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Category: NASCAR Cup Series

NASCAR Cup Series

  • David Ragan – New Hampshire Advance

    David Ragan – NSCS ADVANCE

    Team: No. 6 UPS Ford Fusion

    Crew Chief: Donnie Wingo

    Chassis: Primary: RK-613 Last ran Pocono – finished 14th

    Backup: RK-633 Last ran Michigan fall ‘09 – finished 30th

    Ragan, NSCS at New Hampshire Motor Speedway:

    Date Event S F Laps Led Status Money

    6-27-10 Lenox Tools 301 19 20 300/301 0 Running $87,275

    9-20-09 Sylvania 300 42 33 287/300 0 Running $81,800

    6-28-09 Lenox Tools 301 31 38 174/273 0 Accident $79,825

    9-14-08 Sylvania 300 14 28 298/300 0 Running $80,525

    6-29-08 Lenox Tools 301 35 40 272/284 0 Accident $77,700

    9-16-07 Sylvania 300 38 19 299/300 0 Running $114,600

    7-1-07 Lenox Tools 300 32 15 300/300 0 Running $117,325

    Races Wins Top-5s Top-10s Poles Led Money

    Spring 4 0 0 0 0 0 $362,125

    Fall 3 0 0 0 0 0 $276,925

    Cumulative 7 0 0 0 0 0 $639,050

    Ragan on racing at New Hampshire Motor Speedway:

    “Racing at Loudon is almost like a homecoming for us since Fenway Sports Group is based there and there are a lot of Red Sox fans in this region. It would be great to get a good run for them and I really think we can do it. We’ll take some stuff we learned at Richmond to Loudon with us since we’ll be fighting some of the same problems.”

    Crew chief Donnie Wingo on racing at New Hampshire Motor Speedway:

    “Racing at New Hampshire is always pretty challenging. It’s always a big track position race since it’s such a hard place to pass. Last time we were there was the first time in a while tires have been a factor; it usually comes down to track position at the end of the race. We’ll try and make some good calls and be in the right spot towards the end of the race.”

    FAST FACTS

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    Ragan has visited New Hampshire Motor Speedway seven times; his best finish came in his first start at the track in the summer of 2007 where he finished 15th.

    Ragan has competed twice in the Nationwide Series at Loudon. His best finish came in the spring of 2008 where he qualified 22nd and finished sixth.

    Ragan has two Camping World Truck Series starts at Loudon. His best finish came in 2006 where he qualified 25th and finished 11th.

    The UPS Maximum Center Recognition – New Hampshire Motor Speedway The Twin Mountain center (SLIC – 0350) in the Northeast District has been selected as the UPS Maximum Center for this weekend’s race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The Twin Mountain Center is recognized for maintaining the 100% effectiveness to plan on the Balanced Scorecard for multiple elements. The center consistently demonstrates strong results in every area of package operations including production, safety, service, and growth.

  • Greg Biffle New Hampshire Notes

    Biffle on New Hampshire: “It would obviously be great for us to come back and start the Chase with two wins like we did in 2008 but a solid top-five run would work too. We’ve had a couple of bad races but I still feel really confident about our chances in the Chase. We’ve been running well since Chicago and I think that should carry over into the Chase. We can hopefully learn something from what happened in Richmond and make sure the problems we had there don’t happen again. This is going to be a busy week with the trip to New York and Boston but I’ll be glad to get into the racecar on Friday and see what we’ve got.”

    Erwin on New Hampshire: “We’re taking a brand new car to the track this weekend. We obviously missed the mark in Richmond so we are looking forward to getting a fresh start in the Chase with a new car. Greg knows how to win there so if we can give him a car that he can run up front with, we know he’ll do everything he can to get the 3M Ford to victory lane. We just need solid runs to stay in contention for the championship but a win or two would definitely help.”

    New Hampshire Notes

    • Biffle and the 3M team claimed a Chase spot in Richmond and are currently seventh in the standings. They are 50 points behind leader Denny Hamlin and have a 10-point advantage over positions eight through 12.

    • Biffle’s average finish at Loudon is 17.4 from an average starting position of 16.5.

    • Biffle actually made his first Cup Series start at New Hampshire in a No. 55 car owned by Andy Petree. It was his third of seven starts during the 2002 season.

    • Biffle will be attending the Red Sox game on Saturday night in Boston along with the rest of the 3M team.

  • The Final Word – Is the Richmond race over yet?

    The Final Word – Is the Richmond race over yet?

    So, what did we learn at Richmond?

    Well, we learned that it isn’t exactly a track conducive to providing riveting televised sports excitement. To be blunt, Saturday night’s race was as boring as blazes. I actually nodded off more than a few times during the dullathon. The ESPN crew simply does not have it takes to conjure up a silk purse from such a sow’s ear. Toss in Rusty and Brad and I’m sure the boys and girls did not convert any novice viewers into becoming die hard NASCAR fans. It was like watching soccer on wheels. Still, all was not lost. At least it ended with me feeling well rested.

    We learned that Denny Hamlin, who has been cold as ice the past couple of months, still has enough left in the tank to contend when it counts. Between Atlanta and Richmond, the Pied Piper went from worst to first, collected his 6th win of the season, and enters the Chase ten points better than Jimmie Johnson. Whether his lead will hold up or not will be answered soon enough this weekend.

    We learned that Clint Bowyer was not going to be denied a shot at the title. Rather than falling out in Joe Nemechek fashion early, which would have given some others a chance, the Kansas driver was near the front the entire evening, finishing 6th when all was said and done. Ryan, Jamie, and Mark can always dream that 2011 will be their year.

    We learned that while Johnson and Jeff Gordon will be racing for the roses this fall, their Hendrick team-mates Martin and Dale Earnhardt Jr will not. For Junior, starting in the top ten was as good as this night would get, as the rest turned out to be like so many others this season. Junior was 34th on Saturday night.

    We learned that before we write off the son of the icon, the superman who was, we should check a few of the facts. Since he last made the Chase, Junior has led more than 1500 laps, averaged an 18th place finish over the past 134 events, collecting more than 110 points, on average, each race. Those figures are better than those of Juan Pablo Montoya over those same time period. Sadly, instead of being like the Columbian, Earnhart was supposed to be what Jimmie Johnson has become. In truth, the one guy Earnhardt fails to really measure up to is himself and the type of results he had enjoyed through 2006. Where he once won 2.4 races per year, he has won just once in the nearly four seasons since those glory days. Junior is still good. His misfortune is that what his fans want is greatness.

