the season-opening NASCAR Cup Series event garners most of the attention – as well as the largest audience in motorsports – the approximately 500-acre motorsports complex, also known as the World Center of Racing, boasts the most diverse schedule of racing on the globe. Some of the exciting racing events include January’s Rolex 24 At DAYTONA and Roar Before The Rolex 24, February’s DAYTONA 500 and Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth, March’s Bike Week At DAYTONA featuring DAYTONA Supercross and the DAYTONA 200, the August Coke Zero Sugar 400 weekend, and much more. The Speedway grounds are also used extensively for other events that include concerts such as Welcome to Rockville, sporting events including CLASH DAYTONA, civic and social gatherings, car shows, photo shoots, production vehicle testing and police motorcycle training.

About the Thunderbirds

The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, performs precision aerial maneuvers demonstrating the capabilities of Air Force high performance aircraft to people throughout the world. The squadron exhibits the professional qualities the Air Force develops in the people who fly, maintain and support these aircraft. The squadron performs approximately 75 demonstrations each year and has never canceled a demonstration due to maintenance difficulty. More than 300 million people in all 50 states and 58 foreign countries have seen the red, white and blue jets in more than 4,000 aerial demonstrations.

The F-16 represents the full range of capabilities demonstrated by Air Force combat fighter jets. This highly maneuverable multi-role fighter has proven to be one of the world’s best precision tactical bombers and air-to-air combat aircraft. The only modifications needed to prepare the aircraft for its air demonstration role are installing a smoke-generating system in the space normally reserved for the 20mm cannon, and the painting of the aircraft in Thunderbird colors.

In addition to their responsibilities as the official U.S. Air Force aerial demonstration team, the Thunderbirds are part of our combat force. If required, the team’s personnel and aircraft can be rapidly integrated into a fighter unit at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Since the aircraft are only slightly modified, they can be made combat-ready in less than 72 hours.

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 14 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Series, NASCAR Canada Series, NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in five cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 11 countries and more than 30 U.S. states.

For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X and Snapchat.