Drivers to Light 'Em Up During Inaugural Pennzoil Victory Challenge: An all-star lineup is set to do battle in the inaugural Pennzoil Victory Challenge Saturday evening, prior to the Sprint All-Star Race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. #16-Greg Biffle, #07-Clint Bowyer, #18-Kyle Busch, #29-Kevin Harvick and #48-Jimmie Johnson-will prove who is best at
celebrating a victory. The competition will test the skill and style of each driver as they execute a smoky burnout; perform two spectacular donuts; and then continue the burnout as they drive into "Victory Lane." The winner will be determined by a combination of style points and elapsed time, and his designated charity will receive a $10,000 donation. The competition will take place at 6:15pm/et on the frontstretch of the 1.5-mile superspeedway and will be televised live during SPEED's pre-race coverage of the Sprint All-Star Race. Good seats, in various price ranges, are still available for Saturday' Sprint All-Star Race and tickets include the 3 Doors Down pre-race concert. Tickets start at $40 and may be obtained by calling 1-800-455-FANS or online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com.(LMS) AND The event is NASCAR's take on the NBA's Slam Dunk contest and Major League Baseball's Home Run Derby. Each participant will begin from a standing start and complete a drag-racing style tire burnout. Upon completion of the burnout, each driver will execute complete 360-degree donuts before racing to a designated Victory Lane marked on either side with traffic cones and into the "Finish Box," stopping the clock. A time penalty will be accessed for hitting lane marking cones or the end cone. The winner will be determined by the fastest time after penalties (if any) are accessed. Each driver will be in similarly prepared Richard Petty Driving Experience cars wrapped with Sprint All-Star Race decals.(RCR)(5-14-2008) Comment here
All-Star Race Rookie Notes: No Raybestos Rookie points will be awarded in either the Sprint All-Star or Sprint Showdown races. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2000) and Ryan Newman (2002) are the only Raybestos Rookies to win the Sprint All-Star race. Tony Stewart was the first Raybestos Rookie to score a top-five finish in the Sprint All-Star race. He placed second behind race winner Terry Labonte in 1999. Jeff Burton was the first Raybestos Rookie to score a top-10 finish in the Sprint All-Star race. Burton finished sixth in 1994 driving the Raybestos-sponsored Ford for Stavola Brothers Racing. Three Raybestos Rookies have won the pole for the Sprint Showdown: Brett Bodine (1987), Jeff Gordon (1993), and Joe Nemechek (1994). No Raybestos Rookie is currently eligible for the 2008 Sprint All-Star race. The first Raybestos Rookie to compete in the Sprint All-Star race was Davey Allison in 1987. Allison started third and finished 12th, completing 134 of the 135 laps. At least one Raybestos Rookie has qualified for nine of the 23 Sprint All-Star races.(Camp & Assoc/Raybestoes PR), for standings, history and more see my 2008 Rookies Page.(5-15-2008)
Sprint Showdown Entries: Twenty-Nine drivers are entered for the Sprint Showdown race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The winner and 2nd place driver will advance to the Sprint All-Star Race, along with one driver who gets voted in by the fans [must finish on the lead lap], a few drivers on the list: David Reutimann moves back to the #00 as Dale Jarrett will run his final race in the #44 car; Bill Elliott is in the #21; Jeff Green in the #34; Kenny Wallace in the #37 Chevy; Dario Franchitti is listed in the #40, but doubtful he will race and Sterling Marlin may be back in the car; Kyle Petty is listed in the #45 sponsored by Coca-Cola; Chad McCumbee is in the #49 BAM Racing Toyota with Marathon Oil as the sponsor; #50-Stanton Barrett is entered; and Johnny Sauter is listed in the #70. See my 2008 All- Star Page for the entry list.(5-13-2008)
All-Star Race Vote Close: Unique to NASCAR, the Sprint All-Star Race lineup has three spots remaining to be filled -- and on-track competition -- the winner and runner-up of the Showdown -- will take care of two of the openings. The third will be determined by fans' voting. This is the fifth year in which a driver will be voted-in to the field. Ken Schrader won the inaugural Fans' Vote, in 2004. Other fan-vote winners include Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Petty and Kenny Wallace. This year, more than 251,650 votes have been cast to date. Among the top vote-getters are #7-Robby Gordon, #9-Kasey Kahne, #19-Elliott Sadler, #37-Wallace and #55-Michael Waltrip. Voting ends at 7pm/et Saturday [May 17th]. The winner will be announced on NASCAR.COM and also during SPEED's All-Star Saturday coverage, which includes the Showdown (green flag at 7:40pm/et) and All-Star Race XXIV. Fans can vote on NASCAR.COM, not sure where Patrick Carpentier stands in the voting, over the weekend in Darlington he said if he won the vote he would "I would run naked down pit road".(5-16-2008) Comment here