    We learned the final lineup as to who will challenge for the crown, beginning this Sunday in New Hampshire. Five of them have already won the title, combining for a dozen championships between them. Johnson and Jeff Gordon seek their fifth, Tony Stewart his third, with Kurt Busch and Matt Kenseth hoping for a second trophy for the mantle. Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Greg Biffle, Jeff Burton, Carl Edwards, and Clint Bowyer would love to be part of their circle.

    If history means anything, don’t expect Edwards or Kenseth to lead the way after Sunday. Neither has ever won at Loudon. The other ten have, with Burton with four to his credit. However, the smart money would be on the current leaders, as both Johnson and Hamlin appear to be heating up at about the right time at a track both seem to do well at. It should be a good one to watch, unless you were hoping to doze off in front of the television set Sunday afternoon. The action might prove too exciting for that. Enjoy the week.

  • Ford Drivers Makeup 1/4th of the Chase for the Championship

    Mooresville, NC (September 13, 2010) On Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway three Ford drivers raced their way into the Chase, earning 25% of the twelve spots that makeup the 10-race “playoff” that will determine the 2010 Sprint Cup Champion. Roush Fenway drivers Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, and Greg Biffle will be competing against some of NASCAR’s top teams starting in New Hampshire next weekend.

    Roush Fenway has fielded at least two cars in the Chase every year since the format began in 2004. In addition, they have placed more cars in the Chase field (17) than any other team. Roush Fenway is just one of two teams who have three cars in this year’s Chase. Richard Childress Racing’s three chase contenders Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, and Clint Bowyer will be hard to beat, but Ford drivers feel good about their chances of putting the blue oval on top this season.

    “All of us at Roush Fenway have been working hard and I don’t believe we have won an amount that’s representative of that hard work,” said Chase contender Greg Biffle. “The goal is to win the Championship. There are a couple of things we’ve been working on and it starts with that engine – the FR9 that Doug Yates and those guys have been developing. I think that helps us everywhere, so, right off the bat we unload and we’re a little faster.”

    Biffle won earlier in the season at Pocono, giving Roush Yates Engines their first points paying win with the new FR9 engine.

    Known for their power and performance in all series of racing, Roush Yates Engines earned multiple wins this weekend.

    Chris Buescher drove his No. 17 Roulo Brothers-prepared David Ragan Fan Club-Shriners Hospital Ford to Victory Lane, earning the second ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards win of his career Sunday afternoon at Toledo Speedway. After starting 23rd, 17-year-old Buescher worked hard to race his way into contention and win the Northwest Ohio Ford Dealers 200.

    “It was nice to come back to Toledo,” said Buescher. “We got our first win here in the spring. We’ve had races where we’ve been really competitive but had bad luck; so we were just really happy to pull it off today.”

    This is the second win of the season for Roush Yates Engines in the ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards. With just three races left, Roush Yates driver Frank Kimmel is fourth in the point standings, racing for his tenth ARCA Championship.

    Another big win for Roush Yates Engines came in the Sprint Car 410 Series. Bobby East won at Dells Raceway Park, giving Roush Yates their first ever win with the 410 Sprint Car engine. East led over half the laps in his first asphalt winged race in the MustSeeRacing Biobased-USA Xtreme Sprint Series and he credits the unmatched performance of his new engine package for the incredible victory.

    “It’s really exciting to win my first winged race,” said East. “I kept moving my wing back as the race went along, and the car kept getting faster. This was a new experience for me, but I’m hoping to have the opportunity to do more of this winged racing in the future.”

    USAR Pro Cup Series driver Benny Gordon raced to Victory Lane in the American Freedom Spectacular 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday night. In the World 100 at Eldora, 130 Dirt Late Models raced for just 24 coveted spots. Roush Yates Engines had two heat race wins and started four cars in the top twelve. Scott Bloomquist was the top finishing Roush Yates car, earning second place.

    To learn more about Roush Yates Engines and Roush Yates Performance Products, please visit www.roushyatesparts.com or call Jeff Clark at (704) 658-1540.

    About Roush Yates Engines

    Roush Yates Engines designs, engineers and crafts high performance racing engines with the power to perform and the horsepower and durability you’d expect from legendary NASCAR pioneers Jack Roush and Robert Yates. The partnership of power and precision has come from merging the knowledge and experience of two legendary engine builders, both with a passion for winning today and powering up for tomorrow. In 2009 Doug Yates purchased his father’s half of Roush Yates Engines to become a co-owner in the company.

    As CEO, Doug Yates leads a staff of 180 engineers and technicians who design, assemble, test, and service racing engines at two separate state-of-the-art facilities in Mooresville, North Carolina. Here, the best minds and latest technology are hard at work producing nearly 1,500 racing engines each year for teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, ARCA, Grand-Am, FIA GT3, Dirt Late Model, Sprint cars, and NHRA Pro Stock. At Roush Yates Engines, the mission is Power Performance, which is achieved through innovation design, precision engineering, and skillful craftsmanship. Building the best engines in racing today, providing service that’s second to none, and honoring a commitment to research and development are the heart of Roush Yates Engines.

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Richmond’s Air Guard 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Richmond’s Air Guard 400

    In a mixture of apprehension, excitement, and remembrance, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series headed into Richmond International Raceway for the final race before the Chase.  Ten drivers were in but two had yet to be decided in the night race that paused to remember the lives lost on September 11th nine years ago to the day.  Here is what is surprising and not surprising from this weekend’s Air Guard 400.

    Surprising:  The Joe Gibbs Racing team was surprisingly strong at Richmond, with all three teams in the top five.  Race winner Denny Hamlin, fresh off his blown engine in last week’s race in Atlanta, spanked the rest of the field, putting many good cars a lap down.  Teammate Kyle Busch, fully recovered from his stint in the pink little baby seal car for the Nationwide race, sliced through the field from his qualifying spot of 32nd to give Hamlin a run for his money, only to fall short and claim the runner up spot.  The third Gibbs driver, Joey Logano, also had a strong run, bringing the orange No. 20 Home Depot car to the checkered flag in fourth.

    Not Surprising:  With the race win under his belt, Hamlin topped off his extraordinary pre-Chase season which included rehabbing his knee from surgery in his No. 11 FedEx Office race car, by claiming the top seed in the Chase.  Although Jimmie Johnson was lurking in his rear view mirror, coming in third in the race, Hamlin’s sixth win trumped Johnson’s five and Hamlin will now have that coveted ten point advantage over the four-time champion.

