Race: Sunday May 30, 2010 in Concord, NC

Title Sponsor: Coca Cola

Scheduled Green Flag (approx): 6:16pm/et

NASCAR Pre-race: FOX - 5:00pm/et

Television Race Coverage: FOX, 6:00pm/et

In the Booth: Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip, Larry McReynolds

Pit Reporters: Dick Berggren, Steve Byrnes, Matt Yocum, Krista Voda

Hollywood Hotel: Chris Myers and Jeff Hammond

SPEED's NASCAR Raceday Pre-Race Show: 3:00pm/et with John Roberts, Kyle Petty, Kenny Wallace

Scheduled Race Re-Air Dates/Times:
Wednesday, June 2 at 12:00pm/et on SPEED

TV Listings, Links and Info:
Jayski's TV Listings Page
NASCAR on TV
Race Fan TV

This Week - Performance Racing Network (PRN) and XM Sirius Satellite

• goprn.com

• sirius.com

• Co-Anchors: Mark Garrow, Doug Rice

• Garage/Pit Reporters: Steve Richards, Brett McMillan

• Turn Announcers: Chuck Carland, Rob Albright, Brad Gillie

• Practices:
  Thursday, May 27, 3:30 - 5:00pm/et, TV-SPEED
  Saturday, May 29, 11:30am - 12:15 pm, TV-SPEED

• Happy Hour 'Final' practice: Saturday, May 29, 12:50-1:50 pm/et, TV-SPEED

• Qualifying Draw: Thursday, May 27, 2:30 pm/et

• Qualifying: 2 laps for positions 1-42, Thursday, May 27 at 7:10 pm/et, TV-SPEED, no re-air scheduled;
  AND live via radio at PRN Radio only on NASCAR.com.

• Kurt Busch wins Coca Cola 600: #2-Kurt Busch won the Coca Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway for his 2nd win of 2010 and 22nd win of his career. Busch led the most laps with 252. #1-McMurray finished 2nd leading 29 laps, followed by #18-Busch, #5-Martin, #00-Reutimann, #24-Gordon, #33-Bowyer, #98-Menard, #39-Newman [the pole sitter, he has only won 3 races of the 46 he won a pole] and #17-Kenseth. Points leader #29-Harvick finished 11th and now only has a 29 point lead over #18-Busch. #48-Johnson had a rough night with a couple wrecks, the team got him back out on the track, where he finished 37th, down 37 laps. #88-Earnhardt Jr. had another rough nigh and finished 22nd.
  There were 33 lead changes among 17 drivers and 8 cautions for 34 yellow flag laps. The attendence was reported at 140,000, down from 160,000 last year
  See race results, awards, laps led and more on Jayski's Charlotte Race Results/Awards page.(5-30-2010)

• 2010 Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:
  [after Charlotte, race 13 of 36]:
  rank, car#, driver, points, behind
  1) #29-Kevin Harvick [1 win], 1898
  2) #18-Kyle Busch [2 wins], 1869, -29
  3) #17-Matt Kenseth, 1781, -117
  4) #24-Jeff Gordon, 1760, -138
  5) #11-Denny Hamlin [3 wins], 1732, -166
  6) #2-Kurt Busch [2 wins], 1726, -172
  7) #48-Jimmie Johnson [3 wins], 1694, -204
  8) #31-Jeff Burton, 1657, -241
  9) #16-Greg Biffle, 1648, -250
  10) #5-Mark Martin, 1635, -263
  11) #99-Carl Edwards, 1603, -296
  12) #39-Ryan Newman [1 win], 1547, -351
  Chase for the Sprint Cup - Contenders:
  13) #33-Clint Bowyer, 1543, 4 points out of the chase
  14) #56-Martin Truex Jr., 1533, -14
  15) #1-Jamie McMurray, 1521, -26
  16) #14-Tony Stewart, 1520, -27
  2009 Chase Drivers not in top 16
  20) #42-Juan Montoya, 1371, -176
  21) #9-Kasey Kahne, 1364, -183
  27) #83-Brian Vickers, 1158, -389 [out with illness]
  See drivers championship points standings on Jayski's Drivers Points Standings page.(5-16-2010)

• Race Fast Facts - Charlotte Motor Speedway:
  Kurt Busch won the COCA-COLA 600, his 22nd victory in 341 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
  This is his second victory and seventh top-10 finish in 2010.
  This is his first victory and fifth top-10 finish in 20 races at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
  Jamie McMurray (second) posted his seventh top-10 finish in 16 races at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It is his fifth top-10 finish in 2010.
  Kyle Busch (third) posted his seventh top-10 finish in 13 races at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
  Kevin Conway (35th) was the highest finishing rookie.
  Kevin Harvick leads the point standings by 29 points over Kyle Busch.(NASCAR Statistics)(5-30-2010)

• Top-35 in Owner Points and guaranteed a starting spot at Pocono:
  Front Row Motorsports #37 is back in the top 35 and #7-Gordon falls out, 15 pts out the top 35, and will need to qualify by speed at Pocono.
  32) #71-Labonte/TRG: 1015, +52
  33) #34-Kvapil/Front Row: 1011, +48
  34) #37-Conway/Front Row: 987, +24
  35) #38-Gilliland/Front Row: 978, 15 points ahead of 36th
  these teams/ drivers must qualify by speed:
  36) #7-Gordon/RGM/BAM: 963, 15 points out of 35th
  37) #26-Stremme/Latitude43: 813, -165
  The teams are NOT locked in past the next race as the owners points change after each race.
  For the owner points standings, see my Owners Points Standings page.(5-30-2010)

• Penalty Report - Charlotte:
  Car#, Lap, Reason, Penalty
  #12, Pre-Race to the rear, Tail End, Back Up
  #64, Pre-Race to the rea, Tail End, Engine
  #42, 62, Pitting before pit road is open, Tail End
  #47, 91, Pitting before pit road is open, Tail End
  #18, 168, Excessive speed EXITING the pits, Tail End
  #43, 168, Rolling a tire(s) beyond the center of pit road, Tail End
  #18, 169, Going above the blendline exiting the pits, Tail End
  #77, 269, Excessive speed ENTERING pits, Pass Thru
  #7, 301, Pitting before pit road is open, Tail End
  #16, 309, Pitting before pit road is open, Tail End
  #48, 310, Pitting before pit road is open, Tail End
  #82, 359, Excessive speed ENTERING pits, Pass Thru
  #46, 362, Excessive speed ENTERING pits, Pass Thru
  #12, 378, Excessive speed ENTERING pits, Tail End
  #78, 379, Lug nut(s) not installed, Must Come In
  (NASCAR Statistics)(5-30-2010)

• Lucky Dogs - Who got a lap back on each caution at Charlotte: (and their finish)
  Caution 1: #19-Sadler, 21st
  Caution 2: #77-Hornish Jr., 17th
  Caution 3: #19-Sadler (2), 21st
  Caution 4: #11-Hamlin, 18th
  Caution 5: #11-Hamlin (2), 18th
  Caution 6: #47-Ambrose, 36th
  Caution 7: #77-Hornish Jr.(2), 17th
  Caution 8: #11-Hamlin (3), 18th
  (5-30-2010)

• Pit Stall Selections - Dover: The selections of pit stalls for the Coca Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway have been made. Pole sitter #39-Newman chose pit stall 1 [as do most pole sitters].
  Outside pole sitter #2-Busch took pit stall 15, the first with an opening in front of it [after the 1st stall of course].
  #56-Truex Jr., who starts 3rd took the 14th pit stall, the first stall with an opening in back of it.
  The 43rd and final pit stall was taken by #5-Martin, who starts 11th.
  To see where all the drivers/teams pit stall is, see the pit selection chart on the Charlotte Pit Stall Selection chart.(5-29-2010)

• Race Coverage of the Coca Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway is scheduled for Sunday, May 30, 2010.
  Television (TV): FOX at 6:00 pm/et; pre-race show at 5:00 pm/et; green flag approx 6:16pm/et
  Radio: Performance Racing Network (PRN) and Sirius NASCAR Radio
  Scheduled Race Re-Airs:
  SPEED, Wednesday, June 2 at 12:00pm/et

• Lowest-finishing, non-wrecked car to be inspected: NASCAR has instituted a new postrace inspection policy for Sprint Cup races in which the first car out of the race that is not involved in an accident will be held for teardown, much like the cars that currently finish in the top five. That meant that Aric Almirola’s #09 Phoenix Racing’s Chevy was thoroughly inspected after the Las Vegas Motor Speedway race. His engine was taken to be torn down later this week at the NASCAR R&D center in Concord, NC. The policy is expected to impact the start-and-park teams – teams that typically bring a car but don’t have funding to run the entire event. These teams often are not in the top 35 in owner points, so they are required to qualify on speed. The new policy means it is likely that one of the cars that qualify on speed for every race will end up getting torn down. NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton said Sunday the move was not to discourage start-and-park teams. “We’re just expanding our inspection process and making sure that everybody feels like everybody is on the same playing field, that’s all,” Pemberton said. “It’s all about making sure that the guys who get beat that don’t make the race understand that the guys who get in the race, for the most part, are doing everything right.” The move could cost these teams money, as they will have to pay for an engine rebuild that they might not have needed if they didn’t run many laps. Pemberton said the engine might not be torn down weekly but acknowledged it could cost teams $30,000 for a rebuild. That could lead to those teams racing more instead of risking the cost of a rebuild. Or it could lead to those teams not showing up if they can’t afford to have the motor rebuilt.(SceneDaily)(3-1-2010)

