| May 2008 |
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May 1 – The Carolina 500 weekend is just a day away, and it will be a record breaking weekend of
racing with plenty of celebrities participating in the reopening of “The Rock”.
When championship driver Tony Stewart waves the green flag on Sunday, the 50-car ARCA RE/MAX
Series field will be racing for the richest purse in ARCA’s 56-year history – more than $324,000. Oh,
by the way, 50 cars is the largest starting field in the ARCA RE/MAX Series modern era.
Stewart’s two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series crew chief Greg Zipadelli will lead the field to the
green flag, driving the pace car just after country music star Josh Gracin sings the national anthem.
Celebrities will not only participate in pre-race activities, but post-race as well. The race winner will
receive the trophy from “The World’s Strongest Redneck,” Steve McGranahan. The North Carolina
native possesses the world record for ripping 11 decks of cards in 28 seconds with his teeth and one
hand. McGranahan has appeared on numerous TV shows, including "The Tonight Show" with Jay
Leno and “Steve Harvey's Big Time Challenge”.
Veteran Drivers Vs. Young Guns
The Carolina 500 will be an interesting competition between ARCA RE/MAX Series veterans and
young drivers looking to make a name for themselves. Four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race
winner Ken Schrader, nine- time and defending ARCA Champion Frank Kimmel and five-time
Daytona race winner Bobby Gerhart lead the veterans gunning for the checkered flag.
Among the Young Guns looking to steal the veterans' thunder are: Joey Logano, who will make his
ARCA debut at age 17; Austin Dillon, 16-year old grandson of NASCAR championship team owner
Richard Childress, who will take his S.A.T. exams Saturday before qualifying; Bill Davis Racing
development driver Michael Annett; and Roush-Fenway Racing’s Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Current point leader Matt Carter, the son of Travis Carter, who was the crew chief for then Ellerbe,
N.C., resident Benny Parsons when he won the 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship at
Rockingham, will be seeking his first series victory this weekend.
Free Parking
Parking is free on Rockingham Speedway property. Just follow the signs along the roads leading to
the track and follow the directions of the parking attendants. No charge!
Thunder Cup – PBG Classic Race
On Saturday at approximately 3:15 p.m., the exciting Thunder Cup Cars will run a 20-lap race at
Rockingham Speedway – the PBG Classic at The Rock. This race is a part of the King of the Oval
Series where the top-two finishers in points receive an invitation to compete against other Thunder
Cup competitors for an ARCA race later in the year.
The INEX Race to the Top Challenge will reward one Thunder Cup Car [formerly Thunder Roadster]
competitor a chance to compete in a 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series event in a fully-funded entry.
The recipient will be the winner of the invitation-only Top Challenge Thunder Cup race at Elko [Minn.]
Speedway during the Oct. 2-4 RACEceiver Legends and Thunder Roadster Asphalt Nationals.
Twelve Thunder Cup competitors will receive invitations to the event through competition in their
regional Race to the Top Thunder Roadster Series. There will be six regions with two drivers from
each region receiving invitations to compete in the Top Challenge. The regions are North Carolina,
Georgia, Indiana, Texas, Nevada and Northern California.
Pre-Race Pit Tours
Any fan who would like to get a close-up view of the action before the Carolina 500 starts may do so
by participating in a pre-race pit tour. Sunday, starting at 8 a.m., grandstand ticket holders can
purchase a pre-race tour for only $10 per person that allows access onto the race track and pit road
until 10 a.m.
Be sure to arrive early on Sunday to beat the traffic and see the action up close.
Pre-race passes may purchased at the turn 1 crossover gate at the bottom of Grandstand Section 29.
Just look for the access gate leading onto the track.
Benny Parsons Tower
During pre-race ceremonies, Rockingham Speedway will honor one of NASCAR’s greats – former
Ellerbe, N.C., resident, Benny Parsons. Don’t miss this special ceremony and help us remember a
legend.
Special Kids Pricing
Due to popular demand, Rockingham Speedway has added children's ticket prices for Sunday’s
Carolina 500. Children were already half price for Savage Energy Pole day – only $5 for two rounds
of qualifying, a Thunder Roadster race and ARCA RE/MAX Series driver autograph sessions. Now,
children 12n years and younger will be admitted into the infield for only $5 on Sunday. There will be
unreserved bleachers in the infield and plenty of space for lawn chairs and blankets for families
wishing to see the race.