    Surprising:  It was most surprising how poorly the rest of Jimmie Johnson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammates fared in the Air Guard 400.  All three drivers struggled throughout most of the race, even going laps down.  Dale Junior qualified in the top ten but admittedly tried ‘some out of the box’ set up that put him six laps down for a miserable 34th place finish.  Jeff Gordon said that his downfall was a poor qualifying spot that led to having to take the ‘lucky dog’ to get back on the lead lap, finishing the race in 12th.  Mark Martin also struggled mightily, finishing in the 20th spot, disappointingly well out of Chase contention for the year.

    Not Surprising:  Clint Bowyer, who held the coveted twelfth and final position in the Chase standings, proved that he should be in the game by his top ten finish.  Bowyer raced his guts out, mixing it up at the front of the pack until he finally brought home his No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet home in the sixth spot.

    Surprising:   Greg Biffle, who wanted to prove that he not only deserved to be in the Chase but had a chance to win the championship, had a world of trouble from the drop of the green flag.  He had a helmet full of smoke from a malfunction in his air conditioning unit, a hole underneath the front of the car from debris, and a penalty for pitting after the wave around.  In his words, “Other than that, it was a pretty straight up night after that.”  And in spite of it all, Biffle will compete in the Chase, seeded in the seventh spot.

    Not Surprising:  Former point’s leader and RCR ace Kevin Harvick had a solid top ten run at Richmond, as did Roushketeer Carl Edwards.  Harvick will start the Chase in third, just 30 points behind Hamlin, while Edwards will start in ninth, 60 points back from the leader.

    Surprising:   There were some surprising drivers leading the race or at least in the thick of the hunt, including Juan Pablo Montoya, A.J. Allmendinger, and Marcos Ambrose.  JPM qualified on the outside pole, led a few laps and finished seventh.  A.J. Allmendinger also qualified well, starting in the third position and finishing right behind Montoya in eighth.  Ambrose, who is still hungry for an oval win, had a great run, starting in 13th and finishing in the fifth spot.

    Not Surprising:  Matt Kenseth, sporting his ever enthusiastic demeanor after his 14th place finish, said that it was good to be in the Chase but “Not to be a Debbie Downer, but where we are in the points isn’t that spectacular.”  Kenseth will go for his second Cup championship from his starting spot as the 11th seed, just 60 points behind Hamlin.

    Surprising:  There were a surprisingly few number of cautions in the race, just three in fact.  Of these few cautions, one was for rain just after the halfway mark, which drenched the track and the crowd as well.  While many drivers were racing like there was weather in the area, the rain held off and the race went the full distance.

    Not Surprising:  Living up to its billing, the Richmond International Raceway paid a most respectful tribute to the victims of 9/11, filled with patriotism and pride on the ninth anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in the air over Pennsylvania.

    The Chase starts officially next weekend at the Magic Mile in New Hampshire on September 19th in Loudon.   The Sylvania 300 begins at 1:00 PM EDT on Sunday, with live coverage on ESPN.

  • TUMS ‘Chowdah’ Challenge and the No. 00 TUMS Toyota Races Into The Magic Mile

    As the NASCAR Sprint Cup SeriesTM returns to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the second event of the season, TUMS® is prepared to deliver fast relief and fun to all New England fans.

    • TUMS, Levy and New Hampshire Motor Speedway have partnered on the ultimate New England cooking competition…the TUMS “Chowdah” Cook-Off. After submitting entries online, five contestants have been selected to compete in the at-track cooking competition. Cooking will begin Sunday, Sept. 19 at 8 a.m. ET at the TUMS Fast Relief Zone located in the fan midway at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. NASCAR personalities Jimmy Spencer and Michael Waltrip will join the judging panel which takes place at 10 a.m.

    • TUMS returns as the primary paint scheme on the No. 00 TUMS Toyota for the Sylvania 300. Following this event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, TUMS has one remaining paint scheme slated for Phoenix International Raceway.

    • In his last four races at the 1.058-mile oval, David Reutimann has scored four top-15 finishes including a fourth-place finish in the spring of 2009. He earned his best starting position of sixth this past spring event.

    • Reutimann is currently 17th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings. He has won in all three major NASCAR series and was the 2007 Nationwide Series championship runner-up. In addition to the Sprint Cup win at Charlotte Motor Speedway and most recently at Chicagoland Speedway, he has three poles, 10 top-five and 19 top-10 finishes in 124 career Cup starts.

    • Note: Hi-resolution images are available upon request.

    About TUMS®

    For more than 75 years, TUMS® has been a fast, effective treatment for heartburn and acid indigestion, neutralizing stomach acid on contact. Today, TUMS is the number one antacid in America, used by more people than any other brand to treat heartburn.

    About GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare

    GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare is one of the world’s largest over-the-counter consumer healthcare products companies. Its more than 30 well-known brands include alli®, Nicorette®, NicoDerm® CQ and Commit® as well as many medicine cabinet staples, including Abreva®, Aquafresh®, Sensodyne,® Tums® and Breathe Right®.

    About GlaxoSmithKline

    GlaxoSmithKline — one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies — is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For company information visit: http://www.gsk.com.

  • Denny Hamlin claims victory in Richmond

    Denny Hamlin claims victory in Richmond

    The Air Guard 400 from Richmond International Raceway was mixture of pride and prestige as NASCAR honored not only the 9th anniversary of the 9-11 tragedy but also the brave men and women of our armed forces and first responders to the horrific scenes of that horrible day.

    There were only three cautions throughout the evening the last of which for weather, however not even the brief rain shower would detour the determined teams as they battled to run the final race before the chase to conclusion.

    As the night raged on and the laps wound down the battling giants of NASCAR boiled down to the clash of the Richmond Titans. Kyle Busch, whose record at RIR has done nothing but improve, battled “Hometown Hero” Denny Hamlin for the top spot. Hamlin dodged the Busch bullet as the No 18 car began to give up the fight despite the driver determination.

    As the checkered flag flew the crowd at RIR came to life as Virginia’s own Denny Hamlin claimed not only the victory but also the points lead to start the “Chase”.

    Second place finisher Kyle Busch reflected on the closing moments of the race. “I felt like the 11 car was just ahead of us tonight and they deserved to win.” Busch said. Later he added, “We can’t be disappointed in a second tonight. We wanted to win, and we fought hard with Denny, but racing teammates clean like that, and not laying a bumper at all, just making sure that the Gibbs cars had a good, solid night, so that everything would be on our side heading into the chase next weekend. Hamlin praised the efforts of his team and his Gibbs racing teammates post race.

