BURRILLVILLE – It’s the 65th running of the Daytona 500 today, Sunday, Feb. 19, at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida.
The NASCAR racing season opener is a racing fan favorite across the USA, if not the world, every year just one week after the NFL Super Bowl is televised for football fans. The Daytona 500 is considered the Super Bowl of NASCAR and millions of fans watch to see what driver crosses the finish line and the checkered flag after this 500 mile race. Every NASCAR fan hopes it’s their favorite driver that comes in first place. A top 10 showing is a great way to start the NASCAR season for any driver and their team.
This Sunday feature is a Buckleupallofus NASCAR coloring cartoon for the kids. The slogan; “Everyone Wins…When You Buckle Up!” says it all when it comes to child passenger safety and family safety in vehicles messaging related to NASCAR racing this year. When you and your family are watching the Daytona 500 today you can also get a box of crayons or colored markers and color this in while talking to your children about buckle up safety. It’s a great way to open up dialogue between family members while enjoying the race with your family and friends.
Adults like to color too, so don’t be shy about borrowing some of your kids crayons and markers. I’m sure that they won’t mind at all as long as you give them back once you are done coloring. There is white open space under the waving checkered flag next to Bucky if you would like to draw and color your favorite drivers race car number and add the team colors.
Have fun and enjoy the Daytona 500 NASCAR race this afternoon. I know, that I will. Buckle Up!
Jim Weicherding is a Burrillville resident, and the founder and creator of an award-winning traffic safety effort Seasons of Safety. Weicherding contributes kids’ coloring cartoons, which can be printed and used to help parents discuss safety issues with their children. He has a long list of police officers and firefighters in his family and has worked with law enforcement and firefighters in a creative public safety capacity for more than two decades.