Atlanta Motor Speedway news 2010-03-01

AMS' Kobalt Tools 500 News and Notes -- March 1, 2010

Fly Over Details Set for Kobalt Tools 500 Race Weekend

Fly over details have been set for the Kobalt Tools 500 race weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway and include a B-52H and a pair of F/A-18E Super Hornets.

The fly over for the Kobalt Tools 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, March 7 will feature a B-52H Stratofortress from Barksdale Air Force Base in Shreveport, La. The Stratofortress will be piloted by a nine-member team of the 93rd Bomb Squadron that saw action in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The B-52H Stratofortress is the Unites States Air Force's long-range, large-payload bomber and is also known as the BUFF (Big Ugly Fat Fellow).

The fly over for the E-Z-GO 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Saturday, March 6 will include a pair of F/A-18E Super Hornets from Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, Va. The Super Hornets are piloted by the Strike Fighter Squadron 105 (VFA-105), also known as the "Gunslingers," and the group participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom and recently embarked on the maiden deployment of the USS Harry S. Truman in support of Operation Southern Watch.

'MadHouse' Drivers Set to Participate in Modified race at AMS

A trio of competitors from the television series MadHouse are entered to compete in the Modified 150 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the season-opening event for the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour on the Speedway's quarter-mile "Thunder Ring."

Tim "The Rocket" Brown, Burt Myers and Jason Myers are all entered to compete in the Modified 150 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the first Modified race at Atlanta Motor Speedway since 1963. All three are among five drivers continuously profiled during the first season of the History Channel program.

The Modified 150 will take place on Friday, March 5 following NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Qualifying during Georgia Power Qualifying Night.

Newman Tries for Qualifying Record Prior to 300th Start

Prior to making his 300th-career start in the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Ryan Newman will again try to make history at AMS by breaking a tie with Buddy Baker for the most poles in the Speedway's history.

Tied with seven poles in Atlanta, Newman will try to surpass Baker during Georgia Power Qualifying Night at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Friday, March 5. While his last pole in Atlanta came in 2007, Newman reeled off six-straight poles on the 1.54-mile track from 2003 through 2005. And while his pole prowess obviously reflects Newman's ability, the Stewart-Haas Racing competitor deflects the attention to the man he sits tied with.

"Atlanta has always been a place where I like to qualify, and it would be an honor to get the all-time pole record there," Newman told AMS. "Buddy Baker really helped me throughout my racing career, and that's why we named the car we won the Daytona 500 with after him.

"We always drove the tracks backwards because it gives you a different perspective of entry and exit points," he continued. "That's something we did at Atlanta when he was teaching me about the track and I have always qualified well there, so I think it would be an honor to both of us if I am able to get my eighth pole there."

Blackberry Smoke to Perform Pre-Race at Kobalt Tools 500

Southern rock up-and-comers Blackberry Smoke will perform two concerts, including a pre-race concert prior to the Kobalt Tools 500 on Sunday, March 7, at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Based in Atlanta, Blackberry Smoke currently have the third-most requested song on Country Music Television, "Good One Coming On," and the group will perform pre-race on Sunday and on the Speedway's Fan Stage in the Display Lot on Saturday.

In addition to performances by Blackberry Smoke, Matt Kenon and Tim Chastain will perform on the Fan Stage Sunday, while Kenon will also perform on Saturday.

The Fan Stage is located in the AMS Display Lot area outside Gates 14 and 15 and will feature concerts, fan contests, NASCAR trivia and question-and-answer sessions, and will play host to the Speedway Children's Charities Memorabilia Auction at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, March

-source: ams