    “Kyle (Busch) put the pressure on us and he made a heck of a charge.” Hamlin said, about the closing laps. “Luckily for me he was a teammate because if it had been anyone else, he probably would have moved us.” “Really proud of Joey (Logano),” Hamlin later said. “It’s only a matter of time before he’s as competitive as Kyle Busch week-in and week-out, and that’s going to make both teams a whole lot stronger.”

    All Three Joe Gibbs Racing teams finished in the top four spots at Richmond International Raceway on Saturday night, giving team president, J.D. Gibbs something to really smile about as the season enters chase format.

    “Just a big deal for us. I think with Denny and Kyle as well, and to watch Joey, all three in one night hopefully get some momentum built up for the Chase was a big deal for Joe Gibbs Racing, and we love coming back to Richmond.”

    Gibbs said. Jimmie Johnson finished Saturday night’s race third, and claimed the second seed in the Chase points standings. Joey Logano finished fourth, Marcos Ambrose was fifth, Clint Bowyer finished sixth, and Juan Pablo Montoya was seventh. They were followed by A.J. Allmendinger, Kevin Harvick, and Carl Edward who rounded out the top 10.

    TO READ OUR LAP-BY-LAP COVERAGE, CLICK THE LINK BELOW

    http://www.speedwaymedia.com/index.php/2010/09/11/lap-by-lap-hamlin-tops-the-charts-at-richmond/

    RACE RESULTS

    Pos. St. No. Driver Make Pts. Bon. Laps
    1 14 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 195 10 400
    2 32 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 170 0 400
    3 11 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 170 5 400
    4 6 20 Joey Logano Toyota 160 0 400
    5 13 47 Marcos Ambrose Toyota 155 0 400
    6 4 33 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 155 5 400
    7 2 42 Juan Montoya Chevrolet 151 5 400
    8 3 43 A.J. Allmendinger Ford 142 0 400
    9 20 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 138 0 400
    10 1 99 Carl Edwards Ford 139 5 400
    11 23 39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 130 0 400
    12 22 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 127 0 400
    13 25 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 129 5 400
    14 12 17 Matt Kenseth Ford 121 0 400
    15 8 12 Brad Keselowski Dodge 118 0 400
    16 15 14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 115 0 400
    17 34 1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 112 0 400
    18 21 2 Kurt Busch Dodge 109 0 400
    19 5 0 David Reutimann Toyota 106 0 398
    20 19 5 Mark Martin Chevrolet 103 0 398
    21 18 13 Casey Mears Toyota 100 0 398
    22 29 56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 97 0 398
    23 26 6 David Ragan Ford 94 0 398
    24 31 82 Scott Speed Toyota 91 0 398
    25 17 78 Regan Smith Chevrolet 88 0 398
    26 7 98 Paul Menard Ford 85 0 397
    27 36 19 Elliott Sadler Ford 82 0 397
    28 33 77 Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge 79 0 397
    29 10 9 Kasey Kahne Ford 76 0 396
    30 27 36 Dave Blaney Chevrolet 73 0 396
    31 42 83 Mattias Ekstrom Toyota 70 0 396
    32 24 16 Greg Biffle Ford 67 0 395
    33 28 71 Landon Cassill Chevrolet 64 0 395
    34 9 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 61 0 394
    35 38 38 Travis Kvapil Ford 58 0 393
    36 16 26 Jeff Green Ford 55 0 393
    37 39 37 David Gilliland Ford 52 0 393
    38 40 34 Tony Raines Ford 49 0 392
    39 43 9 Bobby Labonte Chevrolet 46 0 324
    40 44 55 Terry Labonte Toyota 43 0 143
    41 41 7 Kevin Conway * Toyota 40 0 118
    42 30 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 37 0 61
    43 35 132 Jason Leffler Toyota 34 0 30

  • Lap By Lap: Hamlin Tops The Charts at Richmond

    Denny Hamlin wins the last regular NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race of the season in Saturday nights Air Guard 400 at Richmond International Raceway.  Hamlin also locked himself atop the Chase standings over Jimmie Johnson by 10 points.

    Clint Bowyer locked himself into the Chase with a sixth place finish. Bowyer led the third most laps that evened his car number with 33.

    Hamlin led the most laps of the night, 251. Carl Edwards, who started on the pole finished tenth and led the second most of 95.

    This was Hamlin’s 14th victory in 177 races as well as his second victory at Richmond.

    This also summed up the regular season for Dale Earnhardt Jr. with a 34th place finish 6 laps down from his start of ninth.

    Kyle Busch was the most improved driver with an improvement of 30 positions to finish runner-up.

    RACE NOTES/LAP-BY-LAP

    This was the last race of the regular season. We are in Richmond for a night race and just one more position for twelfth to settle the Chase Race. Well, I guess we could say the last two positions as if there is any issue with Greg Biffle where he would finish last he would be out. So it comes down to Clint Bowyer, he needs to finish 28th or better to be locked in.

    Terry Labonte is making a return to Cup tonight driving for Michael Waltrip in the number 55. He is replacing Mike Bliss and will have to go to the rear of the field.

    Carl Edwards is the point man for tonight’s race. Juan Pablo Montoya will start next to him on the front row. They will be followed by A.J. Allmendinger, Clint Bowyer and David Reutimann.

    We watch in respect for the moment of silence for 9/11 followed by Pledge of Allegiance, God Bless America by Night Ranger, the invocation and our National Anthem.

    Everything was perfect for the opening ceremonies. I wish it could be that way every race. It is worth a TiVo.

    A few minutes later, we have the command to start engines then the drivers head to the track. Three paces laps and we are going for 400 laps of pure fun.

    Edwards leads the 43 drivers out of turn four to the…

    GREEN FLAG as they driver through turns one and two without any issues, same with three and four. Allmendinger under Montoya for second place. Lap 2 and 3 they race side by side for the position but no winner yet.

    Lap 4 three wide between David Ragan, Kevin Harvick and Greg Biffle for 22nd. Lap 7 Edwards has a 1.6 second lead over Montoya who now has the position. Bowyer watching to see what happens and waits for the time being.

    Lap 12 early movers on the track see Jimmie Johnson start 11th up to 7th, Kurt Busch on lap 14 start 21st up to 15th and Kyle Busch from his start of 32nd up to 24th. Edwards continues his lead of 1.2 seconds. The field strings out single file. Lap 16 Johnson under Reutimann for 5th and takes it.