Vickers Red Bull Racing team wins Pit Crew Challenge: The #83 Red Bull Toyota pit crew of Brian Vickers entered the NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge as the 24th – and final – eligible team, but left on top after dominating the competition and the record book. The team posted the quickest time in each of the five rounds and edged the #11 FedEx Toyota crew of Denny Hamlin in a photo finish in the Finals to take the title. The #83 team changed four tires, filled the car with fuel and pushed it 40 yards to the finish line in 22.902 seconds, besting the #11 crew by 0.109 seconds. Each of the five times put up by the #83 crew was under 23 seconds, with its top time of 22.572 seconds coming in the second round. The previous record was 23.35 seconds, set last year by the champion #12 Alltel Dodge team in the quarterfinals. “I can’t say enough about this team,” said pit crew coach Greg Miller. “Words can’t describe this group, the effort they put in day-in and day-out. It’s all about them.”
The team was one of three in the event that has not secured a position in Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. Each of the 21 teams in the all-star race competed in the Pit Crew Challenge, with the three final positions going to the top available teams based on owner’s points. If the #83 Toyota makes the all-star race by finishing in the top two in the Sprint Showdown, it will have its choice of pit stalls.
The team includes several former collegiate athletes, a trend that has become commonplace in the sport. Catch can man Mike Metcalf played football at Appalachian State University, while front tire changer Brian Haaland and jackman Shaun Peet are former minor league hockey players. The other members of the championship crew are gas man Doug Newell, front tire carrier Aaron Schields, rear tire changer Danny Kincaid and rear tire changer Jake Brzozowski. Two new records were also set in the individual skills competition.
#24 Dupont Chevrolet gas man Caleb Hurd and catch can man Jamie Frady combined to fill the car with 18 gallons of fuel in 10.031 seconds, shattering the previous record of 14.20 seconds. Eric Wilson, jackman of the #9 Budweiser Dodge finished with a time of 5.431 seconds, topping last year’s record of 5.94 seconds. Other skills competition winners were #17 DeWalt Ford rear tire changer Dave Smith and carrier Jason Binger and #18 M&M’s Toyota front tire changer Nick O’Dell and carrier Brad Donaghy. O’Dell also won last year’s individual competition while with the #9 crew.(NASCAR PR/Teamredbull.com), more info at pitcrewchallenge.com. Missed it on TV? SPEED is scheduled to re-air it on Sat. May 17th at 330am/et.(5-16-2008) Comment here
Biffle intends to re-sign with Roush: #16-Greg Biffle said on Thursday he remains 100% committed to re-signing with Roush Fenway Racing. Biffle's commitment to signing a new deal was questioned after he criticized his team following Saturday night's race at Darlington Raceway. He had the fastest car the first half of the race, but fell back because of a loose wheel and then was sidelined when the timing belt broke. "That had nothing to do with my contract," he said before the All-Star Pit Crew Challenge at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena. "I was mad my stuff was broke." Biffle said negotiations are continuing and he hopes to finish a deal by mid-summer. "That is my focus," he said. "My focus hasn't changed."(ESPN.com)(5-16-2008) Comment here
Labonte close to decision on future: #43-Bobby Labonte said he is no longer agonizing over whether he will stay at Petty Enterprises or drive for someone else next season. Labonte said he is likely within two or three weeks of having final answers concerning his driving career beyond this season. “We’re trying to get things squared away at Pettys, like I’ve always said,” Labonte said. “But obviously we have to get that done. In a couple of weeks, three weeks maybe, we’ll have a lot more answers. … Right now, I’m pretty much at ease.… It’s just a matter of things happening that’s going to take place, whether you like it or not. I’m about to the point if it happens, it happens and if it doesn’t, you do something different. I’m not worried about that as much as the talk about it from the outside trying to make sure that the guys that come to work, that they don’t read the paper and say, ‘What’s going to happen?’ Nothing is done yet – nothing that can be [said] because of the implications [on] people,” Labonte said. “We can’t implicate people that are doing things that will [mess] them up and our own position. I have nothing to report yet. Hopefully in the next few weeks, it will be a lot more well known." Petty Enterprises has been entertaining offers from investors. Labonte, the 2000 Sprint Cup champion, said it’s his understanding those talks are continuing.(SceneDaily)(5-16-2008)
