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mrsmopar12 · #1 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 01:00 PM

LOWE"S MOTOR SPEEDWAY

Originally known as the Charlotte Motor Speedway until February 1999, Lowe’s Motor Speedway at Charlotte is one of the busiest sports sites in the country. It organizes more than 380 day and nighttime events every year. The areas adjacent to the tracks are more appealing for TV commercials and movies.

Auto manufacturers and race teams, who want to test their new designed cars and various driving schools, also use the 1.5-mile speedway. The track is the largest outdoor stadium in the southeast, stretched to 2,000 acres in Concord, North Carolina, located about 15 miles northeast of Charlotte. Winston Cup series is one of the most integral parts of this speedway, operating from last 40 years holding several NASCAR events and the Coca Cola 600.

Track and Broadcast Facts

Location: Lowe's Motor Speedway * Charlotte, North Carolina
What: Bank of America 500
Where: Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Concord, N.C.
When: Sunday, Oct. 14, 2006 at 7:40 pm/et
TV: NBC, 7:00 p.m. EDT (Pre-race Show)
Radio: PRN/XM Satellite
Posted awards: $5,098,500
Nextel Leader Bonus $30,000
Race length: 334 laps/501 miles
Track layout: 1.5-mile tri-oval
Length of Front Stretch: 1,980 Feet Degree of Banking in Corners: 24°
Length of Back Stretch: 1,500 Feet Degree of Banking on Straights: 5°

Qualifying/Race Data:

Last year’s event pole winner: Elliott Sadler (10-13-05) 193.216 mph * 27.948 seconds
Last year’s event winner: Jimmie Johnson (10-15-05) 120.334 mph * 4 hr, 11 min, 18 sec
Track qualifying record: Elliott Sadler (10-13-05) 193.216 mph * 27.948 seconds
Track race record (500 miles): Jeff Gordon (10-11-99) 160.306 mph * 3 hrs, 07 min, 31 sec
Qualifying for the NASCAR Nextel Cup Bank of America 500 is scheduled to start at 7:10 p.m./Eastern time EDT Friday October 13.

Who's Hot Headed To Lowe's

Kasey Kahne has won five races in 2006, the most of all drivers.
Jeff Burton and Matt Kenseth are the only drivers to score three top-10 finishes in the first four races of The Chase.
Jeff Burton is the only driver to lead in all four races of The Chase.
Carl Edwards has scored three straight top-10 finishes. Edwards moved to 12th in the standings.
Matt Kenseth is the only driver to score 14 top-five and 19 top-10 finishes in the first 30 races of 2006. Kenseth ranks second in the standings.
Mark Martin has posted six straight top-15 finishes, extending a streak that began at California.
Martin is the only driver to score top-15 finishes in the first four races in The Chase.
Mark Martin has climbed from 10th to third in the standings since Bristol. He has remained third after the last two races.
Mark Martin has been running at the finish in the 37 races since Kansas one year ago, the longest current streak.
Dale Jarrett has posted three straight top-15 finishes, the first time this season to do so.
Brian Vickers has scored top-10 finishes in three of the last four races.

Milestones

Dale Earnhardt Jr., is expected to make his 250th NASCAR Nextel Cup start at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
Joe Nemechek is expected to make his 425th NASCAR Nextel Cup start at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
Jimmie Johnson and Ryan Newman are each expected to make their 175th consecutive NASCAR Nextel Cup start at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Lowe's Standouts

Jimmie Johnson has posted six straight top-10 starts at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
Ryan Newman posted 10 straight top-five starts, including five Bud Poles in his first 11 races at Lowe's Motor Speedway. His streak ended in May when he started 18th in the Coca-Cola 600.
Bobby Labonte has started fifth in the last two races at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
Jimmie Johnson has won five of the last seven races at Lowe's Motor Speedway. He started from the top 10 in four of his five victories. His other start of 37th is the furthest back a driver has started and won at Lowe's since the track opened in 1960.
Jimmie Johnson has posted nine straight top-10 finishes in his 10 races at Lowe's Motor Speedway, the longest current streak. Johnson finished 39th in his career-first NASCAR Nextel Cup race, which occurred at Lowe's in October 2001.
Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards have each posted three straight top-10 finishes at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
Denny Hamlin has scored top-10 finishes in both of his races at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
Jeff Gordon has scored seven Bud Poles at Lowe's Motor Speedway, the most among active drivers and second only to David Pearson who scored 14 Bud Poles there.
Jimmie Johnson has scored five victories at Lowe's Motor Speedway, leading all active drivers.
Mark Martin leads all active drivers, scoring 17 top-five finishes at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
Mark Martin leads all active drivers, scoring 21 top-10 finishes at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
Ryan Newman leads all drivers with a 3.545 average start in his 11 races at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
Carl Edwards leads all active drivers with a 5.33 average finish in three races at Lowe's Motor Speedway

mrsmopar12 · #2 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 01:23 PM

Posted 10/11/2006 9:48 PM ET
NASCAR team reports as the Chase for the Nextel Cup turns to its fifth round Saturday night at Lowe's Motor Speedway:

Jeff Burton

No. 31 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing

This week: All things considered, Burton feels fortunate to be retaining the points lead heading into Charlotte now that Talladega is out of the way. As the series heads to Lowe's Motor Speedway for Saturday night's Bank of America 500, Burton is up by just six points over Matt Kenseth. Burton has two wins, five top-five finishes and 11 top-10s in 25 starts at Lowe's. Both of his wins came in the Coca-Cola 600 (1999 and 2001). Burton will race Chassis No. 173, a new car for 2006. He drove it to a sixth-place finish at Lowe's in May.