    Lap 16 Kurt Busch to 14th passing Dale Earnhardt Jr. Lap 17 we also see Brad Keselowski battle with Paul Menard for 8th. Menard has it. Earnhardt Jr. is slipping back after Ryan Newman and Denny Hamlin pass him. Lap 22 battle between Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon for 23rd. Harvick takes it. Harvick has minor damage to the left rear bumper after getting tagged from behind by Gordon a few laps earlier.

    Lap 25 your top ten drivers are Edwards, Montoya, Allmendinger, Bowyer, Johnson, Reutimann, Joey Logano, Keselowski, Menard and Tony Stewart. Lap 27 Jami McMurray is  the driver on the move from his start of 34th is currently 19th. Kurt Busch is up to 12th.

    Lap 31 Montoya closes the gap to a half second behind Edwards. Earnhardt Jr. has slipped back to 25th with a “Real, Real loose” race car. Lap 34 Jason Leffler takes it to the garage as we start to see drivers fall a lap down. The first one to go is Terry Labonte followed by Kevin Conway, David Gilliland and Jeff Green. The next who could be on the list is Travis Kvapil, Tony Raines, Landon Cassill and Ekstrom.

    Lap 40 all top five drivers are contending with the lap down drivers and each other. Lap 44 Bowyer under Allmendinger for 3rd. Johnson follows Bowyer to take 4th. Lap 46 we see a continued battle between Kyle Busch, Gordon and Harvick for 22nd. Joe Nemechek takes his car to the garage.

    Lap 48 Johnson passes Bowyer for 3rd place. Montoya continues to dog Edwards for the lead but no change as of yet. Lap 50 we see the top twenty drivers of Edwards, Montoya, Johnson, Bowyer, Allmendinger, Reutimann, Stewart, Logano, Keselowski, Menard, Matt Kenseth, Marcos Ambrose, Hamlin, Regan Smith, Jeff Burton, Ryan Newman, McMurray, Mark Martin and Kasey Kahne.

    Lap 54 Johnson passes Montoya with ease, closes in and takes the lead away from Edwards.

    YELLOW FLAG lap 57 as Reutimann spins out on the back stretch with a left rear flat and some damage. Kurt Busch helped Reutimann with his spin out of turn two. Elliott Sadler is the lucky dog. Nemechek is back on track 11 laps down as the field heads to pit road.

    Lap 59 the race back to the track is Edwards, Johnson, Bowyer, Montoya and Stewart. Nemechek is a wave around driver.

    GREEN FLAG lap 63 as Edwards has the position heading into turns one and two. Johnson is under attack on lap 64 by Bowyer. Stewart passes Montoya for 4th. Lap 65 Allmendinger passes Montoya for 5th. Lap 66 Bowyer under Johnson for 2nd place. Bowyer is followed by Stewart to take 3rd from Johnson.

    Lap 68 Montoya is not doing well on the outside line as Kenseth works on his inside line. Lap 69 they are followed by Kurt Busch versus teammate Keselowski for 8th. Lap 71 Hamlin working for the position under Ambrose for 10th. Burton passing Menard for 12th.

    Lap 75 your top ten drivers are Edwards, Bowyer, Stewart, Johnson, Allmendinger, Montoya, Kurt Busch, Kenseth, Hamlin and Keselowski. Lap 77 Nemechek is done for the night, well, he almost lasted for a quarter of the race. Conway is 8 laps down. Lap 80 Edwards leads Bowyer by 1.1 seconds, we hear it’s the battle of the cereals by Edwards.

    Lap 82 a battle for 15th between Logano, Harvick and Kyle Busch. Lap 85 Hamlin versus Stewart for 7th and Hamlin has it. Logano and Kyle Busch continue the fight for 15th and Busch has it. Lap 87 Harvick tires the outside to take 16th from Logano and he has it.

    Lap 90 Edwards leads Bowyer just a bit under a second and 3rd place Johnson by 2.2 seconds. Lap 93 Hamlin under Kurt Busch for 6th place. Lap 96 Edwards is falling off pace just a tick to a half second lead over Bowyer.

    Lap 100 (300 to go) as the top twenty drivers are Edwards, Bowyer, Johnson, Allmendinger, Hamlin, Kurt Busch, Montoya, Stewart, Kenseth, Keselowski, Ambrose, Burton, McMurray, Kyle Busch, Menard, Harvick, Logano, Newman, Smith and Martin Truex Jr.

    Lap 101 Bowyer takes the lead. So far we have seen 3 lead changes between 3 drivers. One caution has come out for 6 laps. Lap 105 Johnson closes in on Edwards for 2nd place. Lap 107 Hamlin under Johnson for 3rd place. Hamlin grabs 2nd place. Edwards is not doing good on long runs as he slips back to 4th place after Johnson passes him.

    Lap 111 Hamlin takes the lead from Bowyer. Lap 113 Sadler falls a lap down with Earnhardt Jr. next then we look at Biffle, Dave Blaney, Bobby Labonte, Kahne and Ragan that may be added to the lap down list.

    Lap 120 the movers of the race so far see Ekstrom move up 8 positions from 42 up to 34th, Sam Hornish JR. up 8 from 33rd up to 25th, Martin Truex Jr. up 9 from 29th to 20th, Newman 7 positions from 23rd to 16th, McMurray up 20 spots from 34th to 14th, Burton up 14 from 25th to 11th, Kurt Busch up 12 from 21st up to 9th and Hamlin up 13 from 13th to the lead.

    Lap 130 your top 10 drivers are Hamlin, Bowyer, Johnson, Allmendinger, Edwards, Montoya, Kenseth, Stewart, Kurt Busch and Ambrose. Lap 132 to continue to add to the lap down list we see David Ragan, Mark Martin, Scott Speed and Hornish Jr. The next could be Reutimann, Truex Jr., Casey Mears and Gordon.

    Lap 135 Hamlin leads Bowyer by 3.4 seconds and 3rd place Johnson by 5 seconds. Lap 137 Stewart passes Edwards to take 7th place. Lap 140 Earnhardt Jr. heads to pit road for a big adjustment. Lap 142 Gordon falls a lap down which leaves Menard and Smith to fall a lap down as well. The next would be Logano, Newman, Keselowski.

    Pit stops begin on lap 145 as we see Reutimann, Kahne Green on pit road as…

    YELLOW FLAG lap 147 as Terry Labonte hits the outside wall in turn three with a front right flat. Logano is the lucky dog. The leaders to pit road. The race back is Hamlin, Bowyer, Johnson, Kenseth and Allmendinger. Edwards is back to 9th after a sizeable change to his setup.

