LMS Charlotte Pit Crew Challenge preview

NASCAR NEXTEL PIT CREW CHALLENGE SPOTLIGHTS TEAM MEMBERS

* Twenty-four NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series pit crews scheduled to participate in skills competition

* Top pit crew and seven individual position champions to be determined

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 16, 2006) -- As the kick-off event to NASCAR's all-star week in Charlotte, N.C., the NASCAR NEXTEL Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman focuses attention on drivers' seven-member pit crews.

Good, timely work in the pits can win or lose races, and Wednesday night's second annual competition at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena in Charlotte, N.C., is a time for those crew members to shine.A total of 24 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup pit crews will compete for an overall grand prize of $70,100. Each of the seven over-the-wall pit-crew positions will compete for a $10,000 prize. Kasey Kahne's (No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge) pit crew is the defending overall champion. The event begins at 7 p.m.

All tickets are $10; all seats are general admission.

"The NASCAR NEXTEL Pit Crew Challenge gives our fans the opportunity to see the top pit crews in action, by highlighting their performance in the skills competition and giving them the chance to display their talents at the highest level," says Robin Pemberton, NASCAR Vice President of Competition. "It also enables these team members to get some much deserved recognition for the outstanding job they do week in and week out, and it's a great lead-in to the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge this Saturday at Lowe's Motor Speedway."

The NASCAR NEXTEL Pit Crew Challenge will follow Friday night's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series' Quaker Steak & Lube 200 at LMS. NASCAR's all-star week concludes with Saturday night's 22nd annual NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge at LMS.

Pit crews and crew chiefs will be introduced Saturday evening at LMS with their drivers. First, however, they're featured Wednesday night with a four-round competition that determines the overall winner, plus individual position winners:

Round One: All crews compete in the individual skills competition, with the eight fastest crews advancing. During the individual skills competition, the fastest crew member at each of the seven pit-crew positions will win an individual title. Round Two: Crews compete head-to-head, with the four fastest advancing. Round Three: Crews compete head-to-head, with the two fastest advancing. Round Four: Crews compete head-to-head, with the fastest becoming the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Pit Crew Challenge champion. NASCAR on FOX analyst Larry McReynolds -- a crew chief for 18 seasons -- says it's impossible to pick a favorite for Wednesday's competition, adding that any one of 15-20 teams could win.

"As tough as the competition is on the race track, the competition on pit road is just as tough," said McReynolds, citing the defending champions -- Kasey Kahne's pit crew -- as one to watch.

Other notables, according to McReynolds, are the pit crews for Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Power Tools Ford), Kyle Busch (No. 5 Kellogg's Chevrolet) and Richard Childress Racing teammates Kevin Harvick (No. 29 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet) and Jeff Burton (No. 31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet).

Faces have changed on Kahne's pit crew, thanks to off-season movement at Evernham Motorsports, but it's still a unit that demands respect. McReynolds says Burton's and Harvick's pit crews have played a crucial role in those teams' resurgence in 2006, and he thinks Kyle Busch's crew is a dark-horse pick. "It's all about winning," McReynolds said, "just like Saturday night."

Pit crews eligible for this year's competition include all those from teams qualified for the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge -- all 2005 event winners and any additional winners through May 15. Also eligible are the winner of the 2005 NEXTEL Open, Brian Vickers (No. 25 GMAC Chevrolet), and the fan vote winner from the 2005 NEXTEL Open, Martin Truex Jr. (No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet).

If there are no new event winners, the remaining positions go to the highest-ranked teams in the car owner standings who aren't otherwise eligible for Saturday's all-star event. This year, those are the pit crews for Jeff Burton, Casey Mears (No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge), Elliott Sadler (No. 38 M&M's Ford) and Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet).

Eligible pit crews from 2005 event-winning teams include those of Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet), Greg Biffle (No. 16 National Guard Ford), Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet), Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford), Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Ford), Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet), Jeremy Mayfield (No. 19 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge), Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Ryan Newman (No. 12 Alltel Dodge), Dale Jarrett (No. 88 UPS Ford), Mark Martin (No. 6 AAA Ford) and Jamie McMurray (No. 26 Crown Royal Ford).

Other eligible pit crews are those from the teams of 2000 series champion Bobby Labonte (No. 43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge) and 1996 NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge winner Michael Waltrip (No. 55 NAPA Dodge).

Fast Facts

What: NASCAR NEXTEL Pit Crew Challenge Presented by Craftsman.

Where: Charlotte Bobcats Arena, Charlotte, N.C.

How: Tickets are $10; all seats are general admission.

Prize Money: $70,100 to the winning team; $10,000 to each pit-crew position champion.

When: Wednesday, May 17.

Time: 7 p.m. (ET)

Who: The pit crews of Jeff Gordon, Greg Biffle, Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeremy Mayfield, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Ryan Newman, Dale Jarrett, Mark Martin, Jamie McMurray, Bobby Labonte, Michael Waltrip, Brian Vickers, Martin Truex Jr., Casey Mears, Jeff Burton, Elliott Sadler and Denny Hamlin.

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