• NASCAR Revises Green-White-Checkered Race Procedure: NASCAR announced a revision to one of its race procedures, allowing a maximum of three restart attempts prior to the White Flag under NASCAR's Green-White-Checkered flag finish. If the leader has taken the White Flag and the caution flag is displayed, the field is frozen and the race will not be restarted. Previously, there was only one restart attempt. The new procedure will be implemented beginning with today's running of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' Gatorade Duel at Daytona and will apply to all three national series. NASCAR officials met with drivers and teams Wednesday at Daytona International Speedway to discuss the change and get their input. The announcement was made during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' drivers and crew chiefs meeting Thursday morning. "We want to do all we can to finish our races under green flag conditions – the fans want to see that and so do the competitors," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition. "We felt that putting a cap at three attempts to finish the race under green is the way to go. It gives the fans what they want and it also gives the teams a better opportunity to prepare for their end of race strategy." The change amends procedure 9-14C of the 2010 NASCAR rulebook.(NASCAR), see rules and notes on my Green-White-Checker rule page.(2-11-2010)

• NASCAR tweaks wave-around rule: NASCAR has tweaked its rule on wave-around cars under caution. The new rule now dictates that cars under penalty at the time of the caution are ineligible for the wave around. The change began last week with the Sprint Cup race at Kansas Speedway after a situation came up in the Nationwide Series race that was new to the double-file restart system instituted in June. In the Nationwide race, Roush Fenway Racing's Carl Edwards was penalized for speeding under green, and then the caution came out. He stayed out and didn't pit and then was among those cars on the end of the lead lap. He then got the "wave around" the caution car (along with the rest of the cars that had stayed out and were on the end of the lead lap) to get to the rear of the line of lead-lap cars. Edwards then went to the end of the line to serve his penalty. That move would not be allowed anymore. The driver would not get the wave around and would start a lap down at the rear of the field on the restart, the penalty for a driver who had a speeding penalty under green but never served it before the caution came out. The new rule in general is any driver under penalty is no longer eligible for the wave around.(SceneDaily)(10-11-2009)

• Jayski's - 2010 Sprint Cup Race Results Page and from last season: Jayski's - 2009 Sprint Cup Race Results Page
  (pole and race winner with speed and starting/finishing position, links to race results, drivers & owners points, pit stall selections, qualifying results/starting lineup, practice speeds and chase stats as well as link to race track and race information page for each race)

• Charlotte Pit Stall Selections

• Happy Hour practrice: for the Coca Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway isover, after 60 scheduled minutes, the fastest, slowest, notes:
  #56-Truex Jr. 180.626
  #11-Hamlin 179.976
  #9-Kahne 179.784
  #16-Biffle 179.772
  #48-Johnson 179.659
  #33-Bowyer 179.659
  slowest: #55-McDowell 173.332 & #46-Yeley 173.790
  no speed listed: #66-Blaney & #87-Nemechek
  See fastest speed, average speed, laps run on my Charlotte Practice Speeds page.(5-29-2010)

• Saturday first practrice: for the Coca Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway is over, after 45 scheduled minutes, the fastest, slowest, notes:
  #9-Kahne 183.849
  #2-Busch 183.667
  #00-Reutimann 183.636
  #48-Johnson 183.536
  #31-Burton 183.393
  slowest: #64-Bodine 175.461 & #71-Labonte 176.246
  See fastest speed, average speed, laps run on my Charlotte Practice Speeds page.(5-29-2010)

• Newman wins another pole at Charlotte: #39-Ryan Newman won the Coors Pole for the Coca Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway with a speed of 187.546mph for his 1st pole of 2010, 9th at CMS and 46th of his career. #2-Busch will start 2nd followed by #56-Truex Jr., #9-Kahne, #48-Johnson, #00-Reutimann, #11-Hamlin, #20-Logano, #18-Busch & #33-Bowyer. #12-Keselwoski wrecked on his 2nd lap and will go to a backup car and go to the rear of the field before the start of the race on Sunday, his official starting spot is 37th
  The eight go-or-go homers who made the race: #66-Blaney, #87-Nemechek, #36-Sauter, #21-Elliott, #37-Gilliland, #64-Bodine, #55-McDowell & #46-Yeley
  The four go-or-go homers who failed to qualify for the race: #32-Sorenson, #13-Papis, #26-Stremme & #09-Bliss
  See the starting lineup, qualifying speeds and notes on my Charlotte Starting Lineup/Qualifying Results page.(5-27-2010)

• Qualifying Fast Facts - Charlotte:
  #39-Ryan Newman won the Coors Light Pole Award for the COCA-COLA 600 with a lap of 28.793 seconds, 187.546 mph.
  This is his 46th pole in 309 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races [he has won only 3 races from the pole].
  Newman ties NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee Junior Johnson for 10th all-time in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series poles.
  This is his first pole and seventh top-10 start in 2010.
  This is his ninth pole in 19 races at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
  #2-Kurt Busch (second) posted his sixth top-10 start of 2010 and his fifth in 20 races at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
  #56-Martin Truex Jr. (third) posted his first top-10 start at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It is his third in 13 races this season.
  #34-Kevin Conway (42nd) was the fastest qualifying rookie.(NASCAR Statistics)(5-27-2010)

• Some Chassis selections for Charlotte:
  #1-Jamie McMurray: Crew Chief Kevin “Bono” Manion has decided to bring Chassis #905 to Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend. This chassis last ran just two weeks prior at Dover where McMurray qualified 11th and finished 32nd after mechanical failure. The No. 1 Bass Pro Shops team also used this chassis earlier in the season at Atlanta Motor Speedway finishing 29th after an on-track incident while running in the top-five ended McMurray’s day.
  #2-Kurt Busch driver Kurt Busch, crew chief Steve Addington and the “Blue Deuce” crew will be racing their “PRS-702” Miller Lite Dodge Charger in this weekend’s action at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This chassis was brought out for the first time in November at Texas Speedway, carrying a special Operation Homefront color scheme, used fuel mileage strategy and came home the winner. “It’s a great race car,” said Busch. “We named it ‘Patriot’ after winning at Texas because we were carrying the Operation Homefront colors." Busch has raced this chassis once this season at Las Vegas winning the pole but got caught up in a crash and finished At press time, driver Kurt Busch, crew chief Steve Addington and the “Blue Deuce” crew were deciding which Miller Lite Dodge they will be racing in this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. “The car we raced there last weekend was just so strong; we’re looking at fixing her up and bringing her back,” Busch said on Monday night of the team’s “PRS-702” Miller Lite Dodge Charger. “We had some pretty substantial body damage done to the right side, but there’s still a slight chance we’ll bring that car back. If we don’t, we have a brand new Miller Lite Dodge (the “PRS-728”) ready to take over there.” Regardless of which car the team brings, it will again carry the striking Miller Lite “Vortex” color scheme that was a hot topic of conversation for the fans and insiders alike at CMS last weekend.
  #5-Mark Martin: crew chief Alan Gustafson has chosen Chassis No. 5-600 for Sunday's race at Charlotte. This is the same chassis that Martin drove to qualify third two weeks ago at Dover International Speedway. He finished the race 15th.
  #6-David Ragan: Primary: RK-617 Last ran California – finished 23rd; Backup: RK-620 Last ran Vegas – finished 23rd. The Arrowood Center (SLIC - 2821) in the South Atlantic District’s Charlotte Division has been chosen as the Maximum Center for the May 30, 2010 race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The center is recognized for their gains on the mileage index and their overall reduction in miles driven during 2010.
  #11-Denny Hamlin: and the FedEx team will unload Chassis JGR 270 this weekend in Charlotte. This is a new car from the JGR shop. JGR 256 will serve as the backup this weekend – it started four races in 2009 and posted three top-five finishes. The #11 FedEx Office Toyota will carry the numbers 7363 on the B-posts this weekend at Charlotte in honor of the Ohio-based sales team that is currently leading all centers in the President’s Club standings based on sales performance, turnover, and customer service scores. The team prides itself on delivering quality products providing outstanding customer experiences.
  #12-Brad Keselowski: The #12 Penske Dodge Charger team will use chassis PRS-729 during Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (CMS). This will mark the first race for this brand-new chassis.
  #14-Tony Stewart: is running Chassis #14-591 a brand new racecar that has only been tested in the wind tunnel.
  #17-Matt Kenseth: primary chassis for the #17 Jeremiah Weed Southern Style Sweet Tea Vodka Ford will be RK-672, last run at Atlanta.
  #18-Kyle Busch: Chassis #265: Busch christened this chassis just two weeks ago at Dover International Speedway, where he started fourth and brought home the win in the Autism Speaks 400.
  #19-Elliott Sadler: The #19 Stanley Ford Fusion team led by crew chief Wally Rogers has prepared chassis #280 for this weekend's event. This Ford Fusion was previously run on the mile and a half Atlanta Motor Speedway. Sadler qualified eighth and after a late-race incident, finished 19th in that event.
  #29-Kevin Harvick: will pilot Chassis #301 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. Built new for 2010, this Chevrolet was tested at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and Harvick finished seventh with this car at Texas Motor Speedway in April.
  #31-Jeff Burton: will pilot chassis #307 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable in Sunday's Coca-Cola 600. This Caterpillar Impala will be put through its first paces of competition this weekend.
  #33-Clint Bowyer: will pilot Chassis #303 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This is a brand new Chevrolet Impala that will be put through its first paces this weekend.
  #42-Juan Pablo Montoya: Crew Chief Brian Pattie elected to bring a brand new chassis #1003 to Charlotte Motor Speedway.
  #43-A.J. Allmendinger: The #43 Richard Petty Motorsports team led by crew chief Mike Shiplett has prepared chassis #294 for this weekend's event at Charlotte Motor Speedway no other details mentioned
  #48-Jimmie Johnson: Primary chassis #592 is a brand new chassis. Backup chassis #553 has been driven four times, three of which resulted in victories (Indy 7/09, California 10/09, California 2/10).
  #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.: This weekend, McGrew and the #88 crew will unload Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 88-599. Earnhardt raced this chassis at Texas Motor Speedway last month to an eighth-place finish.
  #98-Paul Menard: Crew chief Slugger Labbe and the #98 Richard Petty Motorsports crew have prepared chassis #683 for this weekend's 600-mile event. This is the same car in which Menard drove to a fourth-place finish in last Saturday's Sprint Showdown event. This is also the car the team utilized at California Speedway earlier this season. Serta will return to the #98 RPM Ford Fusion this weekend.
  #99-Carl Edwards: The #99 team will be bringing chassis RK-639 to CMS. This chassis last raced in Atlanta in March. Edwards finished 39th after an accident.
  (from team PR's/sites if reported)(5-28-2010)