    Lap 150 your top twenty drivers are Hamlin, Bowyer, Johnson, Kenseth, Allmendinger, Montoya, Burton, Edwards, Stewart, Kyle Busch, Harvick, Ambrose, Kurt Busch, McMurray, Newman, Keselowski, Logano, Gordon, Menard and Smith.

    Earnhardt Jr., Truex Jr., Biffle, Kahne, Reutimann, Gilliland and Speed are wave around drivers.

    GREEN FLAG lap 154 as Johnson with a big move under Hamlin and Bowyer to take the lead. Biffle heads to pit road for a flat tire and NASCAR will hold him for a lap. Lap 156 Burton was way loosen the outside of Edwards. Lap 157 battle for the lead as Hamlin takes the lead.

    Lap 159 challenge from Stewart under Kyle Busch for 9th and in front of them Bowyer under Allmendinger for 3rd place. Lap 161 Harvick looking for 10th from Kyle Busch but not yet.

    Lap 162 as Hamlin pulls away Bowyer works on Johnson for second place. Lap 167 Kyle Busch passes Stewart for 9th who is followed by Harvick to take 10th to put Stewart to 11th. Lap 168 Montoya and Kenseth for 6th, Montoya has it. Kyle Busch takes 8th from Burton.

    Lap 170 we have 17 drivers left on the lead lap with Logano, Keselowski, McMurray and Kurt Busch who would be next on the list which will take some time for leader Hamlin.

    Lap 174 Bowyer takes the lead. Lap 178 drivers who have slipped back in the field are Keselowski from 8th back to 16th as Hamlin takes back the lead on lap 180, and Kyle Busch passing Edwards to 5th.

    Lap 182 we also see Logano slipping from 6th to 17th and Bowyer back into the lead. Also falling back is Reutimann from 5th back to 21st, Menard 7th down to 24th, Earnhardt Jr. 9th down to 34th and Green from 16th down to 38th.

    Lap 192 Hamlin closes in on Bowyer for the lead they have to contend with lap down traffic as close in on Green and Kvapil. Lap 195 we are hearing a bit of talk of rain that could be heading to the track but no time when. This may make the difference, but we will be more than half way home.

    Lap 200 (halfway home) and the top twenty drivers are Bowyer, Hamlin, Johnson, Kyle Busch, Allmendinger, Montoya, Kenseth, Harvick, Edwards, Burton, Newman, Stewart, Ambrose, Kurt Busch, McMurray, Logano and Keselowski on the lead lap followed by Gordon, Reutimann and Smith one lap down.

    Hamlin is back in the lead on lap 201. Lap 203 Johnson takes second from Bowyer. More talk of rain coming towards the track. Lap 206 so far we have seen 10 lead changes among 4 leaders as well as 2 cautions for 13 laps.

    Lap 209 Earnhardt Jr. having some big trouble with the handling of his car as he is 3 laps down in 34th. Lap 210 NASCAR talk of a mist hitting the track in turn three. The rest of the track reports no issues with the mist yet.

    Lap 213 Hamlin leads Johnson by 1 second and 2.2 seconds over 3rdplace Bowyer. 5th place Allmendinger is 5.7 seconds back and 10th place Stewart is 11.6 seconds back. Lap 215 the mist hasn’t really moved in on the track yet. Turn three still has it but the other turns are ok.

    Lap 220 Kyle Busch closes in on Bowyer for 3rd place. WE are getting close to another round of green flag pit stops.

    YELLOW FLAG lap 225 for rain. Gordon is the lucky dog. The top ten drivers before stops are Hamlin, Johnson, Bowyer, Kyle Busch, Allmendinger, Montoya, Kenseth, Harvick, Newman and Stewart.

    The leaders head to pit road so they must think that the rain will not last long. Out of pit road it is Hamlin, Johnson, Bowyer, Kyle Busch and Montoya. Burton and McMurray stay out. To round out the rest of the top ten we see Allmendinger, Kenseth and Harvick.

    Lap 235 NASCAR keeps the cars circling the track to help out the jet dryers to see if the vortex effect will keep the track from being lost to the light rain that continues to fall on the track.

    Lap 237 let’s do a lap through the field as NASCAR shows three until green. Leffler, Nemechek, Conway and Labonte are in the garage. Tony Raines is 5 laps down, Green is 4 laps down along with Kvapil and Gilliland, 3 laps down is Biffle, Earnhardt Jr. and Cassill. 2 laps down is Kahne, Blaney, Menard, Sadler, Ekstrom, Bobby Labonte and Hornish Jr.

    GREEN FLAG lap 242 as Hamlin and Johnson lead us back to racing. Hamlin shoots away from Johnson and Bowyer who battle for second place. Lap 245 Allmendinger under Kenseth for 6th. Lap 246 we see Logano and Ambrose battle for 12th. Lap 248 one lap down we see Truex Jr., Smith, Ragan, Mears, Martin and Reutimann.

    Lap 250 your top twenty drivers are Hamlin, Bowyer, Johnson, Kyle Busch, Montoya, Allmendinger, Kenseth, Newman, Stewart, Harvick, Edwards, Ambrose, Logano, Kurt Busch, Keselowski, McMurray Burton and Gordon on the lead lap followed by Reutimann and Martin one lap down.

    Newman under Kenseth as they continue a battle for 7th on lap 256. Lap 258 Hamline leads Bowyer by 1.3 seconds, 3rd place Johnson by 1.9 seconds, 4th place Kyle Busch 2.2 seconds, 5th place Montoya 2.8 seconds and 10th place Harvick by 6.5 seconds.

    Hamlin is the third driver to lead more than one thousand laps on this track. Lap 264 the mist is back again in turn three. Lap 265 Logano under Ambrose for 12th but cannot complete the pass.

    Lap 269 Ambrose is under attack by Logano on the outside this time. Lap 270 Kenseth running 11th on the outside as Ambrose is in the middle, Logano on the bottom. Lap 272 Logano makes the inside line work as he overtakes Kenseth for 11th. Lap 274 Ambrose under Kenseth for 12th.

    Lap 275 your top ten drivers are Hamlin, Bowyer, Johnson, Kyle Busch, Montoya, Allmendinger, Newman, Harvick, Stewart and Edwards. Lap 279 Bowyer is staring to close in on Hamlin for the lead. Edwards passes Kenseth and Ambrose to take 11th, Logano runs 10th.

    Lap 283 Edwards takes 10th from Stewart followed by Ambrose who takes 11th. Lap 285 Harvick challenges Logano for 8th, or should we say Logano took 8th from Harvick. Lap 289 Ambrose passes Edwards for 10thplace. Lap 291 Hamlin leads Bowyer by three car lengths. Lap 294 NASCAR spotters see more mist / drizzle in turn three.

