August 23 Sprint Cup Series Race at Bristol Motor Speedway Preempted Due to NFL Football

Were you planning on watching the Sprint Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway on ABC this Saturday night? Plans to broadcast this NASCAR race live nationally on ABC starting with NASCAR Countdown at 7 p.m. ET will be preempted in 15 different regions of the country due to the scheduled showing of NFL preseason football on local channels.

Watch this Saturday as the men in their four-wheeled racing machines battle it out on one of the last true racing arenas left

People planning on watching this race who are also satellite TV customers can view the competition on channel 209-1 for DirecTV and 145 on DISH. Cable customers can also view the race in 11 of the 15 markets named on different channels.

Viewers in Milwaukee, the Arkansas cities of Little Rock, Fort Smith, and Jonesboro, and Tyler, Texas planning on tuning in to watch NASCAR Countdown will be disappointed. Unfortunately, due to the showing of local news this broadcast will not be shown, but the channels in question will air the scheduled NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway starting at around 7:30 p.m ET.

The green flag is expected to drop about 7:43 on this Sprint Cup Series race, so check below to see if you’re in one of the 15 regions named, and make the appropriate changes.

 

Austin, Texas – race telecast on digital cable: Time Warner channels 811 and 1240, Suddenlink channel 721, AT&T Channel 3024.

 

Charlotte, N.C. – race telecast on WAXN TV64. Available on Time Warner channel 1230, Charter channel 703, Compas channel 16, Comporium channel 110. WSOC-TV will join race in progress after football game ends.

 

Casper, Wyo. – only available to satellite TV subscribers

 

Cheyenne, Wyo. – only available to satellite TV subscribers

 

Duluth, Minn. – race telecast on digital cable: Charter channel 398, Mediacom channel 113.

 

Harrisburg, Pa. – race telecast on digital cable: Comcast channel 246, Verizon channel 461, Blue Ridge Cable channel 152, Kuhn channel 67, Nittany Media 228.

 

Houston – race telecast on digital cable: Comcast channels 315 and 685.

 

Louisville, Ky. – race telecast on digital cable: Comcast channel 432, Time Warner channel 207.

 

Nashville, Tenn. – race telecast on digital cable: Comcast channel 245, Charter channel 136.

 

St. Joseph, Mo. – only available to satellite TV subscribers

 

San Antonio, Tex. – only available to satellite TV subscribers

 

Sioux Falls, S.D. – race telecast on digital cable: Mid-Continent channels 596 and 614. (Also DISH channel 36).

 

Tulsa, Okla. – race telecast on digital cable: Cox channel 131.

 

Washington, D.C. – race telecast on digital cable: Comcast channel 205, Cox channel 806, Verizon FiOS channel 467.

 

Weslaco, Tex. – race telecast on digital cable: Time Warner channel 877.

 

Kyle Busch Looks for First Sprint Cup Series Win at Charlotte Motor Speedway

Kyle Busch will be even happier if he wins the up coming Bank of America 500

Concord, North Carolina (Oct. 12, 2013) – Kyle Busch will be looking to win at the Charlotte Motor Speedway for the thirteenth time during the upcoming Bank of America 500 Sprint Cup Series race on October 12, 2013. His twelve victories at the old track in North Carolina rank him first in Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series wins, but he still hasn’t managed to win a Sprint Cup Series race on the legendary 1.5-mile superspeedway in Charlotte.

Charlotte Motor Speedway is a 1.5-mile monster drivers either love or hate, or both

Kyle recently stated he was looking forward to getting his first Sprint Cup Series win during the Bank of America 500, and taking home a Bruton Smith trophy to put on his mantle.

Kyle is ready to race on October 12 for his chance at a championship

Kyle Busch “That elusive win in the Cup series has eluded us here,” Busch said. “We’ve had a lot of great runs – some second place finishes and third place finishes and a lot of good runs where we’ve led a lot of laps, but in the last run of the race it seems like we’re just a little bit off. But we’re looking forward to Oct. 12 here at the Bank of America 500 and being able to take home one of those nice gold (Bruton Smith) trophies.”

Kyle will need to have a strong Bank of America 500 on October 12, if he wants to make a run at winning the Chase. This race will be the fifth of the ten races included in the Chase, and he’ll need to have a strong position heading into this event. His overall record on this superspeedway gives him a good chance, one would think, but anything can happen out on the track. Once you get out there all previous records get thrown out the window and it’s everybody for himself. He’ll need Lady Luck on his side, if he’s going to be successful.

Kyle certainly knows the value of this race, “You want to get off to a good start (in the Chase),” he said. “Our team, the Joe Gibbs Racing team, obviously has gotten off to a good start. Once you get past the halfway point, that’s sort of when you define the contenders… That’s when you know who you’re going to be racing against for the championship.”

Winner of two Bank of America 500 races and NASCAR legend Dale Jarrett was recently asked if he had some advice to give Kyle Busch on how to win at the old track in North Carolina. “What am I going to tell Kyle Busch about winning here? He obviously knows how to win,” said Jarrett, who was seated in front of all 12 of Busch’s trophies from his Nationwide and Camping World Truck series wins at Charlotte. “He’s, if not the best driver I’ve seen come through the ranks of NASCAR, he’s certainly one of the top three. It’s just incredible what he does with a racecar. What I can offer is that, as much as you can have a good car – he has plenty of talent – but good fortune is probably the best thing you can have on your side.”

Kyle Busch fans can watch their hero race for his thirteenth win and first Sprint Cup Series victory at the superspeedway in Charlotte on October 12, 2013. They can also catch all of the fun happening on October 10 and 11, like the Bojangles’ Pole Night and the UNOH Southern Slam, and the Dollar General 300. Just tell them Warren sent you over to have some fun.

Drivers Revved Up On Return of Legends Million to Charlotte Motor Speedway

CONCORD, N.C. (June 23, 2011) – Just one week after the announcement

was made about the second-annual Legends Million race at Charlotte Motor

Speedway, buzz is already beginning to circulate among drivers anxious for

another shot to win the prestigious race.

