Fontana Auto Speedway news 2009-12-01

NEARLY A THOUSAND FANS GREET 4-TIME NASCAR CHAMP JOHNSON; CALIFORNIA NATIVE HELPS UNVEIL NEW SPEEDWAY ICON

'48 Chevy Woody unveiled at Auto Club Speedway, exclusive Breakfast with the Champion

SAN BERNARDINO county, Calif. (Dec. 1, 2009) -- Amid pomp, circumstance and about a thousand of passionate NASCAR race fans, two motorsports icons made a stop Auto Club Speedway on Tuesday.

After winning an unprecedented fourth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship last week, Southern California native Jimmie Johnson, made a special stop at Southern California's premier motorsports facility. Just days before he is to be officially crowned the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion in Las Vegas, Johnson was hailed "Champion" by local fans at a Breakfast with the Champion event. Also at the event, Southern California's newest racing icon -- Auto Club Speedway's 1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster Woody Hot Rod -- was unveiled.

After unveiling the '48 Woody Hot Rod to about a thousand of season ticket holders at the Breakfast with the Champion event, Johnson shared that he too has a '48 Woody in his collection. "Mine is more in its original form, but I've always dreamed of having a Woody in Hot Rod condition with a surf board on top," said Johnson. "I've been thinking about adding one like that in my collection, it's such a cool car."

If Johnson wins the Auto Club 500 at Auto Club Speedway on Sunday, Feb. 21, he'll be able to add a '48 Woody Hot Rod to his collection. The life-size '48 Chevy Woody Hot Rod was modeled after the miniature'48 Chevy Woody diecast that sits atop the coveted Auto Club 500 trophy. The Auto Club 500 trophy itself is iconic to Southern California with its large surfboard in the background, miniature 1948 Chevy Woody with a surfboard on its roof towing the race winner's race car on a trailer and palm trees silhouetted against a setting sun.

Johnson was definitely the highlight of the day with race fans. However, the Speedway's '48 Chevy Woody Hot Rod raised an eyebrow or two as well. Completely remodeled, the '48 Chevrolet Fleetmaster five-passenger Woody Hot Rod was front and center with its Chevy Crate Motor -- 350 cu. In. / 385 HP, Chevy Turbo 400 transmission, an Art Morrison Chassis, Corvette C-6 front suspension, 4 wheel disc brakes and 9" Strange Ford rear end 3:43 gears. Race fans and Woody enthusiast alike, snapped pictures of the one-of-a-kind remodeled Woody.

The Breakfast with the Champion event at Auto Club Speedway was an exclusive event for season ticket holders that included breakfast, Q&A session and a group photo with NASCAR's newest "dynasty."

In addition to the Breakfast with the Champion event, Auto Club Speedway Hard Card season ticket holders enjoy many exclusive perks and benefits throughout the year by just renewing their tickets by the deadline. Since 2005 Hard Card members Barbara and Richard Woolf of Big Bear City, Calif. have attended a number of events just for Hard Card members and highly recommends being a Hard Card season ticket holder.

"If you're a NASCAR fan it's the only way to go to get all the benefits Auto Club Speedway offers," said Richard. "Today was one of the best events so far."

"I would never know about these events if I wasn't a Hard Card member," shared Barbara. "Just renew your tickets (by the deadline). It's great!"

-credit: acs