Muscle Cars of America

Coca-Cola 600 Changes But Remains Test Of Endurance

Thu, 24 May 2012 11:41:23 PDT

FOX's Darrell Waltrip Won Race Record Five Times Listening, Being Patient

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 24, 2012) - Much - almost everything - has changed since Joe Lee Johnson spent 5-1/2 hours behind the wheel of his Chevrolet en route to victory in 1960's inaugural World 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Now the Coca-Cola 600, a 600-mile, 400-lap marathon, is as much about speed as endurance.

It's just a different kind of endurance.

Sunday's 53rd edition of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' longest race (FOX, live, 6 p.m. EDT) isn't your father or grandfather's competition. The driver's right foot will be as flat to the floor as possible from a late- afternoon green flag to the checkers that will fall under the lights. Pit crews, no matter how exhausted, will be expected to perform sub-13-second stops whether it's lap 10 or 390.

A year ago 19 of the race's 30 finishers completed all 400 laps - a far cry from Johnson's four-lap margin of victory over Johnny Beauchamp. The 60-car field was reduced to 18 by engine, rear end and suspension failures and accidents.

Nearly 20 years later, when NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip won his first of a record five Coca-Cola 600s, the equipment had improved although hardly to the level of today's machines. Waltrip will analyze Sunday's race as part of the FOX broadcast team that includes Mike Joy and Larry McReynolds.

"It was a mini endurance race," said Waltrip, who won the race for three different owners and two crew chiefs over more than a decade. "Cars at the time when you went over 400 miles you were pushing it. The equipment wasn't that good. You had one of everything: one good engine and your backup (car) was the show car that had been sitting in a K-Mart parking lot.

"It took a game plan. You'd be thinking about a pace, a lot like road racing - when to pit and not let anything interfere with it. Now it's totally opposite: it's a 600-mile sprint race."

Waltrip competed in the race 28 consecutive times, the last in 1995, finishing 11 times in the top five. He won the Coca-Cola 600 in 1978-79 driving for DiGard Racing and crew chief Buddy Parrott. NASCAR Hall of Famer Junior Johnson provided his 1985-winning Chevrolet along with crew chief Jeff Hammond. Hammond also was in charge during 1988-89 wins for Hendrick Motorsports.

He beat Donnie Allison in 1978, Richard Petty in 1979, Harry Gant in 1985, Rusty Wallace in 1988 and Sterling Marlin in 1989. In three of the five wins, Waltrip took the lead for the final time with less than 60 laps remaining.

"We would let the race come to us. We knew the smart strategy was to be conservative and charge at the end," he said mirroring the tactics of NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson a three-time Coca Cola 600 winner. "I watched him early in my career and it paid off. You just had to keep 'em (the leaders) in sight."

Hammond, now a FOX pit analyst, agrees that Waltrip was a scholar of the competition - much of it destined, like his driver, for the NASCAR Hall of Fame. "He was a good student of David (Pearson) and all of those he raced against. He took (lessons) from all of them," said Hammond, who teamed with Waltrip to win 43 times between 1982 and 1992.

"He was very methodical and wouldn't get excited about what was going on (around him) on the race track."

The secret to Waltrip's success, according to Hammond, was the ability to listen and absorb. "He was smart, unlike a lot of drivers. You could talk to him about taking care of the equipment," he said. "You'd establish a line and he'd run the car to it and roll out. He didn't believe in driving the corners flat-out. He didn't fire it in there.

"He listened, learned and applied. He didn't make the same mistake twice."

Waltrip also was physically fit - better than many of his competitors - in days before time in the gym was a key element of NASCAR Sprint Cup racing. That made a difference especially with poor driver compartment ventilation, hot floorboards and cars without power steering. All took a toll, especially before lighting allowed much of the Coca-Cola 600 to be run after dark.

"The guy in the best shape had the best chance," said Waltrip. "I didn't get tired."

Waltrip, however, remembers one rival - fellow NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough - who was just as fit. "Cale was tenacious. Like in football, you could run him around but you couldn't tip him over," he said.

Waltrip doesn't have a favorite "600" victory instead recalling one he didn't win - 1980 which he finished second to Benny Parsons. The pair traded the lead five times over the final 25 laps in one of the race's most compelling conclusions. Parsons, a NASCAR Sprint Cup champion and broadcaster before his death in 2007 passed Waltrip on Lap 399 and won by a half-second.

"I should have won; that one got away," said Waltrip, who led 157 laps and would have been the first to win the "600" three consecutive times.

According to Hammond, the shoe usually was on the other foot. Waltrip is fond of saying go where they aren't and that's what he did.

"He'd sneak up and steal the pie off the window sill while nobody was looking," said Hammond.

First-Ever SEMA Mustang Build Powered by Women

Wed, 23 May 2012 16:14:44 PDT

Voting Now Open to Determine Final Design of
First-Ever SEMA Mustang Build Powered by Women
-- Voting continues through June 3 --

Diamond Bar, CA (May 23, 2012) - Voting is now open to help select the final concept for the first-ever SEMA Mustang Build Powered by Women. From today to June 3, 2012, the public is invited to visit www.automobilemag.com, www.HotRod.com, www.mustangmonthly.com or www.MuscleMustangFastFords.com to view three different design concepts and vote on the one they would like to see used for the build. Voters will be entered into drawings to win several prizes.

Announced earlier this week, the SEMA Mustang Build Powered by Women is a collaboration between Ford Motor Co. and the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA). Lead by the SEMA Businesswomen's Network (SBN) a 2013 Mustang GT donated by Ford will be completely modified utilizing the winning design from start to finish by women. Beginning with three concepts developed by female designers and concluding with women volunteers performing the hands-on modifications, the project is meant to shine the light on females working in the automotive aftermarket and encourage more women to pursue careers in the industry.

High Gear
Designed by SBN Member Jennifer Seely of Ford Motor Company.

High Gear, a luxury Mustang concept, is inspired by international products in categories such as jewelry, couture clothing and architecture. Designed to stimulate the senses by fusing luxury and power, the results are fresh and exciting propelling Mustang into a whole new arena.

Chromatic
Designed by SBN Member Jennifer Seely of Ford Motor Company.

The ultimate Pop culture edition mustang. Taking a futuristic new design approach, this Mustang draws inspiration from elements in pop culture such as street art and products for an exciting color palate that is free of all boundaries and disciplines. The anthracite colored chrome body as a base exemplifies the neon colors bringing this mustang to life. Design details include: Anthracite colored Chrome exterior, bright cyan wheels, white leather racing interior, coupled with an aggressive track suspension and V8 roar.

Fast Metal
Designed by SBN Member Theresa Contreras from L&G Enterprises.

Taking this American muscle car to a whole other level, Theresa uses tone on tone dark metallic finishes and red accents for a dramatic design that underscores Mustang's raw DNA, speed and power.

Source Interlink Media (SIM), a partner in the project, posted the three concepts on several of its websites so the public can vote for the design that will ultimately be selected. The concept with the most votes will be used for the build, which will take place at the SIM Headquarters in El Segundo, California.

"Women play a significant role when it comes to customizing a vehicle," said Bryan Harrison, Sr. Manager of Councils for SEMA and Project Manager on the build. "From purchasing the vehicle and determining what modifications to make, to executing the actual modifications and driving the customized vehicle, women are key players in the entire process. The SEMA Mustang Build demonstrates just how integral women are to customizing today's cars and trucks."

The completed vehicle will debut at the 2012 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. The modified Mustang will then be auctioned off on eBay, with money raised to benefit the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund. The fund is dedicated to fostering the next generation of automotive aftermarket leaders and innovators by awarding cash scholarships to winning applicants.

To learn more about the SEMA Mustang Build Powered by Women, visit www.automobilemag.com, www.HotRod.com, www.mustangmonthly.com or www.MuscleMustangFastFords.com or contact Bryan Harrison at bryanh@sema.org or 909/978-6691.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 164,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.

About the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA)
SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association founded in 1963, represents the $29.99 billion specialty automotive industry of 6,383 member-companies. It is the authoritative source for research, data, trends and market growth information for the specialty auto parts industry. The industry provides appearance, performance, comfort, convenience and technology products for passenger and recreational vehicles. For more information, contact SEMA at 1575 S. Valley Vista Dr., Diamond Bar, CA 91765, tel: 909/396-0289, or visit www.sema.org or www.enjoythedrive.com.

