THE NEXT Nextel Cup RACE
NEWS, STATS and INFO

• Race: Sunday, October 1, 2006 in Kansas, KS
• Title Sponsor/Link: Banquet Foods
• Track: Kansas Speedway
• TV: NBC 2:00pm/et
• Pre-Race Show: NBC – 1:30pm/et – with host Bill Weber
• Speed’s NASCAR Raceday Pre-Race Show: 11:30am/et with John Roberts, Jimmy Spencer, Kenny Wallace
• Green Flag Scheduled: 2:10pm/et
• Race Re-Air: Thursday, October 5 at 2:30pm/et on Speed Channel
• Pay Per View/NASCAR In Demand: www.indemand.com
• Announcers: Bill Weber, Benny Parsons, Wally Dallenbach
• Pit Reporters: Allen Bestwick, Matt Yocum, Marty Snider, Dave Burns
• TV Listings and Info:
  Jayski’s TV Listings Page
  NASCAR on TV
  Race Fan TV

• Radio Coverage: This Week – MRN and XM

  
  Motor Racing Network (MRN)

  
  XM Satellite – NASCAR Radio – Channel 144

  
  MRN Radio Booth Announcers: Barney Hall, Joe Moore

  MRN Radio Turn Reporter: Mike Bagley, Dan Hubbard, Dave Moody, Jeff Striegle

  MRN Radio Pit Reporters: Adam Alexander, Danielle Frye, Winston Kelley, Steve Post

• Purse/Race Awards: $5,934,007 (was $5,860,750 in 2005)
  

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  Practice Dates/Times/TV

• Friday Practice: Friday, September 29, 1:05 – 2:35pm/et, TV-none
• Saturday Practice: Saturday, September 30, 9:30 – 10:20am/et, TV-none
• Happy Hour Practice: Saturday, September 30, 11:05 – 11:55am/et on TV-Speed Channel via tape at 1:00pm/et
  

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  Qualifying Info

• Qualifying Draw: Friday, September 29, 12:05pm/et
• Qualifying: 2 laps for positions 1-43, Friday, September 29 at 4:40pm/et, TV-Speed Channel, re-air at 8:00pm/et on Speed AND live via radio at MRN Radio and XM Satellite NASCAR Radio.
• NASCAR Online will have live lap-by-lap coverage of Nextel Cup qualifying via the web (NOTE: this is a paid subscription service).

  (the above times in Eastern Time / ET – schedule below is by track location)

• NEXTEL CUP EVENT SCHEDULE for this race

  Friday, September 29th, 2006
  6 a.m. Parking lots open
  8 a.m. Grandstand gates open
  12:05 – 1:35 p.m. NNCS practice
  1:45 – 2:45 p.m. NBS practice
  3 – 3:30 p.m. NBS rookie practice
  3:40 p.m. NNCS qualifying (two laps, all positions)
  5:15 p.m. NBS final practice

  Saturday, September 30th, 2006
  6 a.m. Parking lots open
  8 a.m. Grandstand gates open
  8:30 a.m. NNCS practice
  9:30 – 9:45 a.m. NBC Sports exhibition run
  10:05 – 10:50 a.m. NNCS final practice
  11:05 a.m. NBS qualifying (two laps, all positions)
  1:35 p.m. NBS driver introductions
  2:05 p.m. NBS Yellow 300 (200 laps, 300 miles)

  Sunday, October 1st, 2006
  6 a.m. Parking lots open
  8 a.m. Grandstand gates open
  12:40 p.m. Driver introductions
  1:10 p.m. NNCS Banquet 400 presented by ConAgra Foods

  (these times are local to the track, which is central, 1 hour behind Eastern)

  key
  NNCS = Nextel Cup Series
  NBS = NASCAR Busch Series
  NCTS = NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
  SUBJECT TO CHANGE
  (Information Provided by NASCAR Statistical Services, 1-888-782-8725)

Tire: Goodyear Eagle Speedway Radials
Number of Tires: Nextel Cup:
Left-side — 1,400, Right-side — 1,400;
Busch Series: Left-side — 625, Right-side — 625

Tire Codes: Left-side — D-4008; Right-side — D-4062

Tire Circumference: Left-side — 87.4 in.; Right-side — 88.7 in.