    Lap 298 more talk of rain on the back stretch but ok in turn one.

    Lap 300 (100 to go) and your top twenty drivers are Hamlin, Bowyer, Johnson, Kyle Busch, Montoya, Allmendinger, Logano, Newman, Ambrose, Harvick, Edwards, Kenseth, Stewart, Kurt Busch, Burton, Keselowski, McMurray and Gordon. Reutimann is 19th and Martin 20th. So far we have seen 12 lead changes among 5 leaders and 3 cautions for 28 laps.

    Lap 307 Earnhardt Jr. heads into pit road as the setup is wearing him thin. After his stop Earnhardt Jr. will emerge 6 laps down. Hamlin is 1.2 seconds in front of Bowyer but is hung up behind two lap down drivers of Bobby Labonte and Hornish Jr.

    Lap 315 Biffle and Menard pit. Lap 318 Kahne is on pit road. Lap 319 Stewart is the first leader on pit road followed by Montoya. Lap 321 Truex Jr. and Green are in for a stop. Lap 322 Keselowski, McMurray are in. Lap 323 Allmendinger, Burton, Sadler and Harvick are in.

    Lap 325 Edwards, Martin, Bobby Labonte, Hornish Jr., Kurt Busch are in. Lap 326 Reutimann, Kyle Busch, Bowyer, Hamlin, Kenseth and a few others are in. Lap 327 Johnson, Gordon, Mears and Ragan are in.

    Lap 328 Montoya takes the lead for the first time tonight. Bobby Labonte is back on pit road as we flames come from under the car. Lap 330 Hamlin is all over Montoya for the lead. Lap 331 Hamlin under Montoya in turn three for the lead and takes it.

    Lap 332 Johnson passes Bowyer for 4th place. Kyle Busch runs third. Lap 334 Kyle Busch takes second place from Montoya. Lap 336 Johnson takes 3rd from Montoya. Lap 337 Montoya’s tires or handling is wearing out as Bowyer closes in. Lap 343 Kenseth closes in on Burton for 12thplace.

    Lap 347 Kenseth takes the position. Lap 348 Kyle Busch is the biggest mover on the track from his start of 32nd up to 2nd.

    Lap 350 (50 to go) and your top twenty drivers are Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Johnson, Montoya, Bowyer, Logano, Allmendinger, Ambrose, Harvick, Edwards, Newman, Kenseth, Burton, Stewart, Keselowski, Gordon, McMurray and Kurt Busch on the lead lap followed by Reutimann and Martin a lap down.

    40 to go Kyle Busch closes in to 3 car lengths behind Hamlin. The two front runners leave the field behind by 2.2 seconds. 5th place Montoya is 6.4 second back. 10th place Edwards is 13 seconds back. 36 to go as we have only Martin and Reutimann one lap down. Martin is in danger of going two laps down.

    33 to go as the leaders are tangled up in traffic, this allows Kyle Busch to run on Hamlin’s bumper.

    30 to go it looks like Kurt Busch (18th) is going to fall a lap down and we see that McMurray and Stewart may go a lap down as well. The only other lead battle could be Gordon passing Kenseth for 13th.

    25 to go as we see Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Johnson, Bowyer, Logano, Montoya, Ambrose, Allmendinger, Harvick and Edwards running in the top ten.

    20 to go as Hamlin and Kyle Busch put McMurray a lap down and Busch tries a swipe at Hamlin but nothing yet.

    The leaders close in on 16th place Stewart.

    16 to go Kyle Busch under Hamlin for a tick.

    15 to go as Busch just rubs the back of Hamlin as they pass Stewart.

    14 to go Logano challenges Bowyer for 4th and takes it. Hamlin pulls to a two car lead over Busch.

    12 to go as 3rd place Johnson is 3.1 seconds.

    10 to go for Hamlin now to a half second over Kyle Busch.

    9 to go as we hear on the scanner that Kyle Busch has used up his tires and may be done.

    8 to go Hamlin by almost 1 second now. Keselowski may go a lap down to make it 14 on the lead lap.

    6 to go left on the lead lap with Kenseth who may go a lap down.

    5 to go Hamlin by 1 second over Kyle Busch.

    4 to go with Keselowski between Hamlin and Kyle Busch

    3 to go as Kyle Busch passes Keselowski 1 second back from Hamlin.

    2 to go Hamlin and no threat.

    WHITE FLAG for Hamlin and the car looking real good. Out of turn four…

    CHECKERED FLAG for Hamlin and his sixth win and will be on the top of the Chase Race. The race lasted for three hours. We saw 14 lead changes among 6 leaders and a record tying three cautions for the least amount of cautions that lasted for 28 laps. 14 drivers finished on the lead lap.

