With the Hard Rock Café on Beale Street as a backdrop, officials from Memphis Motorsports Park, The Memphis Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, Sam’s Town-Tunica and Elvis Presley Enterprises announced a partnership with the track’s three major events and the 50 years of Rock-N-Roll Celebration.

The O’Reilly 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race (June 18-19), The NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series O’Reilly Mid-South Nationals (August 20-22) and the Sam’s Town 250 Benefiting St. Jude NASCAR Busch Series Race (October 22-23) will feature themes associated with the 50 Years of Rock-N-Roll Celebration. Both NASCAR events and the NHRA event will feature special paint scheme cars, the appearance of Memphis music legends and plenty of Rock-N-Roll during race weekends.

Officials also unveiled a new event name and logo for the NASCAR Busch Series race in Memphis. The Sam’s Town 250 benefiting St. Jude will become the Sam’s Town 250 ‘He Dared to Rock’ 250 benefiting St. Jude. ‘He Dared to Rock’ is the campaign that Elvis Presley Enterprises is using to celebrate the 50-year anniversary of Elvis Presley’s first recording at Sun Studios on July 5, 1954.

“Memphis Motorsports Park’s embracing of the 50 Years of Rock-N-Roll celebration will continue to spread the word about Memphis and our great musical heritage,” Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau President Kevin Kane said. “The thousands of race fans that gather in Memphis for one of the fastest growing spectator sports will all be apart of our celebration.  The national media exposure assists us in accomplishing our goals in converting viewers into overnight visitors.”

“Memphis is the birthplace of Rock-N-Roll and to be able to celebrate the city’s musical heritage to a nationwide audience is exciting,” Memphis Motorsports Park Vice President and General Manager Jason Rittenberry said. “All the events and special programs will only add to the excitement experienced by our fans.”

NASCAR Busch Series veteran David Green and NHRA Top Fuel Competitor Clay Millican were on hand for the announcement. Both drivers are scheduled to participate in the 50 Years of Rock-N-Roll celebration.

“Everybody loves Rock-N-Roll,” said Green, driver of the Brewco Motorsports No. 37 Timber Wolf Chevy. “I am excited to be a part of this celebration. Rock-N-Roll and racing go hand-in-hand and this should be fun for everyone involved.”

More announcements are scheduled in the upcoming weeks and months leading up to each of the events. For more information visit www.memphismotorsprtspark.com or www.50yearsrocknroll.com.

Season and individual tickets for the O’Reilly 200, O’Reilly Mid-South Nationals and Sam’s Town ‘He Dared To Rock’ 250 benefiting St. Jude are now on sale at the Memphis Motorsports Park ticket office or by calling 1-866-40-SPEED.