Wednesday

Fan-Friendly Activities Scheduled For NASCAR Sprint All-Star Week

NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge Presented
By Craftsman Gets Week Started On May 19

2010 NSCS All-Star Race

The 2010 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race is set for Saturday, May 22 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (SPEED, 7 p.m.), but there will be plenty of action in and around the Charlotte area prior to Saturday night’s grand finale that should get fans geared up.

The sixth annual NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman gets the week started Wednesday, May 19 at 7 p.m. at Time Warner Cable Arena (SPEED to televise on delayed basis beginning at 9 p.m.). This competition between the top-24 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series pit crews has become a popular event among the fans and features the “unsung heroes” of the sport. The event’s finishing order determines pit selection for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. The No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet is the defending Pit Crew Challenge Champion.

“NASCAR Rev’d Up,” a six-hour event highlighted by a concert and fan entertainmentis back for its second straight year. The event, which is free to the public, takes place Thursday, May 20 between 3rd and Mint Streets in uptown Charlotte from 4 p.m.-10 p.m. “NASCAR Rev’d Up” is a major fan event and features a program filled with driver appearances, NASCAR showcars and interactive displays, culminated by the free concert. The performing act is expected to be announced soon. SPEED will broadcast content from the event throughout the week on its “NASCAR Race Hub” show that airs Monday-Thursday from 7-8 p.m. ET.

Here’s a schedule of events for all-star week:

· Wednesday, May 19, 7 p.m., Time Warner Cable Arena – NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman (for tickets go to www.pitcrewchallenge.com or call the Charlotte Bobcats ticket office at 800-495-2295) – SPEED to televise.

· Thursday, May 20, 4-10 p.m. in uptown Charlotte – “NASCAR Rev’d Up” featuring a concert and interactive fan entertainment (free admission).

· Friday, May 21, NASCAR Day – NASCAR Day is a charitable celebration of the NASCAR spirit that enables fans and partners to join together to make a difference in the lives of children. NASCAR Day encourages fans to make a $5 donation for a collectible lapel pin which in turn will support programs that help children live happier, healthier lives. Fans can also volunteer at a number of NASCAR Day service projects across the country. Since it began in 2004, NASCAR Day has raised nearly $8 million for charity. For more information visit www.NASCAR.COM/NASCARDay.

· Friday, May 21, 5 p.m., Charlotte Motor Speedway – NASCAR Sprint Cup All-Star Qualifying (for tickets call 1-800-455-FANS or www.charlottemotorspeedway.com) – SPEED to televise.

· Friday, May 21, 8 p.m., Charlotte Motor Speedway – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series N.C. Lottery 200 (for tickets call 1-800-455-FANS or www.charlottemotorspeedway.com) – SPEED to televise.

· Saturday, May 22, 7 p.m., Charlotte Motor Speedway – Sprint Showdown (top-two finishers qualify for the 26th running of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race) for tickets call 1-800-455-FANS or www.charlottemotorspeedway.com – SPEED to televise.

· Saturday, May 22, 8:30 p.m., 26th running of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (for tickets call 1-800-455-FANS or www.charlottemotorspeedway.com) – SPEED to televise.

“Working with our partners Sprint and SPEED, along with Charlotte Motor Speedway, an exciting slate of all-star week activities has been put together for our fans,” said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition. “Beginning with the NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman, through the “NASCAR Rev’d Up” event in uptown Charlotte, to NASCAR Day and all the racing action leading up to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on Saturday night, the week offers a great deal of fun and entertainment, along with a high level of competition for NASCAR race fans to enjoy.”

“Sprint All-Star Week is simply a tremendous platform for the Sprint brand,” said Steve Gaffney, vice president, corporate marketing for Sprint. “The week of non-stop events is capped off with what we believe is the most exciting racing of the year and fans who can’t attend can still catch all the excitement by viewing SPEED’s Sprint All-Star Week coverage on Sprint devices. It’s a great demonstration of how Sprint technology helps fans get closer to the sport they love.”

ABOUT SPRINT NEXTEL
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two wireless networks serving more than 48 million customers at the end of the fourth quarter of 2009 and the first 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The company’s customer-focused strategy has led to improved first call resolution and customer care satisfaction scores. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.

- NASCAR, Press Release