On-track activities begin Friday, May 2,, at 2 p.m. with practice for the Carolina 500. Grandstand
admission is free. Savage Energy Pole Day is set for Saturday, May 3, with the first round of qualifying
at 10 a.m. The second-round of qualifying is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. Stewart will wave the
green flag to start the Carolina 500 on Sunday, May 4, at noon.
For more information or to order tickets for the May 4 ARCA RE/MAX Series Carolina 500 and the
Nov. 1 Hooters Pro Cup American 200, please contact the speedway at (910) 205-8800 or visit our
Web site at www.rockinghamspeedway.com.
racing with plenty of celebrities participating in the reopening of “The Rock”.
When championship driver Tony Stewart waves the green flag on Sunday, the 50-car ARCA RE/MAX
Series field will be racing for the richest purse in ARCA’s 56-year history – more than $324,000. Oh,
by the way, 50 cars is the largest starting field in the ARCA RE/MAX Series modern era.
Stewart’s two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series crew chief Greg Zipadelli will lead the field to the
green flag, driving the pace car just after country music star Josh Gracin sings the national anthem.
Celebrities will not only participate in pre-race activities, but post-race as well. The race winner will
receive the trophy from “The World’s Strongest Redneck,” Steve McGranahan. The North Carolina
native possesses the world record for ripping 11 decks of cards in 28 seconds with his teeth and one
hand. McGranahan has appeared on numerous TV shows, including "The Tonight Show" with Jay
Leno and “Steve Harvey's Big Time Challenge”.
Veteran Drivers Vs. Young Guns
The Carolina 500 will be an interesting competition between ARCA RE/MAX Series veterans and
young drivers looking to make a name for themselves. Four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race
winner Ken Schrader, nine- time and defending ARCA Champion Frank Kimmel and five-time
Daytona race winner Bobby Gerhart lead the veterans gunning for the checkered flag.
Among the Young Guns looking to steal the veterans' thunder are: Joey Logano, who will make his
ARCA debut at age 17; Austin Dillon, 16-year old grandson of NASCAR championship team owner
Richard Childress, who will take his S.A.T. exams Saturday before qualifying; Bill Davis Racing
development driver Michael Annett; and Roush-Fenway Racing’s Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Current point leader Matt Carter, the son of Travis Carter, who was the crew chief for then Ellerbe,
N.C., resident Benny Parsons when he won the 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship at
Rockingham, will be seeking his first series victory this weekend.
Free Parking
Parking is free on Rockingham Speedway property. Just follow the signs along the roads leading to
the track and follow the directions of the parking attendants. No charge!
Thunder Cup – PBG Classic Race
On Saturday at approximately 3:15 p.m., the exciting Thunder Cup Cars will run a 20-lap race at
Rockingham Speedway – the PBG Classic at The Rock. This race is a part of the King of the Oval
Series where the top-two finishers in points receive an invitation to compete against other Thunder
Cup competitors for an ARCA race later in the year.
The INEX Race to the Top Challenge will reward one Thunder Cup Car [formerly Thunder Roadster]
competitor a chance to compete in a 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series event in a fully-funded entry.
The recipient will be the winner of the invitation-only Top Challenge Thunder Cup race at Elko [Minn.]
Speedway during the Oct. 2-4 RACEceiver Legends and Thunder Roadster Asphalt Nationals.
Twelve Thunder Cup competitors will receive invitations to the event through competition in their
regional Race to the Top Thunder Roadster Series. There will be six regions with two drivers from
each region receiving invitations to compete in the Top Challenge. The regions are North Carolina,
Georgia, Indiana, Texas, Nevada and Northern California.
Pre-Race Pit Tours
Any fan who would like to get a close-up view of the action before the Carolina 500 starts may do so
by participating in a pre-race pit tour. Sunday, starting at 8 a.m., grandstand ticket holders can
purchase a pre-race tour for only $10 per person that allows access onto the race track and pit road
until 10 a.m.
Be sure to arrive early on Sunday to beat the traffic and see the action up close.
Pre-race passes may purchased at the turn 1 crossover gate at the bottom of Grandstand Section 29.
Just look for the access gate leading onto the track.
Benny Parsons Tower
During pre-race ceremonies, Rockingham Speedway will honor one of NASCAR’s greats – former
Ellerbe, N.C., resident, Benny Parsons. Don’t miss this special ceremony and help us remember a
legend.
