Eligible drivers for the 2008 Sprint Showdown

1. ) #84-A.J. Allmendinger
2. ) #34-John Andretti
3. ) #50-Stanton Barrett
4. ) Johnny Benson
5. ) #22-Dave Blaney
6. ) Ward Burton [no Cup ride]
7. ) #10-Patrick Carpentier
8. ) #21-Bill Elliott (part time)
9. ) #40-Dario Franchitti
10. ) #38-David Gilliland
11. ) #7-Robby Gordon
12. ) Jeff Green [no Cup ride]
13. ) #77-Sam Hornish Jr.
14. ) #9-Kasey Kahne
15. ) #28-Travis Kvapil
16. ) Burney Lamar
17. ) Carl Long
18. ) #09-Sterling Marlin (part time)
19. ) Jeremy Mayfield [no Cup ride]
20. ) #37-Eric McClure (part time)
21. ) #26-Jamie McMurray
22. ) #15-Paul Menard
23. ) #78-Joe Nemechek
24. ) #45-Kyle Petty
25. ) #6-David Ragan
26. ) #08-Tony Raines [attempted a race in the #08]
27. ) #00-David Reutimann [in #44 now, but Jarrett will run #44 in All-Star race]
28. ) #66-Scott Riggs
29. ) #19-Elliott Sadler
30. ) #60-Boris Said [part time]
31. ) #70-Johnny Sauter [ran some races with #70 team]
32. ) ?-Ken Schrader [team moved to part time, may run for another team, like #70]
33. ) #84-Mike Skinner [ran a few races in the spring, no word if he will run the race]
34. ) #01-Regan Smith
35. ) #41-Reed Sorenson
36. ) David Stremme [no Cup ride]
37. ) Jacques Villeneuve
38. ) #83-Brian Vickers
39. ) #87-Kenny Wallace (part time, one race)
40. ) #55-Michael Waltrip
41. ) #96-J.J. Yeley

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NEWS and RUMORS about the All-Star Race

• NASCAR Rev's Up New York:
  
  NASCAR Rev's Up New York with an Outdoor Fan Festival at the Palisades Center in West Nyack on Saturday, May 17th.
  
  WHAT: FREE outdoor fan event celebrating NASCAR Sprint All-Star weekend featuring: Live Race Coverage, Race Simulators, NASCAR Stock Cars, Tire Changing Competitions, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Trophy, Games and Prizes for all ages, Pocono Raceway Ticket Package Giveaways and much, much more!
  Watch the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race broadcast LIVE on a 40-foot high jumbotron, as well as all the pre-recorded All-Star events.
  
  WHEN: Saturday, May 17th from 12:00pm/et until 11:30 PM. Coverage of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina, begins live on SPEED at 7:00pm/et.
  
  WHERE: Palisades Center in West Nyack, New York. The event is located in the south parking lot between 2 main entrances and adjacent to The Cheesecake Factory. For more information, you can go to and contact: palisadescenter.com
  
  

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  2008 News/Rules
  
  
• NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race Fast Facts
  Location: Lowe's Motor Speedway, Concord, N.C.
  Date: Saturday, May 17, 2008
  Time: 9:00 p.m. (EDT)
  Sanctioning Body: NASCAR, Daytona Beach, Fla.
  Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series - Special Non-Points Event
  Companion Race: Sprint Showdown - NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
  
  Distance: 100 laps, 150 miles (run in four segments of 25 laps each). Green flag and yellow flag laps will be counted during segments 1, 2 and 3. Only green flag laps will be counted during segment 4. All restarts will be double file and the free pass rule is maintained throughout the event.
  
  Between segments 1 and 2, there will be a yellow flag during which teams may elect to pit for fuel, tires and normal chassis adjustments. Teams pitting will not retain their position on the race track and will restart at the rear of the field in the order they leave pit road.
  
  Between segments 2 and 3, there will be a 10-minute break during which teams will pit and may elect to change tires, add fuel and make normal chassis adjustments. Changing of springs, shock absorbers or rear-ends will not be permitted. Teams will restart segment 3 in the same position they finished segment 2.
  
  Between segments 3 and 4, the caution flag will be waved and teams will be required to make at least a stop-and-go pit stop. Cars will start the final segment in the order they leave pit road.
  
  Purse: $3,308,251 (event record)
  NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race winner's purse: $1,012,975
  Bonuses for the top three at the end of segments 1 and 2: 1st - $75,000; 2nd - $20,000; 3rd - $10,000
  
  Radio/Television: Motor Racing Network (MRN) will broadcast the race live to its affiliate stations beginning at 6:45 p.m. (EDT). MRN's broadcast can also be heard on Sirius NASCAR Radio channel 128. SPEED Channel will televise the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race live. Pre-race coverage begins at 7:00 p.m. (EDT) and also includes coverage of the Sprint Showdown.
  
