Educational Programs & Initiatives

Daytona International Speedway partners with local high schools in this incentive program targeting at-risk students.  “Winner’s Circle/Victory Lane” rewards student achievement through motivational presentations, field trips to the Daytona 500 Experience, attending race events, participation in the race winner’s celebration in Victory Lane, as well as job shadowing at the Speedway.

Our "Racing to Read" partnership program promotes the importance of reading at all grade levels.  Implemented through the Volusia County School system in Florida, approximately 50,000 students earn complimentary tickets to race events or the Daytona 500 Experience as a reward for their reading achievements.

“Read For Speed” is an accelerated reading program which provides incentives through the excitement of auto racing to encourage young readers to fully experience the joy of reading. The program, which has run since the spring of 2005, continues to be a vital part of several local elementary schools in the Watkins Glen and Elmira communities for grade levels ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade with the program starting in late February and running until the end of May. Not only does the program motivate children to read but it encourages academic aptitude and comprehension, creates a strong foundation for the written word and shows students that reading can be fun!

Watkins Glen International provides major incentives to the young readers in the form of race event tickets, sponsor giveaways, driver appearances,“Max Traxx” (Read for Speed mascot) appearances, pizza parties, racing games and much more. With the bulk of the program taking place inside the classroom and/or home, the program is designed to be flexible allowing for easy integration into already existing reading programs and/or to allow teachers the chance to individually decide what curriculum to utilize in terms of books, authors, etc.