DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR and the U.S. Census Bureau announced today an official partnership designed to spread awareness and encourage participation in the once-a-decade national census.

The 2020 Census counts every person living in the U.S., across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories. Beginning in mid-March, most homes will receive an invitation to respond to a short questionnaire — online, by phone, or by mail.

As part of the strategic partnership, the Census Bureau will become the race entitlement partner of the March 21 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

“The 2020 Census is here, and we are excited to partner with NASCAR to help spread the word about the importance of the census to shaping the future of communities across the country,” said Dr. Steven Dillingham, Director of the Census Bureau. “To ensure a complete and accurate count, we need everyone. NASCAR provides us with an excellent platform to educate the public and encourage them to respond this spring.”

The 2020 Census, which is mandated by the U.S. Constitution, is conducted by the Census Bureau, the federal government’s largest statistical agency.

The statistics can be used to inform more than hundreds of billions of dollars to states and communities for services like fire stations, schools, and clinics every year for the next 10 years. It also determines how many seats in Congress each state receives.

“We are honored to partner with the Census Bureau to educate our fans about the importance and benefits of participating in the U.S. Census,” said Jill Gregory, NASCAR executive vice president and chief marketing and content officer. “NASCAR is a highly effective marketing platform that reaches millions of fans residing in communities across the country. We look forward to informing our fans how they will be invited to respond to the 2020 Census online, in addition to by phone or by mail, for the first time in history.”

In addition to its race entitlement sponsorship at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the Census Bureau will have at-track activation at Phoenix Raceway, Auto Club Speedway and Richmond Raceway.

“Partnering with the U.S. Census Bureau for our NASCAR Xfinity Series race gives Homestead-Miami Speedway another tremendous opportunity for our 25th anniversary,” said Homestead-Miami Speedway President Al Garcia. “We’re honored to serve as a host track for such an important initiative that affects our entire country. We also look forward to our fans experiencing all the amenities our facility has to offer, as well the exciting racing, which will feature Dale Earnhardt Jr.”