  2007 Winner: Kevin Harvick, Pennzoil Platinum/Shell Chevrolet
  
  Qualifying: Qualifying will be held Friday, May 16, at 6:15 p.m. (EDT). Each driver will run three laps with a mandatory four-tire pit stop. The total elapsed time will comprise each team's qualifying effort and the pole-winning team will earn $50,000.
  
  2007 Pole Sitter: Matt Kenseth, 121.401 seconds, 133.442 mph
  Total elapsed time of three laps including a four-tire pit stop
  
  Eligibility List:
  Kevin Harvick, 2007 Daytona 500, Daytona Beach, Fla.
  Matt Kenseth, 2007 Auto Club 500, Fontana, Calif.
  Jimmie Johnson, 2007 UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400, Las Vegas, Nev.
  Kyle Busch, 2007 Food City 500, Bristol, Tenn.
  Jeff Burton, 2007 Samsung 500, Fort Worth, Texas
  Jeff Gordon, 2007 Subway Fresh 500, Phoenix, Ariz.
  Casey Mears, 2007 Coca-Cola 600, Concord, N.C.
  Martin Truex Jr., 2007 Autism Speaks 400, Dover, Del.
  Carl Edwards, 2007 Citizens Bank 400, Brooklyn, Mich.
  Juan Pablo Montoya, 2007 Toyota/Save Mart 350, Sonoma, Calif.
  Denny Hamlin, 2007 Lenox Industrial Tools 300, Loudon, N.H.
  Jamie McMurray, 2007 Pepsi 400, Daytona Beach, Fla.
  Tony Stewart, 2007 USG Sheetrock 400, Joliet, Ill.
  Kurt Busch, 2007 Pennsylvania 500, Long Pond, Pa.
  Clint Bowyer, 2007 Sylvania 300, Loudon, N.H.
  Greg Biffle, 2007 LifeLock 400, Kansas City, Kan.
  Ryan Newman, 2008 Daytona 500, Daytona Beach, Fla.
  Dale Earnhardt Jr., 2000 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race Winner
  Mark Martin, 2005 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race Winner
  Dale Jarrett, 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion
  Bobby Labonte, 2000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion
  TBD, 2008 Sprint Showdown Winner
  TBD, 2008 Sprint Showdown Second Place
  TBD, 2008 Sprint Fan Vote
  
  Tickets: Tickets for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race start at $40 and also include the 3 Doors Down pre-race concert and the Sprint Showdown. To purchase tickets, visit www.lowesmotorspeedway.com or call 1-800-455-FANS.(5-5-2008)
  
  

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• Sprint Showdown Fast Facts
  Location: Lowe's Motor Speedway, Concord, N.C.
  Date: Saturday, May 17, 2008
  Time: 7:46pm/et
  Sanctioning Body: NASCAR, Daytona Beach, Fla.
  Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series - Special Event
  
  Eligibility: Drivers not already eligible for the Sprint All-Star Race who have been approved by NASCAR for Sprint Cup Series competition and have met all other eligibility requirements. Those requirements include, but are not limited to, competing in a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event during the 2007 or 2008 seasons; finishing in the top 50 of the final 2007 Sprint Cup Series point standings or attempting to qualify for a 2008 Sprint Cup Series event as of March 10, 2008.
  
  Length: The Sprint Showdown will consist of 40 laps, 60 miles, and will be run in two 20-lap segments. Between segment 1 and segment 2, there will be a yellow flag during which teams can pit and may elect to change tires, add fuel and make normal chassis adjustments. Teams pitting will not retain their position on the track and will start segment 2 at the rear of the field in the order they leave pit road. All restarts will be double file with lapped cars at the rear of the field. During segment 2, only green flag laps count.
  
  3 Advance: The top two finishers in the Sprint Showdown will earn starting spots in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. A third driver will also advance as determined by the Sprint Fan Vote.
  
  Purse: $1,000,000 (event record) Winner's share: $51,525
  
  2007 Winner: Martin Truex Jr., Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet
  
  Qualifying: The better of two qualifying laps will determine a driver's official qualifying speed for the Sprint Showdown. Qualifying is scheduled for Friday, May 16, at 5:10pm/et.
  