The Legends Million, held Aug. 1 and 2, will once again provide the

biggest Legend Car and Bandolero purse of the year and is expected to draw a

large field of competitors including some of the biggest names in racing.

 

Kevin Harvick, Inc. development driver Gray Gaulding made history in

2010 as the youngest competitor to run in the Legends Million at the tender

age of 12. The youngster is thrilled that Bruton Smith, chairman and CEO of

Speedway Motorsports, Inc., the parent company of Charlotte Motor Speedway

and U.S. Legend Cars International, is bringing the event back for a second

year.

“I first have to thank Bruton Smith for bringing back the Legends

Million,” said Gaulding. “You’ve got 300 cars trying to make a 30-car field.

It’s really special for the young talent coming up through the ranks to put

up that big of a check.

“I’m really looking forward to it. Hopefully we can get a win. Last

year we had some bad luck with a coil going out, but there is always this

year.”

The 2009 U.S. Legend Cars International Semi-Pro Asphalt Oval

champion, Kenzie Ruston, shares a similar opinion with Gaulding.

“I was surprised to hear about the second-annual Legends Million,”

said Ruston. “It really shows how considerate Bruton is to put up that money

for a young kid to have the chance to win again. I haven’t been in a Legend

Car since the last Million, so I will just be happy to make the show and I’d

be thrilled with a top-10 finish.”

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver David Ragan turned some heads in the

garage during Monday’s Summer Shootout practice at Charlotte Motor Speedway

when he showed up to run his No. 6 UPS Legend Car.

“With the second-annual Legends Million coming up it gives me an

opportunity to practice a little bit,” said Ragan. “I’ve got Aug. 1 and 2

kinda marked out in my calendar, so hopefully we can make it and get a

little practice that will go a long way.”

Last year, Ragan started on the outside pole for the feature event

and stayed near the front to take home a fourth-place finish.

Tyler Green, the 2010 Summer Shootout Pro division champion at

Charlotte Motor Speedway, is ready to improve upon his fifth-place finish

from last year’s $1 million race.

“I’m definitely excited that they are going to have another one,”

said Green. “It’s going to be a huge race again. I was disappointed in my

fifth-place finish last year because we ran a lot better through the season.

I just feel like we have a lot to prove in this year’s Million.”

Wentzville, Mo., native, Kyle Weatherman, finished 21st in the

inaugural event last year and is looking forward to a second chance to win

the big money.

“When they first announced the Legends Million race this year, I was

excited and I was pumped up because I feel like I struggled in the last

one,” said the 13-year-old Weatherman. “I think I can make an improvement

this year.”

Weatherman’s 12-year-old brother Clayton will make his first

appearance in the Legends Million this year after winning the Bandolero

Bandits feature at the event in 2010.

“When they came out with the second Legends Million, I was excited

because I didn’t think I was going to get to race one,” said the younger

Weatherman. “My brother got to do one last year and I didn’t get to because

I was too young. I’m just really excited and I think I can get a top five.”

Drivers can register for the Legends Million at

http://www.charlottemotorspeedway.com. All Legend Car competitors 12 years of age

or older may register. The race is not restricted by division. All minors 17

or younger must complete a minor waiver, which is available for download at

http://www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/waivers.

Registration is free with the purchase of a new Legend Car from U.S.

Legend Cars International.

For additional information on competitor registration for the

Legends Million, visit http://www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or call the Charlotte

Motor Speedway events department at (704) 455-3205. For more information

about U.S. Legend Cars International and Legend Cars, visit

http://www.uslegendscars.com or call U.S. Legend Cars International’s headquarters

at (704) 455-3896.

Tickets to the Legends Million race are just $10 for adults and

children 12 and under are admitted free. To purchase tickets, call the

Charlotte Motor Speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267) or go online

to http://www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.

Connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway on Twitter at

http://www.twitter.com/CLTMotorSpdwy or become a Facebook fan at

http://www.facebook.com/charlottemotorspeedway.

-30-

Roush Yates Engines Putting on a Show

Mooresville, NC (June 27, 2011) Roush Yates Engines put on an impressive show this weekend, winning in three different racing series. Roush Yates Performance Engine Group has been working hard to build powerful engines for all forms of motorsports, from professional to grassroots, and they backed up that effort with wins in the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series, World of Outlaws Late Model series, and the Bowman Gray modified division.

 

Carl Renezeder is the proud owner of a new Roush Yates Off-Road engine and it paid off for him big time on Sunday afternoon. Renezeder took the lead early in the race and held on to win the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series Pro 4 Class at Miller Motorsports Park. This was Renezeder’s 96th short course career win and his first with Roush Yates power under the hood.

 

“It went real well for us,” said Renezeder, a seven-time national champion. “We had to follow for a while but a couple of opportunities opened up and we had the power to take them.”

 

Keeping with Roush Yates’ tradition of power and performance, Scott Bloomquist capped a big night with an impressive showing at Friday’s rain-delayed World of Outlaws Late Model feature at Lernerville Speedway. Bloomquist started off the night by setting the track record during qualifying, coming in at 15.226 seconds, or 118.219 mph. He then went on to win the first heat with his Roush Yates 436 Ford motor and hold off fellow Roush Yates powered driver Rick Eckert to take the win in the feature. This is Bloomquist’s third win in six starts this season in the World of Outlaw series.

 

Lee Jeffreys and Burt Myers won in front of a massive crowd at Bowman Gray Stadium this weekend in the modified divison. Jeffreys has had a year full of bad luck, but Saturday night the entire field followed him as he took the checkered flag. Jeffreys led every one of the 25 laps to win the first race in dominant fashion.

 

Defending Champion Burt Myers brought home win number two for Roush Yates at Bowman Gray Saturday night. Myers held off Tim Brown to take the win in the second race of the night.

