NASCAR: Charlotte Coca-Cola 600 5/28/06

[AteUp]

www.jayski.com

# Race: Sunday, Sunday May 28, 2006 in Concord, NC

Because of the length of this race, the one engine rule is not in effect.

# Title Sponsor/Link: Coca-Cola

# Track: Lowe's Motor Speedway

# TV: FOX 5:00pm/et

# FOX Pre-Race Show: FOX - 5:00pm/et - with hosts Chris Myers and Jeff Hammond

# Speed's NASCAR Raceday Pre-Race Show: 3:00pm/et [2 hours] with John Roberts, Jimmy Spencer, Kenny Wallace

# Green Flag Scheduled: 5:40pm/et

# Race Re-Air: Thursday, June1 [Replay] at 2:30 on Speed Channel

# Pay Per View/NASCAR In Demand: www.indemand.com

# Announcers: Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip, Larry McReynolds

# Pit Reporters: Dick Berggren, Steve Byrnes, Matt Yocum, Jeanne Zelasko

# Hollywood Hotel: Chris Myers and Jeff Hammond

Johnson looking for 4th straight Coke 600: 10 times in NASCAR history, drivers have won a particular event at least four consecutive times. Jimmie Johnson can join this elite group on Sunday by winning the Coca-Cola 600 for a fourth consecutive time. Following is a rundown of the previous nine instances.
Driver
Dan Gurney Motor Trend 500 Riverside 1963-66
Richard Petty Nashville 400 Nashville 1964-67
Richard Petty Old Dominion 500 Martinsville 1967-70
Richard Petty Gwyn Staley 400 North Wilkesboro 1970-75
Richard Petty Capitol City 500 Richmond 1970-74
Darrell Waltrip Holly Farms 400 North Wilkesboro 1981-84
Darrell Waltrip Valleydale 500 Bristol 1981-84
Rusty Wallace Hanes 500 Martinsville 1993-96
Jeff Gordon Food City 500/Spring Race Bristol 1995-98
Jeff Gordon Mountain Dew Southern 500 Darlington 1995-98

[AteUp]

Practice Dates/Times/TV
# Friday Practice: Thursday, May 25, 3:00 - 4:30pm/et, TV-Speed Channel via tape at 4:30pm/et

# Saturday Practice: Saturday, May 27, 4:30 - 5:30pm/et, TV-Speed Channel

# Happy Hour Practice: Saturday, May 27, 6:05 - 6:50pm/et on TV-FX tape delay 6:30pm/et

(the above times in Eastern Time / ET - schedule below is by track location)

Qualifying Info
# Qualifying Draw: Thursday, May 25, 2:00pm/et

# Qualifying: 2 laps for positions 1-43, Thursday, May 25 at 7:00pm/et, TV-Speed Channel, re-air on May 26th at 2:00am/et and 3:00pm/et and May 27th at 12:00am/et on Speed AND live via radio at PRN Radio and XM Satellite NASCAR Radio.

Purse for the Pole: $56,200
Winner's share: $41,200 [2nd $10,0000, 3rd $5,000]

[AteUp]

* WHO'S HOT heading to Lowe's Motor Speedway:
• Two races ago Greg Biffle was 232 points behind 10th. After his victory at Darlington he is now 106 behind 10th.
• Jimmie Johnson has won three races in 2006, more than any other driver.
• Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth are the only drivers to score six top-five finishes in 11 races this season.
• Jimmie Johnson is the only driver to score eight top-10 finishes in the first 11 races in 2006.
• Mark Martin and Jimmie Johnson have each scored top-15 finishes in 10 of the 11 races in 2006.
• Greg Biffle and Tony Stewart are the only drivers to lead at least one lap in nine of the 11 races this season.
• Matt Kenseth ranks third in the point standings at Darlington. After 11 races one year ago, he ranked 21st.
• Tony Stewart has moved from 22nd to second in the point standings since Race No. 2 at California.
• Jeff Burton has climbed from 21st to 10th in the point standings since Martinsville. One year ago he ranked 18th in the point standings.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(5-17-2006)