Last week: A flat tire with 10 laps left dropped Burton to a 27th-place finish at Talladega.

Etc: Burton is the only driver in the top 10 to lead a lap in each of the first four races of the Chase. That has earned him 20 valuable bonus points, which have helped him maintain the points lead for the third consecutive week.

Matt Kenseth

No. 17 Ford, Roush Racing

This week: Lowe's Motor Speedway is one of four tracks in the Chase where Kenseth has scored a victory. The others are Dover, Texas and Phoenix. He has four wins at LMS — the 2000 Coca-Cola 600, the 2004 All-Star Race and two Busch Series races — and has five top-five and seven top-10 finishes in 14 Cup starts. Kenseth has five top-five finishes in seven starts in the 600 but has yet to score a top-five finish in seven fall races at LMS. He will be driving RK-322, a car that last raced at Fontana to a seventh-place finish but scored victories at Michigan in August and Fontana in February. The same car finished fifth in the 600 in May.

Last week: Kenseth finished fourth at Talladega and improved four positions in the standings in one race.

Etc.: Kenseth and the No. 17 team will be flying the Carhartt colors this weekend for the third and final time in 2006.

Mark Martin

No. 6 Ford, Roush Racing

This week: Martin has four wins at Lowe's Motor Speedway, including the 2002 Coca-Cola 600, and has 21 top-10 finishes and 17 top-fives in 43 races there. The 21 top-10s are the most of any driver. He has also won six Busch races and two All-Star races at LMS and holds the active leader mark for laps led at LMS with 1,168. He finished fourth in this race last fall. He is only 10 points out of the lead and will drive RK-381, the same car that he drove to a third-place finish at Kansas two weeks ago. It also finished in the top five at Indianapolis and Michigan in August. "I love Lowe's Motor Speedway," Martin said. "In my opinion, it's the greatest place to race in the world."

Last week: Martin was able to dodge the wrecks and finish eighth at Talladega.

Etc.: After the first four Chase events, Martin has the highest average finishing position (9.0).

Kevin Harvick

No. 29 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing

This week: Harvick, who could become the first driver in NASCAR history to win the Busch and Cup Series titles in the same season, has one top-five and three top-10 finishes in 11 Cup starts at LMS. He started 35th and finished 28th in this race a year ago. He was 34th there in May. Harvick will clinch his second Busch Series title if he gains 32 points on second-place Carl Edwards in Friday night's Dollar General 300.

Last week: Harvick was involved in a major crash in the first turn at Talladega but was able to drive through it without any real damage to his Chevrolet. He finished sixth.

Etc.: After being sponsored by GM Goodwrench for 21 years, Richard Childress Racing will have a new sponsor for Harvick's ride next season. Shell will join RCR as the primary sponsor of the team's Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Goodwrench, longtime backer of the late Dale Earnhardt, will remain as an associate sponsor.

Denny Hamlin

No. 11 Chevrolet, Joe Gibbs Racing

This week: This will be Hamlin's third start at Charlotte in a Nextel Cup car. The rookie finished ninth last fall in his second Cup start and was eighth last spring, but he led laps in both races. In three Busch Series starts at Lowe's, Hamlin has finished 20th, 30th, and 29th. Hamlin will drive JGR 121, a car that built its reputation by twice dominating the field at Pocono, leading 234 of a possible 400 laps, to give Hamlin his two career Cup wins.

Last week: Hamlin finished 21st at Talladega after he was involved in two separate crashes.

Etc.: Hamlin and the PGA Tour's Davis Love III were in Atlanta this week to unveil the special FedExCup No. 11 car that will run there later this month. Hamlin let Love take the wheel for several laps, and Love then gave Hamlin an impromptu golf lesson. The PGA's FedExCup, loosely modeled after NASCAR's Chase, will debut next year.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

No. 8 Chevrolet, Dale Earnhardt Inc.

This week: Earnhardt will be making his 250th career Cup start Saturday night. After a bitter disappointment Sunday at Talladega kept Earnhardt from gaining ground in the Chase, he is 106 points behind Jeff Burton with six races to go. He has four top-fives and six top-10s in 14 career starts at LMS but has yet to win a points race at the track closest to his hometown. He won his first career pole at LMS in May 2000, less than one week after becoming the first rookie driver to win the Nextel All-Star Challenge.

Last week: After leading seven times for 37 laps, Earnhardt was in the lead when he was taken out in a crash after Brian Vickers pushed teammate Jimmie Johnson into Earnhardt's Chevrolet during an ill-timed "bump draft" move on the last lap. Vickers went on to win the race, and Earnhardt finished 23rd.

Etc: Five of Earnhardt's 17 career victories have come at night, most recently at Richmond in May.