• Coverage of Qualifying for the Coca Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway is scheduled for Thursday, May 27, 2010 at 7:10pm/et.
  Television (TV): SPEED 7:00pm/et
  Radio: Performance Racing Network (PRN) only on NASCAR.com
  Jayski.com: Jayski's Semi-Live Qualifying Page
  Qualifying Re-Air: none scheduled

• Qualifying Order for the Coca Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway is posted. 47 cars/drivers are listed. Go-or-go homers will qualify at the end of the session, once the top-35 drivers are done.
  The first of the top-35 drivers scheduled to go out is #98-Menard.
  The final top-35 driver scheduled to go out is #9-Kahne.
  The first go-or-go homer scheduled to qualify [36th] is #21-Elliott with the final driver scheduled to qualify being #36-Sauter.
  See the full qualifying order on the Dover Qualifying Page.(5-27-2010)

• Thursday Practice: for the Coca Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway is over, after 90 scheduled minutes, some reults and notes:
  #42-Montoya 184.679
  #39-Newman 183.306
  #48-Johnson 183.014
  #19-Sadler 182.865
  #9-Kahne 182.822
  slowest: #34-Conway 175.507 and #37-Gilliland 177.032
  incidents: #6-Ragan kit a bird, no damage; about midway thru practice, #99-Edwards smacked the wall in turn 3 and did enough damage to the right rear to go to a backup car; #09-Bliss wacked the turn 3 wall and pancaked the right side, no word if the team will go to a backup car.
  See fastest speed, average speed, laps run on my Charlotte Practice Speeds page.(5-27-2010)

• Charlotte practice rank for the non top-35 drivers:
  if things stay the same, these eight drivers would make the race:
  #13-Max Papis, 23rd fastest overall
  #32-Reed Sorenson, 26th
  #55-Michael McDowell, 27th
  #87-Joe Nemechek, 29th
  #21-Bill Elliott [Past Champ], 31st
  #46-J.J. Yeley, 35th
  #66-Dave Blaney. 36th
  #37-David Gilliland, 40th
  these drivers would miss the race if the order stayed the same:
  #09-Mike Bliss, 41st
  #36-Johnny Sauter, 42nd
  #26-David Stremme, 44th
  #64-Todd Bodine, 46th of 47 cars
  See fastest speed, average speed, laps run on my Charlotte Practice Speeds page.(5-27-2010)

• The Entry List for the Coca Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway is posted, 47 teams/drivers [for 43 spots] are listed, including:
  Conway moves from the #37 to #34 [not in top-35], Kvapil moves from #34 to #38; Gilliland moves from #38 to #37 and must qualify by speed
  Not in top 35 of owners points for the first five races in 2010:
  #09-Mike Bliss (2009 race winner as owner)(40/12)
  #13-Max Papis (39/12)
  #21-Bill Elliott (46/3)
  #26-David Stremme (2009 race winner as owner)(37/12)
  #32-Reed Sorenson (47/4)
  #36-Johnny Sauter (38/12)
  #37-David Gilliland (36/12)
  #46-J.J. Yeley (44/12)
  #55-Michael McDowell (43/12)
  #64-Todd Bodine (49/3]
  #66-Dave Blaney (42/12)
  #87-Joe Nemechek (41/12)
  In the event qualifying is rained out or cancelled:
  the eight who would make it [8]: #'s 26, 09, 21, 37, 36, 13, 87, 66
  missing the race would be [4]: #'s 55, 46, 32, 64
  See the full entry list at my Jayski's Charlotte Entry List.(5-24-2010)

• Top-35 in Owner Points and guaranteed a starting spot at Charlotte:
  Front Row Motorsports #37 falls out and their #38 team back to 35th, so expect Conway back in the #38 at Charlotte in two weeks.
  32) #34-Conway/Front Row: 953, +56
  33) #71-Labonte/TRG: 945, +48
  34) #7-Gordon/RGM/BAM: 899, +2
  35) #38-Gilliland/Front Row: 899, 2 points ahead of 36th
  these teams/ drivers must qualify by speed:
  36) #37-Kvapil/Front Row: 897, 2 points out of 35th
  37) #26-Stremme/Latitude43: 788, -111
  The teams are NOT locked in past the next race as the owners points change after each race.
  For the owner points standings, see my Owners Points Standings page.(5-16-2010)

• 2010 Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:
  [after Dover, race 12 of 36]:
  rank, car#, driver, points, behind
  1) #29-Kevin Harvick [1 win], 1768
  2) #18-Kyle Busch [2 wins], 1699, -69
  3) #17-Matt Kenseth, 1642, -126
  4) #48-Jimmie Johnson [3 wins], 1637, -131
  5) #11-Denny Hamlin [3 wins], 1618, -150
  6) #24-Jeff Gordon, 1605, -163
  7) #16-Greg Biffle, 1581, -187
  8) #31-Jeff Burton, 1569, -199
  9) #2-Kurt Busch [1 win], 1531, -237
  10) #99-Carl Edwards, 1487, -281
  11) #5-Mark Martin, 1475, -293
  12) #56-Martin Truex Jr., 1434, -334
  Chase for the Sprint Cup - Contenders:
  13) #39-Ryan Newman [1 win], 1404, 30 points out of the chase
  14) #14-Tony Stewart, 1397, -37
  15) #33-Clint Bowyer, 1392, -42
  16) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 1391, -43
  2009 Chase Drivers not in top 16
  19) #42-Juan Montoya, 1322, -1124
  21) #9-Kasey Kahne, 1237, -197
  27) #83-Brian Vickers, 1158, -276 [out with illness]
  See drivers championship points standings on Jayski's Drivers Points Standings page.(5-16-2010)

• What happens if qualifying gets canceled/rained out?
  After the 5th race of the season, the current season OWNERS points are used:
  #1) - First 35 by current Owner Points [position 1-35][top 35 teams do NOT need to attempt ALL the races]
  #2) - Last Years Sprint Cup Champ or the Event Champion if not already in the field
  #3) - Car Owners whose team has won in the previous and current season not already in the field
  #4) - Drivers who have won in the previous and current season not already in the field
  #5) - ALL Past Sprint Cup Champions not in by 1 thru 4 [is NOT charged against the 6 past champ provisionals]
  #6) - Qualifying Attempts [not starts] with Owners points as the tie breaker, if still tied then by best finish
  #7) - Qualifying Order Position
  (all above apply as long as the team was entered by the entry deadline - usually 7-13 days before the race)

  -->

• Qualifying Rules/Notes/News page

• Go or Go Home Drivers to Qualify Together: Teams outside the top 35 in owners points will qualify together at the end of the qualifying session. The thought is that nobody would have an advantage in track conditions.

