More than 1,000 high school seniors will cross the finish line and take the checkered flag this Sunday (May 31) at Daytona International Speedway as part of graduation ceremonies for three different area schools at the World Center of Racing.
Each graduate will be allowed to enter the venue with family/guests in one passenger vehicle, and all attendees will remain in each vehicle during each ceremony. The full day of activity includes graduation for the following High Schools:
8:30 am First Baptist Christian Academy (Bunnell): 17 graduates
11:00 am Matanzas (Palm Coast): 400 graduates
4:00 pm Flagler-Palm Coast (Palm Coast): 600 graduates
Programming for each ceremony will take place inside the track on the asphalt skid pad that leads from the exit of turn four to the entrance of pit road. Afterwards, each vehicle – in a graduation procession – will make its way toward the start/finish line where each graduate’s name will be read followed by a presentation of their diploma through the driver’s side window (photo will be taken).
“We’re honored to have the graduates of Matanzas, Flagler-Palm Coast, and First Baptist Christian Academy, along with their families, with us on what will be a very special day at Daytona International Speedway,” said track President Chip Wile. “The France family and track are committed to supporting our community in any way possible, and we’re glad to be able to provide what will be an unforgettable experience for these graduates. Their day is finally here.”
“We had a committee made of students, school administrators, district staff, and a member of the School Board,” said James Tager, Flagler County Schools Superintendent. “We were determined to find a way for our graduates to have their ceremony, and without the wonderful team at Daytona International Speedway, we would not have been able to do that. We are excited for all of the graduates and are looking forward to Sunday’s historic ceremonies.”
After receiving their diploma, each graduate’s vehicle will be led through the trioval on the way to take a complete “Victory Lap” around the 2.5-mile venue on the track’s apron before returning to the area near pit road entrance where the moving of the tassel and cap toss will occur.
“We are very grateful that Daytona International Speedway was kind enough to include our graduating Seniors in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said FBCA Headmaster Dr. Jason Harrison. “Our FBCA students, families and staff feel overwhelmingly blessed and deeply appreciate the generosity and the thoughtfulness of the organizers of this event.”
FBCA will live stream the Crusaders’ graduation via their Facebook page while the ceremonies for both Matanzas and Flagler-Palm Coast will be live-streamed on the district’s website, FlaglerSchools.com. Graduates will be able to listen to their ceremony inside the track via low frequency radio station 107.9.
The events will be closed to the public, and again, all in attendance will remain in their vehicles through the duration of each ceremony.
Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube and Snapchat, and by downloading Daytona International Speedway’s mobile app, for the latest Speedway news throughout the season.
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. In addition to at least nine major event weekends, the Speedway grounds are also used extensively for events that include concerts, civic and social gatherings, car shows, photo shoots, production vehicle testing and police motorcycle training.
About First Baptist Christian Academy
FBCA opened in August of 2008. Now with two locations in Bunnell and Palm Coast, FBCA offers classes from infant through 12th grade with over 450 students. In 2015, we relocated to our new facilities at the Historic Flagler County Courthouse located at 201 E. Moody Blvd. Bunnell, Florida 32110. FBCA is fully accredited with the Florida Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (FACCS) and offers standard, honors, and dual enrollment credits for high school students.
About the Flagler County School District
The Flagler County School District is located in Bunnell, FL. and has been educating the children of Flagler County for more than a century. 10 schools, nearly 13,000 students and 2,500 teachers, staff and employees make up the largest workforce in Flagler County with a population of 110,510. Each one of them help create a talent pipeline for our county, combining technology-infused classrooms in modernized learning environment that serves as a state model. You can find additional information on our website, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram accounts.