Jeff Gordon

No. 24 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

This week: Although the situation is not as bad as he initially thought, Gordon faces an uphill battle in the points race. But a fifth championship is still attainable, and Gordon will have to turn things around at a track where his team has struggled recently. He has four wins at Lowe's, including his first Cup victory in 1994; seven poles, including his first Cup pole in 1993; 13 top-fives; and 15 top-10s in 27 races. But his last three finishes there have been 30th, 38th and 36th — all crashes.

Last week: Gordon led seven times for 27 laps before he was taken out in the biggest crash of Sunday's race at Talladega. He finished 36th.

Etc.: The No. 24 team will use chassis No. 24-387 in Saturday night's 500-mile event. It visited Victory Lane earlier this year at Chicagoland, and Gordon also drove it to top-five finishes at California and Michigan.

Jimmie Johnson

No. 48 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

This week: Johnson was the leader after all but four of the first 26 races in 2006 and trailed then leader Matt Kenseth by 57 points at the conclusion of the Race to the Chase and by five after the points adjustment. Johnson trails current leader Jeff Burton by 156 points. Johnson held a 124-point lead over Matt Kenseth after Race No. 22 at Watkins Glen, the biggest lead of the season. Johnson has five wins and nine straight top-10 finishes in 10 races at LMS. He finished 39th in his first Lowe's race in October 2001.

Last week: Johnson was punted by teammate Brian Vickers in the third turn on the last lap at Talladega as he was trying to pass Dale Earnhardt Jr. for the win. Instead, he crashed into Earnhardt, taking out both cars as Vickers won the race. Johnson finished 24th.

Etc.: Johnson has not posted a top-10 finish in the last six races, the longest streak of his career without a top-10.

Kasey Kahne

No. 9 Dodge, Ray Evernham Motorsports

This week: Kahne won the Coca-Cola 600 in May at Lowe's and has led one or more laps in all five races he has raced there. He has led a total of 416 laps at the track. "After a disappointing start in the Chase, we had a good effort last week at Talladega," Kahne said. "That gives us momentum going into the night race at Lowe's." Kahne is the only five-time winner (Atlanta, Texas, Charlotte, Michigan and California) in the Cup Series this season, and he also has won the pole five times this year. He is tied with Kurt Busch for the series lead in starts from the pole.

Last week: Kahne is ninth in the Chase standings after his second-place finish at Talladega.

Etc.: Kahne will be running a special paint scheme this weekend. His No. 9 Dodge Charger will be painted with Blue Camouflage and Mopar's signature "M" on the hood.

Kyle Busch

No. 5 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

This week: After scoring 16 top-10s this year, Busch has finished 38th, 40th, seventh and 11th in the first four races of the Chase. He trails current leader Jeff Burton by 185 points and is tied for ninth with Kasey Kahne although Kahne gets the position because of his five victories. Busch, one of five drivers new to the Chase, has never scored a top-10 in five races at Lowe's — in fact, his best finish is 25th, and he has not finished the race three times. He was 39th in this race one year ago and 38th in May. B

Last week: Busch finished 11th at Talladega and dropped from ninth to 10th in the standings.

Etc.: Despite his poor finishes at Lowe's, Busch is third in Quality Passes in the last three events there with 132. Quality passes are defined as passes of cars running in the top 15 under green-flag conditions.

mrsmopar12 · #3 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 01:25 PM

Brian Vickers

No. 25 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

This week: Vickers has never finished in the top 10 at Lowe's, but he did lead the most laps in the 2005 Coca-Cola 600 before getting involved in a late-race wreck that left him with a 31st-place finish. That is the only time Vickers has led a race at LMS in six starts.

Last week: Vickers' victory at Talladega was the first of his career, but he spent most of the post-race interview defending himself after bumping teammate Jimmie Johnson and causing a last-lap accident that wiped out Johnson and leader Dale Earnhardt Jr. "The last thing I wanted to do was get into Jimmie and wreck either one of those guys," said Vickers. "But what happened, happened. It wasn't intentional. It's definitely going to be mixed emotions for me being my first win, but also with what happened with Jimmie and how he is my friend and being a teammate as well."

Etc.: Vickers has three top-10 finishes in the last four races.

Tony Stewart

No. 20 Chevrolet, Joe Gibbs Racing

This week: Stewart has eight top-10 finishes in the last 12 races at Lowe's, but three of those finishes outside the top 10 have come in the last three races at the track. Stewart scored his lone win at the speedway in the fall of 2003.

Last week: Stewart was in the wrong place when teammate J.J. Yeley was hit from behind by David Stremme. The contact sent both Yeley and Stremme into the wall, leaving Stewart with no place to go. Stewart ran into the back of Stremme and then was hit by Paul Menard. The damage was severe enough that Stewart had to settle for a 22nd-place finish after challenging for the lead earlier in the race.

Carl Edwards

No. 99 Ford, Roush Racing

This week: Edwards has two third-place finishes and a 10th in his three starts at Lowe's. He won the Busch Series race in May for his first career victory at the track.

Last week: Edwards finished ninth at Talladega, his third straight top-10 finish, and moved up to 12th in the standings. He trails Stewart by 236 points. In the last three races at Lowe's, Edwards leads all drivers in green-flag passes with 262.