 

“You don’t have to be the best,” said Myers. “You just have to be good enough to put yourself in a place to take advantage of the good luck when it comes your turn – and that’s what we did tonight. The car and engine package are awesome right now, you just have to have a little luck to go with it.”

Roush Yates continues to produce powerful winning engines for all levels of racing. To learn more about Roush Yates Engines and keep up with all of this season’s wins, please visit http://www.roushyates.com or call Jeff Clark at 704-658-1540.

Avett Brothers July 9 Concert from Red Rocks to be Simulcast Live On World’s

CONCORD, N.C. (June 23, 2011) – Charlotte Motor Speedway will add

another fabulous first to its legacy on July 9 when the world’s largest HDTV

airs a live simulcast concert by American Recordings artists, the Avett

Brothers, from the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Co.

The simulcast will give local Avett Brothers fans the opportunity to

view the live show on Charlotte Motor Speedway’s massive 80-foot-by-200-foot

HDTV. The speedway will also supply concert-grade speakers for the event, to

turn the infield area in front of the HDTV into a one-of-a-kind concert

venue.

“The speedway has been a hometown landmark for us our whole lives

and we’re proud to have an opportunity for our music to echo through that

historical infield,” said Seth Avett. “For us, performing at Red Rocks and

airing live in Concord is about the most ideal situation for being in two

amazing places at once.”

The Avett Brothers front men, Scott and Seth Avett, who grew up on

their father’s farm in Concord, quickly grew their fan base throughout the

Charlotte, N.C., region with memorable energetic shows, which has become the

band’s trademark.

The Avetts’ popularity skyrocketed on the heels on their major label

debut, the 2009 album “I and Love and You.” Recently, the band has become

accustomed to performing sold-out concerts and in February they performed at

the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles alongside Bob Dylan.

“We are so fortunate to travel and play the many places we do,” said

Scott Avett. “To have an opportunity to share that with our supportive home

town in a setting where great men like Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and

David Pearson competed adds to the sense of pride that we feel to be a part

of the Charlotte community and this event at Charlotte Motor Speedway.”

“This is going to be an unbelievable event,” said Marcus Smith,

president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway. “This is

something that would have never been possible without the world’s largest

HDTV. But, now we’re going to simulcast a live sold-out show from one of the

most famous concert venues in the world, featuring our home-town boys, the

Avett Brothers, to their loyal fan following here in Charlotte. It’s going

to be awesome!”

Speedway gates for the live simulcast on Saturday, July 9, will open

at 8 p.m. Grace Potter and the Nocturnals are scheduled to begin at 9:30

p.m. with the Avett Brothers scheduled to perform around 11 p.m.

Tickets for the July 9 simulcast on the world’s largest HDTV at

Charlotte Motor Speedway are on sale now and can be purchased at the

speedway ticket office or by calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267). Tickets are only

$10 until July 1, when they will increase to $15 until July 8. Tickets

purchased the day of the event, July 9, will cost $20.

Tickets for October races at Charlotte Motor Speedway are on sale

now and can be purchased online at http://www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by

calling the speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267). The Coca-Cola

Four Pack includes tickets, hot dogs and Coca-Cola drinks starting at just

$39.75 per person.

Connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway on Twitter at

http://www.twitter.com/CLTMotorSpdwy or become a Facebook fan at

http://www.facebook.com/charlottemotorspeedway.

-30-

 

Listen to What the Ford Drivers are Saying About the Pepsi MAX 400

 

As mentioned above, Matt Kenseth, driver of the No. 17 Crown Royal
Black Ford Fusion, has the most Top 10 finishes among all drivers at
Auto Club Speedway with 12.  Kenseth, who also has three wins at the
track, spoke about his success here before today’s practice.

MATT KENSETH – No. 17 Crown Royal Black Ford Fusion – DO YOU THINK
THERE IS SOME SORT OF ETIQUETTE BETWEEN CHASERS AND NON-CHASERS,
LOOKING BACK ON LAST WEEK’S BUSCH-REUTIMANN ISSUE?  “I didn’t really
see what went down last week, so I can’t comment on that, but, in my
opinion, I think you race the same all year.  I think you should race
everybody the same whether they’re in the chase or not in the chase.
I think you try to show people respect all year because everybody has
the same right to be out there, whether they’re first in points or
last in points.”  THAT BEING SAID, ARE THERE CERTAIN PEOPLE ON THE
TRACK THAT YOU’RE MORE AWARE OF AND TRY TO STAY AWAY FROM BECAUSE YOU
FEEL SOMETHING COULD HAPPEN?  “No.  I race the same all year,
honestly, no matter where you are in the points.  If it came down to
the last week or something like that and you’re the point leader by a
bunch, you’re probably gonna be a little bit more careful, but, other
than that, as competitive as it is I think you race as hard as you can
all year.  Everybody has the same right to be out there.  Everybody is
out there racing for wins and have their own particular
responsibilities.”  AS A CHASER DO YOU WORRY ABOUT SOMETIMES RUBBING
FENDERS WITH A NON-CHASER, KNOWING THEY COULD POSSIBLY RUIN YOUR
CHAMPIONSHIP HOPES?  “I don’t want to ruin any race.  No matter where
you are in the points they’re all big races.  I think you go out there
and you’re gonna race whatever your style is all the time.  I don’t
think that really changes.  You still have to race hard all the time
because it’s so competitive that you can’t just go out and think about
not knocking a fender off.  You go out there and think about trying to
get to the front.”  DO YOU CONSIDER THIS THE KIND OF TRACK THAT CAN
HELP YOU GET BACK UP IN THE POINTS?  “Where we are, we’ve got to gain
some significant points on the leader every week to get back in it and
have a realistic shot.  I think our performance has been picking up a
little bit lately, we just have to get a whole race put together.
We’ve been struggling with that a little bit.  There were times last
week where I thought we were very competitive but we didn’t finish it
off.  This has been a pretty good track for us in the past, so,
hopefully we can be competitive from the time we get on the track this
morning all the way through Sunday when we’re done and get a good
finish.  So that’s really what I’m more focused on is just trying to
get back up with the leaders and be competitive so we can get in a
really good position to win some races.”
FORD RACING NOTES AND QUOTES    Pepsi MAX 400, Page 2
October 8, 2010 Auto Club Speedway

