As Lowe’s Motor Speedway celebrates 50 years of racing with the 50th running of the Coca-Cola 600, speedway officials have a number of events scheduled to honor past and present champions and race fans this weekend. Fans to Participate in Windstream Pole Night Tomorrow night Lowe’s Motor Speedway officials will randomly select fans in attendance for Winstream Pole Night to wave the green flag during NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying. A total of 47 Sprint Cup cars are entered and will attempt to make the 43-car field for the 50th running of the Coca-Cola 600. Qualifying is scheduled for 7:10pm/et. International Crowd to Attend Coca-Cola 600 Week Race fans from all 50 states and 10 foreign countries have purchased tickets to attend race festivities at Lowe’s Motor Speedway during Coca-Cola 600 Week. Ticket holders will travel from all across the United States, as well as, Australia, Belgium, Bermuda, Canada, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom to see Windstream Pole Night on Thursday, the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Showdown on Friday, CARQUEST Auto Parts 300 on Saturday and the 50th running of the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday. NASCAR Legends to Meet Fans Race fans will have the opportunity to meet past and present NASCAR personalities at the track throughout the Coca-Cola 600 Weekend. On Thursday and Saturday, past Coca-Cola 600 champions Bobby Allison, Donnie Allison and Marvin Panch and the official artist of Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Sam Bass, will sign autographs in the Lowe’s Motor Speedway ticket office at 3:00pm/et. Allison, Panch, Donnie Allison, Kyle Petty, Clint Bowyer, Bobby Labonte, Bass and Food Network star Tyler Florence will participate in the Coca-Cola Quarter-Mile Cookout from 12:00 to 2:00pm/et on Friday. Prior to the 50th running of the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday, Panch and both Allison brothers will sign autographs outside of Smith Tower at 11am/et. Special Cars on Display at LMS Fans will be able to check out several special cars that are a part of Lowe’s Motor Speedway’s history while at the track this weekend, including: Bobby Allison’s #12 Coca-Cola 1969 Mercury Cyclone that he drove to victory in the 1971 Coca-Cola 600 for Holman Moody; the 1971 Wood Brothers Racing #21 Mercury that David Pearson raced at Lowe’s Motor Speedway during the 1970s when he scored 11 straight pole awards at the 1.5-mile speedway; the #3 Atlanta Olympics Chevrolet that Dale Earnhardt Sr. drove in the 1996 All-Star Race in honor of the 100th anniversary of the modern Olympic Games; and the #3 GM Goodwrench/Wrangler Chevrolet Earnhardt Sr. drove in the 1999 All-Star Race. Going on 50 Years Several Lowe’s Motor Speedway event-time staffers will hit their 50 year mark with the speedway this month. Dave Suddreth has worked security in the infield since 1960. He’s manned pit road and Victory Circle. Earl Springs has sold event programs at Lowe’s Motor Speedway since the first race as well. Both will be on duty for the 50th running of the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday. Commemorative Posters Now on Sale Posters of the commemorative prints designed by Sam Bass, the official artist of Lowe’s Motor Speedway, for the 25th running of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and 50th running of the Coca-Cola 600 event programs are now on sale in the Lowe’s Motor Speedway gift shop, located on the second floor of Smith Tower, across from the ticket office. Bass’ latest posters “Silver Knights!” and “Gold Rush!” are available along with copies of the commemorative souvenir programs. He will also be on hand throughout the weekend for autographs. Biffle, Bowyer and Johnson Join ‘PRN Up To SPEED’ on Sunday “PRN Up To SPEED” will feature one of the best driver lineups to date for the free fan forums taking place at Lowe’s Motor Speedway during Coca-Cola 600 Week. Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer and three-time Coca-Cola 600 champion Jimmie Johnson will join personalities from the Performance Racing Network on the SPEED stage, located at the speedway’s main entrance, between 1 to 2pm/et, prior to the 50th running of the Coca-Cola 600. Past Coca-Cola 600 champions Marvin Panch, Donnie Allison and Bobby Allison will also join the PRN crew from 12:40 to 1:00pm/et for a special segment of the fan forum. Track President Marcus Smith will welcome the crowd. Tickets are still on sale for Thursday’s Windstream Pole Night, Saturday’s CARQUEST Auto Parts 300 and Sunday’s historic 50th running of the Coca-Cola 600. Fans can purchase tickets at the gates on event days or by calling the Lowe’s Motor Speedway ticket services department at 1-800-455-FANS.(LMS)(5-21-2009)