Greg Biffle

No. 16 Ford, Roush Racing

This week: Biffle has three straight top-seven finishes at Lowe's. He also has two wins and eight top-10 finishes in Busch Series races at the 1.5-mile track.

Last week: Biffle finished 41st at Talladega to drop to 13th in the standings after being involved in "the big one." Biffle said he thought he had avoided the wreck, but "I got down on the apron and then I didn't see the 26 (Jamie McMurray). He was spinning and came right back up in front of me."

Kurt Busch

No. 2 Dodge, Penske Racing South

This week: Busch has finished fourth and second in the last two fall races at Lowe's, and he believes he has a good shot at another top-five finish after being part of the Goodyear tire test at the 1.5-mile track. "We were able to get in several 20- and 30-lap runs, and many of the laps were on the exact rubber that we'll be using this weekend," Busch said. "Hopefully it will pay us some dividends."

Last week: Busch finished third at Talladega, his ninth top-10 finish in 12 races there.

Casey Mears

No. 42 Dodge, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates

This week: Mears finished sixth in last year's fall race at Lowe's. It was his second top-10 finish at the track. Mears knows he needs another top-10 run to maintain his spot in the top 15 in the standings — his hold on the 15th spot is a shaky one. The drivers occupying positions 16 through 19 are all within 87 points of Mears.

Last week: Mears was one of 11 drivers involved in the melee on lap 137 at Talladega. As a result, he finished 30th.

Ryan Newman

No. 12 Dodge, Penske Racing South

This week: Newman will make his 175th consecutive start Saturday night. Lowe's is the site of Newman's first pole position in May 2001, and he has won five of the last 11 poles there and has started fourth or better in 10 of the 11 races. Newman has six top-10 finishes at Lowe's, including four top-fives, but is still looking for his first win at the track.

Last week: Newman finished 13th at Talladega. "We had a good car all weekend," said Newman. "There was really nothing wrong with the handling of the car, and the crew didn't have to make any adjustments at all during the race. We just never got in position to challenge for the win."

Clint Bowyer

No. 07 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing

This week: Bowyer finished 19th in his Nextel Cup debut at Lowe's in May. In the Busch Series, he has three finishes of 32nd or worse there. "I've left Charlotte with a headache too many times — kind of seeing stars, to be honest," he said.

Last week: Bowyer was one of the unlucky ones at Talladega. After leading on three different occasions, he became involved in the 11-car crash on lap 137. "We had a great car," said Bowyer. "I think we could have challenged for the win if we had missed the wreck. But there was no place to go. The track was blocked."

Martin Truex Jr.

No. 1 Chevrolet, DEI

This week: Truex has one top-10 finish in two Cup starts at Lowe's. "Things are starting to clip for us, so I think we'll be strong," said Truex, who realizes he's "starting to pop up on some people's radar" after three straight top-11 finishes.

Last week: Truex finished fifth at Talladega, his best finish in Nextel Cup racing and the best by a rookie on a restrictor-plate track this season. "We just kind of stayed out of trouble and stayed in line all day and kept picking them off one a time," said Truex.

Elliott Sadler

No. 19 Dodge, Evernham Motorsports

This week: Sadler has only two top-10 finishes in 16 starts at Lowe's, both of them coming in 2004. In last year's fall race at the track, Sadler won the pole and led eight times for 112 laps before late-race problems forced him to settle for a 27th-place finish. In the last three races run at Lowe's, Sadler stands second in laps led. Only Kasey Kahne has led more laps during that span.

Last week: Sadler was one of the 23 drivers who led at least one lap at Talladega, but any hopes he had of winning the race were erased on lap 80 when he had to make unscheduled pit stop for a flat right-rear tire. This put Sadler a lap down. Later, he was caught up in the 11-car wreck on lap 137. Sadler finished 29th.

***

Notes provided by The Sports Xchange

mrsmopar12 · #4 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 03:39 PM

True Speed Communication For Joe Gibbs Racing, Press Release

ATLANTA (Oct. 11, 2006) - Of the 690 total laps available at Charlotte (N.C.) in May for the All-Star race, the NASCAR Busch Series race and the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race, Tony Stewart completed only 114 of them. Crashes in each of the races prevented Stewart from getting much time on the newly paved 1.5-mile oval.

Stewart looks to change that in his return trip to Charlotte for this weekend's Busch/Nextel Cup doubleheader.

The driver of the No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet for Joe Gibbs Racing will again pull double-duty by competing in the Busch and Cup races at Charlotte. Whatever track time was lost back in May, Stewart will seek to regain this weekend by completing all 534 laps (200 laps in Busch and 334 laps in Cup).

Track time, and more specifically track time under race conditions, is crucial at Charlotte.

Since its repaving prior to this year's Speedweeks in May, Charlotte is still an unknown entity. Drivers such as Stewart used to know where the bumps were and how the track would react as the sun set and the cool of night set in. But fresh asphalt rendered that knowledge useless, because the new pavement made the 46-year-old layout new again.

As a result, Stewart's win at Charlotte in October 2003 has little bearing in October 2006. And those drivers who finished all of the races a little over four months ago have a much more comprehensive set of notes for this weekend's slate of races.

Stewart will be chasing those drivers as he chases his second win at Charlotte, his fourth this season and the 28th of his Nextel Cup career.