MATT KENSETH CONTINUED — IS THERE A SPECIFIC POINT IN THE RACE WHERE
YOU FEEL YOU NEED TO IMPROVE?  “Our adjustments have just not been
good enough to keep up with the track for whatever reason.  Last week,
the worst we ran the whole race was our last run and you can’t do that
because you’re not gonna get the finishes.  Lately, there have been a
lot of long, green-flag runs at the end and you’ve got to have your
car handling right and do the right things at the end of the race.  On
the last pit stop we came out ahead of Jimmie Johnson and he finished
second and we finished seventh without a caution, so we just haven’t
been doing the right things to keep up on whatever it is – track
conditions or adjustments.  That’s probably my fault for not knowing
what I need for adjustments.  I’m trying to give them the best
feedback I can and hope that we do the right things on the car in the
pits to get it running better.”  WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO DO WELL AT
CHARLOTTE?  “Track position has been really important there since the
introduction of this car with the spoiler and that pavement.  The
pavement has a lot of grip and even though the track gets pretty wide,
it’s a real fast track and kind of hard to pass so track position is
real important.  You’ve got to be in position the last couple of
stops.”  WHAT’S THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FALL AND SPRING
RACE THERE?  “I don’t think there’s much of a difference.”  WHAT IS IT
GOING TO TAKE FOR ANYBODY TO BEAT THE 48?  “You’ve got to prove you
can beat them.  I’ve said it for five years, they’re the best team out
there and somebody has to beat them and knock them down before you can
say they’re not the best team.  Everybody says, ‘Oh, they don’t have
momentum.  They’re not running as good.’  Well, as soon as somebody
shows they can beat them, I’ll believe it.”  WHAT TRACK ARE YOU
WORRIED ABOUT THE MOST OF THE TRACKS LEFT?  “Honestly, for me I worry
about all of them.  I’ve really just been focused on Fontana this
weekend and then trying to get back on track here and get a good
finish.”  IS THE FR9 ENGINE COMING ON AT THE RIGHT TIME?  “I think the
engine has been helping a little bit.  I think there’s still some room
for improvement and Doug knows that – everybody knows that – because
we’ve only been working on it for six months or a year, whereas we
worked on that old engine forever.  I think it’s certainly an
advantage and it’s better than what we had, plus they keep getting it
better.”  DO YOU THINK IT WILL RUN PARTICULARLY WELL HERE IN FONTANA?
“I hope so.  Fontana and Michigan are big horsepower race tracks, but
they’re also big handling race tracks as well.  It’s real similar to
Michigan, so if you perform well there, hopefully you’ll perform okay
here.”

Whelen Southern Modified Tour Comes to Town

Ten Reasons to Attend Bojangles’ Pole Night and Watch the
NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour’s Season Finale

       CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 8, 2010) – The NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified
Tour (NWSMT), will spice up Bojangles’ Pole Night with their fast-paced,
short-track racing in the UNOH Southern Slam 150, Thursday night, Oct. 14.
       Sprint Cup Series qualifying and NASCAR Modifieds are just two of
the many reasons that fans will head out to Charlotte Motor Speedway on
Thursday. Here are 10 more:

1.      Two events for the price of one. Not only will fans see NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series qualifying for the only night race in the Chase, they’ll
get to witness the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour battle it out for
150 laps on the frontstretch quarter-mile. The best part? Tickets are just
$12 in advance and $20 the night of the event.
2.      Fans will have the chance to wave the green flag for their favorite
driver. Charlotte Motor Speedway officials will randomly select fans in
attendance at Bojangles’ Pole Night to wave the green flag during NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series qualifying for the Bank of America 500.
3.      One of the closest points battles in NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified
Tour history.  Andy Seuss is just three points behind series leader James
Civali going into the final race of the NWSMT season, with fifth place John
Smith just 65 points behind Civali.
4.      Fans shouldn’t miss qualifying for the only night race in the Chase!
The Bank of America 500 could make or break a driver’s run for the
championship and his starting position is key. Fans shouldn’t miss a minute
of this very important session.
5.      The NWSMT has only one repeat winner this season. With nine of 10
races complete in the NWSMT schedule, the series has just one repeat winner
in 2010, Andy Seuss. The series features great short-track racing with
intense on-track battles and is sure to be exciting on the frontstretch
quarter-mile.

6.      Bojangles’ Pole Night offers fans the chance to see their favorite
driver. With practices for both the NASCAR Nationwide Series and Sprint Cup
Series in addition to the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour race, fans
have the chance to see every car that will compete during the weekend on
track.
7.      Fans can witness a bit of NASCAR history. A modified car is the
oldest type of car used in NASCAR. The cars weigh only 2,645 pounds
including the driver’s weight, while a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car weighs
3,450 pounds without the driver. The NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified car is
powered by a V8 engine producing 625 horsepower and can reach a top speed of
150 mph. The modifieds have a unique open wheel design and use the largest
tire of any NASCAR touring series with a tread width of 83.75 inches due to
the extra wide right-side tires.
8.      Bring the kids for just $1 each. Children ages six to 12 are
admitted for just $1, while ages five and under are admitted for free.
9.      Fans can experience the luxury of The Speedway Club for a great
price. Pole Night is a great night for fans who are not members of The
Speedway Club to test drive Charlotte Motor Speedway’s luxurious
members-only seating for just $50.
10.     The NWSMT will compete for the first time at Charlotte Motor
Speedway. This event marks the NASCAR modifieds first visit to the famous
motorsports complex. Fans will witness history as the lightning-fast
machines compete on the quarter-mile oval.