  2007 Pole Sitter: Carl Edwards, Office Depot Ford 28.802 seconds, 187.487 mph
  
  Motor Racing Network (MRN) will broadcast the Sprint Showdown live to its affiliate radio stations with coverage beginning at 6:45pm/et. MRN's broadcast can also be heard on Sirius NASCAR Radio channel 128. SPEED Channel will televise the race live beginning at 7:00pm/et.
  Tickets for Saturday night, May 17, start at $40 and include the 3 Doors Down concert, the Sprint Showdown and the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. To purchase tickets, visit www.lowesmotorspeedway.com or call 1-800-455-FANS.(LMS PR)(5-4-2008)
  
  

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• 2008 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race Week - Schedule of Events
  (Tentative – Subject to Change)
  Thursday, May 15
  8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. LMS Ticket Office Open (Smith Tower – 2nd Floor)
  8:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. LMS Fleetwood RV Resort Open for Check-In
  10:30 a.m. NCTS Haulers Enter
  11:30 a.m. NCTS Registration Opens
  12:00 p.m. NCTS Garage Opens (inspection only)
  4:00 p.m. NSCS Haulers Enter
  6:00 p.m. NCTS Garage and Registration Close
  7:00 p.m. NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman (Time Warner Arena)
  
  Friday, May 16
  Admission: Reserved seating available starting at $20 for adults and $10 for children ages 12 and under Parking FREE in designated LMS lots
  5:00 a.m. LMS Gate 26 Underpass Opens to North Infield (turns 3 & 4)
  7:00 a.m. NSCS Registration Opens
  7:30 a.m. NSCS Garage Opens
  7:30 a.m. NCTS Garage and Registration Opens
  8:00 a.m. NCTS Rookie & Spotter Meetings/Draw for Qualifying
  8:00 a.m. LMS Ticket Office Opens (Smith Tower – 2nd Floor)
  8:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. LMS Fleetwood RV Resort Open for Check-In
  9:00 a.m. LMS Spectator Gate 5A Opens
  9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. NCTS Practice
  10:20 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. NCTS Final practice
  11:00 a.m. NSCS Rookie & Spotter Meetings/Draw for Qualifying
  11:50 a.m. NSCS Crew Chief Meeting for Sprint All-Star Race (Sunoco Building)
  12:00 p.m. LMS Designated Spectator Gates Open
  12:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. NSCS Final Practice for Sprint Showdown
  1:00 p.m. LMS Heluva Good! Hospitality Village Opens
  1:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. NSCS Final Practice for the Sprint All-Star Race
  3:00 p.m. LMS Remaining Spectator Gates Open
  3:35 p.m. NCTS Qualifying for N.C. Education Lottery 200 by Circle K (two laps – all positions)
  5:10 p.m. NSCS Qualifying for Sprint Showdown (two laps – all positions)
  6:00 p.m. NCTS Driver/Crew Chief Meeting (Time Warner Media Center)
  6:15 p.m. NSCS Qualifying for Sprint All-Star Race (three laps with a four-tire pit stop)
  7:30 p.m. NCTS Driver Introductions (no parade lap)
  8:16 p.m. NCTS North Carolina Education Lottery 200 by Circle K (134 laps/201 miles)
  Saturday, May 17
  Admission: Reserved seating available starting at $30 Parking FREE in designated LMS lots Campers must vacate North Infield by noon Sunday Open 24 Hours LMS Gate 26 Underpass/Infield Open to Campers
  8:00 a.m. LMS Ticket Office Opens (Smith Tower – 2nd Floor)
  8:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. LMS Fleetwood RV Resort Open for Check-In
  9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. LMS Freightliner Run Smart Hauler Challenge
  2:00 p.m. LMS Heluva Good! Hospitality Village Opens
  2:00 p.m. NSCS Garage Opens
  3:00 p.m. LMS Spectator Gates Open
  5:15 p.m. – 6:10 p.m. LMS Thunder Cup 50 – Thunder Cars on the Superspeedway (34 laps/51 miles)
  5:30 p.m. NSCS Driver/Crew Chief Meeting (NCTS Garage)
  6:20 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. LMS Pennzoil Victory Challenge
  7:00 p.m. NSCS Driver Introductions (no parade lap)
  7:46 p.m. NSCS NASCAR Sprint Showdown (two 20-lap segments)
  8:30 p.m. NSCS Driver and Team Introductions (parade lap with trucks)
  9:00 p.m. NSCS NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (four 25-lap segments)
  NCTS – NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
  NSCS – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
  LMS – Lowe’s Motor Speedway
  
  