LMS Goodyear Notes: Teams in all three NASCAR series will run the same tire codes throughout Charlotte Speedweeks . . . this is the first time NASCAR teams will race on these tire codes at Charlotte . . . teams in both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series successfully tested on this tire set-up at Charlotte over the past several weeks . . . compared to the tire codes run at Charlotte in 2007, this left-side code (D-4128) has more grip, while this right side code (D-4130) contains incremental changes to enhance durability . . . Charlotte is the only track at which NASCAR teams are scheduled to run this specific combination of left- and right-side tires this season, though teams in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series raced on this right-side code with a different left-side at Darlington . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required to run inner liners in all four tire positions at Charlotte . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire. The estimated pit window for Sprint Cup cars is every 50-55 laps, based on fuel mileage.(Goodyear PR), see the full notes, codes, pressures on my Chalrotte Race Info Page or Tire Notes page.(5-16-2008) Comment here
VIR Stock Car Road Race Tests Open to Fans: Fans of stock cars and road racing are invited to attend the Stock Car Open Test Day at VIRginia International Raceway on June 3. “Last year’s test attracted over two dozen cars over two thousand fans,” stated track general manager Josh Lief. “Our guests and the teams all had a good time and we intend to continue this tradition.” Tickets to the spectator areas are available at the gate and only $10. Teams testing last year included Hendrick, Joe Gibbs, Evernham and others. Teams use the VIR North Course in preparing cars and drivers for the Sprint Cup Series races in California [Infienon Raceway] and New York [Watkins Glen]. Nationwide Series teams test at VIR as well, and these teams are invited to attend. Fans who attend the Stock Car Open Test day will be eligible for rides in the VIR Volkswagen R32 Pace Cars at the end of the day or at lunch if time permits. Food and VIR souvenirs will also be available. VIRginia International Raceway is a multi-purpose road racing facility, located on the Dan River between Danville and South Boston, Virginia. Reopened in 2000, VIR hosts a wide range professional and amateur auto and motorcycle racing and track events, and is well established as “America’s Motorsport Resort.” In addition to its historic 3.27 mile natural-terrain road racing circuit, VIR is the cornerstone of VIR Club, America's first motorsports country club; the VIR Raceplex Industrial Park and Motorsports Technology Park, which includes the Virginia Institute for Performance Engineering and Research (“VIPER”); the Plantation Valley Kart Track, a 5/8 mile paved natural terrain karting circuit; an expanding variety of on-site lodging (including 45 hotel rooms and the trackside Villas which are for sale); Camp Motorsport for enthusiasts of all ages; and the Oak Tree Tavern, a full-service restaurant located within the circa-1840 Plantation Clubhouse. For information on the track and other event schedules, call 434-822-7700 or check our web site at www.virclub.com.(VIR PR)(5-16-2008) Comment here
NASCAR & Home Depot announce call of nominations: The Home Depot and NASCAR announced the call for nominations for the second annual NASCAR Home Depot Humanitarian Award. The Humanitarian Award celebrates an individual within the NASCAR community who has shown extraordinary dedication to serving others and improving communities through meaningful service efforts. More info on my Racing Charities page.(5-16-2008)