       Tickets for Bojangles’ Pole Night and all October races at Charlotte
Motor Speedway can be purchased online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or
by calling the speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267). The Bank of
America Fan 4 Pack includes tickets, hot dogs and Coca-Cola drinks starting
at just $39.75 per person or fans can get four nights of great racing with
the Bank of America 500 Week Super Ticket for just $99.
       For daily updates, connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway by becoming
a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/charlottemotorspeedway or following on
Twitter at www.twitter.com/CLTMotorSpdwy.

Ford Racers Talk About the Pepsi MAX 400

       Greg Biffle, driver of the No. 16 3M Ford Fusion, has a pair of wins
this season, including last week at Kansas Speedway.  The win allowed
Biffle to move within 85 points of leader Jimmie Johnson in the NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series point standings.  He spoke with reporters after
Friday’s practice session.

GREG BIFFLE – No. 16 3M Ford Fusion – HOW HAVE THINGS GONE SO FAR?
“I’m certainly really excited about coming off a good week last week
and the car is fast right off the truck again – good in race practice
and we switched to qualifying practice and I think we ended up in the
top five, so it looks the same as last weekend so far.  It looks like
we’re gonna have a decent qualifying run, although we’ve got to back
it up on the race track now.  We’ll see what happens here in a little
bit, but I feel really good about this race track.  I like it here.
We run well on this race track and I just can’t wait for Sunday and
can’t wait for qualifying, hopefully get a good lap and look forward
to the race.”  WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON HAVING ONLY ONE CALIFORNIA
RACE NEXT YEAR?  “Obviously I’m not real excited about that.  This is
probably one of our best race tracks that we race at, so getting cut
down to one time – me personally – it’s gonna hurt.  I’ve got a lot of
family here and get back to the west coast a little bit.  I’ve got
friends and family who come from Washington and Oregon, where I grew
up.  I see a lot of people here I used to race with and fans, so it
gives all the west coasters a chance to come and visit this race
track.  So I think it has a pretty good draw from a lot of different
states.  As far as that goes, one is the personal side of it. I really
enjoy coming to Southern California and get to see everybody, but two,
I run really good here so that’s kind of a double thing for me.  I
guess the bright side of it is, if there’s a positive, is at least we
get to come here once a year.  Unfortunately, we’re not gonna get to
come twice.”  DO YOU THINK THE FR9 IS COMING ON AT THE RIGHT TIME AND
WHY OR WHY NOT?  “I was hoping that this was gonna happen.  It was
kind of ironic that the FR9 engine came in right as Ford had struggled
for so long.  We really struggled with our cars.  Our engines have
always been great and made great power and been reliable, so it was
like, ‘When are we ever gonna get our cars turned around and get our
cars running better and be more competitive?’  And right as we did
that, we were integrating the FR9 engine into the program, so it sort
of makes it look like the FR9 engine is really our saving grace in the
whole thing, and that’s part of the piece of the puzzle, but it’s not
as big as what some people from the outside would look at that don’t
know a lot about the sport.  They say, ‘Oh, they’ve got their new
engine.  Now they’re winning races and really competing well.’  So
really, where the turnaround was, if you look back at our stats, was
Chicago for all Roush Fenway cars.  The RPM cars had outrun us for the
better part of the season, so we kind of switched to more of their
suspension package in Chicago and I think Carl has three second-place
finishes then, I’ve got two wins and was running second when the
engine expired at Chicago that very race, so, really, that was kind of
our turnaround race.  We really turned our program around and the
engine came on board, so with the two combination, it certainly made
us a ton better.  Some of the things about the engine, it makes a
little bit better mid-range power, which the passing takes place from
the center of the corner to the corner exit.  When you put the gas
down, the guy whose car handles the best and puts the gas down the
earliest is normally the guy that will make the pass, but also that’s
where you need the engine to have its most power.  So this engine does
that a little bit better and then the cooling package, we’ve really
caught up to all the other manufacturers on our cooling package.  It’s
a little bit more efficient, so we’re able to match the tape on the
front of the car as the other guys, so those two things – and it’s got
the lower center of gravity.  It is a little heavier than the old
engine just because we had to make our engine a little bit longer to
match the other manufacturers, so it has plusses and minuses to it as
far as what it does.”

