Nigel Kinrade Photography Xfinity customers pose with Brandon Jones (center) during a garage tour.
The three national NASCAR series capped off their seasons at Phoenix Raceway on November 4-6. Some select fans were on hand, courtesy of Xfinity, and they were able to play a role in the action.
Xfinity flew some customers and their guests out to Phoenix Raceway for the packed weekend as part of its Rewards program that rewards customers with unique experiences. The company delivered a packed weekend that included garage tours, meet and greets with prominent drivers, spots in a suite overlooking the track, photos on stage during the Xfinity Series championship ceremony, and rides in pace cars.
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The weekend revolved around the action at the race track, but the Xfinity customers also took part in some other one-of-a-kind experiences. For example, they headed to The Barn after each race and enjoyed some live music and drinks. They also joined Dinner in the Sky for a 30-minute meal 150 feet in the air.
“It’s really rewarding to do that and get them the access to, you know, close to the cars and to meet drivers and go to the driver introductions right on the track,” said Matt Lederer, VP of Branded Partnerships at Xfinity. “I mean, no other sport provides that type of access, which again, is another reason why the alignment of the Xfinity Rewards program and NASCAR makes so much sense.”
Xfinity Rewards is free for customers. Sign up through the Xfinity App or online at xfinity.com/rewards. Upon enrolling, members are placed in Silver, Gold, Platinum, or Diamond tier based on how long they’ve been a customer.
Xfinity Rewards was built around a simple idea: to give back to customers, just for being a customer, through unique and unforgettable experiences that only Comcast NBCUniversal can deliver.
The Xfinity Rewards Guests Took on Important Roles
Nigel Kinrade PhotographyAn Xfinity Customer served as the Grand Marshal at Phoenix.
The Xfinity customers were not simply at the track to watch the races from an air-conditioned suite. No, they had to take on some important roles ahead of the Xfinity Series championship race, which they learned about during an exclusive chat with Noah Gragson, Josh Berry, Ty Gibbs, and Justin Allgaier.
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Rewards member Contavious Love was more of a passenger in his role. He rode in the Toyota GR Supra pace car prior to the Xfinity Series race as the entire field followed behind. Jon Bartolome, who made the trip from the Bay Area, was in charge of getting the race going. He climbed to the top of the illuminated cactus, and he served as the honorary starter.
“I honestly think the flag part was really cool,” Bartolome told Heavy ahead of the Cup Series championship race. “Just being like right above the cars. This whole experience has been awesome. Like doing a whole bunch of stuff. I mean, never being here before and experiencing the track and just the environment and the people and energy, it’s great.”
Indiana’s Eric Burkhart had an equally important job. He was the grand marshal for the Xfinity Series race. He had to step onto the stage, grab the microphone, and shout the most famous words in motorsports. It would have been easy to mess this up, but he brought the thunder.
“[The weekend] has been exceptional. It exceeded my expectations,” Burkhart said before explaining that it’s hard to top being the grand marshal. “Not in my lifetime. I didn’t even know I was the grand marshal until they introduced me. I was like, ‘That’s a big shock.'”
2 Champion Drivers Visited the Xfinity Suite
Nigel Kinrade PhotographyAn Xfinity Rewards member waves the green flag at Phoenix Raceway.
The weekend at Phoenix Raceway featured multiple interactions with Xfinity and Cup Series drivers. There were conversations with Brandon Jones, Noah Gragson, Ty Gibbs, Justin Allgaier, and others out by Victory Lane or in the garage.
The customers also had two championship-winning drivers join them in the suite for Q&A sessions. Daniel Hemric was the first as he spent time before the Xfinity Series race answering questions about his season and explaining how he learned to do backflips.
“To me, it just brings a different dynamic to our sport, right?” Hemric told Heavy. “We talked about how accessible the athletes themselves are. And this just takes that to another level to be able to sit in a room and have a conversation with a driver. All we’re looking for is that personal connection at the end of the day.
“Those folks, to be a part of the Xfinity Rewards program, to be able to come here and wave a green flag in the event, tell the drivers to start their engines, ride around the pace car and see 40 cars lined up behind them, like that’s an experience of an actual lifetime. And that just adds to what our sport stands for, what it was built on.”
Kevin Harvick was next. He joined the customers in the suite prior to making history during the Cup Series race on November 6, and he went through his time in the sport and some of the biggest moments of his career. He also explained that Darlington Raceway is currently his favorite track on the schedule due to the asphalt.
This interaction with Harvick gave the Xfinity customers an opportunity to see a different side of him. There are countless videos of him on the internet conducting post-race interviews or talking to media members, but he can often be guarded in these moments. In the Xfinity suite, he was having fun joking around with the customers while showing off more of his personality.
“Kevin is smart. He is engaging. He knows his craft so well, and he can speak to it,” Lederer said. “…For somebody to talk to somebody like Kevin Harvick and then watch him get into the car and do what he does, it’s hard not to become a fan. It’s hard not to be again, overwhelmed by the awesomeness of the experience.”
The 2022 season is over, and so are the Rewards experiences focused on NASCAR. However, they will return for the 2023 season in February. In the meantime, there will be other experiences available to Xfinity customers that sign up for the Rewards program.