BAM Racing & Petty Racing team up for Sprint Showdown UPDATE: Chad McCumbee will run the #49 Marathon American Spirit Motor Oil Dodge in the Sprint Showdown and will have a Petty Enterprises crew and Billy Wilburn will serve as crew chief. Quotes from Chad McCumbee: “I just want to thank everyone at Petty Enterprises and BAM Racing for giving me the opportunity to race in the Sprint All-Star Showdown. Hopefully we can have a good run and race our way into the all-star race. That would be a dream come true. Being one of the few drivers from North Carolina, I know how big that race has become. Lowe’s Motor Speedway is our backyard and the race is for bragging rights as much as anything else. I like the 1.5-mile tracks, like Lowe’s, so I’m confident that we will be competitive on Saturday. Billy (Wilburn, crew chief) and I have developed a great relationship over the last three races that I’ve run for Petty Enterprises. We have a lot of confidence in each other and that’s important when you are racing for all or nothing. That’s how we have to approach it. It’s win or go home. At the same time I’m going to go out there and do what I can to help my teammates. Kyle and Bobby have bigger fish on the line with the Coca-Cola 600. If there is something that I can try, something that may help them win next Sunday, then I am all for it. They have helped me tremendously in my time at Petty.” Petty Enterprises announced this week that McCumbee will pilot the #45 Dodge for two races this summer while Kyle Petty works in the broadcast booth for TNT.(MCG Sports/Petty Racing)(5-13-2008) IMAGE: see an image of the car on my #49 Team Schemes page.(5-15-2008) UPDATE 2: BAM Racing team owner Beth Ann Morgenthau announced a one-race association with Petty Enterprises for the upcoming Sprint Showdown on Saturday, May 17, 2008. According to Mrs. Morgenthau, "Before our move to Toyota, we were a Dodge team and we have worked closely with the Petty's for years. NASCAR's rules state that a team must be in the top 50 in owner's points from the previous year in order to compete in the Sprint Showdown. As I understand it, Kyle was looking to get Chad McCumbee some valuable seat time at Lowe's and wanted to enter a third car. Since our team is hard at work trying to secure sponsorship and return our Toyota to the track a little later in the year, we were glad to help them out. While the car for the Sprint Showdown will be listed as BAM Racing's #49, it will be a Petty Dodge and will be run out of their shop with their crew. I suppose you could say that when the King asks for a favor, we listen! BAM Racing is committed to return to the Sprint Cup series and we have several potential marketing partners that we're very excited about. We should be able to make an announcement soon."(BAM Racing PR)(5-16-2008) Comment here
Jayski AT&T Alerts: to sign up for Jayski AT&T Alerts [2-3 news items during the week and 3 race updates during the Cup race] at www.wireless.att.com, must have AT&T cell phone. To subscribe, text GO to 7215, to unsubscribe, reply END to any msg
Drivers help build playground: About 500 volunteers spent Wednesday in building a playground at the Kennedy Campus of Elon Homes for Children. It was the 31st playground -- and first in Charlotte -- built by Racing to Play, a program sponsored by Home Depot, the NASCAR Foundation, Joe Gibbs Racing and KaBOOM!, a nationwide organization that creates places where children can play near their homes. After descending on the site Wednesday morning, the army of workers sawed, painted, poured concrete, shaped walkways, molded mounds of mulch and hoisted playground equipment into place. Now, kids can climb on a racing-themed jungle gym that stretches at least 20 feet long. They can sail through space -- well, just above the ground -- hanging by their hands from a monorail. They can play tetherball. When all that wears them out, they can relax in the shade. The construction crew included NASCAR drivers Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle and Johnny Sauter; former racer Rusty Wallace; and Craftsman Truck Series drivers Stacy Compton, Brian Scott, Scott Lagasse Jr., Sean Murphy and Colin Braun. Stopping work to sign autographs, Stewart said the new playground offers children more than recreation. "They'll build social skills and relationships that will last a lifetime," Stewart said. Racing to Play has built playgrounds in 22 cities on the NASCAR racing circuit. In October, volunteers will install another in Mooresville.(Charlotte Observer)(5-15-2008)
Final Darlington TV Ratings up 14%: NASCAR on Fox tallied its third straight year-to-year increase with a 4.8/10 (7.8 million viewers) for Saturday primetime racing from Darlington. That's a +14% gain over last year's 4.2/12 for the same event, and that +14% increase is Fox's largest jump for a NASCAR race in two months, since the Atlanta race posted a +23% gain. Note that last year's Darlington race was rained out of its scheduled window and run on a Sunday afternoon. Nearing the end of Fox's portion
