Sprint Nextel and NASCAR unveiled several enhancements to the 2007 Nextel Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman and Nextel All-Star Challenge today during the annual media tour. We anticipate the excitement will carry through the entire Nextel All-Star Challenge week, said Dean Kessel, director of Nextel Cup Series marketing for Sprint Nextel. We have worked with each of our partners, including NASCAR, SPEED and Lowe’s Motor Speedway, to develop a format that honors the spirit of what the Nextel All-Star Challenge activities should be about. The Nextel Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman, slated for May 16 at Charlotte Bobcats Arena, will be directly linked to the Nextel All-Star Challenge, as the finishing order in the pit-crew competition will decide the selection order of pit stalls for the May 19 race. The Nextel Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman, now in its third season, will feature several new competitive elements. New Format: The Nextel All-Star Challenge’s new format consists of four, 20-lap segments and features teams that qualify for the event by winning a Nextel Cup Series event during the 2006 or 2007 seasons. Additionally, two drivers will qualify for the premier event by finishing first and second, respectively, after two 20-lap segments in the Nextel Open. Finally, one driver will once again join the Nextel All-Star Challenge field by winning the Nextel Fan Vote. Teams will have the option of pitting after the first 20-lap segment of the event, giving up their respective on-track position by doing so. A mandatory 10-minute stop will follow the second 20-lap segment. Teams will resume their position at the start of the third segment. Following segment three, all remaining participants on the track will circle the track under caution. Each team will then conduct a pit stop under race-like pitting conditions. The order of the teams exiting pit road will serve as the starting lineup for the fourth, and final, 20-lap segment. The Nextel All-Star Challenge will be broadcast live on SPEED. Additional details about the Nextel All-Star Challenge will be announced at a later date.(DEI site)(1-23-2007)
