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Nextel Cup Series Champions Week – Day 4:

November 29, 2006 at 12:00 AM

On the eve of the Nextel Cup Series Awards Ceremony in New York, over $1 million in special awards were presented at the NASCAR/National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) Myers Brothers luncheon. Headlining the list of award winners was Dale Earnhardt Jr. (#8 Budweiser Chevy), who won the Chex Cereals Most Popular Driver Award for the fourth consecutive year, and 2006 Raybestos Rookie of the Year Denny Hamlin (#11 FedEx Chevy), who finished third in the Chase for the Nextel Cup and received $50,000 as the series’ top rookie racer. Chevy received the Nextel Cup Series Manufacturers’ Championship for the 30th time. Chevy teams won 23 races in 2006, while seven of the 10 Chase for the Nextel Cup drivers drove Chevys. During the presentation, Chevy made a surprise presentation of its own – giving a 2007 Chevy Corvette convertible to Nextel Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson’s wife, Chani.
Other special award winners included:
NASCAR Vice President of Corporate Communications Jim Hunter, who was honored with the Buddy Shuman Award, in recognition of his longtime role and impact in the NASCAR community.
Benny Parsons, the 1973 Nextel Cup Series champion and NBC television commentator, who was honored with the Myers Brothers Award, for his contributions to the growth of Nextel Cup racing.
The #48 Lowe’s Chevy team takes top honors on Friday evening, but also received several awards on Thursday. Johnson won the $105,000 Checker’s/Rally’s Double-Drive Thru Pit Award, the Goodyear Award – including a scale replica of his #48 Lowe’s Chevy made from gold – and the $75,000 Sunoco Diamond Performance Award; the Hendrick Motorsports engine department won the $107,000 Clevite Engine Builder of the Year Award; and crew chief Chad Knaus was recognized with the Nextel Cup Series Championship Crew Chief Award.
Tony Stewart (#20 The Home Depot Chevy) received three different awards for his on-track performance – the $135,000 Bank of America Card Services Mid-Race Leader Award; the $100,000 USG Improving the Finish Award and the $75,000 WIX Lap Leader Award.
Kasey Kahne (#9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge) received $100,000 for winning the Budweiser Pole Award and $101,000 for winning the Commit Lozenges Commit to Win Award. Kahne won six pole positions in 2006.
Mike Ford, crew chief for Denny Hamlin, won the $102,400 DIRECTV Crew Chief of the Year Award.
Matt Kenseth (#17 DEWALT Power Tools Ford) won the $75,000 Goodyear Gatorback Fastest Lap Award.
The #31 Cingular Wireless Chevy team of Jeff Burton received the $75,000 Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award.
Kevin Harvick (#29 GM Goodwrench Chevy) received the $100,000 Mobil 1 Command Performance Award.
Allstate, the Official Insurance Partner of NASCAR, was presented with the Marketing Achievement Award.
Champions gather at Rockefeller Plaza An annual Champions Week tradition is the gathering of champions from all of NASCAR’s national, regional and local racing series, for a commemorative photo opportunity. It is the only time during the year that all of NASCAR’s champions from 12 different racing series are together in one location. Since 2002, this exclusive gathering has been held in New York as part of Champions Week.
On Thursday, the group – including Johnson, NASCAR Busch Series champion Kevin Harvick, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Todd Bodine, NASCAR Grand National Division, AutoZone West Series champion Eric Holmes, NASCAR Grand National Division, Busch East Series champion Mike Olsen, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Mike Stefanik, NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour champion Junior Miller, NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Midwest Series champion Tim Schendel, NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Northwest Series champion Gary Lewis, NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southeast Series champion J.R. Norris, NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series champion Rip Michels and NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series champion Philip Morris – assembled at Rockefeller Plaza, near the city’s famous Christmas Tree, for their photo.
One day and counting Champions Week concludes Friday with a final day of activities for Jimmie Johnson, the rest of the Nextel Cup Top 10 drivers and 11th-place driver Tony Stewart. Johnson and his team will pose for photos along Park Avenue in Manhattan, before attending several pre-Awards Ceremony receptions. The Awards Ceremony begins at 7 p.m. in the Waldorf=Astoria Hotel’s Grand Ballroom. At 6pm/et, SPEED will air a special one hour pre-show: “NASCAR Takes Manhattan.” TNT will televise the Awards Ceremony beginning at 9pm/et, featuring musical entertainment by singer/songwriter Jewel and comedy performances by Jay Mohr.(NASCAR PR) any news, schedule for the week and appearances will be posted on my 2006 Cup Awards Page.(11-29-2006)