Some have said that the new pavement at Charlotte and the tire compound provided by Goodyear have made the cars harder to drive. Is that the case?

"These cars are always hard to drive. If they were easy to drive, you and everybody could do it. When you're in the car, it still feels loose or tight. Sometimes you're in a four-wheel drift and you have to make adjustments based on that. That aspect of driving these cars really hasn't changed."
Do you wish you had more track time at Charlotte?

"I'll take as much track time as I can get, but it is what it is. There are other teams with more experience on the new pavement, but that doesn't mean we're in a hole, by any means. We're an experienced team and we've dealt with all sorts of adversity. On a scale of one to 10, not having as much track time as the next guy barely registers a 'one.' We'll have plenty of practice, and I'll get even more time in the Busch car. To me, it's a non-issue."
Do you enjoy running the October Charlotte race on a Saturday night?

"I like it. I enjoy having Sundays off. The crew guys can have a day off. We as drivers can have a day off. Folks in racing can live like normal people for a day. When we race on Sunday, the crew guys don't get a day off on Monday. They have to be at the shop. Weekends where we have a Saturday night race gives the crew guys a bit of a breather on Sunday."
Is there much of an adjustment in racing under the lights at Charlotte as opposed to running during the daytime?

"I think everyone who has gotten to this level has had plenty of experience in racing under the lights. No one in this series just started running Nextel Cup cars. We all started at some short track somewhere running races at night, so I think all of us have plenty of experience running under the lights. And for me, I'm one of those guys who hates getting up early. I'm a lot better at night than I am at eight o'clock in the morning."
It's been said that the track surface at Charlotte changes a lot. How so?

"It's temperature sensitive, and depending upon when we practice and what time of day we make our runs, you kind of have to plan ahead for knowing what the track is going to do. We'll watch it, paying attention to what time the practices are and we'll set up The Home Depot Chevrolet accordingly. If the car's not driving perfect in practice that doesn't mean it's bad, because you know the track is going to cool off. You don't want to adjust a whole lot because you might overcompensate for a condition that's not even going to be there when the race starts. So, you really have to plan ahead."
What kind of role does aerodynamics play at Charlotte?

"Charlotte's not as bad as some of the other tracks. Aero does play a role, but Charlotte is still a handling race track. You've got to get your car to drive well and handle well. That's the main thing at Charlotte."
Despite being out of this year's Chase, you're coming into the mid-point of the Chase. With four Chase races under your belt, what are your thoughts on running with those top-10 drivers that are competing for the championship?

"This is the first year that we've been outside of the Chase, so I'm getting a different perspective this year. It's really awkward being out there on the race track with those 10 guys knowing that if we make a mistake around those guys, that it can cost them a chance at a championship. We try to just stay out of their way, but at the same time try to race as hard as we can.
"But I still think the Chase has been really good for our sport. The concept of having a playoff at the end of the year has really gained a lot of interest from the fans and the media, and from the drivers too."

This Press Release and any images that are used,
are used with permission. Do not duplicate or
redistribute in any form without permission or credit.

mrsmopar12 · #5 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 03:41 PM

Smaller Fuel Cell Makes It A Fuel-Mileage Game Where Track Position Going To Be The Key For Robby Gordon
Robby Gordon Motorsports, Press Release

Robby Gordon
No. 7 Menards/MAPEI Chevrolet

Race Preview Fact Sheet

Event/Date: Bank of America 500 – Oct. 14, 2006
Venue: Charlotte Motor Speedway – Concord, NC
TV/Radio: NBC Television, 7 p.m. EDT, MRN Radio, 6:30 p.m. EDT
Robby Gordon’s Quotes for Charlotte

Last weekend’s race had an unexpected finish, what was your take on how things went down?

“I didn’t see exactly what happened between the 25, 48 and the 8 from the car. All I heard was my spotter saying ‘watch out’ and that the caution was out and I saw a car was spinning through the grass. When I watched the replay it was pretty clear to me that Brian (Vickers) was just trying to follow his teammate and shoot passed Junior. It’s just part of plate racing. You’re in a position to win a race and there is no way that he (Vickers) was going to lift when they are that close to the end.”
Last time around at Charlotte the track had a brand-new surface and two tires was the call most of the night, can we expect to see some of the same?

“You can expect to see almost the same race as back in May. Running the same fuel cells that we use at Daytona and Talladega at Charlotte makes it a fuel-mileage game where track position in going to be the key. With a window that used to be in the neighborhood of 60 laps, we now can only go 30 or so before we need to pit. The new track surface allows us to take two tires and be able to jockey for position all night.”
Harrah’s Fast Facts:

· Welcome Back – Menards and MAPEI (ma-pay) team up once again as the primary sponsor of Gordon’s No. 7 Chevy for this weekend’s Bank of America 500 at NASCAR racing’s unofficial home track, Charlotte Motor Speedway. MAPEI, a global corporation, has been supplying residential and major commercial projects with total installation solutions for tile and stone, floor covering and decorative concrete as well as concrete restoration for more than 65 years. Visit www.mapei.com for technical information or call 1-800-42-MAPEI (1-800-426-2734) for the nearest location. Harrah’s, Jim Beam and CarLoan.com will serve as associates.
· Chassis – Robby Gordon Motorsports will run Chassis No. 104 at this weekend’s event. No. 104 last saw action earlier this year in the Nextel Open and Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway where Gordon brought it home to a 9th and 16th-place effort, respectively. Chassis No. 109 will assume back-up duties.