• How to Calculate Track Speeds: use the formula Speed = Distance divided by Time. Distance is Track Length, and Lap Time into Hours. Once hour is 3600 seconds, so the calculation for a 48 second lap at Daytona(2.5 miles) would be: Speed = 2.5 x (3600/48), = 2.5 x 75 = 187.500mph. For a 19 second lap at Bristol(.533 miles): Speed = .533 x (3600/19), = .533 x 189.474 = a speed of 100.990mph

• How to break a tie during qualifying? (same speed/time) When drivers are tied for a starting spot during qualifying, it is broken by owners points standings (not drivers points).

• Determining Race Line-Ups - Top 35 Guarantee: At the start of the 2005 season, NASCAR instituted a new procedure for establishing the starting race field in the Sprint Cup Series [NSCS]. NASCAR revamped the system by simplifying the procedure with teams no longer accruing provisionals throughout the season to gain entry into the starting fields. While starting positions one through 42 in the NSCS still will be determined by qualifying speed, the new system will assure the highest-ranked 35 positions of the NSCS OWNER [not Driver] championship points that have entered the event prior to the entry deadline [usually 13 days before the day of the race] one of those starting positions in the field, providing they have made an attempt to qualify [which usually means the team at least practiced and made an effort to qualify].
  The remaining seven positions [36-42] will be assigned to those drivers with the fastest qualifying speeds whose car owners are not among the top 35. The final starting position [43rd] – the champion’s provisional – can be utilized by a car owner whose driver is a current or past Sprint Cup champion who participated as a driver during the current of previous season and was entered in the event for that owner in that car prior to the entry deadline.
  If there is more than one series champion vying for the position, it will be given to the most recent series champion. If the final provisional starting position – 43rd in the Sprint Cup – is not filled by a current or past series champion, it will be assigned to the next eligible car owner according to qualifying results.
  Through the first five races of the season for the Sprint Cup, the top 35 in the NSCS of the previous owner championship points entered in the event prior to the entry deadline will be assured one of the 42 starting positions in the field, provided they have made an attempt to qualify. From the sixth race on, the current owner championship points will be used to determine the top 35 each race week. In the event that conditions prevent qualifying from being run, starting positions will be assigned according to the respective series’ current Rule Book.(NASCAR PR)
  Simple: so the field is set by speed to where the 7th fastest non-top 35 driver is on speed. The any drivers in the top 35 of OWNERS [not drivers points] are placed to the 42nd spot. The 43rd spot is used for the most recent past Sprint Cup champion NOT already in the field from being in the top-35 in owners points or one of the seven no top-35. If their is not past champ for the 43rd spot, it goes to the next fastest [8th fastest driver]

• Past Champions Limited To 6 Provisional Berths in Sprint Cup: See my 2010 Past Champions Provisional Page for more

• Back to Back winners of the Coca-Cola 600:
  Jimmie Johnson (3), 2003-2005
  Jeff Gordon, 1997-1998
  Dale Earnhardt, 1992-1993
  Darrell Waltrip, 1988-1989
  Neil Bonnett, 1982-1983
  Darrell Waltrip, 1978-1979
  Buddy Baker, 1972-1973

• Winners of the Coca-Cola 600 and All-Star Race in same season:
  1985-Darrell Waltrip
  1991-Davey Allison
  1993-Dale Earnhardt
  1997-Jeff Gordon
  2003-Jimmie Johnson
  2008-Kasey Kahne
  2010-Kurt Busch

• Drivers who lead at 500-mile mark, and won the Coca-Cola 600:
  1996-Dale Jarrett
  2006-Jimmie Johnson
  2008-Kasey Kahne
  2010-Kurt Busch

• Most laps led in 600-mile race win at Charlotte (modern era)
  • Jimmie Johnson, 2004 -- 334
  • Richard Petty, 1977 -- 311
  • Rusty Wallace, 1990 -- 306
  • Davey Allison, 1991 -- 263
  • Kurt Busch, 2010 -- 252

• 2009 May Pole Sitter: #39-Ryan Newman, 188.475mph, finished 2nd

• 2009 October Pole Sitter: #48-Jimmie Johnson, 192.376mph, finished 1st

• Track Qualifying Record: #38-Elliott Sadler, Oct 2005, 193.216mph

• Event Qualifying Record: #12-Ryan Newman, May 2005, 192.988mph

• Youngest Pole Winner: Jeff Gordon, 22 years, 2 months, 6 days, 10/10/1993

• Oldest Pole Winner: Bobby Allison, 49 years, 10 months, 8 days, 10/11/1987

• 2009 May Race Winner: #00-David Reutimann, 120.899mph, started 21st

• 2009 October Race Winner: #48-Jimmie Johnson, 137.658mph, started 1st

• Track Race Record 500 miles: Jeff Gordon, Oct 1999, 160.306mph

• Track Race Record 600 miles: Bobby Labonte, May 1995, 151.952mph

• Slowest Race Record: Junior Johnson, 107.752mph, 1960

• Worst Starting Spot to Win: Jimmie Johnson, May 2003, started 37th

• Oldest Winner: Cale Yarborough, 46 years, 6 months, 9 days, 10/6/1985

• Youngest Winner: Jeff Gordon, 22 years, 9 months, 25 days, 5/29/1994

• Most Wins: 6 - Darrell Waltrip, Bobby Allison, Jimmie Johnson; 5, Jeff Gordon

• Most Poles: 14 - David Pearson; Current driver: 8, Ryan Newman; 7, Jeff Gordon

• Most Top 5s: 23 - Bobby Allison, Richard Petty

• Most Top 10s: 31 - Richard Petty

• Most Laps Led [500 mile race]: 328, Ernie Irvan, 10/10/1993

• Most Laps Led [600 mile race]: 335, Jim Paschal, 5/28/1967

• Most Laps Led by a Race Winner: 335, Jim Paschal, 5/28/1967

• Fewest Laps Led by a Race Winner: 3, Joe Weatherly, 5/21/1961

• Most Leaders: 21, 5/29/2005

• Most Lead Changes: 59 - 5/27/1979

• Fewest Leaders: 3, 5/21/1961

• Fewest Lead Changes: 2 - 5/21/1961

• Most Cautions: 22, 5/29/2005

• Most Caution Laps: 113, 5/25/1980

• Fewest Cautions: 0 - 5/21/1961

• Fewest Caution Laps: 0, 5/21/1961

• Most Finishers on a lead lap: 25, 10/15/2005

• Most Finishers on a lead lap: 26, 5/25/2009 [227 of 400 laps completed]

• Most Running at the Finish: 39, 10/11/2003 & 10/17/2009

• Most Running at the Finish: 42 [of 43], 5/25/2009 [227 of 400 laps completed]

• Fewest Running at the Finish: 10 - 5/21/1961

• Most Wins by Manufacturer: 37 - Chevy

• Races won from starting pos 1: 14
  

• Races won from starting pos 2: 15
  
• Races won from starting pos 3: 13
  
• Races won from starting pos 4: 9
  
• Races won from starting pos 5: 8
  
• Races won from starting pos 6: 5
  
• Races won from starting pos 7: 6
  
• Races won from starting pos 8: 2
  
• Races won from starting pos 9: 5
  
• Races won from starting pos 10: 2
  
• Races won from starting pos 12: 2
  
• Races won from starting pos 13: 3
  
• Races won from starting pos 14: 1
  
• Races won from starting pos 15: 2
  
• Races won from starting pos 16: 3
  
• Races won from starting pos 17: 2
  
• Races won from starting pos 18: 2
  
• Races won from starting pos 20: 2
  
• Races won from starting pos 21: 2
  
• Races won from starting pos 22: 2
  
• Races won from starting pos 25: 1
  
• Races won from starting pos 37: 1
  
• Races won from the top 5: 59 of 102
  
• Races won from the top 10: 79 of 102

• At Charlotte Motor Speedway::
  · Construction began on Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1959.
  · The track’s first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was held on June 19, 1960.
  · The track was repaved midseason in 1994.
  · The track name changed from Charlotte Motor Speedway to Lowe’s Motor Speedway in 1999. It changed back to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the 2010 season.
  · The track was re-paved again before the 2006 season.
  · There have been 102 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points races at Charlotte Motor Speedway, two races per year since the track opened in 1960. In 1961, there were two 100-mile qualifying points races held the week beforethe May race. The first six fall races at Charlotte were 400-mile events (1960-65).
  · 37 drivers have posted poles, led by David Pearson with 14.
  · Fireball Roberts won the pole for the first race, in 1960.
  · David Pearson posted 11 straight poles at Charlotte from the fall of 1973 through 1978.
  · Ryan Newman leads all active drivers in poles, with eight. Jeff Gordon has seven.
  · Jeff Gordon won five straight poles for the spring races between 1994 and 1998.
  · 42 drivers have won races, led by Bobby Allison, Darrell Waltrip and Jimmie Johnson, with six each. David Reutimann became a first-time series winner last May after winning the Coca-Cola 600.
  · Joe Lee Johnson won the first race, in 1960.
  · There have been 13 back-to-back victories, including three consecutive by Fred Lorenzen (fall 1964 and both 1965) and four straight by Jimmie Johnson (both in 2004 and 2005).
  · A sweep has occurred eight times, including each season from 2004-2007.
  · 14 races have been won from the pole, the last by Jimmie Johnson last October.
  · Jimmie Johnson won the 2003 Coca-Cola 600 from the 37th starting position, the furthest back a race winner has started.
  · Jimmie Johnson is the only driver with more than two Charlotte races to average top-10 finishes (8.6). He has the all-time best average finish among drivers with at least five races.
  · A number of active drivers earned their first win at CMS: Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth, Bobby Labonte, Jamie McMurray, Casey Mears and David Reutimann. Inactive drivers David Pearson, Buddy Baker and Charlie Glotzbach also got their first series win at Charlotte.
  * There have been 510 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in North Carolina.
  * 419 drivers in NASCAR’s three national series (all-time) have their home state recorded as North Carolina.
  * There have been 43 race winners from North Carolina in NASCAR’s three national series; 28 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