About Source Interlink Media
Source Interlink Media, LLC is the premier source of special interest media in the United States. With more than 75 publications, 100 Web sites, 800 branded products, 50+ events, and TV and radio programs, SIM is the largest provider of content to enthusiast communities interested in automotive, action sports, home theatre and other niche activities. The division's strategy is to wholly focus on targeted audiences by leveraging and expanding upon its core market-leading brands through a multiplatform media approach.

About the SEMA Scholarship Fund
The SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund is dedicated to fostering the next generation of automotive aftermarket leaders and innovators. Scholarship awards range from $1,000 - $2,000, with $4,000 going to the top student. Assistance is available for career paths in the automotive industry in accounting, administration, advertising, design/graphics, engineering, information technology, manufacturing, photo/journalism, race car driver/crew, sales/marketing, technicians and transportation.

Collector Car Appreciation Day Events

Wed, 23 May 2012 14:45:18 PDT

COLLECTOR CAR APPRECIATION DAY

FRIDAY, JULY 13, 2012

	How to Plan Your Event
	Download CCAD Logo
	Download CCAD Flyer

The SEMA Action Network (SAN) announced July 13, 2012 as "Collector Car Appreciation Day." The date marks the third commemoration in what has become an annual event to raise awareness of the vital role automotive restoration and collection plays in American society. The SAN is again working to secure a congressional resolution to recognize the day's significance.

The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), its Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) and Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) and the SEMA Action Network (SAN) announced July 13, 2012 as "Collector Car Appreciation Day." The date marks the third commemoration of what has become an annual event to celebrate and raise awareness of the vital role automotive restoration and collection plays in American society. If you have an event planned for the month of July and you would like it included on our list, please submit the details clicking this link. For questions, contact the SAN at san@sema.org. The list will help collector car enthusiasts identify an event in their area for this celebration.

SUBMIT YOUR EVENT INFORMATION HERE.

2012 Collector Car Appreciation Day Events:

ARIZONA

July 13, Glendale
Chilly Bomber's/ Freddy's Steakburgers Cruise In
Sponsor: Nancy Perry Productions
Info: www.nancyperryproductions.webs.com/

July 14, Glendale

Mixteca/Kmart Cruise In

Sponsor: Nancy Perry Productions

Info: www.nancyperryproductions.webs.com/

July 14, Mesa
National Collector Car Day East Side Location
Sponsor: Nancy Perry Productions
Info: www.nancyperryproductions.webs.com/

CALIFORNIA

July 11, Pomona
Prolong Twilight Cruise
Sponsor: Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum
Info: www.museum.nhra.com

July 13, El Segundo
Drive Your Collector Car to Work staff event
Sponsor: Source Interlink Media

July13, Irvine
Drive Your Collector Car to Work staff event
Sponsor: Source Interlink Media

July 13, Diamond Bar
Third Annual Collector Car Appreciation Day "Drive Your Collector Car to Work" & BBQ at Noon for SEMA members and staff
Sponsor: SEMA
Info: san@sema.org

July 13, Santee Lakes
Collector Car Appreciation Picnic
Sponsor: The King Pins
Info: Howard at 619-445-9777

July 13, Corona
Collector Car Appreciation Day Open House
Sponsor: Extreme Automotive
Info: (951) 371 9730 or leatherman.mary48@gmail.com

July 14, Valencia
SimTec Motorsports After Hours
Sponsor: SimTec Motorsports
Info: SimTecMotorsports@yahoo.com

July 14-15, Santa Clara
Hot San Jose Nights
Sponsor: The Mercury News
Info: www.hotsanjosenights.com

COLORADO

July 7, Loveland
5th Annual All American Car Show
Sponsor: the Northern Colorado Mustang Car Club
Info: www.allamericancarshow.com or events@ncmcc.org

CONNECTICUT

July 8, Simsbury
11th Annual Charity Benefit Car Show
Sponsor: Valley Collector Car Club, Inc.
Info: www.valleycollectorcarclub.org/

July 13, Monroe
"Collector Car Appreciation Day" Cruise
Sponsor: Classic Nights Car Club
Info: www.classicnights.com

DELAWARE

July 8-15, Wilmington
19th Annual International Convention
Sponsor: International Thunderbird Club
Info: malcolm@intl-tbirdclub.com or www.intl-tbirdclub.com/

FLORIDA

July 13, Tampa
Drive Your Collector Car to Work Staff Event
Sponsor: Source Interlink Media

July 14, Jupiter
3rd Annual Collector Car Appreciation Day Event
Sponsor: Southeast Rods & Customs
Info: 561/753-3279 or www.serodsncustoms.com/index.htm

HAWAII

July 14, Kihei, Maui
Piilani Village Car Show
Sponsor: Maui Classic Cruisers Car Club
Info: Patty Ventura at 808/264-6103 or Scott Borge at 808/344-0996

IDAHO

July 13-15, Boise
Northwest Motorfest
Sponsor: RPM! Productions
Info: http://www.rpmprod.com/2012_MOTORFEST_MAIN_PAGE.HTML

ILLINOIS

July 13-15, Joliet
NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street-Legal Drag Racing
Sponsor: Nitto Tire
Info: www.nmcadigital.com/IL

July 14, Rockford
Midwest Racing at Byron Dragway
Sponsor: Midwest Racing
Info: www.midwestracing.net

July 14, Moline
Collector Car Appreciation Day Cruise
Sponsor: Quad Cities Cruisers
Info: www.quadcitiescruisers.org

July 21, Evansville
Evansville Days Car, Truck & Motorcycle Cruise-In
Sponsor: Liberty Courtyard Wine Tasting & Supplies
Info: http://www.motortopia.com/car-shows/evansville-days-car-truck-motorcycle-cruise-in-8035

IOWA

July 8, Burlington
Strong Cars For Strong Kids Car Show
Sponsor: Burlington Area Community YMCA-YWCA
Info: 319-753-6734, Ext. 113 or www.burlingtony.org

July 13, Mount Pleasant
Cruise Night
Sponsor: The 20th Century Car Club
Info: 319/385-2119 or ekropa@iwc.edu

July 13, Ames
Customer and Collector Car Appreciation Day
Sponsor: Arnold Motor Supply
Info: 515/556-5206 or vppublication@isra-online.org

July 13, Ames
Hot Sizzling BBQ
Sponsor: Iowa Street Rod Association
Info: 515.231.3031 jve37671@aol.com

July 15-20, Homestead
Heritage Tour
Sponsor: Veteran Motor Car Club of America
Info: RussBees@msn.com

INDIANA

July 15-19, New Castle
Great Lakes Region Regional Tour
Sponsor: Veteran Motor Car Club of America
Info: wilkinsondarrel@wmconnect.com

KENTUCKY

July 14, Nicholasville
Cruise-In
Sponsor: Double Kwik BP
Info: hotdodgedart74@yahoo.com

July 19-21, Bowling Green
31st Annual Corvette Homecoming
Sponsor: National Corvette Owners Association
Info: 270/791-2117 or www.corvettehomecoming.com

MARYLAND

July 13, Chesapeake City
Drive Your Collector Car Day
Sponsor: Ron Francis Wiring
Info: www.ronfrancis.com

MASSACHUSETTS

July 15, Shrewsbury
Chili's Cruise Night
Sponsor: Chili's Grill & Bar & Greg's Restorations
Info: http://chiliscruisenight.com/Home_Page.php

MINNESOTA

July 13, Ortonville
Collector Car Appreciation Day Cruise
Sponsor: Big Stone Cruisers
Info: www.bigstonecruisers.com

July 13, Fridley
Drive Your Classic Car to Work Day
Sponsor: Friendly Cheverolet

MISSOURI

July 14, St. Louis
National Collector Car Appreciation Day Celebration
Sponsor: Clean Cut Creations
Info: 314/968-8377 or info@CleanCutCreations.com

NEBRASKA

July 14, Papillion
3rd Annual Car Show
Sponsor: Cruisers for the Breath of Life
Info: 402/935-0974 or tmprobyn@fnni.com

NEW HAMPSHIRE

July 13, Exeter
Black Cat Cruise Night
Sponsors: Kustom Kings of New Hampshire, Foss Motors of Exeter
Info: Jim at 603-793-8126