· Points Position – Following a 16th-place finish in last weekend’s race at Talladega Superspeedway, Gordon remains 27th in owner points, currently 48 points from 25th and 312 points out of 20th.

· Meet the Driver – Gordon will sign autographs and visit with fans on Saturday at 2:35 p.m. at the Robby Gordon Motorsports merchandise trailer.

· Meet the Crew – Swing by and meet the No. 7 crew as they take a moment to sign autographs and visit with fans at the Robby Gordon Motorsports merchandise trailer on Saturday at 11 a.m.

· Can’t make it to the track? – Back by popular demand, Robby Gordon Motorsports is proud to announce the return of the online to RobbyGordon.com. Designed with the fan in mind, this user-friendly site allows fans to purchase their favorite Robby Gordon off-road, Menards, Jim Beam and Harrah’s gear with ease. Shop for the latest diecast car or a new t-shirt from the comfort of you own home, all the while supporting the official racer of racing, Robby Gordon.

This Press Release and any images that are used,
are used with permission. Do not duplicate or
redistribute in any form without permission or credit.

mrsmopar12 · #6 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 03:43 PM

New "Speedbor" Paint Scheme For No. 26 Team Debuts This Weekend At Lowe's
McMurray to pilot the No. 26 IRWIN Speedbor Ford Fusion this weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway

Roush Racing, Press Release

CONCORD, N.C. (October 11, 2006) - This weekend, Roush Racing driver Jamie McMurray will have a special paint scheme when the No. 26 IRWIN Speedbor Ford Fusion makes its season debut in the Bank of America 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. This will be the first time the Speedbor bit has graced the side of the IRWIN Industrial Tools car.

"This is a great weekend for IRWIN Industrial Tools," said McMurray. "IRWIN has been a great sponsor to work with this season and for them to highlight the Speedbor car this weekend in Charlotte is very appropriate. Their headquarters is located over in Huntersville (N.C.), which is right around the corner from the speedway. It's a great chance to highlight one of their fastest tools."

McMurray is no stranger to Lowe's Motor Speedway. In his first Cup race ever at the 1.5-mile speedway, McMurray blistered the field and took home the checkered flag in only his second Cup start.

"Winning this race when I was filling in for Sterling (Marlin) was such an incredible memory for me. . Every time I go back to the track, I am reminded of the finish that day. You know, you always think back on the good memories you have had at a track, and Lowe's has provided a lot of great times for me," noted McMurray.

Not only is Lowe's the home of McMurray's first Cup victory, but also statistically, it's his third best track. Behind the road courses of Sonoma and Watkins Glen, Lowe's Motor Speedway is high on the list. In eight starts at the speedway, McMurray has posted five top-10 finishes, and has an average finish of 13.1, which ranks him sixth best among all active drivers at the track.

"After our bad luck last week at Talladega, I would enjoy nothing more than bringing home a great finish in our IRWIN Speedbor Ford Fusion," said McMurray. "Lowe's is a great track to run at and running on a Saturday night makes it even cooler. I am looking forward to a great run with the Speedbor car this weekend.

"Last week just proved once again how our season has gone. We had such a fast car and good pit stops going, but unfortunately, we were caught up in someone else's accident. Those kinds of things happen and there is nothing you can do to avoid them, but this No. 26 team needs a good run. Hopefully, we can repeat history and have a great run at Lowe's this weekend."

Coverage of the Bank of America 500 is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. EDT on NBC.

About Roush Racing

Roush Racing is a subsidiary of Livonia, Mich., based Roush Enterprises which operates 14 motorsports teams; five in NASCAR Nextel Cup with drivers Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards, six in the Busch Series with Martin, Kenseth, Biffle, Edwards, Todd Kluever and Danny O'Quinn, and three in the Craftsman Truck Series with Martin, David Ragan, Erik Darnell and Michel Jourdain, Jr. For sponsorship inquiries, contact Robin Johnson, Roush Racing, (704) 720-4645. For more information on any of the Roush Racing teams, log onto www.roushracing.com

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mrsmopar12 · #7 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 03:46 PM

Newman Looking To Have A Better Race This Second Time Around
Penske Racing South, Press Release

NNCS Notes:

· Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 12 Alltel Dodge Charger, will make his 12th NASCAR Cup Series start at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on Saturday and his 183rd in the NASCAR Cup Series.
· Newman has had just one start outside the top four at LMS – an 18th in this year’s Coca-Cola 600. Newman has earned five Bud Pole Awards and has started second twice and fourth three times. His average start at the 1.5-mile track is 3.55.

· It hasn’t gone quite as well for Newman when it comes to finishing a race at LMS. With an average finish of 19.45, Newman has six top-10 finishes, including four top fives. He has four finishes from the 35th position and below, including a 35th in the Coca-Cola 600 in May of this year.

· Newman has led six races at LMS for 222 laps. He has completed 3,216 laps of a possible 3,837. That is an 84 percent completion rate.