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PAINT SCHEME NEWS

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Car#/Driver	Sponsor/Scheme/Promo	Image Link
#00-David Reutimann	Aarons - Armed Forces Foundation	#00 Team Schemes Page
#2-Kurt Busch	Niller Lite Vortex	#2 Team Schemes Page
#5-Mark Martin	CARQUEST / "Honoring Our Soldiers"	#5 Team Schemes Page
#9-Kasey Kahne	Budweiser Camo - USO	#9 Team Schemes Page
#11-Denny Hamlin	FedEx Office	#11 Team Schemes Page
#14-Tony Stewart	Office Depot	#14 Team Schemes Page
#16-Greg Biffle	3M Nexcare Special	#16 Team Schemes Page
#17-Matt Kenseth	Jeremiah Weed Sweet Tea Vodka	#17 Team Schemes Page
#18-Kyle Busch	M&M's Pretzel	#18 Team Schemes Page
#19-Elliott Sadler	U.S. Air Force	#19 Team Schemes Page
#24-Jeff Gordon	DuPont / "Honoring Our Soldiers"	#24 Team Schemes Page
#34-Kevin Conway	Extenze	#34 Team Schemes Page
#37-David Gilliland	Taco Bell	#37 Team Schemes Page
#38-Travis Kvapil	Long John Silver's Fish Taco	#38 Team Schemes Page
#39-Ryan Newman	U.S. Army	#39 Team Schemes Page
#43-A.J. Allmendinger	Best Buy Credit Card	#43 Team Schemes Page
#46-J.J. Yeley	Jake Owen Raborn Foundation / Militarywarriors.org	#46 Team Schemes Page
#48-Jimmie Johnson	Lowe's / "Honoring Our Soldiers"	#48 Team Schemes Page
#56-Martin Truex Jr.	NAPA Batteries	#56 Team Schemes Page
#88-Dale Earhardt Jr	National Guard / "Honoring Our Soldiers"	#88 Team Schemes Page
#99-Carl Edwards	Scott's GrubEx	#99 Team Schemes Page

• Armed Forces car for Reutimann at Charlotte UPDATE: #00-David Reutimann is scheduled to run a Aaron's / Armed Forces Foundation Toyota in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.(5-18-2010)
  UPDATE: Aaron’s and the Armed Forces Foundation have united in a collaborative effort to drive donations for military families this approaching Memorial Weekend. Aaron’s and the AFF first initiated a text-to-give campaign that allows participants to text AFF to 50555 to donate $10 to the Armed Forces Foundation which serves the military and their families. Ninety-four percent of all donations goes directly to military members and their families and helps with items such as every day living expenses, housing improvements and travel expenses. Additionally, Aaron’s will honor the AFF at the upcoming Memorial Weekend Coca-Cola 600 with a custom paint scheme for the Michael Waltrip Racing #00 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota, driven by David Reutimann. The paint scheme will feature the AFF logo and a patriotic red, white and blue design. Aaron’s will also donate a minimum of $10,000 to the AFF. However, if Reutimann finishes in the top five, Aaron’s will double the donation to $20,000. If Reutimann wins the race, Aaron’s will donate $200,000 to the AFF.(Aaron's PR) See an image of the scheme on my #00 Team Schemes page.(5-28-2010)

• Jeremiah Weed Southern Style Sweet Tea Vodka Salutes Military Roots: As Americans across the country prepare to remember the American heroes who serve our country with a variety of responsible Memorial Day cookouts and celebrations, race fans will look to one of their favorite drivers to help pay tribute. During the upcoming NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Matt Kenseth will have Jeremiah Weed Southern Style Sweet Tea vodka on the hood of his #17 Ford Fusion in an effort to honor fighter pilots everywhere. As the legend is told, Jeremiah Weed became the drink of choice for men and women fighter pilots after a Fighter Jet went down without injury outside of Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas. When the group involved in the incident later returned to the site, they toasted with Jeremiah Weed. Since, Air Force pilots have toasted with Jeremiah Weed Bourbon upon finishing their flights. If Kenseth can wheel the #17 Ford to Victory Lane, Jeremiah Weed will make a $100,000 donation to a military-themed charity. Regardless of how the Jeremiah Weed car finishes, a total of $10,000 will be donated.(PR)(5-28-2010)

• Tony Stewart: “Buy A Printer, Support Military Families”: In recognition of Memorial Day, #14-Tony Stewart is helping Office Depot and Lexmark International, Inc., promote a new joint program benefiting Operation Homefront. The program will provide military families with much-needed technology to help them stay in touch with their loved ones serving in the armed forces. From May 30 through June 5, Office Depot and Lexmark will donate a new Lexmark printer to Operation Homefront each time a customer purchases a qualifying Lexmark printer in an Office Depot store or online at www.officedepot.com/lexmark/operationhomefront. Operation Homefront is a non-profit organization dedicated to the needs of military families nationwide. During Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600, Stewart’s #14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevy will also feature a special rear TV panel with the Office Depot, Lexmark and Operation Homefront logos, as well as the message, “Buy A Printer, Support Military Families.” The Goal is to Donate 4,000 New Lexmark Printers To Military Families. As part of the Office Depot and Lexmark program, people can also engage with Operation Homefront and support members of the military via Twitter. Beginning now through June 5, people can give a “Shout Out” to someone serving in the military and be entered for a chance to win one of 10 Lexmark printers. For more information visit www.officedepot.com, see an image of the TV Panel on the #14 Team Schemes page.(5-28-2010)

• NAPA Batteries scheme for Truex Jr.: #56-Martin Truex Jr.'s NAPA ride will sport a special look for the Coca-Cola 600. The well-known NAPA shield will be joined by NAPA Batteries. The high-energy paint scheme kicks off a great promotion for consumers. In June, visit a NAPA Auto Parts Store or a NAPA AutoCare Center, and get the following mail-in rebates—$20 rebate on the NAPA Optima Heavy-Duty batteries, $15 rebate on NAPA Legend 84-month battery and $10 rebate on all NAPA LEGEND 75-month batteries.(MWR), see images of the car on my #56 Team Schemes page.(5-25-2010)

• Armed Forces car for Reutimann at Charlotte: #00-David Reutimann is scheduled to run a Aaron's / Armed Forces Foundation Toyota in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. See an image of the scheme on my #00 Team Schemes page.(5-18-2010)

• Kahne to run military scheme in Coke 600 and Coke Zero 400: Kasey Kahne made quite a few headlines this week after announcing his ownership change for 2012. But, on Friday night, Kahne avoided any of those questions and headed down to Fort Hood to spend time with members in the U.S. Armed Forces. At the event, Kahne unveiled a new Armed Forces paint scheme for his #9 Budweiser Ford with red camouflage and a 'Budweiser Is Proud To Serve Those Who Serve' decal on the hood. It is part of Budweiser's partnership with the USO to honor the country's service men and women. Kahne will run the die-cast car during the May 30 race at Charlotte Motor Speedway and the July 3 race at Daytona International Speedway. TMS also took care of the Fort Hood soldiers, giving away 500 tickets for today's Samsung 500.(Dallas Morning News)
  AND From the Budweiser website:as we support America's troops by donating $250,000 to the USO's Operation Enduring Care. From May 1 to June 30, when you buy this Kasey Kahne Armed Forces die-cast car, you aid in that effort. This summer, Budweiser and Kasey Kahne salute those who serve, protect and defend our country at home and abroad. Be part of the excitement as Kasey drives a special Armed Forces car in two major races, in advance of holidays that commemorate our freedom and remember those who died to protect that freedom. This 1:24 scale die-cast racecar is an exact replica of the 2010 Budweiser Armed Forces Ford Fusion Kasey will drive in races at Charlotte May 30 and Daytona July 3. It features the Budweiser "Proud to Serve Those Who Serve" logo across the hood and the USO logo on the roll bar. A portion of your purchase price of this exceptional die-cast model goes to support the USO. And, at Daytona on July 3, Kasey himself will present Budweiser's $250,000 check to the USO., see images of the scheme on the #9 Teams Schemes page.(4-19-2010)

• Special Patriotic schemes for Hendrick cars UPDATE: The four Hendrick Motorsports drivers are scheduled to drive special "Honoring Our Soldiers" patriotic paint schemes on Memorial Day weekend in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 30, 2010.(2-24-2010)
  UPDATE: Added images of the cars with the spoilers and not the wings. See my #5 Team Schemes page, #24 Team Schemes page, #48 Team Schemes page and #88 Team Schemes page for images of the schemes.(3-17-2010)