July 15, Holderness

3rd Annual Acton Custom Open House and Collector Car Appreciation Day Event

Sponsor: Acton Custom Enterprises, LLC

Info: 603/279-0241 or www.actoncustom.com

NEW JERSEY

July 13, Somerville
Collector Car Appreciation Day Cruise-In
Sponsor: Raritan River Region of the Cadillac LaSalle Club
Info: www.rrrclc.org/

July 13, Woodstown
Third Annual Collector Car Appreciation Day Cruise
Sponsor: South Jersey Region AACA
Info: www.sjraaca.com

July 13, Cherry Hill
National Collector Car Appreciation Day Car Show
Sponsor: American Collectors Insurance, Inc.
Info: www.AmericanCollectors.com/NCCAD

NEW MEXICO

July 13, Portales
Second Annual Collector Car Appreciation Day Car Show
Sponsor: Desert Cruzers
Info: desertcruzerscarclub.com/

July 14, Albuquerque
2012 Mopar Challenge Series - 3rd Race
Sponsor: Mopar Muscle Club of NM
Info: www.moparclub.com or 505-896-8115

NEW YORK

July 13, Sharon Springs
Cruise-In On Friday Night
Sponsor: Dairland Drive-in and Big Al's Hot Rod Shop
Info: www.carcruisein.com or Bigal55@frontiernet.net

NORTH CAROLINA

July 13, Goldsboro
Third Annual Collector Car Day Cruise
Sponsor: Wayne County Cruisers
Info: www.waynecountycruisers.com/

OHIO

July 13, Beavercreek
Friday Night Cruise-In
Sponsor: Greene County Antique & Classic Car Club
Info: www.greenecarclub.com/

OREGON

July 7, Roseburg
30th Show-N-Shine
Sponsor: Stray Angels Car Club
Info: www.strayangelscarclub.com

PENNSYLVANIA

July 8, Allentown
6th Annual Car Show
Sponsor: Penn Mustangs
Info: www.pennmustangs.com/carshow

July 13-14, York
11th Annual Musclecar Madness at York Reunion
Sponsor: York Nostalgia
Info: 717/757-2720 or www.yorknostalgia.com

July 13-14, Alum Bank
25th Annual Alum Bank Classic Weekend Car Show
Sponsor: Alum Bank Community Fire Company
Info: mtbclassics@yahoo.com

July 14, Lewistown
Keystone State Muscle Cars Summer Cruise Nights
Sponsor: Keystone State Muscle Cars
Info: 717/348-0630 or badasspony@rocketmail.com

July 15, Gettysburg
British Invade Gettysburg
Sponsor: The Lancaster County MG Club
Info: www.lancomgclub.com

SOUTH CAROLINA

July 14, West Columbia

Fat Boys Cruise-In

Sponsor: Columbia Classic Chevy Club
Info: www.clubs.hemmings.com/columbiaclassicchevyclub

TENNESSEE

July 13-14, Johnson City
4th Annual Car Show and Borla Open House
Sponsor: Borla Performance Industries & Carter County Car Club
Info: www.borla.com/carshow

TEXAS

July 13, San Antonio
Drive Your Hot Rod to Work Day
Sponsor: Vintage Air
Info: rlove@vintageair.com

July 13, Castroville
3rd Annual National Collector Car Appreciation Day
Sponsor: Mopar Muscle Club of San Antonio
Info: jmmoore18@satx.rr.com

July 13, Dallas
3rd Annual Celebration of the National Collector Car Appreciation Day at Keller's Drive In
Sponsor: Dallas Area Classic Chevys
Info: www.DallasClassicChevy.com

July 14, Rowlett

2nd Annual Celebration of the National Collector Car Appreciation Day and Giant Garage Sale

Sponsor: North Texas Region Lincoln and Continental Owners Club

Info: joehillandassociates@verizon.net

July 14, Fairview
Show and Shine Collector Car Appreciation Show
Sponsor: Morning Maniacs
Info: wendy.meagher@att.net

VERMONT

July 13, Bennington
Hemmings' Annual National Collector Car Day Cruise-in to the Drive-in
Sponsor: Hemmings Motor News
Info: 800/227-4373 or www.hemmings.com/events/cruiseins.html

WASHINGTON

July 8, Vancouver
Annual Collector Car Appreciation Day
Sponsor: Fort Vancouver / Rose City Region Club of AACA
Info: fam36@comcast.net

July 13, Olympia
Collector Car Appreciation Day Cruise-In
Sponsor: Corvette & High Performance
Info: 360/754-7890 or www.corvhp.com

WISCONSIN

July 12-15, Iola
40th Anniversary Old Car Show
Info: information@iolaoldcarshow.com or 715/445-4000

July 13, Kenosha
National Collector Car Appreciation Day
Sponsor: Kenosha Car Club
Info: 262/652-5641

July 13-15, Spokane
Early Ford V8 Club Swap Meet & Show & Shine
Sponsor: Early Ford V8 Car Club
Info: 509/994-4924 or ceasterly65@gmail.com

CANADA

MANITOBA

July 13, Winnipeg
Collector Car Appreciation Day Celebration

Sponsor: Manitoba Association of Auto Clubs
Info: 204-229-0397 or bobchubala@yahoo.com

Past Collector Car Appreciation Day Events:

2011

Photos from Collector Car Appreciation Day Celebrations:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/semaphotos/collections/72157627054459663/

Mercedes CLS63 V8 Bi-Turbo

Tue, 22 May 2012 16:14:47 PDT

Syracuse Nationals and King of Trucks

Tue, 22 May 2012 15:12:53 PDT

King of Trucks
June 2-3, 2012 - NY State Fairgrounds - Syracuse, NY
Open to all years....all makes....all models!!!
- Huge Truck Show Field - Off-Road Playground - Mud Bog - Tug-O-War -
- Truck Drags - Truck Pulls - On-Site Camping - KOT Night Life -
- Kids RULE! play area - R/C Truck Playground....and MORE!

Syracuse Nationals
July 20, 21, 22, 2012 - NY State Fairgrounds, Syracuse, NY
Held every July at the New York State Fairgrounds. Classics, Customs, Hot Rods & Muscle Cars (up to 1980)
Over 7,500 cars, 86,000 people and 375 vendors from all across the United States and Canada. This show has the reputation as one of the best run, most enjoyable automotive events in the nation and largest on the RIGHT Coast!

Advertising Sales

Tue, 22 May 2012 11:44:52 PDT

"Advertising Sales Representative" (sales jobs)

Hey All You Hot Rodders, Street Rodders, Muscle Car Guys and Gals:

Muscle Cars of America is seeking independent sales representatives to sell advertising for its website. Commissions Paid Weekly! Call 702-516-1662 or email us on our contact page.

Memorial Day Weekend Kicks Off At-track Festivities For NASCAR Unites � An American Salute

Mon, 21 May 2012 23:16:22 PDT

May 21, 2012

NASCAR Industry, Fans Unite To Celebrate America And Support U.S. Military Families

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 21, 2012) - Billed as the world's largest Memorial Day Weekend celebration, the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway kicks off the first at-track activation of "NASCAR Unites - An American Salute," a six-week patriotic initiative uniting the NASCAR industry and fans this summer to celebrate America and support U.S. military families. The weekend's festivities include a patriotic pre-race military salute, special USO race invitations and host Lieutenant Colonel Greg Gadson as Honorary Commander.

To highlight its pride, NASCAR Nation will be covered from head to toe - and from splitter to spoiler - in red, white and blue, starting and ending at two traditionally patriotic summer NASCAR events held at Charlotte Motor Speedway (Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day Weekend) and Daytona International Speedway (Coke Zero 400 on Independence Day Weekend).

Teams in all NASCAR series, along with their partners and sponsors, will showcase support for the program in their own individual ways, from displaying the customized logo on their cars and trucks to developing red, white and blue paint schemes. NASCAR has provided specially-designed, patriotic-themed packages that will incorporate the spoiler as well as other common areas of the car.

In honor of our country's fallen heroes this Memorial Day weekend, NASCAR and the Honor and Remember organization will host several Gold Star families who have each lost loved ones in their service to the United States. NASCAR and The NASCAR Foundation also will host a group of wounded warriors and their families from Ft. Bragg as part of the NASCAR "Troops to the Track" program in partnership with the Armed Forces Foundation. Each of these military families will be welcomed and treated to a VIP NASCAR experience during their visit to Charlotte Motor Speedway.