Technical Inspection Inflation:
Left Front — 30 psi; Left-Rear — 30 psi;
Right Front — 48 psi; Right Rear — 45 psi

Minimum Recommended Inflation:
Left Front — 22 psi; Left-Rear — 22 psi;
Right Front — 47 psi; Right Rear — 43 psi

Estimated Pit Window: Every 60-65 laps, based on fuel mileage

Notes: This is the only track at which NASCAR Nextel Cup and Busch Series teams will run this exact combination of left- and right-side tires in 2006 . . . these tire codes have been run at other tracks this season, however . . . this left-side code (D-4008) has been run at California, Texas, Kentucky (Busch Series only) and Homestead, while this right-side code (D-4062) has been run at
Dover and Michigan . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required to run liners in all four tire positions at Kansas . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire.

• The Nextel Cup Leader Bonus is $10,000 at Kansas for leading the points and winning the race [all in the top-9 have a shot at it]. The $360,000 annual award is paid at $10,000 per race to the point leader at the end of each event if the driver is also the winner. The award increases by $10,000 each week the it goes unclaimed. If the point leader is not the race winner at the end of the year, the balance of the award is distributed among the top-10 finishers in the drivers point standings.
  2006 Nextel Cup Leader Bonus Winners:
  #48-Jimmie Johnson, Las Vegas, 3/12/2006, $30,000
  #48-Jimmie Johnson, Talladega, 5/1/2006, $60,000
  #48-Jimmie Johnson, Indianapolis, 8/6/2006, $120,000
  #29-Kevin Harvick, New Hampshire, 9/17/2006, $60,000
  #31-Jeff Burton, Dover, 9/24/2006, $10,000
  (9-24-2006)

• Entry List for the Banquet 400 at Kansas Speedway is up, 47 drivers [for 43 spots] are listed, including these drivers who need to get in on speed and are NOT in a 2006 Top-35 Owners Points Position:
  #06-Todd Kluever
  #4-Scott Wimmer
  #32-Travis Kvapil
  #34-Chad Blount
  #37-Bill Elliott [CH2]
  #44-Terry Labonte [CH1]
  #45-Kyle Petty
  #46-Carl Long
  #49-Kevin Lepage
  #55-Michael Waltrip
  #61-Chad Chaffin
  #78-Kenny Wallace
  [CH] has champ prov to use if needed
  If qualifying is rained out, the making the race would be: #’s 44,37,45,32,55,4,49,61
  missing the race would be #’s: 78,34,46,06.
  see entry list on Jayski’s Kansas Entry List Page.
  (9-25-2006)
• The Top 35 Owners Points is set for Kansas:
  #45-Petty is still out, gained a little ground on the #14 but has get in via speed at Kansas
  34) #40-Stremme/Felix Sabates 159 points ahead of 36th
  35) #14-Marlin/Bobby Ginn +42
  these drivers/teams are out of the Top 35 and would need to get in the races via speed only
  36) #45-Petty/Petty 42 points behind 35th
  37) #32-Kvapil/Cal Wells -146
  Current owners [NOT drivers points] points are used to determine the top-35 and the other drivers who need to make the race on speed, the points and positions will fluctuate each week and settle as the season progresses.
  For drivers/owners points, see my Jayski’s Drivers/Owners Points Page.(9-24-2006)

• Determining Race Line-Ups – Top 35 Guarantee: At the start of the 2005 seaspn, NASCAR instituted a new procedure for establishing the starting race field in the Nextel Cup Series [NNCS]. 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 NNCS still will be determined by qualifying speed, the new system will assure the highest-ranked 35 positions of the NNCS 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 Nextel 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 Nextel 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 Nextel Cup, the top 35 in the NNCS 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 top35 of OWNERS [not drivers points] are placed to the 42nd spot. The 43rd spot is used for the most recent past 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]
• see my Final 2005 Owners Points with the 2006 teams listed page
• What happens if qualifying gets rained out?

  If it is the first 5 races of the season, the previous season OWNERS points are used:

  
  #1) – Previous season Owner Points [position 1-35]
  #2) – Race winners from the previous and current season not already in the field
  #3) – Past Nextel Cup Champions not in by 1 or 2
  #4) – Current season Owner Points [Top 35][not in by rules 1-3]
  #5) – Current season race attempts ties broken by current owners points standings [not in by rules 1-4]
  After the 5th race of the season, the current season OWNERS points are used:
  
  #1) – First 35 by current Owner Points
  #2) – Last Years 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) – Past Nextel Cup Champions not in by 1 thru 4
  #6) – Qualifying Attempts with Owners points as the tie breaker
  #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)

• No Racing to the Caution Rule and Q&A/Lucky Dog
• for race results and current drivers/owners points, see my Jayski’s – 2006 Nextel Cup Race Results Page
• 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).