• More Paint Scheme news can be found on Paint Schemes Gallery

• Track Specifications:
  Superspeedway: 1.5-mile quad oval
  Race Length: 400 laps, 600 miles
  Banking: turns: 24 degrees; straights: 5 degrees
  Straights: Frontstretch - 1952.8 feet; Backstretch - 1360 feet
  Grandstand Seating: 171,000
  Pit Road Speed: 45mph
  Pace Car Speed: 55mph
  Opened: 1960
  Carry-In Items
  Coolers: Allowed (14"x14"x14" limit).
  Glass containers: Not allowed.
  Alcoholic beverages: Allowed.
  Cameras/recording devices: Allowed

• Race Festivities/Officials:
  Grand Marshals: John Faulkenbury, North Carolina United Service Organizations President; Sgt. James Dickens, U.S. Marine Corps; Staff Sgt. Michael Foley, U.S. Army; and Staff Sgt. Dustin Barnes, U.S. Air Force
  Command to start engines: John Faulkenbury, North Carolina United Service Organizations President; Sgt. James Dickens, U.S. Marine Corps; Staff Sgt. Michael Foley, U.S. Army; and Staff Sgt. Dustin Barnes, U.S.
  Honorary Starter/Wave Green Flag: North Carolina House Speaker Joe Hackney
  Honorary Race Director: Virginia Congressman Eric Cantor
  Invocation: Dr. James Dobson, Founder, Focus on the Family
  National Anthem: Cpl. John Hyland, U.S. Army
  Military Flyover: 4 F-15 Eagles, 333rd Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB
  

• For the season race officials by track, see my Race Officials page

• Track / Sponsor Websites:
  Charlotte Motor Speedway
  Speedway Motorsports
  Facebook - Charlotte Motor Speedway
  Twitter - CLTMotorSpdwy
  U.S. Legend Cars
  2010 Cabarrus County Destination Guide

• May 2009: see my Charlotte Race Info page

• October 2009: see my Charlotte Race Info page

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• Coca-Cola 600 Pre-Race Festivities to Feature Military Salute: During the pre-race show for the 51st running of the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday, May 30, Charlotte Motor Speedway officials will salute the U.S. armed forces with a military demonstration, special awards, military band performances and a presentation with Medal of Honor recipients. The pre-race festivities will also include appearances by the cast of "The A-Team," Twentieth Century Fox's summer motion picture event which opens June 11, an invocation by renowned family advocate Dr. James Dobson and the singing of the national anthem by wounded veteran and trained opera singer Cpl. John Hyland. Gates will open at 12:30 pm/et. An approximate timeline of pre-race events follows:
  4:00 p.m. - 4:40 p.m.
  A procession of force protection military vehicles will take a parade lap around the track, followed by the presentation of the Stonewall Jackson Award to Col. Joe Marm and the Hometown Heroes Award presentation to 1st Sgt. James Jetton and Staff Sgt. Mary Nelms, both from Charlotte, N.C. Following the presentation, the 82nd Airborne Division Chorus and the U.S. Army Drill Team will perform.
  4:40 p.m. - 5:20 p.m.
  Video presentations produced by The History Channel will be played on Sprint Vision screens honoring veterans of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, as well as active military and veterans from modern-day conflicts including Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Following the presentations, a parade of vintage military planes will take to the skies, including a P-51 Mustang owned by Roush Fenway Racing founder and co-owner Jack Roush, a legendary B-17 bomber that played the role of the Memphis Belle in the 1990 movie of the same name, a giant C-47 transport plane, an A1-H Skyraider and a T-28 Trojan. Personnel from Fort Bragg, N.C., will conduct a military demonstration on the frontstretch involving Little Bird helicopters, military vehicles, a Howitzer demonstration and more than 600 troops.
  Medal of Honor recipients Robert Maxwell (World War II), Ronald Rosser (Korea) and Charles Hagemeister (Vietnam) will be recognized on the pre-race stage. A tribute to honor the families of fallen soldiers from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, N.C., including Capt. Thomas "Lag" Gramith and Capt. Mark "Pit Bull" McDowell, who hailed from Charlotte, will follow.
  5:20 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.
  A host of VIPs will grace the pre-race stage including Honorary Race Director Eric Cantor, Virginia Congressman; Honorary Starter Joe Hackney, North Carolina House Speaker; cast members from "The A-Team," including Jessica Biel; several executives from Coca-Cola, and John Schnatter, founder of Papa John's. Driver introductions for the Coca-Cola 600 will follow.
  5:45 p.m. - 6:10 p.m.
  The U.S. Army parachute team The Golden Knights will perform a jump over the speedway. Dr. James Dobson, founder of the non-profit group Focus on the Family and host of the radio program "Family Talk," will give the invocation. Purple Heart recipient, Charlotte native, opera singer and NASCAR fan Cpl. John Hyland will sing the national anthem. Cast members from "The A-Team"' will deliver the green flag. The command "Gentlemen, Start Your Engines," will be given by Grand Marshal John Faulkenbury, North Carolina United Service Organizations President and the families of Sgt. James Dickens (U.S. Marine Corps); Staff Sgt. Michael Foley (U.S. Army) and Staff Sgt. Dustin Barnes (U.S. Air Force).
  Additionally, the Presentation of Colors will be performed by the U.S. All Army Color Guard and a bagpipe performance of "Amazing Grace" will be given by the Charlotte Fire Department Pipes and Drums. A 21-gun salute and "Taps" will be performed by soldiers stationed at Fort Bragg. During the national anthem, 100 family members of service men and women from Fort Bragg will unfurl a large American flag shaped like the United States on the frontstretch grass. The final fly-over before the start of the Coca-Cola 600 will include four F-15 Eagles flown by pilots from the 333rd Fighter Squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.
  Fans can purchase a ticket to the 51st running of the Coca-Cola to see not only a great race, but a patriotic and entertaining pre-race show. Tickets for all Coca-Cola 600 Week events are available at the gates on event days, online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling the Charlotte Motor Speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS.(CMS)(5-28-2010)

• New Amenities, Events, Displays Await Race Fans During Mega May: As a part of the ongoing Fans First initiative at Charlotte Motor Speedway, fans coming to the Coca-Cola 600 on May 30 can expect plenty of recently-added amenities, events, displays, and upgrades at the Mecca of Motorsports. Below is a sampling of what's new for May at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
  Roomier, More Comfortable, Stadium-Style Frontstretch Seats Charlotte Motor Speedway installed approximately 15,000 new premium seats along the 1.5-mile superspeedway's frontstretch, and special bronze nameplates will adorn the seats of new Victory Lane Club season ticket holders in that area. The narrow cast-metal seats in the Chrysler and General Motors grandstands were removed and replaced with new 21-inch stadium-style deluxe flip-down seats with arm rests. The new seats will offer a prime view of the start-finish line and pit road for both races.
  Expanded Display Area is More Interactive for Fans, Fans coming to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the May 30 Coca-Cola 600 will have more entertainment options right outside the track, as the display areas have expanded significantly for 2010. Nearly twice the number of interactive displays as 2009 will line the areas along the main speedway entrance and directly across the street. Some of the displays include the Coca-Cola Stage, which will feature live music on race days; the MillerCoors Porta Bar; and the Scotts Turf Builder Cornhole Classic area, where fans can play the popular tailgating game for prizes including cash and race tickets. Fans will find increased food and beverage options as well, and there will continue to be plenty of souvenir trailers in the display areas, so fans can buy their favorite driver's gear at the track. Designated Smoking Lounges Presented by Native are New for 2010 There are new designated smoking lounges at the track, presented by Native Trading Associates. Located throughout the concourse areas, the lounges are equipped with high-definition televisions so fans don't miss a minute of the race. Native and Herr's Potato Chips will hand out samples and coupons to fans who use the designated smoking lounges, which are located adjacent to the concourses in the Toyota Fourth Turn Terrace, Chrysler, General Motors, Ford and Diamond Tower seating areas. Native is also sponsoring a smoking lounge in the infield, which is located just inside the Gate 26 tunnel.
  CATS Route Provides Easy Access to Speedway The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), the City of Concord and Charlotte Motor Speedway have partnered to bring race day bus service from Center City Charlotte to the track. Starting from the Charlotte Transportation Center, race fans can take the 79X Concord Mills Express to beat the traffic and enjoy the Coca-Cola 600 at the speedway for just $6 round-trip. The route will run every 20 minutes from noon until 6:30 p.m. for the Coca-Cola 600 on May 30. Return trips will begin immediately after the checkered flag and buses will be near the track's main entrance. Tickets can be purchased at the Charlotte Transportation Center at 310 East Trade Street in Center City or online at http://secure.ridetransit.org/psales/.
  Speedway Offers Tours of NASCAR Hall of Fame While fans are in town for the races, they can take advantage of convenient tours operated by Charlotte Motor Speedway of the newly-opened NASCAR Hall of Fame. Fans can take a shuttle from the zMAX Dragway main tower entrance to NASCAR's newest attraction.. For more information, visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/fans/tours.
  Pinky's Westside Grill Offers New Fare Fans coming to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and Coca-Cola 600 will have a new concession option at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Greg Auten, a former co-owner of the Charlotte landmark restaurant The Penguin, and former Penguin managers will soon open Pinky's Westside Grill in Charlotte and the group plans to debut several Pinky's menu items at the speedway. Homemade corn dogs, fries, chili dogs, and fried pickles will be available to fans for purchase.
  Coca-Cola 600 Weekend Coca-Cola Family Walk Comes to Charlotte Motor Speedway May 28 New for 2010 at Charlotte Motor Speedway is the Coca-Cola Family Track Walk, which gives fans the opportunity to mingle with top NASCAR drivers and get active while walking around the track. Fans can get moving alongside Coca-Cola Racing Family drivers Ryan Newman and Clint Bowyer at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 28. Following the walk, fans can enjoy activities for the whole family, including games, music, racing simulators, motivating lifestyle tips and Q&A sessions with drivers. To round out the day, Coca-Cola and Charlotte Motor Speedway are bringing back a fan favorite from 2009 - the Quarter-Mile Cookout - using the nation's longest grill. At 1,320 feet in length, the grill will use more than 3.5 tons of charcoal to cook up a picnic-style lunch following the Coca-Cola Family Track Walk. There will be plenty of healthy food options available at the cookout, including grilled chicken, ground chuck hamburgers, wheat buns, apples and baked Herr's chips. The entire day of events is free and open to all ticket and annual credential holders for the Coca-Cola 600.
  Military Vehicle Displays Pay Tribute to the Troops Fans can browse through a military vehicle display near the main entrance of the speedway during Coca-Cola 600 Race Week, just one of many tributes to the troops taking place during the Memorial Day Weekend race. Several military vehicles will be on display, including a Bradley tank, a Humvee, a PLS cargo vehicle and a mini C-130 turboprop military transport aircraft. The display will also feature a military-themed tribute Ford Mustang, complete with a custom red, white and blue paint job. Additional Vietnam-era vehicles will also be featured in the display area across Highway 29 from the main entrance of the speedway.
  Tickets for all May 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.(CMS)(5-26-2010)