"Our Troops to the Track and the Gold Star family programs offer us all an opportunity to express our gratitude to the service men and women who wear the uniform and the military families who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms," said Marcus Jadotte, NASCAR vice president of public affairs and multicultural development. "Through these programs, NASCAR is uniting to honor these military families and honor them for the sacrifices they have made for our country."

Both the NASCAR "Troops to the Track" and Gold Star family programs build on a long, consistent and proud history of supporting men and women in uniform and their families at NASCAR races. The "Troops to the Track" program is a year-long initiative and is scheduled to include military families at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Dover International Speedway, Pocono Raceway, Michigan International Speedway, Infineon Raceway, Kentucky Speedway, and Daytona International Speedway.

While at the Coca-Cola 600, NASCAR fans are invited to participate by filling out postcards with messages of encouragement and appreciation to service men and women as well as signing banners and items that will be shipped to troops actively engaged in combat through the USO's USO2GO program. The NASCAR Foundation will designate a space for fan participation at the Sam Bass Gallery on Saturday, May 26th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday, May 27 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fans may also fill out postcards at-track at the Air Force display and Motorsports Authentic Haulers.

Other partners and sponsors participating include: Miss Sprint Cup, who will unveil a never-seen-before patriotic-themed fire suit, Nationwide will run a special red, white and blue windshield application for all NASCAR Nationwide Series races from Charlotte to Daytona and Toyota will incorporate red, white and blue logos on their pace cars and driver intro trucks. Miss Coors Light will don a patriotic fire suit. Goodyear will launch their Goodyear 'GivesBack Program Benefitting Support Our Troops' program during the Coke Zero 400. As part of the USO2GO program, partners such as Kraft and Gillette are donating products that will be bundled and delivered to forward deployed troops. K'Nex will donate toys to be packaged with postcards to military children.

Red, white and blue products will also be provided to NASCAR officials, who will be outfitted in NASCAR pit caps by Motorsports Authentics, specially-themed gloves by Mechanix Wear and lanyards by Wincraft. Fans also can show their American pride by gearing up with NASCAR Unites - An American Salute apparel, which can be purchased via Motorsports Authentics and Americrown at trackside, Walmart and NASCAR.COM Superstore. Other available products include NASCAR Unites - An American Salute die-cast collectibles, headwear, t-shirts, novelties, plush and toys.

To launch the initiative, the NASCAR Unites - An American Salute paint scheme for Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s No. 88 National Guard Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet was revealed on April 9th in the nation's capital for the 134th Annual Easter Egg Roll event at the White House.

To learn more about the initiative, visit www.NASCAR.com/Unites. Facebook.com/NASCAR will be honoring service members via an "American Hero Salute." Join the conversation on social media and digital platforms by using the hashtag #NASCARUnites

About NASCAR Unites

NASCAR Unites brings the passion and power of an entire sport together to make the world we live in a better place. This industry-wide initiative creates an opportunity for NASCAR fans, drivers, teams, tracks, sponsors and more to unite to improve the lives of those in need across the nation through volunteering, raising awareness and utilizing the assets of the sport to make a difference. For more information, visit NASCAR.COM/Unites. Follow NASCAR Unites on Facebook.com/NASCARUnites or on Twitter: @NASCARUnites.

Statistical Advance: Analyzing The Coca-Cola 600

Mon, 21 May 2012 13:52:52 PDT

May 21, 2012

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 21, 2012) - Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina going into the Coca-Cola 600 on May 27.

CHARLOTTE-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

Greg Biffle (No. 16 Fastenal Ford)

Three top fives, six top 10s

Average finish of 17.8

Average Running Position of 15.4, ninth-best

Driver Rating of 89.2, sixth-best

224 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

1,011 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most

Avg Green Flag Speed of 175.562 mph, fourth

2,985 Laps in the Top 15 (60.0%), seventh

535 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), sixth-most

Jeff Burton (No. 31 Wheaties Chevrolet)

Three wins, eight top fives, 15 top 10s

Average finish of 15.4

Average Running Position of 15.0, eighth

Driver Rating of 85.4, 11th-best

1,017 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most

Avg. Green Flag Speed of 175.259 mph, 13th

2,846 Laps in the Top 15 (57.2%), eighth

539 Quality Passes, fifth-most

Kurt Busch (No. 51 Phoenix Construction Services Inc. Chevrolet)

One win, five top fives, six top 10s

Average finish of 19.4

Driver Rating of 85.0, 13th-best

173 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most

2,676 Laps in the Top 15 (53.8%), 11th-most

473 Quality Passes, 12th-most

Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M's Red-White-Blue Toyota)

Six top fives, nine top 10s; one pole

Average finish of 16.7

Average Running Position of 10.3, second-best

Driver Rating of 106.6, second-best

385 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

963 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most

Average Green Flag Speed of 176.284 mph, second-fastest

3,836 Laps in the Top 15 (77.2%), second-most

696 Quality Passes, second-most

Carl Edwards (No. 99 Fastenal Ford)

Five top fives, eight top 10s

Average finish of 12.6

Average Running Position of 15.8, 11th-best

Driver Rating of 88.4, seventh-best

105 Fastest Laps Run, 13th-most

1,061 Green Flag Passes, fourth-most

2,778 Laps in the Top 15 (55.9%), ninth-most

508 Quality Passes, eighth-most

Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet)

Five wins, 16 top fives, 20 top 10s; eight poles

Average finish of 15.9

Average Running Position of 16.4, 13th-best

Driver Rating of 86.9, 10th-best

166 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most

Average Green Flag Speed of 175.446 mph, ninth-fastest

2,638 Laps in the Top 15 (53.1%), 12th-most

481 Quality Passes, 11th-most

Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota)

One top five, six top 10

Average finish of 16.0

Average Running Position of 14.1, sixth-best

Driver Rating of 87.5, eighth-best

119 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-most

Average Green Flag Speed of 175.261 mph, 12th-fastest

3,049 Laps in the Top 15 (66.7%), fifth-most

510 Quality Passes, seventh-most

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Patriotic Chevrolet)

Six wins, 10 top fives, 14 top 10s; three poles

Average finish of 11.9

Series-best Average Running Position of 8.4

Series-best Driver Rating of 111.0

Series-high 451 Fastest Laps Run

1,015 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most

Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 176.429 mph

Series-high 4,201 Laps in the Top 15 (84.5%)

Series-high 714 Quality Passes

Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Quaker State Chevrolet)

Three wins, six top fives, eight top 10s

Average finish of 13.4

Average Running Position of 13.4, fourth-best

Driver Rating of 94.8, fourth-best

364 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

Series-high 1,141 Green Flag Passes

Average Green Flag Speed of 175.304 mph, 11th-fastest

3,003 Laps in the Top 15 (60.4%), sixth-most

602 Quality Passes, third-most

Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Fastenal Ford)

Two wins, seven top fives, 13 top 10s

Average finish of 14.4

Average Running Position of 14.5, seventh-best

Driver Rating of 95.2, third-best

268 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most

993 Green Flag Passes, 10th-most

Average Green Flag Speed of 175.512 mph, seventh-fastest

3,225 Laps in the Top 15 (64.9%), third-most

593 Quality Passes, fourth-most

Joey Logano (No. 20 Dollar General Toyota)

Two top fives, four top 10s

Average finish of 8.2

Average Running Position of 13.0, third-best

Driver Rating of 93.5, fifth-best

Average Green Flag Speed of 175.503 mph, eighth-fastest

Mark Martin (No. 55 Aaron's Armed Forces Foundation Toyota)

Four wins, 18 top fives, 23 top 10s; two poles

Average finish of 16.4

Average Running Position of 13.8, fifth-best

Driver Rating of 87.4, ninth-best

Average Green Flag Speed of 175.524 mph, sixth-fastest

3,205 Laps in the Top 15 (64.5%), fourth-most

502 Quality Passes, ninth-most

Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet)