· Matt Borland, crew chief of the No. 12 Alltel Dodge Charger, and the Alltel team will take chassis PRS-79 to this weekend’s Bank of America 500. This car was last driven at Dover in September when Newman started fourth and finished 24th. It also was driven in Bristol in August when Newman qualified 21st and finished eighth. It ran in the June race at Dover as well when Newman earned the Bud Pole. Before that, it was driven in Atlanta in March when Newman started second and finished 18th.

· The backup car for Charlotte is chassis PRS-76. This car was raced at Chicagoland in July when Newman started 12th and ended up 36th. Before that, Newman drove the car three previous times this season; most recently at Michigan. Newman used this same chassis at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in the Coca-Cola 600, when he finished 35th after starting 18th, and at Darlington in May, when he placed sixth after starting second. Newman also tested this car at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on May 3. Last year, Newman raced this car at Chicagoland Speedway. Prior to the 2005 Chicago race, the car was used in May at Darlington and at Charlotte, and in June at Michigan. The car qualified on the front row in each of the four 2005 races, winning two poles - one at Charlotte and the other at Michigan.

Newman on Lowe’s Motor Speedway:

“It’s nice to be back home in Charlotte for the weekend. Most of the drivers and teams consider Lowe’s our home track and racing here this weekend gives everyone a little bit of a break during this final stretch of the season. We don’t have to travel, we can sleep in our own beds and everyone gets to see their family at the end of the day.”
“We had a good car last weekend in Talladega. There was really nothing wrong with the handling of the car and the crew didn’t have to make adjustments at all during the race. Hopefully, we can head into Charlotte and have the same thing happen this weekend. The first race at LMS this year didn’t go very well for this team, so we’re definitely looking to have a better race this time around.”

Quick Stats:

Lowe’s Motor Speedway: 11
Races Led/Laps Led: 6/222
Best Starting Position: 1 (five times)
Best Finishing Position: 2 (October 2003)
October 2005 Start: 2
October 2005 Finish: 7

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mrsmopar12 · #8 (**permalink**) 10-13-2006, 06:19 PM

GM Racing Communications, Press Release

JEFF BURTON, NO 31 CINGULAR WIRELESS MONTE CARLO SS - Qualified 7th

"Qualifying well here is important because track position is always important. But I think the pit selection is more important. With as many times as you come down pit road here with the smaller fuel cells, being able to get off and on it pretty critical. Track position is always important but if you can't work your way back to the front of the field if you drop way back on pit strategy, you wouldn't have been up there if you had started up there. It was a good lap for us, it will help us get that pit selection."

KYLE BUSCH, NO. 5 KELLOGG'S MONTE CARLO SS - Qualified 19th

"I came through one and two really well but as I came through three I was afraid to put more wheel in to it because I wasn't sure the backend would stick. Not a bad run for us, we turned an 83 so that isn't too bad for us. It is the best this Delphi/Kellogg's car has run all day, so we are pretty happy with it."

DALE EARNHARDT, JR, NO. 8 BUDWEISER MONTE CARLO SS - Qualified 17th

"It was a good lap for us. I haven't been really great at qualifying this year. I am pretty happy with it. We practiced really well today and that was about what I thought we would run was pretty happy with it. I threw it in as hard as I can the first lap and did exactly the opposite to see what would happen and which was best.

ON THE POINTS:

"We are feeling good about everything. We are still in shooting range of those guys in the front. We are in bow range now. Tony, Jr. has been bow hunting recently, which means we are getting closer, so we are in bow range."

ON DISTRACTIONS THIS WEEK:

"None at all. We are highly motivated because of how well we ran at Talladega. For the most part, those races are going to play out that way sometimes. You have to focus on what is in front of you, if you look back, you might miss something. "

JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE'S MONTE CARLO SS - Qualified 11th

"It is getting a little slick out there I think. It was a little unnerving to go out after somebody crashed but we got a pretty good lap out there. We would love to have had a shot at the pole but this is a good run. That will get us a good pit stall selection and that is what will be really important here during the race on Saturday night."

TERRY LABONTE, NO. 44 GMAC MONTE CARLO SS -

Qualified 43rd on Past Champions Provisional: "Our car was a little bit too tight for qualifying. I thought we would do a little bit quicker than that. We will just have to get it a little bit quicker tomorrow.

ON CAREER COMING TO A CLOSE:

"I have thought about it for a long time. Seems like the last few years have gone by pretty quick. I still feel good about my decision and have two races to go."

KEVIN HARVICK, NO. 29 GM GOODWRENCH MONTE CARLO SS - Qualified 6th

"I got tired sitting there in the car with cars wrecking and some guys were late getting to the line. It was a good lap for our GM Goodwrench Chevrolet. I didn't quite get it all in one and two got it all in three and four. Good starting spot for us I hope.
"We had a strange deal with the tailpipe breaking and burning up the transmission in the spring. We had a few strange things at the beginning of the year. But the performance of our cars has been really good to overcome that, if we can keep it all together, we have run good here before, just haven't been able to close the deal.

ON HAVING TO MAKE UP POINTS IN THE CHASE EVERY WEEK:

"Not really. We just go out and down whatever we have to do week in and week out and keep racing and however it falls, it falls."