• Coca-Cola 600 Race Officials Named: North Carolina House Speaker Joe Hackney has been named Honorary Starter and Virginia Congressman Eric Cantor has been named Honorary Race Director for the 2010 Coca-Cola 600, which will be held at the famed Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 30, 2010. A spectacular pre-race show honoring generations of America's Armed Forces will precede the 51st running of NASCAR's only 600-mile race. The Let Freedom Race pre-race show for the Coca-Cola 600 will include flyovers from vintage military aircraft, assault demonstrations by Fort Bragg soldiers, recognition on the stage for Medal of Honor recipients and the unfurling of a 11,250 square-foot American flag by family members of active-duty soldiers. As race officials, Hackney and Cantor will be honored at a pre-race event, attend the official drivers meeting, address the crowd of nearly 150,000 fans, participate in the pre-race spectacular and present the trophy in Victory Lane. As Honorary Race Director, Congressman Cantor will ride in the official pace car while Speaker Hackney, as Honorary Starter, will wave the green flag over the 43-car field to start the longest NASCAR race and one of the largest sporting events in the world. Tickets for the Coca-Cola 600 can be obtained by calling the speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS or online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.

• In Charlotte for the races? some cool places to check out that Jayski has been to an enjoyed since moving to the Charlotte Area in January 2004:
  Memory Lane Museum on Hwy 150 W in Mooresville, NC,
  North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame Lakeside Park, Mooresville
  Haven't been there yet, but a must has to be the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte and check out the play in town this month, Heaven on Wheels
  In Oct, For somerthing different: the Carolina Renaissance Festival is a blast, fun stuff and lots of good eats
  TO EAT: Lancaster's Bar-B=Que is a large place with a lot of NASCAR stuff all over the walls and Poppas Dogs has a racing theme and good dogs. Other places I enjoyed: Jeffrey's and Soiree [high end place] both in Mooresville. In Huntersville check out Mickey & Mooches for great steaks and the huge chocolate cake
  TEAM SHOPS: and to check out some team shops, see my Team Address page, on that page there are a few links for Race Shop Tours [click here].
  Or drive up I-85 and head to [Richard] Childress Vineyards.
  in Concord, check out the racing stuff at Quaker Steak and Lube for some great wings and food
  and check out the Sam Bass Gallery, right near Charlotte Motor Speedway.
  (this is not an ad and not looking for suggestions, just some things to helps folks in town)
  ALSO: see my Racing Charities page and Driver Appearances page for driver appearances and more thing going on in the area.

• Bruton offers a driver $20 million if wins both Indy 500 & Coke 600: On Thursday night’s edition of NASCAR Race Hub, reporter Wendy Venturini scored an exclusive sit-down interview with Speedway Motorsports Inc., chairman Bruton Smith. As part of the interview, Smith talks of ongoing discussions with his counterparts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway about the possibility of linking the famed Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 … with the possibility that a driver who wins both on the same day earning a $20 million bonus.
  Bruton Smith: "We do … we do … we want to surprise the fans. Every time they come, we want them to say, ‘Wow, I didn’t know about that.’ I’m working on something now that I thought would be great, for say, next year. And that is we’ll maybe do something that would cause drivers to get more interested in running (the Indianapolis 500) and then coming here and … driving 1,100 miles of racing. It would take a Superman-type driver to (win both events)."
  NASCAR Race Hub: I thought the reason some of the drivers backed away from doing (both events) was … I don’t know … a conflict of the (start) times?
  Bruton Smith: "I’ve talked to Indianapolis and they would start their race at 11 o’clock … we’d have a jet waiting for the drivers. They’d land right here. We’d helicopter them (to the track) and they’d have ample time before they had to get in their car to win the 600. So, we have five or six drivers that could accomplish (winning both events on the same day)."(SPEED)(5-14-2010)

• North Carolina Governor Proclaims May Motorsports Month: With Race Weeks in Charlotte fast approaching, and thousands of fans from around the globe coming to North Carolina to vacation and enjoy great racing, North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue has proclaimed May Motorsports Month in the Tar Heel State. The proclamation was read at Charlotte Motor Speedway Friday during a May race kick-off event with Marcus Smith, president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway, and four area mayors: Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx, Concord Mayor Scott Padgett, Mooresville Mayor Chris Montgomery and Kannapolis Mayor Robert Misenheimer. Gov. Perdue's proclamation recognizes the many motorsports events taking place in North Carolina in May, and in particular those at Charlotte Motor Speedway, including the N.C. Education Lottery 200 on May 21, the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on May 22, the TECH-NET Auto Service 300 Powered by CARQUEST Auto Parts on May 29, and the Coca-Cola 600 on May 30. Tickets for all May 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. Friends and family four-pack tickets start at just $39.75 per person for the Coca-Cola 600 and at $35 per person for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on May 22.(CMS PR)(5-8-2010)

• Rockets to Race Car: From better brakes and safer tires to heat-resistant paint and cleaner emissions, NASA's contributions to the racing world will be featured in the traveling exhibit: "From Rockets to Race Cars" the NASCAR weekend of April 30-May 1 at the Richmond International Raceway. Over the years, NASA has provided technology that not only helps the racing world, but also improves conditions for all drivers while helping to protect the environment. On display will be a quarter-scale NASA Benefits Race Car as well as a Wheel Exhibit, that includes a NASCAR tire, Shuttle tire, Lunar Rover tire, Lunar Tweel (a non-pneumatic tire/wheel combination) and a Spring Tire allowing fans the opportunity to see, touch and compare the wheels of yesterday, today and tomorrow. Fans will get a shot at NASA Spin the Wheel where they can win prizes if they answer NASA-related questions correctly. A "Rockets to Race Car" photo opportunity will allow visitors to have a photo taken with their own camera in which they look like they are sitting in a NASA Race Car. To find out what else NASA and NASCAR have in common, check out the exhibit at select NASCAR races through June. NASA's "From Rockets to Race Cars" will be at the following races:
  * Richmond International Raceway, April 30-May 1
  * Charlotte Motor Speedway, May 29-30
  * Kentucky Speedway, June 11-12.(NASA)(4-29-2010)

• CMS Chef honored: Michael Rosen, certified executive chef (CEC), of Charlotte, N.C., received the American Culinary Federation, Inc. (ACF) Southeast Region Chef Professionalism award at the 2010 ACF Southeast Regional Conference held at the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel, Birmingham, Ala., April 24–26. Rosen is executive chef at The Speedway Club at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, N.C. At The Speedway Club, Rosen is responsible for all kitchen operations of the dining room and banquet facilities.(American Culinary Federation)(4-27-2010)

