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NASCAR Powerball Playoff Champion declared at Phoenix Raceway

Staff Report
·8 min read
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NASCAR Powerball Playoff Champion declared at Phoenix Raceway

Nov. 5: A Mississippi Lottery player was declared the NASCAR Powerball Playoff™ Champion in an exhilarating conclusion to the national Powerball® promotion. Stephanie Walker of West Point, Mississippi, won the $1 million grand prize in a drawing broadcast live from Victory Lane at Phoenix Raceway® during pre-coverage of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race™ on NBC.

“Like the NASCAR Playoffs, the anticipation has been building for weeks leading up to this Championship drawing,” said Drew Svitko, Powerball product group chair and Pennsylvania Lottery executive director. “This has been a wild ride, and we can‘t wait to offer our players another opportunity to experience the thrill of the NASCAR Powerball Playoff next year!”

Stephanie was one of four finalists who won a VIP trip for two to NASCAR Championship Weekend, Nov. 3-5, at Phoenix Raceway and entry into the $1 million drawing. The three finalists eliminated from the playoff have each won a $10,000 prize for making it to the Championship 4, they include:

  • Donald Pope — Michigan City, Ind.

  • Peter Schmitz — Santa Fe, N.M.

  • Barbara Wipf — Sioux Falls, S.D.

The VIP trip for the Championship 4 included roundtrip airfare for two to Phoenix, three nights hotel accommodations — double occupancy, two Ally Curve Hospitality Club passes for both the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race on Nov. 4 and the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race on Nov. 5, two passes for VIP experiences at Phoenix Raceway including NASCAR Cup Series™ VIP access, NASCAR team hauler tour, MRN radio booth tour, pace car rides, and Victory Lane access, welcome dinner and all meals, and ground transportation to scheduled events and activities.

“Just like the NASCAR Playoffs, the NASCAR Powerball Playoff Championship drawing has been filled with anticipation and excitement, culminating with Stephanie Walker taking home the $1 million prize,” said Michelle Byron, NASCAR senior vice president of partnership marketing. “This promotion was a perfect way to engage our loyal fans and lottery players alike, and we can‘t wait to see it come to life again next year.”

All finalists entered the national Powerball promotion through one of 24 participating state lotteries. Participating lotteries held in-state contests and second-chance drawings throughout the 2023 NASCAR regular season to form a national pool of entrants. Sixteen semi-finalists were then drawn from the national pool to compete in a series of elimination drawings that mirror the elimination rounds of the NASCAR playoffs. Cash prizes will be awarded to all 16 semi-finalists based on their elimination position.

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Oct. 29: The Championship 4 is set for the $1 million drawing in the inaugural NASCAR Powerball Playoff™. NASCAR® and Powerball® announced Sunday, during the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway, the four finalists who have won a VIP trip for two to NASCAR Championship Weekend™ at Phoenix Raceway, Nov. 3-5, and entry into the $1 million drawing.

The four finalists in the Championship 4 include:

  • Donald Pope — Michigan City, Ind.

  • Stephanie Walker — West Point, Miss.

  • Peter Schmitz — Santa Fe, N.M.

  • Barbara Wipf — Sioux Falls, S.D.

Each finalist has a 1 in 4 chance of winning the $1 million grand prize in the next and final drawing of the NASCAR Powerball Playoff™. The drawing will be broadcast live on NBC during pre-race coverage of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race on Sunday, Nov. 5 starting at 2 p.m. ET.

The VIP trip for the Championship 4 includes roundtrip airfare for two to Phoenix, three nights hotel accommodations — double occupancy, two Ally Curve Hospitality Club passes for both the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race on Nov. 4 and the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race on Nov. 5, two passes for VIP experiences at Phoenix Raceway including NASCAR Cup Series™ VIP access, NASCAR team hauler tour, MRN radio booth tour, pace car rides, and Victory Lane access, welcome dinner and all meals, and ground transportation to scheduled events and activities.

The four semi-finalists cut from the playoff in the third elimination drawing have each won a $7,500 prize for making it to the Round of 8; they include:

  • Misty Goad — Tucson, Ariz.

  • Marcelo Jo — Boca Raton, Fla.

  • Walter Held — Independence, Ky.

  • Angela Tamba — Harrisburg, Pa.

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Oct. 8: The field of semi-finalists in the race to $1 million has been cut in half following the second elimination drawing in the NASCAR Powerball Playoff™. NASCAR and Powerball® announced Sunday, during the Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the eight semi-finalists who have advanced in the playoff for a chance to win a VIP trip to NASCAR Championship Weekend at Phoenix Raceway and the $1 million grand prize.

The semi-finalists in the Round of 8 include:

  • Misty Goad — Tucson, Ariz.

  • Marcelo Jo — Boca Raton, Fla.

  • Donald Pope — Michigan City, Ind.

  • Walter Held — Independence, Ky.

  • Stephanie Walker — West Point, Miss.