One win, six top fives, 12 top 10s; one pole

Average finish of 13.6

Average Running Position of 15.5, 10th-best

Driver Rating of 85.0, 12th-best

181 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most

996 Green Flag Passes, ninth-most

Average Green Flag Speed of 175.550 mph, fifth-fastest

2,714 Laps in the Top 15 (54.6%), 10th-most

495 Quality Passes, 10th-most

Chase Contenders

The Top 12

Following Race 11 of 36

Rank Season

Last Driver

Driver Points Wins Poles Week Rating

1. Greg Biffle	411	1	2	1	106.3
2. Matt Kenseth	409	1	0	2	103.9
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.	397	0	0	3	98.3
4. Denny Hamlin	394	2	1	4	102.2
5. Jimmie Johnson	372	1	0	8	105.0
6. Martin Truex Jr.	372	0	1	6	99.1
7. Tony Stewart	369	2	0	7	98.3
8. Kevin Harvick	361	0	0	5	95.1
9. Kyle Busch	349	1	0	9	96.2
10. Carl Edwards	337	0	1	11	85.6
11. Clint Bowyer	335	0	0	10	86.2
12. Brad Keselowski	328	2	0	12	94.7

ADDITIONAL DRIVERS

13. Paul Menard	308	32. Dave Blaney	157
14. Ryan Newman	307	33. Landon Cassill	154
15. Joey Logano	293	34. Travis Kvapil	148
16. Kasey Kahne	283	35. David Stremme	86
17. Jeff Burton	275	36. J.J. Yeley	80
18. Marcos Ambrose	274	37. Brian Vickers	66
19. Juan Pablo Montoya	272	38. Michael McDowell	57
20. Jamie McMurray	263	39. Brendan Gaughan	50
21. Aric Almirola	262	40. Ken Schrader	47
22. AJ Allmendinger	253	41. Terry Labonte	42
23. Mark Martin	242	42. Tony Raines	41
24. Jeff Gordon	241	43. Josh Wise	40
25. Kurt Busch	238	44. Michael Waltrip	26
26. Regan Smith	238	45. Hermie Sadler III	13
27. Bobby Labonte	226	46. Scott Riggs	13
28. Casey Mears	209	47. Stephen Leicht	9
29. David Ragan	188	48. Bill Elliott	7
30. David Gilliland	184	49. Robby Gordon	6
31. David Reutimann	162	50. Scott Speed	4

Note: The first 26 races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season determine which 12 drivers qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, contested over the final 10 races of the season.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2012 Top 12 at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Driver Races Poles Wins Top Fives Top 10s DNFs Average Finish Driver Rating

1	Greg Biffle	18	0	0	3	6	2	17.8	89.2
2	Matt Kenseth	25	0	2	7	13	5	14.4	95.2
3	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	25	1	0	5	10	3	19.4	77.7
4	Denny Hamlin	13	0	0	1	6	1	16.0	87.5
5	Jimmie Johnson	21	3	6	10	14	4	11.9	111.0
6	Martin Truex Jr.	13	0	0	0	2	0	19.9	72.4
7	Tony Stewart	26	1	1	6	12	1	13.6	85.0
8	Kevin Harvick	22	0	1	2	6	1	18.5	73.0
9	Kyle Busch	16	1	0	6	9	4	16.7	106.6
10	Carl Edwards	14	0	0	5	8	1	12.6	88.4
11	Clint Bowyer	12	0	0	1	3	0	17.9	76.8
12	Brad Keselowski	5	1	0	0	0	0	18.8	72.2

* - Based on last 14 races at Charlotte Motor Speedway

At Charlotte Motor Speedway:

History

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.

Notebook

There have been 106 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 before the May race. The first six fall races at Charlotte were 400-mile events (1960-65).

39 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 nine. Jeff Gordon has eight.

Jeff Gordon won five straight poles for the spring races between 1994 and 1998.

44 drivers have won races, led by Bobby Allison, Darrell Waltrip and Jimmie Johnson, with six each.

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 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race/Coca-Cola 600 sweep has occurred seven times: Darrell Waltrip (1985), Davey Allison ('91), Dale Earnhardt ('93), Jeff Gordon ('97), Jimmie Johnson (2003), Kasey Kahne ('08), Kurt Busch ('10).

14 races have been won from the pole, the last by Jimmie Johnson (October, 2009).

Jimmie Johnson won the 2003 Coca-Cola 600 from the 37th starting position, the furthest back a race winner has started.

Joey Logano is the only driver with more than two Charlotte races to average top-10 finish (8.2).

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.

Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Charlotte Motor Speedway winner: Jeff Gordon (10/10/1993 - 22 years, 2 months, 6 days).
Oldest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Charlotte Motor Speedway winner: Cale Yarborough (10/06/1985 - 46 years, 6 months, 9 days)

Charlotte Motor Speedway Data

Race #: 12 of 36 (05-27-12)

Track Size: 1.5 miles

Race Length: 501.322 miles

Banking/Turns: 24 degrees

Banking/Frontstretch: 5 degrees

Banking/Backstretch: 5 degrees

Frontstretch: 1,980 feet

Backstretch: 1,500 feet

Top 12 Driver Rating at Charlotte

Jimmie Johnson........................ 111.0

Kyle Busch............................... 106.6

Matt Kenseth.............................. 95.2

Kasey Kahne.............................. 94.8

Joey Logano.............................. 93.5

Greg Biffle.................................. 89.2

Carl Edwards.............................. 88.4

Denny Hamlin............................. 87.5

Mark Martin................................. 87.4

Jeff Gordon................................ 86.9

Jeff Burton................................. 85.4

Tony Stewart............................... 85.0

Note: Driver Rating compiled from 2005-2011 races (14 total) at Charlotte.

Qualifying/Race Data

2011 pole winner: Brad Keselowski (192.089 mph, 28.112 seconds)

2011 race winner: Kevin Harvick (132.414 mph, 05-29-11)

Track qualifying record: Elliott Sadler (193.216 mph, 27.948 seconds, 10-13-05)

Track race record: Bobby Labonte (151.952 mph, 05-28-95)

Driver Ratings for Winners

Driver	Year	Driver Rating	Series Driver Rating Rank
Kevin Harvick	2011	69.8	23rd
Kurt Busch	2010	81.6	14th
David Reutimann	2009	59.2	31st
Kasey Kahne	2008	97.6	3rd
Casey Mears	2007	77.4	17th
Kasey Kahne	2006	74.1	19th

* Pre-Race Driver Ratings of the year the driver won at Charlotte (last six spring races).

NASCAR in North Carolina

There have been 514 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in North Carolina.

Track Name	City	NSCS
Charlotte Motor Speedway	Concord	106
Rockingham Speedway	Rockingham	78
Asheville-Weaverville Speedway	Weaverville	34
Bowman-Gray Stadium	Winston-Salem	29
Champion Speedway	Fayetteville	4
Charlotte Speedway	Charlotte	12
Cleveland County Fairgrounds	Shelby	6
Concord Speedway	Concord	12
Dog Track Speedway	Moyock	7
Forsyth County Fairgrounds	Winston-Salem	2
Gastonia Fairgrounds	Gastonia	1
Greensboro Agriculture Fairgrounds	Greensboro	3
Harnett Speedway	Spring Lake	1
Harris Speedway	Harris	2
Hickory Speedway	Hickory	35
Jacksonville Speedway	Jacksonville	2
McCormick Field	Asheville	1
New Asheville Speedway	Asheville	8
North Carolina State Fairgrounds	Raleigh	3
North Wilkesboro Speedway	North Wilkesboro	93
Occoneechee Speedway	Hillsboro	32
Raleigh Speedway	Raleigh	7
Salisbury Super Speedway	Salisbury	1
Southern States Fairgrounds	Charlotte	17
Star Lite Speedway	Monroe	1
Tar Heel Speedway	Randleman	3
Tri-City Speedway	High Point	2
Wilson Speedway	Wilson	12

427 drivers in NASCAR's three national series (all-time) have their home state recorded as North Carolina.