GREG BIFFLE CONTINUED — ARE YOU FEELING MORE COMFORTABLE WITH IT NOW
AND CAN PUSH THE LIMITS MORE?  “Yeah, I definitely do, especially
after last week because we definitely tested it last week.  The engine
was on the chip for three-quarters of that race from just past the
flag stand all the way to the corner.  The engine shop said, ‘Make
sure you don’t run this engine on the chip.  We don’t want it running
on the rev chip.  Run it right before it.’  When you start making it
miss on cylinders it gets angry inside with all the parts and pieces.
Of course, we listened to them and then ran it on the chip for
three-quarters of the day and the thing lived the whole time.  I got
preliminary reports back that everything looked good in the engine –
the valvetrain looked good, everything looked good – so maybe in the
future we can get another 100 RPM and get the blessing from the engine
guys to run the engine another 100 RPM.  It’s not that you can’t run
it another 100 RPM if you feel like it, it’s just particular tracks.
Like here, we’re turning 9400 RPM or so – 9350 or so, and then in the
race we’ll probably turn only 9100.  So that’s an extreme from last
week when it was turning 9600.  This week during the race it’s
probably turning 9100 or 9200, so it just depends on the race track
and the temperature of the day as far as how many RPM the engine
runs.”  IN THREE OF THE LAST FOUR RACES THERE HAVE BEEN FIVE OR FEWER
CAUTIONS.  AS A DRIVER, HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT  AND IT IS MORE
DIFFICULT TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS DURING THE RACE?  “Yeah, I can
definitely attest that there have been less cautions because we are
unfortunately sitting here eighth in points because we pitted at Dover
and the caution came out the next lap and caught us two laps down and
the caution came out only one more time.  So with a top 10 car we
finished 19th and here we sit 85 points out of the lead.
Respectfully, we should be about 40 points out of the lead or maybe 35
if we would have just got our laps back that we lost because of that
caution flag.  So, yes, I have seen more green flag running, although
last week it seemed like there were more cautions – a few more than
there were at Dover.  I think the trend is kind of up-and-down and as
we figure these cars out and we all get better at driving them and
more proficient, I think as drivers and teams we make less and less
mistakes, and, of course, that means the caution comes out less and
less as we go.  I think it’s just a product of everybody getting
better.  The engines getting better – if you remember, it wasn’t
uncommon to lose an engine and now it’s a lot more rare to see an
engine failure because technology has gotten better and the guys have
gotten better about building them.  And to be honest with you, these
cars are easier to drive than the old cars.  The old cars you really
had to be on your toes.  These cars are a lot easier to drive.
They’ve got a lot of sideforce, the sides are real big and tall,
they’ve got a huge spoiler on the back of them, so the cars are much
easier to drive and they wreck a lot less.”  IS IT MORE DIFFICULT TO
MAKE CHANGES WITH MORE GREEN FLAG STOPS?  “Yeah.  You’re worried about
getting on and off pit road, which is okay, that’s really not the
biggest thing, the biggest thing is you don’t get a chance to
experiment.  If a race has a few more cautions or a normal amount of
cautions, then you won’t be afraid to put some wedge in it and change
the tire pressure.  Well, when it runs green for four cycles in a row,
if you’re off a little bit, you can get lapped or lose a lot of
positions in a hurry.  You have to be much more executed on the
decision you make because the chance to un-do it if it’s the wrong way
is normally about 70 laps later when you’re out of gas – then you get
to come back and try it again.  Under that scenario, it’s not as
easy.”

GREG BIFFLE CONTINUED — MARTINSVILLE IS THE SMALLEST AND SLOWEST
TRACK.  WHY DOES IT CREATE SUCH A BIG CHALLENGE?  “I think that is the
challenge – the smallest race track is probably the biggest thing.
When you take 43 cars and there’s really one lane that makes the
fastest way around the route, it’s hard for everybody to get in that
same lane and make things happen.  That’s really the biggest thing
about it.  The bottom is the fastest way around it because it’s so
flat.  It doesn’t provide any banking, so you can’t really effectively
run the top much faster.  If it had a little bit of a progressive
bank, the top might be a little bit faster, where you could kind of
run up and down the race track, so that’s really the biggest thing is
you’re trying to put so many cars in a circle in one lane around the
bottom of the race track and that’s what makes it so hard – just makes
it really, really difficult.  You get bottled up from the guy in front
of you, the guy behind you can get the gas down and turn underneath
you, sticks you on the outside and even though you’ve got a good car,
you just got checked up a little bit because the guys up there are
playing bumper cars, and, all of a sudden, you get shuffled to the
outside and you can lose 15 spots before you can get back in line.
It’s kind of a gamble.”  HOW DO YOU TRAIN YOUR FOCUS ON WHAT YOU’VE
GOT TO DO EVERY RACE AND NOT LET  THE 48 BE A DISTRACTION WHEN IT
LOOKS LIKE THE SAME SCENARIO PLAYING OUT AGAIN?  “It’s pretty easy for
me because the way I look at it is I worry about the 16 car and get
the best finish I can here at California.  I’ve got to beat Tony
Stewart, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex, Jimmie Johnson and all the rest and
it really makes no difference who I’m racing for the lead or who I’m
racing for fifth as far as what car it is.  What he does, I don’t have
any control over, so I focus on getting the best finish and not making
any mistakes.  Whether it’s sixth or third or a win this weekend, I
just do the best I can.  Last weekend, when I finished the race at
Kansas I had no idea, and I still don’t today, who finished third,
fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh.  I guess that’s bad of me, but I’ve
been so busy this week I haven’t looked at the finishing order.  And I
didn’t know Jimmie finished second until I was in the media center and
somebody said, ‘Well, what do you think about the 48 getting second?’
I had no idea where he finished.  I didn’t see him all day.  I didn’t
see him one time.  The guys later told me he was running in the teens
with about 40 laps to go, or something like that, and they made some
adjustments and got better and whizzed their way up to second place.
That’s a perfect example of paying attention to what we’ve got to do
and do the best we can.  I can’t control what they do.  Unfortunately,
they got all the way back to second, but we’ll just see.  Hopefully,
they’re off one of these races and we can gain some points on them.”
WHICH TRACK IS MORE AGGRAVATING FOR YOU AS FAR AS TALLADEGA OR
MARTINSVILLE BECAUSE THEY’RE VIEWED AS THE TWO WILD CARD RACES?
“Probably Martinsville because there is so little room to race and so
little you can do on that race track.  We predominantly as a company
and as a team have not run as well at Martinsville as we would like
to, so, with that being said, my vote is Martinsville is probably the
nemesis more than Talladega.  We’ve run restrictor plate races and
you’ve got more room to try and get things done and draft and pick a
lane and do those kinds of things, although we did get 10th in the
spring at Martinsville.  We can go back there in the fall do that or
better that by a little bit I think we’ll be good.  And Talladega,
we’re just like everybody else.  I’m ready for it.  I don’t let it
affect me, that we could get caught up in wreck or that somebody else
could.  You just go in there and run the race, when they throw the
checkered flag you look where everybody finished and head to the next
one.”

       Carl Edwards, driver of the No. 99 Aflac Ford Fusion, finds himself
53 points out of the points lead thanks to fifth and sixth-place
finishes the last two weeks.  Edwards, who will be a guest on
tonight’s Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, spoke about his team’s
improvement after practice.