• Heading to Kansas:
  • There have been five different Bud Pole winners in the five races at Kansas since the inaugural race there in 2001.
  Matt Kenseth is the defending Bud Pole winner there.
  • Greg Biffle has posted two straight top-10 starts at Kansas, the longest current streak.
  • There have been four different race winners in the five races at Kansas Speedway. Jeff Gordon posted back-toback
  victories winning the inaugural race in 2001 and then winning there again in 2002.
  • Greg Biffle has posted two straight top-10 finishes at Kansas, both top-fives, the longest current streak.
  • One year ago Mark Martin won at Kansas – his most recent Nextel Cup victory.
  • Ryan Newman and Jeff Gordon lead all drivers, each scoring three top-five finishes in five races at Kansas.
  • Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon lead all drivers, each scoring four top-10 finishes in five races at Kansas Speedway.
  • Jimmie Johnson leads all drivers with more than two starts with a 7.25 starting average in his four races at Kansas.
  • Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with a 6.0 finishing average in five races at Kansas Speedway.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(9-24-2006)
• Who’s Hot – Kansas:
  • Jeff Gordon has scored two top-five finishes in the first two races in The Chase, the only driver to do so.
  • Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin have each scored top-10 finishes in the first two races in The
  Chase.
  • Jeff Gordon has climbed from ninth to second in the point standings in the last two races. His second-place points position is
  his highest in 2006 and highest since he ranked second after Darlington in May 2005. The last time he led the point standings
  was after his victory in the 2005 Daytona 500.
  • Denny Hamlin has posted 15 top-10 finishes this season and ranks fourth in the Championship point standings after the
  second race of The Chase. He is second in points earned over the past 10 races – earning 1,482 points – just three less than
  Kevin Harvick over the 10-race period. Hamlin remains on track with other notable rookies including Ryan Newman who
  posted 22 top-10 finishes in his rookie season and Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart who both posted 21 top-10 finishes in
  their rookie seasons.
  • Matt Kenseth has posted 13 top-five finishes in 2006 and ranks third in the point standings.
  • Matt Kenseth has posted six straight top-10 finishes, the longest current streak.
  • Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth have each scored a top-15 finish in 23 of the 28 races in 2006, the most of all drivers (82
  percent).
  • Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth are the only drivers to score 18 top-10 finishes in the first 28 races of 2006.
  • Kasey Kahne has won five races in 2006, the most of all drivers.
  • Denny Hamlin has scored top-15 finishes in 18 of the last 19 races.
  • Mark Martin has been running at the finish in the last 35 races, since Kansas one year ago, the longest current streak.
  • Dave Blaney has posted three straight top-15 finishes and four in his last five races.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(9-25-2006)
• Track Qualifying Record: Matt Kenseth, 10/8/2005, 180.856mph
• Last Year’s Pole Sitter: #17-Matt Kenseth, 180.856mph, finished 5th
• 2005 Race Winner: #6-Mark Martin, 137.774mph, started 19th
• Track Race Record: Mark Martin, 10/9/2005, 137.774mph