* Heading to Lowe’s Motor Speedway
• Ryan Newman has won four of the last six Bud poles at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
• Newman has started fourth or better in all 10 of his races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway
• Jimmie Johnson has won five of the last six races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, including four straight. No driver has won five straight races on a superspeedway. Richard Petty holds the record of seven straight victories at a short track which occurred at Richmond (Fall 1970-Fall 1973). Darrell Waltrip also won seven straight at Bristol between 1981 and spring 1984.
• Jimmie Johnson has scored eight straight top-10 finishes at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, the longest current streak.
• The last five races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway have been won from a top-10 starting position. Four of Jimmie Johnson’s five wins at Lowe’s were from the top 10. His first victory at Lowe’s (May 2003) came from a 37th-place starting position, the lowest starting position of a race winner at Lowe’s in 94 races there.
• 13 drivers have won a race at Lowe’s from the first-place starting position, the second-place starting position and the third-place starting position.
• A Chevrolet has won the last six races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
• Jeff Gordon finished 30th and 38th at Lowe’s in 2005.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(5-13-2006)



* Track Qualifying Record: Elliott Sadler, Oct 2005, 193.216mph

* Event Qualifying Record: Ryan Newman, May 2005, 192.988mph

* 2005 Pole Sitter: #12-Ryan Newman, 192.988mph, finished 5th

* Track Race Record 500 miles: Jeff Gordon, Oct 1999, 160.306mph

* Track Race Record 600 miles: Bobby Labonte, May 1995, 151.952mph

* 2005 Race Winner: #48-Jimmie Johnson, 114.698mph, started 5th

* Slowest Race Record: Junior Johnson, 107.752mph, 1960

* Most Wins: 6 - Darrell Waltrip, Bobby Allison; Current driver: 5, Jimmie Johnson

* Most Poles: 14 - David Pearson; Current driver: 7, Jeff Gordon [Newman has 5]

* Most Top 5s: 23 - Bobby Allison and Richard Petty

* Most Top 10s: 31 - Richard Petty

* Oldest Winner: Cale Yarborough, 46 years, 6 months, 9 days, 10/6/85

* Youngest Winner: Jeff Gordon, 22 years, 9 months, 25 days, 5/29/94

* Most Laps Led [500 mile race]: 328, Ernie Irvan, 10/10/93

* Most Laps Led [600 mile race]: 335, Jim Paschal, 5/28/67

* Most Laps Led by a Race Winner: 335, Jim Paschal, 5/28/67

* Fewest Laps Led by a Race Winner: 3, Joe Weatherly, 5/21/61

* Most Lead Changes: 59 - 5/27/79

* Fewest Lead Changes: 2 - 5/21/61

* Most Leaders: 21, 5/29/2005

* Fewest Leaders: 3, 5/21/61

* Most Cautions: 22, 5/29/2005

* Most Caution Laps: 113, 5/25/80

* Fewest Cautions: 0 - 5/21/61

* Fewest Caution Laps: 0, 5/21/61

* Most Finishers on a lead lap: 25, 10/15/2005

* Most Running at the Finish: 39, 10/11/03

* Fewest Running at the Finish: 10 - 5/21/61

* Most Wins by Manufacturer: 33 - Chevy

[AteUp]

* Worst Starting Spot to Win: Jimmie Johnson, May 2003, started 37th

* Races won from starting pos 1: 13
* Races won from starting pos 2: 13
* Races won from starting pos 3: 13
* Races won from starting pos 4: 7
* Races won from starting pos 5: 8
* Races won from starting pos 6: 5
* Races won from starting pos 7: 6
* Races won from starting pos 8: 2
* Races won from starting pos 9: 4
* Races won from starting pos 10: 2
* Races won from starting pos 12: 2
* Races won from starting pos 13: 3
* Races won from starting pos 14: 1
* Races won from starting pos 15: 2
* Races won from starting pos 16: 2
* Races won from starting pos 17: 2
* Races won from starting pos 18: 2
* Races won from starting pos 20: 2
* Races won from starting pos 21: 1
* Races won from starting pos 22: 2
* Races won from starting pos 25: 1
* Races won from starting pos 37: 1
* Races won from the top 5: 54 of 94 - 57.5%
* Races won from the top 10: 73 of 94 - 77.7%