CARL EDWARDS – No. 99 Aflac Ford Fusion – WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON
THIS WEEKEND?  “Our Aflac Fusion is pretty fast.  I believe that last
week was a good test for us.  That Kansas race track is a lot like the
Auto Club Speedway.  It’s going to be a really hot, slippery race on
Sunday.  It looks like the temperatures are gonna be pretty high.  The
track temp will be really hot, so, hopefully, we can get a good
qualifying effort in here in the next hour or so and start up front.
I feel like our team has been marching towards this points lead just
little bits at a time and I think this track is an opportunity for us
to do that again.”  WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS AS WE GET READY TO GO TO
MARTINSVILLE?  “The spring race, Matt Kenseth had a chance to win that
race and I think, if you ask Matt, that’s not a great race track for
Matt.  Our car was pretty fast.  We’ve had on and off days there, but
I look at that race track where if we can qualify well and can run
like we’ve been running, we’re gonna be good, but it’s a bottleneck.
It’s a spot in the chase that I’m a little bit nervous about, but
we’ve just got to qualify well there.  I think that’s the thing that’s
hurt us the most in the past.  Once we get out there running I always
feel like we run okay, but we’ve just got to make a good lap.”  TEXAS
IS SHORTLY AFTER THAT RACE.  WHAT CAN YOU DO IN A NATIONWIDE CAR THERE
THAT YOU CAN’T DO IN THE CUP CAR AND DO YOU PREFER ONE OR THE OTHER?
“Texas Motor Speedway is a lot of fun to drive in any car.  The
Nationwide car there is just so hammered down.  You’re on the throttle
so much that it’s a different kind of race than the Cup race, but I
like them both.  There is no carryover or transfer of information.
The Cup race there is spectacular.  The track is very well suited to
the Cup cars.  You can run different lines, the speeds are extremely
high, and the track has a little bit of character with the way the
transitions work and there are a couple of bumps that make it a fun
track to drive.  But for me, the biggest thing at Texas is just that
crowd.  Seeing that many people at a race track and that many real
race savvy fans, that’s a really special place to win.”  HOW DOES THIS
RACE BEING 400 MILES CHANGE THINGS FROM THE SPRING RACE?  “Oh, so this
is a 400-mile race?  I thought it was a 500-mile race all weekend.
Man, I’m glad we covered that.  That’s gonna go quick.  The thing is
it’s gonna be hot and starting at noon, a 400-mile race here should be
over at about 3 o’clock or 3:30 at the latest.  It’s such a fast race
track, so that will change things a little bit.  I was really looking
forward to the 500 miles.  I like the grueling aspect of this race
track and that long distance race, but I think for the fans things are
gonna shake out.  The fastest car will probably be leading by the
400th mile, so if that makes it a more exciting race, then that’s
good.”  YOU HAVE A BIG DEFICIT IN THE NATIONWIDE SERIES, JUST LIKE
LAST YEAR.  IS IT THE SAME PHILOSOPHY OF TRYING TO GAMBLE A BIT TO
CATCH UP?  “Our Nationwide program, we’ve just got to go out there and
learn the most we can and take the most risk we can to try and win
races, but, really, it’s about building for next year.  I’ve committed
to running full-time next year.  I don’t know if I’m gonna be able to
race for the championship or not, but we’ll still keep our own score
if we can’t.  We just want to go out and be the best we can for next
season, so that’s what we’re really focusing on right now.  There are
a lot of changes coming to the Nationwide Series and I think that what
we do now is we just focus on building towards that.  Brad has been
doing a great job this year.  They’ve got a really big lead and
they’ve earned it and, unless something major happens, I think they’re
gonna be able to keep that lead.  So we’ve just got to go for it, I
guess.”

CARL EDWARDS CONTINUED — WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT NATIONWIDE CHANGES
FOR NEXT YEAR?  “I don’t know how many guys from the Cup Series are
planning on running full-time.  I think it might just be me.
Hopefully, Brad will run again.  It would be great if Kyle would run.
It’s fun to be able to race with those guys for points.  That’s fun.
I think what NASCAR is trying to do is they’re trying to make an
opportunity for the Nationwide Series to be more of a development
series.  I think by eliminating the ability for a guy like myself to
run for the championship, I don’t think that changes the face of the
average Nationwide race.  Kyle Busch has won 11 races this year and
he’s not racing for the championship.  There’s nothing that would keep
him from doing the same thing again next year, or our team winning 11
races next year – whether or not I was racing for the championship.
The only thing it does hurt is team’s ability like ours to go out and
get sponsorship to run for the championship.  That’s an important
thing to Copart and Fastenal is for us to have an opportunity to do
that.  I know they’re looking at it from all different angles and I’m
glad they’re doing that and not making a rash choice and, hopefully,
they come up with the right decision.  But I don’t know what it is,
yet.  Nobody has told me.”  IS YOUR SETUP DIFFERENT FOR THIS RACE THAN
EARLIER?  “It is a little bit different because the track will be
slicker, the times will fall off more, it’ll be a different race, so,
yeah, the car has to be set up differently.”  DO YOU KNOW WHAT KIND OF
CAR YOU’LL BE RACING AT THE RACE OF CHAMPIONS LATER THIS YEAR IN
GERMANY?  “No, Jim Hancock from the United States team is here and we
haven’t had a chance to talk about everything yet, but I know he’s
here and he can talk to you about that.  Travis Pastrana has committed
to going.  I’m committed to going.  It’s in that big soccer stadium,
but I haven’t seen what kind of cars we’re gonna race yet.  We’re
gonna go there and get all the practice we can and try to beat up on
those Germans (laughter) the best we can, but they’re pretty fast.”
WHY DOES A LONGER RACE WORK BETTER FOR YOU.  YOU SEEM DISPPOINTED THIS
IS A 400-MILE RACE?  “I work really hard to be as fit as I can be.  My
trainer, Dean, from Carmichael Training Systems, we work really hard
to be prepared for these long races.  I can’t believe I didn’t know
this was a 400-mile race.  This race track just seems like one of the
hottest race tracks we go to sometimes.  When the sun is out here
there is no escaping the heat, so I feel that those long races play
into my strengths physically, and then I feel that from a handling
standpoint and the way the car drives, I think the hotter and slicker
it is suits me and our team as well.  I grew up racing at dirt tracks
and I really like when the car moves around a lot.  I really enjoy
that.”