• Slowest Race Record: Jeff Gordon, Sept 2001, 110.576mph
• Most Wins: 2 – Jeff Gordon
• Most Poles: 5, with four drivers:
  Earnhardt Jr.[2001], Leffler [2002], Johnson [2003], Nemechek [2004], Kenseth [2005]
• Most Top 5s: 3 – Jeff Gordon [2 wins, 5th], Ryan Newman [win, 2 2nds]
• Most Top 10s: 4 – Jeff Gordon, Ricky Rudd, Tony Stewart, Rusty Wallace
• Oldest Winner: Mark Martin, 46 years, 9 months, 10/9/2005
• Youngest Winner: Ryan Newman, 25 years, 9 months, 27 days, 10/5/03
• Most Laps Led by a Race Winner: Mark Martin, 10/9/2005, 139 laps
• Fewest Laps Led by a Race Winner: Ryan Newman, 10/5/03, 28
• Most Lead Changes: 24 – 10/10/04
• Fewest Lead Changes: 13 – 9/29/02
• Most Leaders: 12 – 9/30/01, 10/10/04, 10/9/05
• Fewest Leaders: 10 – 9/29/02
• Most Cautions: 13, 9/30/01
• Most Caution Laps: 70, 9/30/01
• Fewest Cautions: 7, 10/9/2005
• Fewest Caution Laps: 39 – 10/10/04
• Most Running at the Finish: 38 – 10/9/2005
• Fewest Running at the Finish: 27 – 9/29/02
• Most Wins by Manufacturer: 3 – Chevy
• Worst Starting Spot to Win: Mark Martin, 10/9/2005, started 19th
• Races won from starting pos 1: 1 [of 5] 20%
• Races won from starting pos 2: 1
• Races won from starting pos 10: 1
• Races won from starting pos 11: 1
• Races won from starting pos 19: 1
• Races won from the top 5: 2 of 5 – 40.0%
• Races won from the top 10: 3 of 5 – 60.0
• Kansas Nuggets:
  Kansas Bud Pole Winners
  There have been five different Bud Pole winners in the five races at Kansas. Matt Kenseth is the defending Bud Pole winner there.
  Different Race Winners
  There have been four different race winners in the five races at Kansas Speedway. Jeff Gordon is the only driver to score multiple victories at Kansas winning the 2001 inaugural race and again in 2002.
  Starting Up Front is Important at Kansas
  All five races at Kansas have been won from a top-20 starting position, including two from the front row.
  Kansas Streaks
  • Greg Biffle has posted two straight top-10 starts at Kansas, the longest current streak.
  • Greg Biffle has posted two straight top-five finishes at Kansas, the longest current streak.
  Owner Wins at Kansas Speedway
  Rick Hendrick leads all owners scoring two victories at Kansas Speedway. Both of those victories were by Jeff Gordon (2001-2002).
  Leading The Way at Kansas
  Jeff Gordon has led 169 laps at Kansas – more than any other driver. However, he has not led in his last three races there.
  Kansas Standouts
  • Jeff Gordon leads all drivers with two victories at Kansas.
  • Jeff Gordon and Ryan Newman lead all drivers, each with three top-five finishes at Kansas.
  • Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon leads all drivers, each with four top-10 finishes in five races at Kansas. Retired drivers Rusty Wallace and Ricky Rudd also scored four top-10 finishes in five races at Kansas.
  • Jimmie Johnson leads all drivers with more than three starts with a 7.25 average start in his four races at Kansas.
  • Jeff Gordon leads all drivers with a 6.0 average finish at Kansas.
  Chase Drivers at Kansas (Ranked by Average Finish)
  Driver Starts Average Finish Laps Led
  1. Jeff Gordon, 5 6.000, 169
  2. Jimmie Johnson, 4, 13.75, 21
  3. Mark Martin, 5, 14.4, 141
  4. Kasey Kahne, 2, 15.5, 39
  5. Kevin Harvick, 5, 18.4, 49
  6. Jeff Burton, 5, 19.2, 4
  7. Matt Kenseth, 5, 19.4, 85
  8. Dale Earnhardt Jr., 5, 20.0, 22
  9. Kyle Busch, 2, 29.0, 0
  10. Denny Hamlin 1 32.0 0