of the Sprint Cup season [13 races], NASCAR on Fox is all but assured of finishing the year with increased ratings. NASCAR has averaged a 6.0/12 to date on FOX, a +5%
improvement over last year's 5.7/13 with only two races to go. Key demographics have been a mixed bag, with Men 18-34 down for the season-to-date (-7%, 2.8 vs. 3.0), but Men 18-49 flat (4.6) and Men 25-54 up +4% (5.7 vs. 5.5).(Fox PR), for ratings by race and the Ratings chart, see my 2008 TV Ratings page.(5-15-2008) Comment here
#40 Team skipping Sprint Showdown: Dario Franchitti and the #40 CGRFS Dodge team will sit out this weekend's NSCS All-Star events at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Franchitti, who continues to recover from an ankle injury he received in the NNS event at Talladega Superspeedway last month (April 26) has yet to receive clearance from his doctor to return to racing competition. Franchitti was fitted for a carbon fiber brace earlier this month but will take another weekend off to give his ankle more time to heal. His status behind the wheel of the #40 Dodge will continue to be evaluated on a week-to-week basis.(Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates PR)(5-15-2008) Comment here
Nintendo's Wii to sponsor #40 in Coca-Cola 600: Chip Ganassi Racing Teams announced it has partnered with Nintendo and its long-time sponsor Target, to have Nintendo's newest video game, Wii Fit, as the sponsor of 1,100 miles of auto racing on Sunday, May 25. Nintendo and Wii Fit become the primary sponsors on Alex Lloyd's #16 Dallara Honda in the Indianapolis 500 and later in the day along with Target on the team's #40 Dodge in the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, N.C. By sponsoring the Wii Fit 1,100, Nintendo follows Target as one of the only sponsors that will have cars competing in both races as Target has Scott Dixon and Dan Wheldon starting one-two in the Indy 500 and Reed Sorenson competing in his third Coke 600 The 500 mile Indianapolis 500 is the longest race on the IndyCar Series schedule while the 600 mile Coca-Cola 600 is the same in the Sprint Cup Series. Dario Franchitti, who would normally pilot the #40 Target/Wii Fit Dodge, is still recovering from a fractured ankle he suffered three weeks ago in a Talladega Superspeedway racing [Hationwide Series] incident. A final decision on Franchitti's status has not been made nor has a replacement been named in the event Franchitti cannot compete in the Coke 600. Last year over Memorial Day weekend, Franchitti captured the Borg Warner trophy in the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He went on to capture the 2007 IndyCar Series championship before beginning his transition to stock cars at Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS). Franchitti is one of three
former Indy 500 winners running in the 2008 Sprint Cup Series.(Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates PR), see an image of the scheem on my #40 Team Schemes page.(5-15-2008) Comment here
Kyle Busch could set record: If #18-Kyle Busch wins the Sprint All-Star race on Saturday night, he will become the youngest winner of the event. Busch will be 23 years, 15 days old. Jeff Gordon's first victory occurred when he was 23 years, 9 months, 18 days old.(Gaston Gazette)(5-15-2008)
Dilner wins media title: SPEED's Bob Dillner' and his BDI Racing team took top honors in Wednesday's Sprint Cup Celebrity Challenge presented by SPEED in Charlotte, NC. The victory caps off a week when the team also won their first PASS South race with driver Zach Stroupe at Virginia's Motor Mile Speedway. Dillner (jackman), Matt "Duke" Kentfield (gasman), Bob Bachner (rear tire changer) and Dustin Archer (front tire changer) survived three tough rounds to take the overall team title, going up against teams made up of NASCAR media, local celebrities and dignitaries. Highlights of the Celebrity and Media Pit Crew Challenge will be shown during Thursday's Sprint Pit Crew Challenge on SPEED at 9:00pm/et Thursday.(Speed51.com)(5-15-2008)
Gordon going for win record at All-Star race: Saturday night’s All-Star event at Lowe’s Motor Speedway is a “Sprint” race, and Jeff Gordon believes there is only one way to approach the annual event. “Go ‘all out.’” Gordon is currently tied with the late Dale Earnhardt for most victories in the non-points event for race winners. Each of Gordon’s three victories, coincidentally, occurred in years he won the NASCAR Cup Series championship (1995, 1997 and 2001). In 1995, he won all three segments en route to his first victory in the event. He won again in 1997 and, in 2001, he drove a backup car to victory after being involved in a first-lap crash [when it rained and over half the field was wiped out].(Performace Plus PR)(5-15-2008)