Special Kids Pricing
Due to popular demand, Rockingham Speedway has added children's ticket prices for Sunday’s
Carolina 500. Children were already half price for Savage Energy Pole day – only $5 for two rounds
of qualifying, a Thunder Roadster race and ARCA RE/MAX Series driver autograph sessions. Now,
children 12n years and younger will be admitted into the infield for only $5 on Sunday. There will be
unreserved bleachers in the infield and plenty of space for lawn chairs and blankets for families
wishing to see the race.
On-track activities begin Friday, May 2,, at 2 p.m. with practice for the Carolina 500. Grandstand
admission is free. Savage Energy Pole Day is set for Saturday, May 3, with the first round of qualifying
at 10 a.m. The second-round of qualifying is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. Stewart will wave the
green flag to start the Carolina 500 on Sunday, May 4, at noon.
For more information or to order tickets for the May 4 ARCA RE/MAX Series Carolina 500 and the
Nov. 1 Hooters Pro Cup American 200, please contact the speedway at (910) 205-8800 or visit our
Web site at www.rockinghamspeedway.com.
May 3 - Clint Bowyer prevailed when he needed to, in the final green-white-checkered laps
in tonight's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on the 0.75-mile oval in Richmond, Virginia.
Bowyer started 31st and landed in Victory Circle 410 laps later to nail down his second Cup
career win by holding off Kyle Busch and Mark Martin.
Denny Hamlin dominated the race under the lights at Richmond International Raceway from
his pole position until lap 383, at the time only 17 laps of the original 400 were to be
completed. Winner of last night's NASCAR Nationwide Series race, the local Virginia native
looked to be the one to beat. Unfortunately, it was not his rivals who ended his dream, it was
a Goodyear tire gone flat.
in tonight's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on the 0.75-mile oval in Richmond, Virginia.
Bowyer started 31st and landed in Victory Circle 410 laps later to nail down his second Cup
career win by holding off Kyle Busch and Mark Martin.
Denny Hamlin dominated the race under the lights at Richmond International Raceway from
his pole position until lap 383, at the time only 17 laps of the original 400 were to be
completed. Winner of last night's NASCAR Nationwide Series race, the local Virginia native
looked to be the one to beat. Unfortunately, it was not his rivals who ended his dream, it was
a Goodyear tire gone flat.
May 6 - F1 team Super Aguri is out of business after two years of competition. F1's rules for
teams building their own cars, coupled with the loss of their major sponsors were the cause.
teams building their own cars, coupled with the loss of their major sponsors were the cause.
May 11 - Felipe Massa won the Turkish Grand Prix
from pole position for the third year in a row!
The start took a full ten seconds for the lights to go out
and in the jostling, Force India's Giancarlo Fisichella
hopped over the back of Kazuki Nakajima's Williams!
Kimi Raikkonen drove with a damaged front wing,
courtesy of close quarters with Heikki Kovalainen at
the start. Kovalainen's need for a tire change thereafter
put him in the non-points wilderness for the rest of the
race.
"Unfortunately for both of us, I broke the front wing and
he had a puncture," Raikkonen said. "We just used the
front wing for the whole race because it takes too long to
change it and it wasn't too bad, so, bit difficult but at
least we got some good points." Raikkonen went on to
finish in third place!
from pole position for the third year in a row!
The start took a full ten seconds for the lights to go out
and in the jostling, Force India's Giancarlo Fisichella
hopped over the back of Kazuki Nakajima's Williams!
Kimi Raikkonen drove with a damaged front wing,
courtesy of close quarters with Heikki Kovalainen at
the start. Kovalainen's need for a tire change thereafter
put him in the non-points wilderness for the rest of the
race.
"Unfortunately for both of us, I broke the front wing and
he had a puncture," Raikkonen said. "We just used the
front wing for the whole race because it takes too long to
change it and it wasn't too bad, so, bit difficult but at
least we got some good points." Raikkonen went on to
finish in third place!
May 18 - MOTOGP - The Doctor is back on top with today's French GP victory
at Le Mans. Valentino Rossi took one more step up the record books when he
crossed the line for his 90th win on the historic front straight of Circuit de la
Sarthe.
at Le Mans. Valentino Rossi took one more step up the record books when he
crossed the line for his 90th win on the historic front straight of Circuit de la
Sarthe.
H.A. 'Humpy' Wheeler, chief operating officer and president of Speedway Motorsports
and president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway, announced he's retiring
from both positions following the Coca-Cola 600. He is 69 years old.
and president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway, announced he's retiring
from both positions following the Coca-Cola 600. He is 69 years old.
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