  Season Nuggets
  • Race No. 29 at Kansas marks the third of the 10 races in the 2006 Chase for the Nextel Cup.
  • Jeff Burton leads the Chase for the Nextel Cup by six points over Jeff Gordon. It is Burton’s seventh time as the point leader and first since May 1999 after California.
  • Eleventh-place Tony Stewart has a 217-point lead over 12th-place Greg Biffle.
  • Six different car owners are represented in the 2006 Chase for the Nextel Cup: Hendrick Motorsports (Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon), Jack Roush Racing (Matt Kenseth and Mark Martin), Richard Childress Racing (Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton), Joe Gibbs Racing (Denny Hamlin), DEI (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) and Evernham Motorsports (Kasey Kahne).
  • Seven Chevrolets, two Fords and one Dodge are competing in the 2006 Chase for the Nextel Cup.
  • Six of the top 10 and 13 of the top-25 drivers changed point positions at Dover.
  • Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson lead all drivers, each scoring 18 top-10 finishes in 28 races in 2006.
  • All 28 victories in 2006 have been scored by drivers ranked in the top-14 in the point standings.
  • Mark Martin (sixth) is the only driver among the top 10 yet to score a victory in 2006.
  • Matt Kenseth and Jeff Gordon are the only drivers to lead in 19 of the 28 races this.
  • Matt Kenseth has outscored all drivers earning 115 lap leader bonus points, five more than Jeff Gordon who has scored 110.
  • After winning only three races in all of 2005, Dodge has won six of the 28 races in 2006. Chevrolet has 17 victories while Ford has just five. One year ago Ford had 11 victories at this point of the season.
  • Chevrolet clinched the 2006 Manufacturers’ Championship at New Hampshire. This is the 30th Manufacturers’ Championship for Chevrolet. Chevrolet has won the Manufacturers’ Championship in each of the last four years.
  • Two of the top-10 in driver points have been running at the finish in every race in 2006: Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin.
  • Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne and Jeff Gordon have each posted four DNFs – the most of any driver ranked in among the top 19. Despite his four DNFs, Gordon is second in the point standings, just six points behind Jeff Burton.
  • NASCAR Rookie-of-the-Year contender Denny Hamlin has scored top-10 finishes in 15 of the 28 races in 2006 (54%). He has scored 18 top-10s in 35 career races – 51%. He has scored top-10 finishes in nine of the last 10 races and 18 top-15 finishes in the last 19. He also has been the highest finishing rookie in 14 of the 28 races in 2006 (50%).
  • At least one rookie has scored a top-15 finish in every race this season. In 22 of the 28 races a rookie finished in the top 10 (79%). In 10 races two or more rookies finished in the top 10 (36%).(NASCAR Statistical Services)(9-26-2006)