  • Peter Schmitz — Santa Fe, N.M.

  • Angela Tamba — Harrisburg, Pa.

  • Barbara Wipf — Sioux Falls, S.D.

The four semi-finalists eliminated from the playoff have each won a $5,000 prize for making it to the Round of 12, they include:

  • Richelle Abbott — Gardiner, Maine

  • Joseph Medina — Franklin, Neb.

  • Robert Wilkinson — Oakland Gardens, N.Y.

  • Ronald Sewell — Columbia, S.C.

The next drawing in the NASCAR Powerball Playoff will be for the Championship 4. The four semi-finalists who advance from the Championship 4 drawing will win a VIP trip for two to NASCAR Championship Weekend at Phoenix Raceway, Nov. 3-5, and advance as finalists to the $1 million drawing. The Championship 4 will be announced during the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway on Oct. 29 (2 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App). The four players eliminated from the playoff at that time will win $7,500 each.

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Sept. 16: The NASCAR Powerball Playoff™ has narrowed down the field of semi-finalists, locking in the Round of 12 competitors in the race for a VIP trip to NASCAR Championship Weekend at Phoenix Raceway and the $1 million grand prize after the first elimination drawing, the sanctioning body and the Official Lottery Game of the sport announced Saturday. The announcement was made before Saturday‘s broadcast of the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway (6:30 p.m. ET, USA), the final race of the Round of 16 in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

The semi-finalists in the Round of 12 include:

  • Misty Goad: Tucson, Ariz.

  • Marcelo Jo: Boca Raton, Fla.

  • Donald Pope: Michigan City, Ind.

  • Walter Held: Independence, Ky.

  • Richelle Abbott: Gardiner, Maine

  • Stephanie Walker: West Point, Miss.

  • Joseph Medina: Franklin, Neb.

  • Peter Schmitz: Santa Fe, N.M.

  • Robert Wilkinson: Oakland Gardens, N.Y.

  • Angela Tamba: Harrisburg, Pa.

  • Ronald Sewell: Columbia, S.C.

  • Barbara Wipf: Sioux Falls, S.D.

The four semi-finalists eliminated from the playoff have each won a $2,500 prize for making it to the Round of 16 and they include:

  • Clara Miller: Hammond, La.

  • Richard Day: Shoreview, Minn.

  • Eric Severance: Parshall, N.D.

  • Philip Lesiuk: Cumberland, R.I.

The remaining semi-finalists will compete in a series of elimination drawings that mirror the elimination rounds of the NASCAR Playoffs. The next drawing in the NASCAR Powerball Playoff will be for the Round of 8. The eight semi-finalists advancing in the playoff will be announced during the Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Oct. 8 (2 p.m. ET, NBC, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App). The four players eliminated from the playoff at that time will win $5,000 each.

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Aug. 26: The field was set for the inaugural NASCAR Powerball Playoff™. During Saturday‘s broadcast of the Coke Zero Sugar 400 from Daytona International Speedway, NASCAR and Powerball® revealed the 16 semi-finalists who will have a chance to win a VIP trip to NASCAR Championship Weekend at Phoenix Raceway and the $1 million grand prize.

The semi-finalists in the Round of 16 include:

• Misty Goad: Tucson, Ariz.
• Marcelo Jo: Boca Raton, Fla.
• Donald Pope: Michigan City, Ind.
• Walter Held: Independence, Ky.
• Clara Miller: Hammond, La.
• Richelle Abbott: Gardiner, Maine
• Richard Day: Shoreview, Minn.
• Stephanie Walker: West Point, Miss.
• Eric Severance: Parshall, N.D.
• Joseph Medina: Franklin, Neb.
• Peter Schmitz: Santa Fe, N.M.
• Robert Wilkinson: Oakland Gardens, N.Y.
• Angela Tamba: Harrisburg, Pa.
• Philip Lesiuk: Cumberland, R.I.
• Ronald Sewell: Columbia, S.C.
• Barbara Wipf: Sioux Falls, S.D.

The semi-finalists will compete in a series of elimination drawings that mirror the elimination rounds of the NASCAR Playoffs. Next up is the Round of 12 drawing that will be announced during the Bass Pro Shops Night Right on Sept. 16 at Bristol Motor Speedway. The four players eliminated from the playoff at that time will win $2,500 each.

Other eliminations will occur on Oct. 8 during the Charlotte Motor Speedway road-course race and the Oct. 29 race at Martinsville Speedway. The four semi-finalists still in the playoff after that will win a VIP trip for two to NASCAR Championship Weekend™ at Phoenix Raceway, Nov. 3-5, and advance as finalists to the $1 million drawing.

To get to today’s drawing, all semi-finalists had to enter the national promotion through one of 24 participating state lotteries. Participating lotteries held in-state contests and second-chance drawings throughout the 2023 NASCAR regular season to form a national pool of entrants. The 16 semi-finalists were then randomly selected from the national pool during a preliminary drawing on Aug. 12.