Windstream gives away Pole Night tix: Windstream Corp., a phone, broadband and digital TV provider, announced that it will host 2,500 soldiers and military families from Fort Bragg and the XVIII Airborne Corps at the upcoming Windstream Pole Night qualifier for the Cup Series Coca Cola 600 on Thursday, May 22 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. "The soldiers and families in Fort Bragg and of the XVIII Airborne Corps have made enormous personal sacrifices for our country and it is our privilege to thank them for their service," said Stacy Hale, vice president of Windstream operations for the Carolinas. "We hope they take this time to enjoy a night with their families and experience all the excitement Windstream Pole Night brings." The Green Truck Tour is designed to give back to the local communities that Windstream serves and educate the public about landline safety.(Windstream PR)(5-15-2008)
Humpy picks Edwards to win All-Star race: H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler named Carl Edwards as his pick to win Saturday night's Sprint All-Star Race at Lowe's Motor
Speedway. Wheeler revealed his selection today in uptown Charlotte with assistance from a pack of four-legged friends, including Princess, the back-flipping dog. "Carl Edwards is a racer's racer in the mold of Dale Earnhardt and Cale Yarborough," said Wheeler. "He will put his car in places angels fear to tread and beneath that big smile and his trademark back flip, Carl has an abnormal fire in his heart to win that I have seldom seen. Known for his promotional flair and Karnac-type ability, Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway, has correctly picked the winner of the Sprint All-Star Race 10 times in the past 19 races. While Edwards' burning determination was key in Wheeler's decision,
it was the early season performance of the #99 Office Depot Ford that proved to be the determining factor [Wheeler also picked Edwards to win in 2006, he finished 4th]. In preparation for making his selection, Wheeler analyzed early season race results and studied Sprint Cup Series testing at Lowe's Motor Speedway. His final decision came down to a choice between Edwards and Kyle Busch. Each year since 1994, Wheeler has also named a dark-horse selection who he thinks could pull off a surprise victory. This time he's going with #20-Tony Stewart to fill that role. Good seats, in various price ranges, are still available for Saturday's Sprint All-Star Race and include the 3 Doors Down pre-race concert. Tickets start at $40 and may be obtained by calling 1-800-455-FANS or online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com.(LMS PR)(5-14-2008) Comment here
Dale Jr. in gray colors at the All-Star race: This Saturday, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s #88 Chevy will pay tribute to the Army National Guard with a special paint scheme inspired by the 3 Doors Down song "Citizen Soldier." The band's name and song title will appear on the hood. Lead singer Brad Arnold was moved to write the song after watching 50,000 everyday citizens become active members of Guard units and provide disaster relief in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. On May 20, 3 Doors Down will release its new, self-titled album that features the song "Citizen Soldier." The #88 National Guard Citizen Soldier/AMP Energy Chevy will resemble the "Gray Ghost" that Buddy Baker drove to win the 1980 Daytona 500. The car earned its nickname because the colors made it difficult to see on the track, and a camouflaged Baker would sneak up and overtake the competition. After Baker's Daytona win, drivers complained to NASCAR, and Baker had to put reflector strips on his car.(HMS PR), see an image of the scheme on my #88 Team Schemes page.(5-14-2008) Comment here
Coca-Cola scheme for Petty at LMS: Quotes from #45-Kyle Petty: “I’ve been a part of the all-star weekend since it began and I always look forward to that date on the schedule. It seems like only yesterday that Davey Allison and I were spinning across the finish line in the first all-star race under the lights. I really believe that it was that night that began the aura of this race. Strange things happen under the lights at Lowe’s. We’re obviously going into the All-Star Showdown with the intention of qualifying our way into the Sprint All-Star race. But we are also looking at the big picture, which is the Coca-Cola 600. There are some pieces of this new car that we still need a better grasp of and the all-star weekend gives us a chance to do that. So while we are going for the money, we’re also using it as another test session. The next two weekends are special for me because I get to run an awesome Coke paint scheme. Coke has been a partner of mine for a long time and they’ve used the all-star race and the Coke 600 to promote special events or products. This year the car will promote the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Summer is always different when it’s an Olympic summer. I’m just waiting on stock car racing to become an Olympic sport. I think we would have a pretty good chance at gold in that event.”(MCG SportsPetty Racing PR), see an image of the scheme on my #45 Team Schemes page.(5-14-2008) Comment here