• Track Specs:
  Track/Race Length: 1.5 mile oval, 267 laps, 400.5 miles
  Superspeedway: 1.5-mile quad-oval
  Banking: corners/turns: 15º; tri-oval: 10.4º; backstretch: 5º
  Straights: Frontstretch – 2,685 feet; Backstretch – 2,207 feet
  Attendence: 75,000

  Race Festivities:
  Co-Grand Marshals: Comedian George Lopez and former track and field star Jackie Joyner-Kersee
  Command to start engines: George Lopez and Jackie Joyner-Kersee
  Wave the green flag/honorary starter: Matthew Scott, won the right by winning the 2005 Banquet Instant Win Honorary Starter Family Experience prize
  National Anthem: ?
  Military Flyover: ?

• Track Homepage: kansasspeedway

• 2005 Race Info / Rundown Page

• Joyner-Kersee, Lopez to serve as co-grand marshals at Kansas: Three-time Olympic gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee and popular comic-actor George Lopez will serve as co-grand marshals for Sunday’s Banquet 400 at Kansas Speedway. Joyner-Kersee, considered to be one the greatest female athletes of all time, won three gold, one silver and two bronze medals in the heptathlon and long jump events over four consecutive Olympic Games – 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1996. She was the first woman to score 7,000 points in a heptathlon, a demanding seven-event competition that measures speed, strength and stamina, and has held the world record in heptathlon since 1986. She was also a world-class athlete in 100 meter hurdles and 200 meters. Joyner-Kersee took home the gold medal in the heptathlon at the 1998 Goodwill Games in what was to be her last competition; she retired soon after. Sports Illustrated voted her the “Greatest Female Athlete of the 20th Century.”
  Lopez, star of ABC’s sitcom “George Lopez,” is one of the premier comedic talents in the entertainment industry. He is the co-creator,
  writer, producer and star of the ABC sitcom, “George Lopez.” Last year, Time magazine recognized Lopez as one of the “25 Most
  Influential Hispanics in America.” Lopez’s CD “Team Leader” was released to great public acclaim and nominated for a 2004 Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album. In May 2004, George’s autobiography “Why You Crying?” entered in the New York Times Bestsellers list. He has starred in several movies, including “The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl,” which opened last year. Lopez continues to tour the country with his stand-up comedy routine.(Kansas Speedway PR)(9-27-2006)
• Heartland set to sing national anthem at Kansas: Heartland, a country music band from Huntsville, Ala., will sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” prior to the Banquet 400 at Kansas Speedway. The band got its start touring clubs around Alabama. Their debut single, “I Loved Her First,” hit the country music charts this year. Heartland band members include Craig Anderson (rhythm guitar), Keith West (bass guitar/background vocals), Jason Albert (lead vocalist), Chuck Crawford (fiddle/background vocals), Todd Anderson (drums) and Mike Myerson (lead guitar). Heartland will also perform a pre-race concert from the Banquet stage prior to the Banquet 400. The concert is scheduled to begin at 11:50am.(Kansas Speedway PR)(9-27-2006)
• Hale named manager of Public Relations for Kansas Speedway: Kansas Speedway has named Kelly Hale its manager of Public Relations. Hale, a native of Edwardsville, Kan., has worked for NASCAR as a coordinator of Communications for the past four years. During that time, she oversaw the advance media programs for the Nextel Cup Series, Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series. She was also responsible for media outreach for Busch Series Champion’s week. Prior to joining NASCAR, Hale was the Community Relations manager for the Kansas City Comets of the Major Indoor Soccer League and was the public relations contact before her departure. Hale holds a bachelor’s degree in sports science with an emphasis in sports information from the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kan. She replaces Sammie Lukaskiewicz, who heads to Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich., to be the Director of Communications for the International Speedway Corporation-owned racetrack.(Kansas Speedway PR)(9-26-2006)
• Kansas Truck race to move to April in 2007: on Speed Channel’s NASCAR Report, Ray Dunlap reported that the Kansas Speedway Truck Series race will move to the end of April in 2007 from it current July spot.(Speed Channel’s NASCAR Report)(8-31-2006)
• Kahne to sell tix at Kansas: On Tuesday, May 16 #9-Kasey Kahne will join Kansas Speedway’s ticketing staff for the day. He’ll meet the staff, take a quick tour of Kansas Speedway’s ticket offices, learn some tips on how to sell tickets and then get ready for some on-the-job training with the race fans of NASCAR. Besides answering some ticket sales calls, Kahne will personally autograph all tickets he sells that day. He’s featured on this year’s season ticket so his autograph will make the ticket a nice collector’s piece for some lucky fans. Kahne will take calls from ticket buyers starting at 11 a.m. The best way to reach Kahne is by calling 913.328.RACE (7223) or by Kansas Speedway’s toll-free number, 866.460.RACE (7223). Kansas Speedway’s Banquet 400 Nextel Cup race will be held on Oct. 1.(Kansas Speedway PR)(5-8-2006)
• Race is on for Kansas Lottery $200 Grand tickets: This could be the year a Kansas Lottery player wins $200,000 by correctly predicting the top three finishers, in order, of the ARCA RE/MAX Series Kansas Lottery $200 Grand at Kansas Speedway.
  July will mark the third time the Kansas Lottery has sponsored the ARCA RE/MAX Series race at Kansas Speedway. Visit www.kslottery.com or see the back of the Kansas Lottery $200 Grand scratch ticket for more information. Kansas Speedway’s ARCA RE/MAX Series Kansas Lottery $200 Grand is set for July 1. The race is paired with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
  O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 and IRL IndyCar Series event that weekend. For race tickets or more information, call Kansas Speedway at 913.328.RACE or toll free at 866.460.RACE. You may also log onto www.kansasspeedway.com. Kansas Lottery $200 Grand instant scratch ticket is on sale now.(Kansas Speedway PR)(3-8-2006)
• Bank of America to sponsor four ISC tracks: Bank of America Corp. said Tuesday that it has reached a five-year agreement with International Speedway Corp. to sponsor four race tracks, including California Speedway near Los Angeles. Financial terms of the latest sponsorship deal, which also includes tracks in Kansas City, Mo.; Avondale, Ariz.; and Watkins Glen, N.Y., were not disclosed. In return for its financial support, Bank of America wins the right to place advertisements and ATMs at each of the four tracks as well as entertainment space and other promotional rights. Last summer, Bank of America struck a deal with ISC’s chief rival, Speedway Motorsports Inc., to sponsor Lowe’s Motor Speedway in nearby Concord, N.C., and tracks at Atlanta, Dallas, Las Vegas and San Francisco. Bank of America also will sponsor the Nextel Cup race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in October, the Bank of America 500.()(2-22-2006)
• Past track news: posted in the past at Jayski’s Past Track News/Rumors – Kansas Speedway