    So here is the Chase Line Up –

    Hamlin 5060 – 6 Wins

    Johnson 5050 – 5 Wins

    Harvick 5030 – 3 Wins

    Kyle Busch 5030 – 3 Wins

    Kurt Busch 5020 – 2 Wins

    Tony Stewart 5010 – 1 Win

    Greg Biffle 5010 – 1 Win

    Jeff Gordon 5000

    Carl Edwards 5000

    Jeff Burton 5000

    Matt Kenseth 5000

    Clint Bowyer 5000

    Unofficial Results

    Pos. St. No. Driver Make Pts. Bon. Laps
    1 14 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 195 10 400
    2 32 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 170 0 400
    3 11 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 170 5 400
    4 6 20 Joey Logano Toyota 160 0 400
    5 13 47 Marcos Ambrose Toyota 155 0 400
    6 4 33 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 155 5 400
    7 2 42 Juan Montoya Chevrolet 151 5 400
    8 3 43 A.J. Allmendinger Ford 142 0 400
    9 20 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 138 0 400
    10 1 99 Carl Edwards Ford 139 5 400
    11 23 39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 130 0 400
    12 22 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 127 0 400
    13 25 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 129 5 400
    14 12 17 Matt Kenseth Ford 121 0 400
    15 8 12 Brad Keselowski Dodge 118 0 400
    16 15 14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 115 0 400
    17 34 1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 112 0 400
    18 21 2 Kurt Busch Dodge 109 0 400
    19 5 0 David Reutimann Toyota 106 0 398
    20 19 5 Mark Martin Chevrolet 103 0 398
    21 18 13 Casey Mears Toyota 100 0 398
    22 29 56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 97 0 398
    23 26 6 David Ragan Ford 94 0 398
    24 31 82 Scott Speed Toyota 91 0 398
    25 17 78 Regan Smith Chevrolet 88 0 398
    26 7 98 Paul Menard Ford 85 0 397
    27 36 19 Elliott Sadler Ford 82 0 397
    28 33 77 Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge 79 0 397
    29 10 9 Kasey Kahne Ford 76 0 396
    30 27 36 Dave Blaney Chevrolet 73 0 396
    31 42 83 Mattias Ekstrom Toyota 70 0 396
    32 24 16 Greg Biffle Ford 67 0 395
    33 28 71 Landon Cassill Chevrolet 64 0 395
    34 9 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 61 0 394
    35 38 38 Travis Kvapil Ford 58 0 393
    36 16 26 Jeff Green Ford 55 0 393
    37 39 37 David Gilliland Ford 52 0 393
    38 40 34 Tony Raines Ford 49 0 392
    39 43 9 Bobby Labonte Chevrolet 46 0 324
    40 44 55 Terry Labonte Toyota 43 0 143
    41 41 7 Kevin Conway * Toyota 40 0 118
    42 30 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 37 0 61
    43 35 132 Jason Leffler Toyota 34 0 30

  • Martinsville Speedway Family Four-Pack And Two Speedway Hats, All For Just $99

    The $99 Family 4 Pack for this fall’s TUMS Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway is a pretty sweet deal and now it’s even sweeter.

    In addition to great racing and food for one pretty amazing price, two Martinsville Speedway hats have been added to the package.

    The Family 4 Pack includes two adult tickets and two children’s tickets (18 and under) to the TUMS Fast Relief 500 along with vouchers for The Famous Martinsville Speedway Hot Dog® (four), four Pepsi products and two khaki-colored Martinsville Speedway hats.

    The $99 Family 4 Pack seats are located in rows 6 through 14 of the Clay Earles Tower overlooking the second turn.

    Order your Family 4 Pack today by calling 877-RACE-TIX (877-722-3849) and mentioning the Family Four Pack offer or online at www.martinsvillespeedway.com.

    Tickets for the entire TUMS Relief 500 weekend are now on sale. Tickets for the TUMS Fast Relief 500 begin at $25 and range to $77.

    Tickets to the Kroger 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on October 23 are $30 in advance, with children 12 and under admitted free.

    Tickets for Farm Bureau Pole Day, which features practice and qualifying for both the Kroger 200 and the TUMS Fast Relief 500, are $15, children 12 and under admitted free.

    Tickets for all events may be purchased by calling 1.877.RACE.TIX or by visiting www.martinsvillespeedway.com online.

  • Fans Are Given Unprecedented Access to NASCAR Stars during Bank of America

    CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 9, 2010) – NASCAR fans are clamoring for more chances to see their favorite drivers and Charlotte Motor Speedway is listening. Building on its Fans First philosophy, Charlotte Motor Speedway is providing an unprecedented number of opportunities for fans to get closer to the stars of their favorite sport during Bank of America 500 Week Oct. 14-16.

    Through a variety of ticket packages and free events, fans will see the following NASCAR drivers and legends:

    – Richard Petty and Junior Johnson: The Hall of Fame ticket package gives fans access to a forum with the only two surviving members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Petty and Johnson. Starting at just $99, the package also includes a tour of the NASCAR Hall of Fame and a collector’s edition magazine from That’s Racin’, by The Charlotte Observer.

    – Kasey Kahne: Fans who purchase the OktoberFast ticket package for the Bank of America 500 on Oct. 16 can participate in a Q-and-A session with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series star Kahne, driver of the No. 9 Budweiser Ford.

    Starting at just $89, the package also includes authentic Oktoberfest food and drinks, a commemorative collector mug while supplies last and access to a special OktoberFast area to enjoy a real Oktoberfest-themed pre-race festival, with live music.

    – Kenny Wallace: Fans who purchase the OktoberFast ticket package for the Dollar General 300 on Oct. 15 can participate in a Q-and-A session with SPEED personality and NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Wallace. Starting at just $59, the package also includes the same additional benefits as the Bank of America 500 OktoberFast package.

    – Jamie McMurray: Outdoor enthusiasts who are NASCAR fans get a double treat with the Bass Pro Shops ticket package. With a $99 ticket purchase to the Bank of America 500, fans get a meet and greet with Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 winner McMurray, driver of the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet. In addition, the package includes a $25 Charlotte Motor Speedway gift card, $15 off $100 or more on a Bass Pro Shops purchase, a pro hunting seminar at the Concord Mills Bass Pro Shops and a behind-the scenes tour of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing.

    – Jeff Burton: Families with Boy Scouts or Scout Masters can participate in a Q-and-A session with Burton, driver of the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet, through the speedway’s special Scout ticket package. With tickets for children 12 and under starting at just $10, the package includes seats in the family-friendly, non-alcohol, non-smoking sections in Turn 4.

    – Nationwide Series Drivers: Before the Dollar General 300 on Friday night, Oct. 15, fans can meet the stars of the NASCAR Nationwide Series during an hour-long autograph session on Pit Road.

    – Other Top NASCAR Stars: Two additional activities will give fans special driver access at the speedway this October. First, PRN Up To SPEED is the popular free fan forum that will take place at the SPEED stage, located at the speedway’s main entrance, prior to the Bank of America 500 on Oct. 16. Several NASCAR stars are scheduled to join personalities from the Performance Racing Network for the 30 minute Q-and-A session. Also, Victory Lane Club members get a complimentary breakfast on race day in the Nationwide Series garage, with special visits from top NASCAR personalities. The speedway’s Victory Lane Club offers fans three incredible NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events each year, along with unprecedented additional value and behind-the-scenes access.

    “We want to give our fans every opportunity to enhance their experience at the speedway by interacting with as many NASCAR stars as possible,” said Marcus Smith, president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway. “With our exciting NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase racing under the lights and unmatched driver access opportunities, we know fans will walk away from the Bank of America 500 Weekend remembering Charlotte Motor Speedway as ‘The Greatest Place to See the Race.’”

    Tickets for all October races at Charlotte Motor Speedway can be purchased online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling the speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267). The Bank of America Fan 4

    Pack includes tickets, hot dogs and Coca-Cola drinks starting at just $39.75 per person and fans can get four nights of great racing with the Bank of America 500 Weekend Super Ticket for just $99.

    For daily updates on October race activities, connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway by following on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CLTMotorSpdwy or become a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/charlottemotorspeedway.