Kyle vs. Kurt after 125 races...Kurt leads: Even though 23-year-old #18-Kyle Busch is definitely the hottest driver on the circuit right now, but the truth is that big brother #2-Kurt Busch had won more races at the same point in his career. Saturday night's Darlington race was the 125th career Cup race for Kyle. Here's the way the Busch
Brothers' statistics compare at the same point in their careers:
Kurt Busch completed the 125th race of his Cup career on 5/15/04 at Richmond
Kyle Busch completed the 125th race of his Cup career on 5/10/08 at Darlington
After 125 races Kurt Busch had 9 wins, 25 top-5s, 45 top-10s, 20 DNFs and 2 poles
After 125 races Kyle Busch had 7 wins, 37 top-5s, 59 top-10s, 16 DNFs and 3 poles
(Tom Roberts PR)(5-14-2008) Comment here
Harvick goes Platinum for All-Star race: #29-Kevin Harvick is going platinum for the Sprint All-Star Race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The defending All-Star champion winner will transform his bright yellow and red Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet into a shining platinum colored paint scheme in recognition of his sponsorship from Pennzoil Platinum full synthetic motor oil. Pennzoil Platinum full synthetic motor oil has adaptive molecules to manage the constant mechanical stresses inside an engine. For more information visit:
www.pennzoilplatinum.com. Harvick also will switch his existing racing seat to a Hendrick Motorsports Carbon Fiber seat this weekend during the Sprint All-Star Race. The Bakersfield, Calif., native spent two days at the HMS complex to get fitted for his new seat that will make him safer and more comfortable in the cockpit of the #29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevy. The HMS seat will cost approximately $10,400 for the main section and $1,200 for the headrest. The Carbon Fiber seat is designed to withstand 90G which is 10G more than NASCAR requires for certification.(RCR PR), see an image of the scheme on my #29 Team Schemes page.(5-14-2008) Comment here
Eldora Speedway On Track for Sell-Out of Prelude to the Dream: Ticket renewals for the fourth annual Old Spice Prelude to the Dream at Eldora Speedway are ahead of schedule, pointing to another sell-out of the all-star dirt late model race featuring 25 world renown drivers. For much miore info, see my Racing Charities Page - Old Spice Prelude to the Dream section.(5-14-2008) Comment here
Sad News - DJ Smith: Condolences go out to former Ultra Motorsports Championship team owner Jim Smith on the recent passing of his father, Delwin James Smith [DJ] Smith. The funeral will be held on Monday, May 19 at 11:00 at Forest Lawn located at 4471 Lincoln Avenue in Cypress, California. Thoughts and prayers go out to Smith and his family.(5-13-2008)
Schemes added: from Darlington - #40 Challenger, #21 Retro Motorcraft, #28 Lafayette Ford, #00 Max Helton Tribute, #18 Indiana Jones M&Ms and #88 Mountain Dew Retrol PLUS the #88 Defending Freedom image, unsure where this scheme will race, AND quite a few more from Richmond.......for the images see my Paint Scheme Gallery and/or 2008 Cup Schemes page
On Sale Now - AMP Energy 500 Event Weekend Tickets: Tickets to the October 3-5 AMP Energy 500 event weekend are on sale now. The AMP Energy 500 event weekend features 1,000 miles of racing at Talladega Superspeedway with the ARCA Series 250 on Friday, the Craftsman Truck Series Mountain Dew 250 on Saturday and the Sprint Cup Series AMP Energy 500, race number four in the in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, on Sunday. Tickets are available at www.talladegasuperspeedway.com or 1-877-Go2-DEGA.(TSS)(5-16-2008)
Daytona 500 Tickets Go On Sale Saturday, May 17: Tickets for the NASCAR's biggest, richest and most prestigious race - the 51st annual Daytona 500 - will go on sale on Saturday, May 17, at 8am/et. Prior to Saturday, May 17, only renewals and deposits for seat assignments for the 51st annual Daytona 500 were taken by the ticket
office at Daytona International Speedway. To order call 1-800-PITSHOP.(DIS)(5-16-2008)
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