There have been 44 race winners from North Carolina in NASCAR's three national series; 28 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series:

Driver	NSCS	NNS	NCWTS
Richard Petty	200	0	0
Dale Earnhardt	76	21	0
Lee Petty	54	0	0
Ned Jarrett	50	0	0
Junior Johnson	50	0	0
Herb Thomas	48	0	0
Buck Baker	46	0	0
Bobby Isaac	37	0	0
Dale Jarrett	32	11	0
Jim Paschal	25	0	0
Benny Parsons	21	0	0
Speedy Thompson	20	0	0
Buddy Baker	19	0	0
Dale Earnhardt Jr	18	23	0
Harry Gant	18	21	0
Bob Welborn	9	0	0
Kyle Petty	8	0	0
Morgan Shepherd	4	15	0
Bill Blair	3	0	0
Gwyn Staley	3	0	0
Billy Myers	2	0	0
Jimmy Pardue	2	0	0
Brian Vickers	2	3	0
Richard Brickhouse	1	0	0
Phil Parsons	1	2	0
Leon Sales	1	0	0
Buddy Shuman	1	0	0
Donald Thomas	1	0	0
Jack Ingram	0	31	0
Tommy Houston	0	24	0
Sam Ard	0	22	0
Robert Pressley	0	10	2
Scott Riggs	0	4	5
Hank Parker Jr	0	2	0
Johnny Rumley	0	2	0
Dennis Setzer	0	2	18
Ed Berrier	0	1	0
Justin Labonte	0	1	0
Stephen Leicht	0	1	0
Austin Dillon	0	0	4
Andy Houston	0	0	3
Timothy Peters	0	0	3
Ricky Hendrick	0	0	1
Shane Hmiel

Fox Creek Leather Products

Mon, 21 May 2012 13:04:07 PDT

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Mon, 21 May 2012 11:45:52 PDT

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1966 Pontiac GTO

Newman's 10th-place finish best among Coca-Cola Family

Mon, 21 May 2012 11:39:17 PDT

Drivers flat at All-Star Race

By Andrew Shain, Special to NASCAR.COM

May 21, 2012 12:41 PM, EDT

The Coca-Cola Racing Family who won six of the season's first 11 races could not muster much fizz at the Sprint All-Star Race.

Ryan Newman's 10th-place finish was tops among the red-and-white crew who had accounted for four of the top-nine qualifiers.

The highlight of the evening at Charlotte Motor Speedway was Bobby Labonte's selection by fans for a spot in the All-Star Race.

The family will look to return the contour bottle to Victory Lane next week at the Coca-Cola 600.

To get in the spirit of NASCAR's longest race, Coca-Cola is inviting fans with race tickets to walk around Charlotte Motor Speedway; see family drivers Greg Biffle, Jeff Burton, Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart; and enjoy a cookout. For the event at 11 a.m. Friday, enter at gates 4, 5a and 26 or the Turn 4 tunnel.

Ryan Newman

All-Star finish: 10th

Newman battled an ill-handling car to complete his second consecutive 10th-place finish. He qualified second and was third after the first segment. Then his car became loose. He fell as far back as 13th. Newman said the No. 39 became dialed in toward the end of the final 20-lap segment, and he was able to gain three spots in the race-ending 10-lap dash.

What he said: "Honestly, it was too little, too late for us. The Tornados Chevy was way too loose, but we finally got the car right during that last caution period. But in the end, we didn't have the track position to go with it. ... . I just didn't have any confidence in the car for most of the race. We got it right there at the end, and I think that's going to help us figure out where we need to be going into [Sunday's] race."

Tony Stewart

All-Star finish: 17th

Stewart's chances of a good race evaporated soon after the start when his car became tight. The ninth-fastest qualifier started falling back and smacked the wall on Lap 15. He finished 18th after the first 20-lap segment. Adjustments made during the pit stop helped him gain six spots in the next segment. Then he smashed the nose of his car at the start of the third segment, which hurt the handling and sent him to the outer fringes of the top 20. Stewart's 17th-place finish tied his worst performance in 14 All-Star events and ended a streak of five straight top-five finishes in it.

What he said: "It just wasn't very good. We just missed it [Saturday]. We're not going to hit it every week, and if you're going to miss it, you'd rather miss it on a night [with no points at stake] than next week."

Bobby Labonte

All-Star Finish: 19th

Labonte's team almost didn't come to the Sprint Showdown because the race was not in the team's budget, especially after wrecking a car during a tire test in New Hampshire. Good thing he entered. Despite finishing 12th in the qualifier, fans voted Labonte into the All-Star Race -- a bright spot in a tough season where he is 27th in points. He failed to make the All-Star Race for the first time in 16 years in 2011. The 2000 Cup champion started from the back, reached as high as 17th and brought home his car in one piece at 19th.

What he said: "It was a great way to learn some things for [Sunday's] Coca-Cola 600. We tried a bunch of different things. We were tight in the center in the Showdown, and that carried forward into the All-Star. We made some changes and then undid the changes and tried a few different things to see how the car would respond. We also tried to take only two tires instead of four at one point to see how that worked. We took care of the car and used both races as a test session."

Denny Hamlin

All-Star finish: 20th

Hamlin could not take advantage of his best starting position in six career All-Star starts to continue his streak of top-10 finishes, which ended at three. He was in the top three after the first 40 laps, including leading 16 of the second 20-lap segment, but the car's handling started going away. When he could not crack 10th place, Hamlin played it safe during the final 10 laps. His poor finish came despite having the fourth-best average running position during the All-Star Race.

What he tweeted: "Well, I warned ya that [Saturday] could be ugly. Car was a handful all night. We will come back next week with a new plan."

Greg Biffle

All-Star finish: 22nd

After his hot start to the season, Biffle can be excused for a bad evening. The points leader for the past nine race weeks had a top-five or top-10 car though the first three segments of the All-Star Race. But Biffle's engine popped into a fireball and filled the driver's compartment with smoke midway through the fourth segment. His Roush-Fenway teammate, Carl Edwards, also blew an engine in the second segment. The team was experimenting with its engines on the non-points event. Biffle's finish was his worst in nine career All-Star events.

What his team tweeted: "Wasn't our night, but looking forward to next week's Coca-Cola 600 and glad Greg is okay."

Jamie McMurray

Showdown finish: Third

McMurray failed to make his first All-Star Race in four years after AJ Allmendinger passed him in the finals laps of the Sprint Showdown for the last transfer spot. After qualifying 19th and starting at the rear, he gained 16 spots in the first 10 laps and was second for much of the second half of the 40-lap shootout. But his car lost some handling and could not hold off Allmendinger, who nudged McMurray out of the way for a ticket to the All-Star Race.

What he tweeted: "Had a chance [Saturday], just too loose in the 2nd segment. We are still having some steering issues."

Joey Logano

Showdown finish: Sixth

Logano, whose season seems to be coming around with two recent Nationwide wins and a top-10 at Darlington, needed a few laps to get going after starting 13th. He made his way into the top 10 by the halfway mark. But he could not get any higher than sixth and missed his second consecutive All-Star Race. In 2009 and 2010, he had two top-eight finishes in the All-Star Race.

What he tweeted: "Tough night ... but we learned a lot for the 600 next week"

Jeff Burton

Showdown finish: Eighth

Burton looked like he had a good shot of making his first All-Star Race in three years after qualifying fourth for the Showdown. He was third midway through the race, but he took two tires on a pit stop to win track position and the car became tight in the middle of turns. He slid back to eighth. Burton could not get better position the rest of the way in what amounted to a teaching experience for the 600.

What he tweeted: "We had a good car [Saturday]. [Crew chief] Drew Blickensderfer played the perfect strategy, [the] car just wasn't as good on 2 tires. We still learned a lot."

Weekly Coca-Cola Roundup Archive

Johnson wins another All-Star Race, ties record

Mon, 21 May 2012 10:38:55 PDT

No. 48 rides into elite company with third event win; matches Earnhardt, Gordon

By NASCAR Wire Service

May 20, 2012 12:41 AM, EDT

CONCORD, N.C. -- Jimmie Johnson joined an elite club on Saturday night.

In beating Brad Keselowski to the finish of the Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway by .841 seconds, Johnson won the exhibition event for the third time -- tying Dale Earnhardt and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon for most victories in the event.

* Video: Victory Lane: Jimmie Johnson

Matt Kenseth ran third, followed by Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr., who qualified for the event by winning the preliminary Sprint Showdown.

The All-Star Race win and accompanying seven-figure first prize ended a spectacular eight days for Johnson, who delivered victory No. 200 to owner Rick Hendrick May 12 at Darlington and on Thursday night cheered his crew to its first victory in the Sprint Pit Crew Challenge in Charlotte, N.C.

Within two corners tonight ... I knew it was on. I was able to get to the lead in that first segment and really set our night in the right direction and have control of the night.

-- JIMMIE JOHNSON

All told, Johnson won $1,071,340 for his third win in 11 All-Star starts.

"It means a ton to me," Johnson said of tying Earnhardt and Gordon. "Those are two of the greatest drivers that have ever been in a stock car. I want to set my goals high, and I want to be considered one of the best to sit in a stock car, and the only way you can do that is by winning big races and piling up those stats."

