As the NASCAR Cup Series travels to Madison, Illinois for Sunday’s Enjoy Illinois 300 at WWT Raceway, there will be at least one entry in the 36-car field that will also be making a very unique piece of history.
Zeigler Auto Group – primary sponsor of Josh Bilicki and Spire Motorsports — will become the first company to utilize their sponsorship to promote a Marathon, with the company set to announce the official race date of the 2023 Zeigler Kalamazoo Marathon.
The official announcement – which will take place during Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series event — will officially begin the campaign for the 2023 edition of the Marathon, which was first contested in 1980.
“It was evident from the incredible support of the community and our sponsors this past year that this event is integral to health and wellness in Kalamazoo. Even more, it is desired,” said Carrie Drake, director of the Zeigler Kalamazoo Marathon. “We are excited to grow and expand in collaboration with the community to make this an experience where movement and health are celebrated by all.”
2023 marks Zeigler Auto Group’s second year of sponsoring the Marathon, after helping to reintroduce the tradition following a two-year live event hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Upon its reintroduction, the organization announced a new vision – “Driving a Healthy Community” — meant to embody the race’s legacy while serving as the beginning foundation for the race’s new era in the Kalamazoo area.
“Why announce a marathon on network television to a national audience watching NASCAR? Because ‘Driving a Healthy Community’ is important to our teams across the Zeigler Auto Group and to the city of Kalamazoo,” exclaimed Aaron Zeigler, president, and CEO of Zeigler Auto Group. “This is one reason why Glassdoor ranked us number one among auto dealers for work-life balance during the pandemic. Also, a reason why U.S. News & World Report lists Kalamazoo at 40 within the top 150 best cities in America to live for quality of life and health. We invite runners across the United States to join the marathon next year and to discover all that Kalamazoo, Michigan has to offer,”
This year’s Zeigler Kalamazoo Marathon ran from April 22 to 24, which included the annual half-marathon, along with the 10K, 5K Run, Priority Health 5K Walk, and the PNC Kids’ 1K, all of which will return again for the 2023 event.
NASCAR Cup Series driver, Josh Bilicki, also made appearances at the event throughout the weekend, visiting the Kalamazoo Health Expo on Saturday, and pacing the main event races in the Zeigler.com Camaro on Sunday.
“Now more than ever, getting outside to walk and run is an excellent way to be healthy. We envision the 2023 Zeigler Kalamazoo Marathon event that will inspire all parts of our community towards health and wellness,” said Chris Lampen-Crowell of the Kalamazoo Marathon organization.
Registration for the 2023 Zeigler Kalamazoo Marathon will open on Monday, August 1, with additional details regarding the event – including the event’s date — to be announced at a later date.
