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DIRECTV Fastest Four Head2Head Competition at Darlington: Hamlin, Truex, Harvick, Bowyer

Event: Showtime Southern 500
Previous Winner: Mark Martin (beat Jimmie Johnson by 1.531 seconds on May 9, 2009)
Date / Time: Saturday, May 8, at 7:30 p.m. EDT
Configuration: 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval (367 laps = 501.332 miles)
Banking in Turns 1 & 2: 25 degrees
Banking in Turns 3 & 4: 23 degrees
Banking on Frontstretch: 3 degrees
Banking on Backstretch: 2 degrees
Frontstretch: 1,229 feet
Backstretch: 1,229 feet
First Sprint Cup Series Race: Sept. 4, 1950 – Southern 500 (Winner – Johnny Mantz)
Grandstand Seating Capacity: 70,000

NASCAR HOTPASS™ on DIRECTV is back, and it’s FREE to all DIRECTV customers. Four dedicated driver channels offering viewers multiple camera angles, real-time statistics and audio of the network broadcast augmented by live communication between the drivers and their pit crews is available for all 36 point-paying races during the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.

This weekend at Darlington (S.C) Raceway, the DIRECTV Head2Head Knockout competition concludes with the “Fastest Four” competition. The exciting new contest divided 32 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers into four regional brackets. Drivers went head-to-head against a new competitor each week in a single-elimination format and advanced by finishing higher than the driver they were matched up against. This week, the “Fastest Four” of Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer will race for the DIRECTV NASCAR Head2Head Knockout title during the Saturday night’s Showtime Southern 500 at Darlington.

Winning drivers have earned cash prizes each week and a total of $500,000 will be donated to a charity of the driver’s choice during the competition. Fans have earned points for correct picks and will have a chance to win a new 2010 ROUSH^® Stage 3™ Ford Mustang, as well as the ultimate prize – $1 million – for the fan who picked the perfect bracket.

The DIRECTV Head2Head “Fastest Four” lineup for the Showtime Southern 500 at Darlington:

DIRECTV Channel 795:

Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota team of Joe Gibbs Racing

Denny Hamlin will make his 162^nd career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start and his fifth at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway … Has never finished worse than 13^th at the 1.33-mile egg-shaped oval … The 29-year-old from Chesterfield, Va., has 10 wins and 82 top-10 finishes in 161 Sprint Cup starts … 2010 marks Hamlin’s fifth full year in Sprint Cup with a career-best point finish of third in 2006 … Started 30^th and finished 11^th last week at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway … Ranks seventh in Sprint Cup points with two wins and three top-10 finishes.

DIRECTV Channel 796:

Martin Truex Jr., and the No. 56 NAPA Toyota team of Michael Waltrip Racing

Martin Truex Jr., will make his 164^th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start and his fifth at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway … Has never finished worse than 14^th at the 1.33-mile egg-shaped oval … The 29-year-old Mayetta, N.J., native has one win and 41 top-10 finishes in 163 Sprint Cup starts … Won 2004 and 2005 NASCAR Nationwide Series titles … 2010 marks Truex’s fifth full year in Sprint Cup with a career-best point finish of 11^th in 2007 … Started 26^th and finished seventh last week at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway … Ranks 14^th in Sprint Cup points with four top-10 finishes.

DIRECTV Channel 797:

Kevin Harvick and the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet team of Richard Childress Racing

Kevin Harvick will make his 333^rd career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start and his 14^th at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway … Has four top-10 finishes at the 1.33-mile egg-shaped oval … The 34-year-old from Bakersfield, Calif., has 12 wins and 136 top-10 finishes in 332 Sprint Cup starts … 2010 marks Harvick’s 10^th full year in Sprint Cup with a career-best point finish of fourth in 2006 and 2008 … Won 2001 and 2006 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship … Started seventh and finished third last week at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway … Ranks first in Sprint Cup points with one win and seven top-10 finishes.

DIRECTV Channel 798:

Clint Bowyer and the No. 33 The Hartford Chevrolet team of Richard Childress Racing

Clint Bowyer will make his 156th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start and his fifth at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway … Has one pole (May 2007) and one top-10 finish in four starts at the 1.33-mile egg-shaped oval … The 30-year-old Emporia, Kansas, native has two wins and 67 top-10 finishes in 155 Sprint Cup starts … Won 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series title … 2010 marks Bowyer’s fifth full year in Sprint Cup with a career-best point finish of third in 2007 … Started 10^th and finished 12^th last week at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway … Ranks 12^th in Sprint Cup points with six top-10 finishes.

About NASCAR HOTPASS on DIRECTV:

NASCAR HOTPASS is available free to all DIRECTV customers. More information is available at www.directv.com/hotpass.

- True Speed Communication for NASCAR HotPass on DIRECTV, Press Release