The All-Star Race victory was the seventh as a car owner for Hendrick, who sat on the window ledge and took a ride on Johnson's winning Chevrolet after the race.

"That was the dumbest thing I've ever done in racing," quipped Hendrick, who caught his foot in the dash while straddling the window.

Johnson was the first to stake his claim to a top spot in the running order, winning the first 20-lap segment after passing polesitter Kyle Busch for the top spot on Lap 15. In winning the first segment, Johnson earned the right to lead the field to pit road before the final 10-lap dash.

Thereafter, Johnson made frequent pit stops and ran behind the rest of the field to save his car for the finish.

"I let it rip around the top and got to the lead, and we were smart from there and made sure we worked on the car and got it right so we could be there at the end," Johnson said. "Within two corners tonight -- as I was on the outside, which is usually the place you don't want to be -- I knew it was on.

"I was able to get to the lead in that first segment and really set our night in the right direction and have control of the night. Everybody knew that, if you could win that first segment, you could control the night, and we were able to do that starting sixth, so it was pretty awesome."

Keselowski thought Johnson showed his hand in the first segment.

"He started sixth, I believe, and drove to the lead in 20 laps," Keselowski said. "I think that's probably a pretty good indicator of the strength of his car. I don't believe he passed anyone that was not good. We'll just leave it at that.

"He passed Kyle, I think Denny (Hamlin), maybe (Kevin) Harvick. (Ryan) Newman. Those aren't slouches that he passed, and he passed them in 20 laps. I think that's a pretty good indicator of the strength of his effort. Whether that's car or driver, I'll let you all figure that out. That's a pretty good indicator he was the guy to beat all night."

Kenseth passed Hamlin with three laps left in the second segment and secured the win in that leg. Like Johnson, Kenseth spent segment No. 3 running at the back while Keselowski and Kasey Kahne waged an intense battle for the win.

Kahne got a strong run from the high line through Turns 3 and 4, but Keselowski held on to win the segment by .006 seconds.

Earnhardt won segment No. 4 by 1.618 seconds over Marcos Ambrose. After the 20-lap run ended, Johnson, Kenseth, Keselowski and Earnhardt entered pit road in that order, took no tires or gas and came out in those same top four positions for the final 10-lap run.

Of the top four drivers, Keselowski and Kenseth had the freshest tires, having stopped under caution for Greg Biffle's blown engine on Lap 73. But Johnson's No. 48 Chevrolet was the class of the field and pulled away for the win in an anomalous All-Star race that did not see a single caution for a racing accident.

Though Earnhardt transferred into the main event with a decisive victory in the Sprint Showdown, the compelling story of the preliminary event was polesitter AJ Allmendinger's run from the back of the field to the second transfer spot after pitting with a flat tire coming to green at the start of the race.

Allmendinger took four tires during a pit stop between the Showdown's two 20-lap segments, and the new rubber paid off. After two cars dropped out between segments and three others went to the rear because of pit road penalties, Allmendinger restarted 13th.

From the drop of the green flag on Lap 21, Allmendinger surged forward, finally passing Jamie McMurray for the second position with a hard run off Turn 2 on Lap 39 of 40.

"Jamie's real good -- he knows how to get around this place," Allmendinger said. "He kept making sure he got good exit shots. Finally, he just got off the bottom a little bit. At that point, I wasn't going to lift. I didn't care if we all wreck, if I got into him or what.

"These guys on this Pennzoil Dodge, this Penske organization, they belong in this race. They deserve it more than I do. I was going to do everything I could to get 'em in, or I was going to die trying."

Allmendinger finished third in the fourth segment of the All-Star Race, but a four-tire call on the final pit stop dropped him to the back of the field. Allmendinger charged to 11th before time ran out.

From fifth-place finish, a favorite for 600 emerges

Mon, 21 May 2012 10:36:59 PDT

By David Caraviello, NASCAR.COM

May 20, 2012 1:49 AM, EDT

CONCORD, N.C. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. was coasting under caution, about to start the third segment of the Sprint All-Star Race, but he couldn't prevent his mind from drifting to another event.

"Don't let me forget to tell you," he radioed to crew chief Steve Letarte, "how much I'm looking forward to the 600."

I think we showed what we're capable of doing here next weekend.

-- DALE EARNHARDT JR.

That would be the Coca-Cola 600, next weekend's marathon at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and a year ago perhaps the best chance Earnhardt had to snap a winless streak at NASCAR's highest level that now stretches back 140 points-paying events. Last season he led off the final corner, trying to stretch a fuel run to the end, but ran dry through the last few turns and suffered perhaps the most heartbreaking defeat of this four-year dry spell. But after Saturday night's $1 million-to-win exhibition, one thing became as clear as the fireworks bursting in the sky above this 1.5-mile facility.

Next week, Earnhardt is the favorite to win.

Jimmie Johnson may have claimed his third all-star victory Saturday, but no driver or vehicle was as impressive as Earnhardt in that No. 88, which won a preliminary event just to get into the big show and then charged to the front of a star-studded field again and again and again. Earnhardt was a sitting duck at the end, winning a segment but winning the wrong one, and starting the final 10-lap dash with more miles on his tires than his chief competitors. He wasn't helped when Matt Kenseth's car was slow in front of him on the last restart, giving NASCAR's most popular driver almost no chance to catch the drivers starting in front of him with so few laps remaining.

"We just didn't have enough laps to mount any kind of a challenge," said Earnhardt, who came in fifth. "They were gone after about two or three laps."

No matter -- in the All-Star Race, when it's all about winning and the big bag of cash at the end, almost anything short of a victory is a disappointment. Unless it's placed in the context of next Sunday, and one of the most prestigious events in NASCAR, when the knowledge attained from this exhibition will be put to use. And you look at that No. 88 car, which ran away and hid in a qualifying race held in waning daylight and then contended for the victory in a main event held at night, and it's hard to not believe it's capable of being equally as potent under what should be similar conditions next week.

"I think if we can repeat that sort of speed, we'll have a great 600," Letarte said. "The thing I liked about it the most is, we really didn't adjust it all night. Our race started around 7 and with when things finished -- you're looking at not quite early enough for the start of the 600, but you get in the bulk, the last two-thirds of the 600. So hopefully that will give us a good benchmark to get going."

The signs were evident from the beginning of the Sprint Showdown, a preliminary event for drivers not otherwise qualified for the All-Star Race, where Earnhardt led all 40 laps and was never really challenged. This time he had raced his way into the big show, just as he had hoped to, rather than rely on the near-certainty of being voted in by the fans, "You spanked 'em hard tonight," car owner Rick Hendrick said over the radio after Earnhardt won the qualifier. "Yeah," the driver answered. "Pretty good car."

"Pretty good?" Hendrick responded. "How about real good?"

It was. Starting near the rear of the field for the All-Star Race, Earnhardt needed a little pit strategy to gain track position. But unlike the winners of the first three segments, he didn't have the luxury of coasting around at the tail end of the lead lap, buying time until the pit stop before the final 10-lap dash -- a stop for which the four segment winners would line up in the top four spots. Earnhardt won the fourth segment, but it concluded just after a caution period that allowed Johnson to take fresh tires, since as the first segment winner his place at the front of the field was guaranteed.

Kenseth's slow restart, which came right in front a No. 88 car lined up in fourth place, didn't help. In truth, Earnhardt probably wouldn't have been able to catch the leaders anyway, especially given that Johnson used his fresher rubber to scoot away from the field and win with relative ease. But coming out of a qualifying race, starting from near the rear of the field, racing from the back to the front over and over to try and gain track position -- through all of it, the Chevy with the special Dale Jr. Foundation paint scheme never wavered. And next week there are no segments, no automatic passes to the front of the field, no coasting around in the back. Next week, it's 600 arduous miles of going fast and turning left.

"I think we showed what we're capable of doing here next weekend," Earnhardt said. "We're probably going to bring the same car. We've got a couple of ideas on how to make the car even faster, especially for qualifying, that I hope will work out. But I'm real pleased with our effort."

Understandably so. Earnhardt's 2000 victory in NASCAR's all-star event stands among the most notable of his career, capped by a celebration that included a now-famous embrace by his father. But last year, his No. 88 team didn't put much of an emphasis on the race. It is an exhibition, after all, despite all the fireworks the blown engines and big money doled out at the end. Letarte, then in his first season in the sport's highest-profile crew chief position, wanted to focus on righting a foundering program and getting off to the kind of start that would land them in the Chase. He did all that, though the price was an afterthought of an all-star event in which the sport's biggest star finished 14th.