* Lowe’s Nuggets
• The track was first paved in 1960.
• The track was first repaved in 1973.
• The turns were repaved in 1979.
• The turns were repaved again in 1987.
• The entire track was repaved in 1994.
• The first “levigation” was done before the May race in 2005.
• The front straight and more “levigation” in the turns was done after the 2005 May race.
• The latest repaving of the entire track took place earlier this year (beginning in January 2006).
• The Goodyear tires used in the recent open test have been reported to be very “hard” allowing a driver to post his fastest laps far into a run. Tires are not expected to be a concern at Lowe’s in 2006, but will present many challenges in qualifying for those drivers that are not used to this “hard” compound. Some have reported that their first 20 laps during testing was like being on “ice” which certainly is expected to bring out the best in driver talent.
• The 22 caution periods in the 2005 Coca-Cola 600 was the most caution periods in a race all-time. The race lasted 5 hours, 13 minutes, 52 seconds.
Starting Up Front is not Important at Lowe’s Motor Speedway
The last five races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway have been won from a top-10 starting position. However, four of the last 10 races at Lowe’s were won from outside the top 10 including one from a 37th-place starting position, the lowest starting position of a Lowe’s race winner in the tracks 94-race history.
Lowe’s Streaks
• Ryan Newman has started from the top five in all 10 of his races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, the longest current streak. All 10 of his starts are fourth or better, including five Bud Poles.
• Jimmie Johnson has won the last four races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. No driver in NASCAR history has won five straight races at a superspeedway.
• Carl Edwards has competed in two races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, scoring top-10 finishes in both.
Owner Wins at Lowe’s Motor Speedway
Car owner Rick Hendrick has scored 13 wins at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, the most of any car owner. Hendrick’s victories were scored by six different drivers: Jimmie Johnson (five), Jeff Gordon (four), Darrell Waltrip (two), Terry Labonte (one) and Ken Schrader (one).
Recent Domination at Lowe’s Motor Speedway
Ryan Newman has won five Bud Poles at Lowe’s including four of the last six. Jimmie Johnson has scored all five of his Lowe’s victories in those same six races. David Pearson is the all-time Bud Pole winner at Lowe’s posting 14 Bud poles there, including 11 straight between the fall of 1973 through the fall of 1978.
Leading The Way at Lowe’s Motor Speedway
Bobby Allison won six races Lowe’s Motor Speedway and is tied with Darrell Waltrip for the most victories all drivers. Allison is also the all-time lap leader there, having led 2,249 laps. Mark Martin leads all active drivers with 1,148 laps led in 42 races there. Martin has four victories at Lowe’s.
Would you Believe?
Jeff Gordon has won four races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. His last win came there in October 1999, 13 Lowe’s races ago. Gordon’s last victory came at Martinsville in October 2005, 16 races ago - his only victory in the last 38 races.
Lowe’s Standouts
• Richard Petty had 64 career starts at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, more than any other driver.
• Kyle Petty leads all full-time drivers with 48 starts at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
• David Pearson scored 14 Bud Poles at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, leading all drivers.
• Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with seven Bud Poles at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
• Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip lead all drivers each with six victories at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
• Richard Petty and Bobby Allison lead all drivers with 23 top-five finishes at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
• Mark Martin leads all full time, active drivers with 16 top-five finishes at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
• Mark Martin has scored 20 top-10 finishes at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, the most among full time, active drivers.
• Ryan Newman leads all active drivers with a 2.10 starting average in 10 races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
• Carl Edwards has a 6.5 finishing average in his two races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, the best of all active drivers.
Milestones
• Mark Martin is expected to make his 650th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup career start at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
• Bobby Labonte is expected to make his 450th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup career start at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Season Nuggets
• The point standings after 11 races one year ago had Jimmie Johnson leading Greg Biffle by 41 points. Johnson is again the leader after 11 races in 2006, leading the reigning champion Tony Stewart by 93 points.
• After 11 races in 2006 just 10 drivers are within the 400-point window. One year ago there were 19 drivers within the 400-point window.
• After winning only three races in all of 2005, Dodge has won three of the first 11 races in 2006. Chevrolet has six victories in 2006 while Ford has just two. One year ago Ford had five victories at this point of the season.
• Kasey Kahne posted his third career victory with his win at Texas. All three of his victories came from the Bud Pole.
• Kurt Busch has started all 11 races in 2006 from a top-15 starting position, the only driver to do so.
• There were only four drivers that failed to qualify at Darlington. The 47 entries was the smallest of the season for the second straight race.
• Tony Stewart and Greg Biffle are the only drivers who have led at least one lap in nine of the 11 races in 2006. Biffle has earned 65 lap leader bonus points, five more than Stewart who has 60.
• Ken Schrader, Reed Sorenson and David Stremme are the only drivers that have competed in all 11 races that have yet to lead in 2006.
• At least one rookie has scored a top-15 finish in every race this season. Three times in 2006, three rookies have finished in the top-15.
• Dale Jarrett is the only driver among the top 21 in points that has not scored a top-five finish in 2006.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(5-17-2005)

[schuyler olt]

I'll be at that other race on Sunday.

[AteUp]

I'll be at that other race on Sunday.

Have fun. I'll look for you on TV.

[ryan hickey]

looks like jimmy is gonna start in the back again - had to bring out the back-up car after knocking the wall down in practice today. shouldn't make much difference though...