• County Fair Flavor Comes to May Races with Deep Fried Butter at CMS: County fair favorites with a twist, including deep fried butter, will make their motorsports debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway during NASCAR Sprint All-Star Week and Coca-Cola 600 Week this May. According to Chef James Pierson with Levy Restaurants, speed - and a little mixing - are the keys to making great deep-fried butter. "You can't just throw butter into a fryer or it will melt," said Pierson. "We blend the butter with cream cheese and freeze it solid. Then we coat it in waffle batter and give it a quick fry. It's served with a raspberry 'catsup' sauce." Fried butter will be joined by two other deep-fried treats at the speedway during May race weeks: deep-fried peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and deep fried grilled cheese. Both sandwiches are also coated in a waffle batter and fried. The PB&J comes with the raspberry "catsup" sauce, and the grilled cheese is served with a cold tomato soup for dunking. Tickets for all May 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.(CMS)(3-28-2010)

• Coca-Cola & Speedway Motorsports Extend: Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (SMI) and Coca-Cola North America (CCNA) are extending their long-term partnership through 2015. Under the terms of the new agreement, CCNA brands will continue as the "Official Soft Drink," "Official Sparkling Beverage," "Official Water, "Official Sports Drink" and "Official Enhanced Water" for six SMI tracks, which include: Atlanta Motor Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Infineon Raceway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway. The agreement also features title sponsorship of the Coca-Cola 600 -- the longest continuous sponsorship of any race in NASCAR -- at Charlotte Motor Speedway through 2015. Through this partnership extension, Coca-Cola and SMI will continue to create programs that engage NASCAR fans at SMI tracks and in the local markets and regions where the tracks are located. NASCAR-themed advertising, packaging, promotions, at-track activations and customer-specific programs will all be part of the mix designed to create excitement among racing fans.(CMS)(3-8-2010)

• Charlotte area hotels reduce rates & wave stay requirements: Charlotte Motor Speedway will partner with regional tourism bureaus and area hotel operators to secure lower room rates for race fans attending the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on May 22, and the Coca-Cola 600 on May 30. More than 50 hotels within approximately one hour of the 1.5-mile superspeedway have agreed to reduce their race week room rates by 15% and waive the minimum stay requirements. A full list of participating hotels is available at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/hotels or fans can call the speedway's ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS. In order to obtain the discounted rate, those interested in the deal must call the hotels directly and request the Speedway Special when making reservations.(CMS PR)(3-2-2010)

• All Remaining Charlotte Oct. race tix on sale: With renewals completed, all remaining tickets for the Oct. 16 NASCAR Banking 500 only from Bank of America at Charlotte Motor Speedway go on sale Monday, at 9 a.m. Tickets start at only $49 for the only Saturday night race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. A wide selection of affordable grandstand seating options are available, including a limited number of premium frontstretch seats. All sections of the Chrysler, General Motors and Ford grandstands along the frontstretch feature new individual, 21-inch, stadium-style seating and offer a prime view of the start-finish line and pit road.
  The Charlotte Motor Speedway ticket office will be open Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition to the NASCAR Banking 500, tickets will also be available for the Oct. 15 Dollar General 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Friday night; Bojangles' Pole Night qualifying on Thursday night Oct. 14; and the World of Outlaws Late Model Showdown on Wednesday night Oct. 13, at The Dirt Track at Charlotte. The extremely popular October Super Ticket will again be available, offering tickets to all four of the NASCAR Banking 500 Week events for just one low price of $99. Additional information about tickets for all Charlotte Motor Speedway events can be obtained by calling 1-800-455-FANS or online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com. Fans can reserve their seat with $20.10 down and set up customized, interest-free payment plans by calling the speedway ticket office and speaking directly to a Charlotte Motor Speedway ticket agent.(CMS)(2-15-2010)

• CMS installing premium seats: As a part of the ongoing Fans First initiative, Charlotte Motor Speedway is installing approximately 15,000 new premium seats along the 1.5-mile speedway's frontstretch, and special bronze nameplates will adorn the seats of new Victory Lane Club season ticket holders in that area. To increase fan comfort, Charlotte Motor Speedway is removing narrow cast-metal seats in the Chrysler and General Motors grandstands and replacing them with new 21-inch, stadium-style seats. The deluxe flip-down seats with arm rests will be installed before the May 22 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and the Coca-Cola 600 on May 30. The new seats will offer a prime view of the start-finish line and pit road for both races.
  Fans who join the Victory Lane Club as season ticket holders and purchase the same seat for all three NASCAR Sprint Cup races will receive two special added features - a personalized, bronze nameplate on the new seat and the chance to take home one of the historic seats as a keepsake piece of limited edition memorabilia. Season ticket holders in the Victory Lane Club, also receive more than $1,500 in added value for purchasing tickets to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, Coca-Cola 600 and NASCAR Banking 500 only from Bank of America. Membership benefits include a personalized hard card, VIP parking, discounts on ticket purchases and souvenirs in the speedway's gift shop, a free six-month trial membership to The Speedway Club and more. For the new year, fans can reserve their seats for only a $20.10 down payment, and then establish a convenient, interest-free, payment plan for any event in the Spring Season of Speed at Charlotte Motor Speedway. In order to join the Victory Lane Club and purchase new seats along the frontstretch, fans must call the speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267) and speak directly to a Charlotte Motor Speedway ticket agent.(CMS)(1-19-2010)

• New name, start time for Nationwide race at Charlotte in May: In response to fan requests for an afternoon NASCAR Nationwide Series race, Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Tech-Net Auto Service 300 Powered by Carquest Auto Parts will start at 2:30pm/et on Saturday, May 29. In addition to the start-time change, the race’s name will be different in 2010 as well. Formerly the Carquest Auto Parts 300, the Tech-Net Auto Service 300 will promote Carquest’s Tech Net Professional Auto Service program.(Charlotte Motor Speedway PR)(1-18-2010)

• Concord and Cabarrus County fighting back: The city and county governments in the area of Lowe’s Motor Speedway contend in court documents that they can’t be sued for breach of contract nor forced into a formalized agreement with Speedway Motorsports Inc. that would give SMI $80 million in grants and tax incentives for renovating LMS and building a drag strip across the street. SMI Chairman Bruton Smith had threatened to move LMS in October 2007 if he did not get the permits to build the drag strip on land near the existing 1.5-mile oval. As other area governments began offering incentives, the City of Concord and Cabarrus County offered an $80 million incentive package in November 2007 – with the details to be worked out later – to keep LMS where it’s currently located. The local governments and SMI never reached a formal agreement, and SMI, which says it has spent $4 million already on public improvements it claims are reimbursable, filed a lawsuit in September in North Carolina Superior Court in Concord. SMI asks for a judgment requiring the governments to take all necessary action to formalize an agreement and damages for breaches of the agreement and misrepresentations. In a filing last week, Concord and Cabarrus County ask that the case be dismissed. Both the city and county state that their elected boards had not approved a contract, which must go through public hearings, and therefore they had no enforceable agreement. “The City denies that a contract was formed; because many material details had yet to be determined, the parties had merely agreed to agree,” the City of Concord says in its motion. The City of Concord also alleges that SMI did not act in good faith, terminating negotiations after the initial offer. The governments’ proposed agreement, filed as an exhibit in the case, requires SMI to spend $60 million on the drag strip, which now has been completed, within one year and $200 million on the speedway and various roads over three years. It also requires SMI to have three Cup events at the race track for each of the next 40 years, as well as to operate the drag strip for 40 years or else SMI would have to repay any of the incentives and grants it already had been awarded. In its complaint, SMI claims the wording in the contract allows the governments 40 years for the $80 million to be paid. SMI claims the governments want to avoid their obligations. In its response, the City said a judge cannot force it to sign a deal. “Courts have no power to mandate municipal legislation, and the decision to enter a contract is political, not judicial,” the City says.(SceneDaily)(12-3-2009)

• Bruton to build race tracks in the Mid East? Bruton Smith, chairman and CEO of Speedway Motorsports Inc., is in negotiations to build three race tracks in the Middle Eastern country of Qatar. It is not clear yet if Smith and SMI would assist in ownership and/or operation of the facilities, or simply construct them and hand over the keys to the Emir of Qatar and his royal family, but Smith said Friday that he hopes to have all the details worked out soon, perhaps within another week. Smith said he was approached about construction of the tracks by the Emir of Qatar, Sheik Hamad Bin Khalifa al-Thani -- and not the other way around. The Emir was in the international news recently for reportedly offering 400 million euros to purchase the former Elysee Palace Hotel in Paris. The Emir is said to be a great fan of all forms of auto racing, and several of his representatives met late last week with Smith and his associates to put the finishing touches on an agreement to have SMI build the three tracks in Qatar. That didn't quite come to pass, but Smith said the two parties are moving closer toward finalizing everything so construction can begin. Smith said the preliminary plan is to have each track seat no more than 40,000 and that he has been informed the Emir has a unique plan in mind for filling them.(NASCAR.com)(11-7-2009)

• Past track news: posted in the past at Jayski's Past Track News/Rumors - Charlotte Motor Speedway

• will be posted Thurs or Fri before the race

• See the Sprint Cup Series Team / Driver Chart, which has links to past news for each team and info on each team.