NASCAR Returns to zMAX Dragway for NASCAR Night during Bank of America 500

       CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 8, 2010) – Some of the fastest drivers, car
owners and mechanics ever to turn left will give it their all to go straight
on Tuesday, Oct. 12, as NASCAR Night returns to zMAX Dragway.
       In past NASCAR Night events, more than 100 NASCAR industry personnel
have descended on the Bellagio of drag strips to take their cars down the
concrete quarter-mile. Participants can race anything they wish down the
drag strip, making this a true “run what you brung” event. Previous NASCAR
Night drag racers included NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Kurt Busch, Kyle
Busch, Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth; team owner Rick Hendrick; and crew
chiefs Chad Knaus and Lance McGrew.
       “The first NASCAR Night they hosted at zMAX Dragway a couple of
years ago, I told my guys, ‘We’re going to take something that nobody can
beat,'” said Busch, who will compete on Tuesday night. “It’s a lot of fun to
go to one of the best drag strips in the world, right here in our own
backyard, and do some good old fashion, heads-up grudge racing against some
of the guys you compete against in the garage every weekend.
       “We’ll bring our ’70 Dodge Challenger that we raced with at the NHRA
Gatornationals in Gainesville (Fla.) and PINKS All Out at Charlotte earlier
in the year. We’ve put a lot of time and effort into that car and with the
cooler track temperature and night air on Tuesday, we should be able to run
in the low eights (seconds) if we can get it to stick.”
 NASCAR Night is open to the public with gates opening at 4:30 p.m. On-track
action is set for 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Fans can show a ticket to the upcoming
Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Oct. 16 and receive free
admission. Adult tickets are available at the gate for just $5 and kids are
free. All proceeds from ticket sales will go to Speedway Children’s
Charities.
       Tickets for all October races at Charlotte Motor Speedway can be
purchased online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling the
speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267). The Bank of America Fan 4
Pack includes tickets, hot dogs and Coca-Cola drinks starting at just $39.75
per person or fans can get four nights of great racing with the Bank of
America 500 Week Super Ticket for just $99.
       For daily updates on October race activities, connect with Charlotte
Motor Speedway by following on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CLTMotorSpdwy or
become a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/charlottemotorspeedway. Connect
with zMAX Dragway on Facebook at www.facebook.com/zmaxdragway and on Twitter
at www.twitter.com/zmaxdragway.

Its a Dog’s Day During the Dollar General 300

       CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 8, 2010) – She may not be able to wave the green
flag or give the command “Gentleman, Start your Engines,” but a 13-year-old
Labrador retriever named Sunshine will serve as the honorary grand marshal
for the Dollar General 300 on Oct. 15 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
       Sunshine earned the distinction by winning the ALPO Honorary Grand
Marshal contest, conducted by Performance Racing Network. To win the
contest, which included a trip for two to the Dollar General 300, Sunshine’s
owner, Christy Bradburn, of Massanutten, Va., submitted a short essay
written from Sunshine’s point of view describing her favorite “real dog”
behavior and why it’s time to let dogs be dogs again.
       “Sunshine is like any real dog in that she has a common sense
approach to life and enjoys simple pleasures like rolling in mud, swimming
in the pond and barking at the mailman,” said Bradburn. In her winning essay
Bradburn wrote about Sunshine’s “reckless abandon” and spirit of adventure.
       Bradburn learned about the ALPO Honorary Grand Marshal contest when
her husband Brian Koerner heard about it on PRN. She entered for two
reasons.
       “I’ll take advantage of any opportunity to talk about my dog,”
Bradburn said. “And I’ve always wanted to go to a NASCAR race. I’ve never
been to one. It’s been on my bucket list.”
       Bradburn and her husband admittedly spoil Sunshine, but life didn’t
start out so easy for the contest-winning pooch.
       “I got her from a pound when she was a year old,” said Bradburn.
“She was brought in as a cruelty case. I was so surprised though, because
she was never timid or fearful. She was a happy-go-lucky hyper dog from the
get go.”
       When it comes to NASCAR, Bradburn says that she considers herself a
casual fan. She doesn’t have a favorite driver, while her husband admits
that NASCAR Sprint Cup Series star Tony Stewart is his favorite. Regardless
of who they root for, they are both very excited about their trip to
Charlotte Motor Speedway, which will include garage passes, suite access,
and a ride in a pace car.
       “I’m most looking forward to the pace car ride,” Bradburn said.
“That’s something I never thought I’d be able to do and it’s so cool that
Sunshine gets to participate in it too.”
       Though Sunshine and her owners are not sure what to expect during
the Dollar General 300, the dog does have an advantage over the humans when
it comes to fitting in with the sometimes rowdy race crowd: she was named
after a beer.
       “I’m embarrassed to admit this but she’s named after Sunshine Wheat.
It’s a beer that my husband and I like,” said Bradburn.
       Representatives from the ALPO brand will also be in attendance with
Sunshine and her owners at the Dollar General 300. This is the first year
for the ALPO Honorary Grand Marshal Contest, which celebrates the ALPO “real
dog” movement.
       Tickets for all October races at Charlotte Motor Speedway can be
purchased online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling the
speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267). The Bank of America Fan 4
Pack includes tickets, hot dogs and Coca-Cola drinks starting at just $39.75
per person or fans can get four nights of great racing with the Bank of
America 500 Week Super Ticket for just $99.
       For daily updates on October race activities, connect with Charlotte
Motor Speedway by following on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CLTMotorSpdwy or
become a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/charlottemotorspeedway.