• Kluever to attempt Kansas in the #06: Todd Kluever will be attempting his third Nextel Cup start this weekend at Kansas.
  He will be driving the #06 3M Ford Fusion for Roush Racing. Kluever drove this car at California, although it did not qualify for the race. Kluever will be competing in both the Nextel Cup and Busch Series races at Kansas this weekend.(Roush Racing PR)(9-27-2006)
• No Montoya in Kansas Busch race: Hopes that Juan Pablo Montoya would begin his stock-car racing career at Kansas Speedway have apparently ended. There just wasn’t enough time to get Montoya, who has been driving Formula One cars since leaving the CART series in 2001, ready for the coming weekend of racing at Kansas. Montoya spent Monday testing ARCA cars for team owner Chip Ganassi at Talladega Superspeedway. He will also practice in ARCA cars Friday at the new Iowa Speedway, which means he will not be able to participate in Busch series practice at Kansas that day.(Kansas City Star)(9-26-2006)
• Bill Elliott to attempt Kansas in #37 UPDATE Melling sponsoring the #37: #37 R&J Racing announced that 1988 Cup Champ Bill Elliott will be in the #37 Dodge at Kansas Speedway next weekend. “We are extremely excited to announce that after a few weeks off to restructure our program, we have signed Bill to drive the #37 car. We feel that after joining forces with Ernie Elliott, we finally have achieved the success with our program that our team deserves.” R&J Racing also has signed a deal with Vision Motorsports Marketing out of Atlanta to handle sponsorship and PR for them. “We feel that the #37 team has made huge strides towards developing their program and we believe with the right marketing partner they would be a force to challenge for the win each weekend.” said Vision Motorsports
  Marketing Vice President Adam Loser. R&J Racing and Vision Motorsports Marketing are working on their sponsorship program with opportunities still available for the Kansas race.(Vision Motorsports Marketing PR)(9-19-2006)
  UPDATE: Twenty-Five years after they first became one of the most dominating duos in Nascar history, Bill Elliott and the Melling family reunite in the Nextel Cup Series Banquet 400 presented by ConAgra Foods October 1, 2006 at the Kansas Speedway. Mark Melling, now CEO of the Melling Family business, made the announcement today about the two getting back together with Melling providing a one race sponsorship of the #37 R&J Racing Dodge. The car will feature a retro red and white paint scheme from Bills first year driving with Melling funding in 1982. Over a span of a decade with Melling backing(1982-1991) Bill racked up 39 poles, 34 victories, the 1985 Winston Million Dollar Bonus, and the 1988 Championship. Because of this success, Mark Mellings late father Harry Melling was named one of the 40 most important people in Nascar history in 1997. Mark Melling noted he is thrilled to associate with the #37 team and sponsor their entry at the Kansas Race for the 25th anniversary season of Mellings original relationship with Bill Elliott. Melling Engine Parts is a world-class designer, manufacturer, and distributor of oil pumps and internal engine parts to the automotive aftermarket, performance, and original Equipment industries. Our catalog contains oil pumps, camshafts, timing
  components, valve train, and cylinder sleeves. More info at melling.com.(Melling Engine Parts PR)(9-25-2006)
• 6th Roush Team…for a bit UPDATE 2: Later this season, Roush Racing will add a sixth Nextel Cup team, for seven races, to get Todd Kluever [Busch Series #06] warmed up for his role as #6-Mark Martin’s [retiring from Cup] replacement next season.(Winston Salem Journal)(2-26-2006)
  UPDATE: Roush Racing’s Todd Kluever, who is running the Busch Series [#06 3M Ford] full time and will make seven Cup starts later this year, will have the second Michigan race (Not first even with the race sponsorship) on his schedule along with Chicago, Kansas and Phoenix in November to name a few. Expect his debut to come at Chicagoland – the track closest to his hometown of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.(RacingOne)(2-27-2006)
  UPDATE 2: 3M Company and Roush Racing announced that 3M will be the primary sponsor for the #06 Ford Fusion entry driven by Todd Kluever in six Nextel Cup races this season. Kluever’s NEXTEL Cup races this year are intended to prepare him for the 2007 NEXTEL Cup season, when he will drive the #6 AAA Ford Fusion currently driven by Mark Martin. Kluever’s six-race schedule will consist of Chicago, July 9; Michigan, August 20; California, Sept 3; Kansas, Oct 1; Lowe’s, Oct 14 and Phoenix, Nov 12.(Roush Racing PR)(3-1-2006)
• See the 2006 Team Chart and the 2007 Team Chart, which has links to past news for each team and info on each team.

• Special Irwin scheme for #26 at three races: #26-Jamie McMurray is scheduled to drive a white Lennox Industrial Tools paint scheme at Chicagoland, New Hampshire [July] and Kansas City.(RacingOne)(4-25-2006)
• More Paint Scheme news can be found on Paint Schemes Gallery

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