JEFF GORDON, NO. 24 DUPONT MONTE CARLO SS - Qualified 42nd on Owners Points

"We had to make a lot of judgment calls based on daytime practice. We were off even in practice today. When we went to qualify we just couldn't get the handle on it. We just freed the car up way too much. I'm just glad to have a car in one piece. It's a great race car. We hate to start in the back but we know we've got a car that can come to the front."
"We were trying to get the front end turning better all day long and we got it to turn then the backend went away. With nightfall, you have to be really committed in the corner and have the car stick really good. I almost lost going in to three coming to the green. We just made sure we brought the car back in one piece. This is a very good race car. It was just too loose."

ARE YOU CONCERNED FOR SATURDAY NIGHT?

"No, in race conditions the car is great. I'm concerned that we don't get any night practice. But I think we'll be fine."

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mrsmopar12 · #9 (**permalink**) 10-13-2006, 06:40 PM

Clear!Blue Communications For Dodge Motorsports, Press Release

KURT BUSCH (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger)

“I think I left a little bit out there. We were a little loose, but I didn’t know we could go that fast.. I think it’s still a blessing we have a small fuel cell because the car goes through a major swing. When you have such a hard tire you’ve got to loosen it up so it’ll last and not get too tight at the end of the run. If we had the 22-gallon fuel cell a lot of guys would have to start way, way loose. I knew Kahne would run a good lap. He’s fast in his Dodge Charger. Our lap was pretty good. We’re trying to get the feel for Charlotte since they gave a harder tire to us. The track has come a long way in a short time, and it feels good to go out there with 600 miles under your belt. We know what to expect for this race. Cooler temperatures, Saturday night action, everybody likes racing under the lights. We’ll see what we have for ‘em.”

KASEY KAHNE (No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge Charger)

“It’s exciting to qualify. I want to get poles. I want to get everything we can. With the team I have I think we can get more this year. I feel like we have a shot at winning races and running up front and doing everything we can to challenge for the Nextel Cup. We’re going to do everything possible. We had a couple of bad breaks and got behind a little bit. This is a good team. They give me great cars every week. It’s just a matter of circumstances, and hopefully we can run up front all weekend long. I’m excited with that lap. We’ll see if it holds up. We’ve got some great cars to go.
“We’ll need to get our car fast in race practice. We did about three or four runs today and the car felt really good. It’s going to change a lot Saturday night. If we can stay caught up with it we’ll have a good shot. It’s too early to write it off because we gained almost 100 points last weekend. I was surprised we could do that. We also lost 280 points in three weeks. It can happen. Whether or not it will, we’ll have to wait and see. I think we have a good shot at the pole tonight, if not, I think we’ll be up front.

“I think the track is definitely going to be better than it was earlier this year for side by side racing. I think the tires are holding up real well, and the track should be good. The car has a little more grip, and the tires will probably wear a little quicker. The car turns a little better. It should be a good adjustment. I’ve always enjoyed racing at this track. It’s one of my favorite places to race.

“I’m worried about a lot of guys. The track has a ton of grip and it’s really fast. Riggs goes out late. Cars all over the place can get close to that, whether they can beat it or not we’ll have to wait and find out, but that was a pretty good lap.”

REED SORENSON (No. 41 Target Dodge Charger)

“We’ve had some bad luck in the last couple of races. It’s nobody’s fault, but it’s been rough. This is a place where we can turn it around. Hopefully we’ll end up somewhere near the front and have a good race Saturday night.”

RYAN NEWMAN (No. 12 Alltel Dodge Charger)

“I was good in three and four in qualifying, and I was good in one and two in practice. I was tight in three and four in qualifying, and loose in one and two in qualifying. It made sense to split between the different ends of the racetrack, but it was a good effort. We picked up half a second, but the track gave us that much. I think the tire situation is definitely better than it was for the spring race, but it’s definitely a hand full when the track is greasy.”

ELLIOTT SADLER (No. 19 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge Charger)

“The guys did a great job. They gave me a great racecar. I messed up a little bit out there. I left a little bit on the table, but the car is unbelievable. It’s got a great motor in it. Everybody at Evernham Motorsports has been amazing. We’ve had a lot of fun the past few weeks. I’ve got one teammate on the pole and another one coming up that’s got a great shot at him. I think we’re going to have some great racecars come Saturday night.
“Goodyear has changed the tire a little bit. We’ve got more grip coming back this time. Everybody is not as out of control as we were the first race here. Goodyear has done a good job with that. We’ll be able to tell a lot more tomorrow night after the Busch race as far as tire wear goes. I think the small fuel cells are a good thing. We should be fine for tear wear and things like that. I think you’re going to see a good race because everybody is going to be on fresh tires because of the smaller fuel cells. Five hundred miles, the middle of The Chase, The Chase is putting on a good show for everybody. It should be a good weekend.”

DAVID STREMME (No. 40 Coors Light Dodge Charger)

“We unloaded and we weren’t as good as I’d hoped, but we’ve been picking up a lot. This weekend we’re all working really close. I’m proud of all my guys. We’re making improvements. The Dodges are running good tonight. The rpm’s and gear range we’re running, I think everything is working good for the Dodge. I like running here. It’s fun, and I’m really looking forward to the race Saturday night.”

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