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• Burnouts and Donuts Highlight Pre-Race Show For Sprint All-Star Race: Top Sprint Cup Series drivers will prove who can execute the best burnout and donuts during the inaugural Pennzoil Victory Challenge prior to the Sprint All-Star Race on Saturday night, May 17, at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The timed-competition will include five drivers who must demonstrate four essential skills of any victory celebration: a tire-smoking burnout; spectacular donuts; precision driving into "Victory Lane;" and, as with anything in racing, speed. Clint Bowyer, a first-time Sprint All-Star Race participant and driver of the #07 Jack Daniel's Chevy, is the first official entry for the inaugural event. Other participants will be announced at a later date. The Pennzoil Victory Challenge will take place on the frontstretch of the 1.5-mile superspeedway at 6:15 p.m., just prior to the start of the Sprint Showdown. Each driver will be in similarly prepared Richard Petty Driving Experience cars wrapped with Sprint All-Star Race decals. A $10,000 donation will be made to the winner's designated charity. The inaugural Pennzoil Victory Challenge will be televised live during SPEED Channel's pre-race coverage of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.(LMS PR)(4-23-2008) Comment here
  
  
• All-star race will stay in Charlotte for now: Sprint Cup officials have changed the name and logo for the annual all-star race, added a few laps to each segment and indicated that the race will remain in Charlotte [NC] beyond this season. The race will be the NASCAR Sprint Cup All-Star Race XXIV. The event was previously known as the Challenge, but officials say they decided to call it what it is - a race. The race involving drivers not already qualified for the event, previously known as the Nextel Open, will now be called the Sprint Showdown. While the all-star race will still feature four segments, the former 20-lap segments have been lengthened to 25 laps each, giving drivers more time to actually race. The race, held annually at Lowe's Motor Speedway, appears to be staying at the track for some time. Sprint Cup Director of Marketing Dean Kessel said that he and Lowe's Motor Speedway President H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler have been in discussion about the 2009 race, which will be the 25th anniversary of the all-star event. During all-star week, the pit crew challenge has been moved to Thursday night, leaving a packed Friday night for fans. The start time for the all-star race will remain the same [Showdown at 7:30pm/et, All-Star race approx 9:00pm/et].(Scenedaily.com)(1-22-2008) Comment here
  
  2007 News/Rules, see more on the 2007 Nextel All-Star Challenge page
  
  
• Key changes to the Nextel All-Star Challenge announced Tuesday:
  • 80-lap race broken up into four 20-lap segments
  • Optional pit stop after first segment and 10-minute break after second in which teams can work on cars
  • Mandatory pit stop after third segment, setting up 20-yard dash for $1M prize
  • Field expanded to allow both first- and second-place finishers of Nextel Open, plus one driver voted in by fans
  • Like past years, rest of field consists of drivers who have won races in the current and preceding year, past All-Star race winners, plus Nextel Cup champions from the last 10 years.(1-23-2007)
  
  
• Nextel Challenges changes for 2007: Sprint Nextel and NASCAR unveiled several enhancements to the 2007 Nextel Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman and Nextel All-Star Challenge today during the annual media tour. “We anticipate the excitement will carry through the entire Nextel All-Star Challenge week,” said Dean Kessel, director of Nextel Cup Series marketing for Sprint Nextel. “We have worked with each of our partners, including NASCAR, SPEED and Lowe’s Motor Speedway, to develop a format that honors the spirit of what the Nextel All-Star Challenge activities should be about.”
  The Nextel Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman, slated for May 16 at Charlotte Bobcats Arena, will be directly linked to the Nextel All-Star Challenge, as the finishing order in the pit-crew competition will decide the selection order of pit stalls for the May 19 race. The Nextel Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman, now in its third season, will feature several new competitive elements.
  New Format: The Nextel All-Star Challenge’s new format consists of four, 20-lap segments and features teams that qualify for the event by winning a Nextel Cup Series event during the 2006 or 2007 seasons. Additionally, two drivers will qualify for the premier event by finishing first and second, respectively, after two 20-lap segments in the Nextel Open. Finally, one driver will once again join the Nextel All-Star Challenge field by winning the Nextel Fan Vote.
  Teams will have the option of pitting after the first 20-lap segment of the event, giving up their respective on-track position by doing so. A mandatory 10-minute stop will follow the second 20-lap segment. Teams will resume their position at the start of the third segment.
  Following segment three, all remaining participants on the track will circle the track under caution. Each team will then conduct a pit stop under race-like pitting conditions. The order of the teams exiting pit road will serve as the starting lineup for the fourth, and final, 20-lap segment. The Nextel All-Star Challenge will be broadcast live on SPEED. Additional details about the Nextel All-Star Challenge will be announced at a later date.(DEI site)(1-23-2007)