At the time, Earnhardt wasn't aware of it -- Letarte only told him sometime in the past year, he said. But given the hole his No. 88 program had fallen into, and the expectations that always surround him, he understood the approach.

"We didn't bring our best bullet to the fight," Earnhardt said after winning the Showdown. "He told me this year they were going to put a little more emphasis on this event. I think last year ... in defense of Steve and his decision, we were a young team. This was early for us in our relationship. He was concentrating really more on the 600, trying to make the Chase. We had a lot of pressure on us to do well. We were still sort of coming out of the box. This was pretty early in the season last year. In defense of his decision there, I don't have a problem with it at this point. Obviously now ... it's easy to look back and say it's not a big deal. But it was a challenging time for us, and our priorities were quite a bit different then."

Now, the priority is clear: win the Coca-Cola 600, end the streak, claim the one that got away in the final laps last season. The memory of it, of the No. 88 car coming off Turn 4 clear of the field and then slowing agonizingly to a crawl, still stings.

"I try not to think about it. That one hurts," Letarte said. "Last year we had an OK car, we worked a really good strategy, and we ran out of gas trying to win one on fuel. I think we have more speed this year, which will hopefully open up more strategies. But [tonight] was a really fun night. Looking forward to next week without a doubt."

Saturday night, Letarte said he still hadn't decided which car to use in next weekend's event. His team makes a lot of good cars, he said, as Earnhardt's third-place position in Sprint Cup points will attest. But in the immediate aftermath of the Sprint All-Star Race, the crew chief may have revealed a clue. Feel free to give Hendrick Motorsports teammate Johnson a congratulatory tap, he told his driver. Just be careful.

"Don't dent it, though," Letarte radioed. "We might bring it back."

With good reason. Because as late Saturday night turned to early Sunday morning, that battle-tested No. 88 was the favorite to win the Coca-Cola 600.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.

Now This is COOOOOOLLLLLL

Mon, 21 May 2012 10:25:13 PDT

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his sponsors are looking to fans to vote on the style of his limited edition Batman car. (PepsiCo)

Holy paint scheme, Batman

Junior teams with sponsors to offer fans chance to pick Dark Knight-style car

By Joe Menzer, NASCAR.COM

May 20, 2012 12:54 PM, EDT

CONCORD, N.C. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. has fond memories of watching the old Batman television series as a kid, and of viewing the Batman/Dark Knight movies as he grew older.

Now, he gets to carry a piece of the Batman franchise on the hood of his No. 88 Chevrolet for the June 15 Sprint Cup race at Michigan. Exactly what kind of Batman theme will be determined by a fan vote as part of Diet Mountain Dew's promotion of Warner Bros.' much-anticipated summer movie, The Dark Knight Rises.

Hey Batfan!

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the No. 88 team are sending out the Bat Signal, calling all of Junior Nation to vote on the limited edition Batman/Dark Knight paint scheme for the June Cup race at Michigan. So, click below and get your vote on.

Junior's Batman car vote

Fans can vote for one of the proposed Dark Knight paint schemes for Earnhardt's car by going to this website. Voting will run through May 22, with the winning design being revealed Friday, May 25, during the Hendrick Motorsports Fan Fest at the HMS complex.

Earnhardt said he had input on all the paint schemes under consideration.

"I think I had a little bit of an influence on all of them -- maybe one more than the others," Earnhardt said. "You know, I want the cars to be something that I enjoy running, and I don't want even the slightest possibility that there might be one on the table that I didn't like. So they gave me a little bit of input and I think the cars are all really cool. I'm pretty sure whichever one the fans choose, they'll be really happy with it and so will I."

Earnhardt admitted that he's always very involved in how his cars look on the track.

"I think most drivers are pretty particular about how the cars they're driving look. Some drivers don't get much input on it. So, on that, I'm very fortunate," Earnhardt said.

"That was one of the things I talked about with Rick [Hendrick] when I first came over to drive for him. I wanted him to know how much influence I wanted to have on how the car that I was going to drive looked out on the track. He has allowed me to have some influence. That's kind of the way it's been since him and I started working together."

Not that Earnhardt always has the final word. He said the finished product often is the result of some serious compromising.

"There are times when, obviously, the sponsors get the final say," Earnhardt said. "But Pepsico and Mountain Dew and the National Guard, they've all been really open to me at least giving them my own ideas. They usually have their own ideas, too, and we try to meet somewhere in the middle sometimes."

Meanwhile, Earnhardt is excited about whatever version of the Dark Knight that will rise on the hood of his No. 88 for the June race at Michigan.

"I'm a big fan of the Batman movies and even the old television series," Earnhardt said. "No matter which paint scheme the fans choose, it's going to be a cool deal."

Busch has good finish, disappointing result

Mon, 21 May 2012 10:21:00 PDT

Key adjustment, pit strategy allow pole-sitter to salvage a fourth-place finish

By David Caraviello, NASCAR.COM
May 20, 2012 2:43 PM, EDT

CONCORD, N.C. -- For Kyle Busch, it was a good points night. Unfortunately, there were no points to be had.

The pole winner for the Sprint All-Star Race continued his run of recent strong finishes Saturday night, but this one felt less satisfying than the rest. That's because Busch struggled with the handling of his No. 18 car for much of the race, needing a key adjustment and a little bit of pit strategy to salvage a fourth-place finish in an event that paid $1 million to the winner.

We ended up decent, which is OK. But anything past first sucks.

-- KYLE BUSCH

"[Saturday] wasn't comfortable at all," Busch said. "We missed a little something. We were really good in practice, [and] thought we were going to be one of the best cars here. ... We thought that it was going to be our moment."

That moment instead belonged to Jimmie Johnson, who won his third all-star exhibition and the pile of cash that went along with it. Despite starting on the pole, Busch was never a factor -- his car was so off from the beginning that crew chief Dave Rogers was forced to pit between the event's first two segments and give up track position, something he had hoped to avoid. What had been a plan to win segments and contend for the overall victory turned into just hanging on.

"Coming off the truck, we thought we were one of the better cars here," Rogers said.

"I think we have the best driver, in particular at Charlotte. So we were pretty confident we could win one of those segments and have a change to race in the final 10. Just missed it. Kyle called me this morning and told me it was going to be looser, so I tightened it up, and I just didn't tighten it up enough and got behind."

Busch lost track position because of the pit stop and spent the rest of the night trying to make it up. Fortunately, the car responded to a late adjustment, and the team's pit strategy allowed it to have fewer laps on its tires than many of its competitors at the end. Busch surged to fourth at the finish but knew his car wasn't as good as the result.

"[Saturday] wasn't a full field and all that stuff," he said. "If we'd have gotten ourselves mired back there in [next weekend's Coca-Cola] 600 the way we did ... we'd have been in trouble. We ended up decent, which is OK. But anything past first sucks."

Particularly in a no-points race where it's all about $1 million to win. Taken on its own merits, the finish continued a torrid streak for Busch, who hasn't finished worse than 10th his past five times on the track in a Sprint Cup car. A win at Richmond and top-four finishes at Talladega and Darlington pulled him out of an early-season hole and lifted him to ninth in the standings. In that context, Saturday was the continuation of a very good run, although it certainly didn't feel like it at the time.

"Certainly, we're turning the corner," Rogers said. "I think our program is getting stronger. I feel we've learned a lot. Those 10th- to 15th-place runs, we got a lot of information out of them, and that was the whole deal -- learn early in the season and be strong late. So I'm really pleased with our overall performance lately. But just the All-Star Race, Charlotte -- you're a little disappointed."

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Within two corners tonight ... I knew it was on. I was able to get to the lead in that first segment and really set our night in the right direction and have control of the night.

From fifth-place finish, a favorite for 600 emerges

I think we showed what we're capable of doing here next weekend.

Now This is COOOOOOLLLLLL

Holy paint scheme, Batman

Junior teams with sponsors to offer fans chance to pick Dark Knight-style car

Hey Batfan!

Busch has good finish, disappointing result

Key adjustment, pit strategy allow pole-sitter to salvage a fourth-place finish

We ended up decent, which is OK. But anything past first sucks.