National championship winning UConn men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley will serve as Grand Marshal of the Camping World SRX Series’ season opening event Thursday at Stafford Speedway.
“I am honored to be serving as the grand marshal at the SRX series racing event at the Stafford Speedway,” Hurley said. “I am looking forward to being at the track with the drivers and kicking off the 2023 SRX racing season.”
In his fifth season as head coach at UConn, Hurley led his team to the 2023 NCAA Men’s Division I national title. Hurley’s fifth seeded Huskies defeated San Diego State 76-59 in the national championship game on April 3 in Houston.
In his role as Grand Marshal for the event Hurley will give the command for drivers to start their engines. Hurley is also expected to be interviewed as part of the ESPN Thursday Night Thunder broadcast of the event.
Hurley was named head coach of the UConn men’s basketball team on March 22, 2018. He had previously coached at Wagner College and the University of Rhode Island.
Hurley, who played college basketball at Seton Hall, is the son of Hall of Fame basketball coach and New Jersey high school coaching legend Bob Hurley Sr.
The SRX Series is making its third appearance in three seasons at Stafford Speedway. Stafford hosted the inaugural series event on June 12, 2021. That event saw track veteran and six-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Doug Coby best the superstars on his home turf. Last year Stafford played host to the third event on the series schedule, which featured a wildly popular victory for former NASCAR star Ryan Newman.
The stars seem to be in alignment. The coach of the reigning NCAA men’s basketball champs our own Coach Hurley, big time racing in the neighborhood and Connecticut based ESPN providing the coverage. Big doings in the Nutmeg State. Our own Mr. Courchesne geographically between UCONN and this event and professionally as well so hopefully he’ll have a chance to chat with the coach and share his thoughts. Being a turbo charged type A personality and terrific ambassador of UCONN and Connecticut I’d bet anything Hurley does extensive prep for this event studying everything about it, the history, the track, the drivers and is well prepared even if he is not a motor sports fan.
New 6 year contract for coach Hurley and and an eye popper making him one of the highest paid coaches in the country. Kevin Ollie got a super sized contract as well after he lead our Huskies to a national championship than proceeded to take the program on a steady trajectory downward. Hopefully Hurley will continue to field competitive teams. He has his work cut out for him starting in the fall having lost his top three players.
FloRacing lists the SK race starting at 5:45.
Stafford seems to be the Daytona for SRX, I’ve heard 44 tracks wants the SRX. Joey Loganonwill be in the booth, too. Like the SRX, and I used to be a NASCAR fan. Still am but not what I used to be in the 1980s.
Over paid – hopefully he returns the honor to the Arutes. Do the SRX cars run in the rain?