Las Vegan Katie Grimes is one of the fastest swimmers in the world, but now she gets a chance to keep pace with the fastest stock cars in the world.
Grimes, a silver medalist in swimming at the Paris Olympics, is shifting gears from taking laps in an Olympic pool to taking laps on the racetrack as she takes on her newest role as celebrity pace car driver for the South Point 400 on Oct. 20.
Grimes, an18-year-old Las Vegas native, is a rising star in the swimming world. She has set multiple Nevada state records and won numerous state championships. Grimes has been recognized as one of the most exciting athletes to watch compete in her sport, and even her Olympic teammate and nine-time gold medal winner Katie Ledecky agrees that Grimes is the “future” of swimming in the United States. In 2020, she was the youngest American swimmer to qualify for the Olympic Trials in the 800m freestyle. This summer in Paris, Grimes solidified her status as a swimming superstar by winning a silver Olympic medal in the 400m individual medley.
“Swimming in my second Olympic Games was such a milestone experience for me,” Grimes said. “And while swimming is my life, getting the opportunity to represent our city, our state and our country was incredibly special. And now representing at the South Point 400 is really exciting.”
Grimes joins an extensive list of superstars such as Former Major League Baseball superstar and current owner of United Soccer League Championship team Las Vegas Lights FC, José Bautista, Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams, actor and comedian Nick Cannon, current Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo, and former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch as past celebrity pace car drivers at LVMS.
For the third year in a row, LVMS’s annual Fall NASCAR weekend will offer fans a FREE Friday that will kick off with a NASCAR Cup Hauler Parade around LVMS on Friday afternoon, Oct. 18, and follow with Xfinity practice and qualifying later that day. Friday’s racing action will conclude with the zMax CARS Tour West Star Nursery Classic at the iconic Bullring, where race fans can attend for as low as $20 during pre-sale, and kids 12 and under can attend for free. Don’t miss your chance to see NASCAR legend Kevin Harvick and his son, Keelan, take on the competition along with a jaw-dropping Monster Truck demolition show. Saturday brings Cup Series qualifying in the early afternoon, followed by the Ambetter Health 302 NASCAR Xfinity Series race. Race weekend will conclude with South Point 400 NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday.
For tickets or more information on the South Point 400, visit www.lvms.com or call 1-800-644-4444. Weekend and single-day tickets are still available; Sunday tickets for kids 12 and under are just $10 and free on Friday and Saturday with the advance purchase of an adult ticket.
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