Chuck Barnes Jr made the Roush final 12

CHUCK BARNES JR. EXPERIENCES THE NON-DRIVING SIDE OF BEING A NASCAR DRIVER

Louisville, KY (August 9, 2005) -- Chuck Barnes Jr. is getting a full week of experience in what it's like to be doing the non-driving part of being a NASCAR driver. Barnes along with the other 11 candidates who made the final cut in the next phase of Roush Racing's "Gong Show" will spend this week not in a racecar but doing public relation and marketing work. This latest challenge will help the Roush Racing staff help decide who will be the winner of the "Gong Show" and get a full time NASCAR Craftsman Series ride with Roush Racing for the 2006 season.

"Coming in to this deal I was worried about this part of the competition," remarked Barnes. "I felt comfortable I could get the job done on the racetrack, but I didn't have a lot of experience being in front of a camera, doing interviews, or marketing for a sponsor, but I feel like now I can do both. I've gotten comfortable in front of the camera and answering questions in the interviews, I'm really starting to enjoy this part of being a racecar driver!"

"Representing your team and your sponsor in the public eye is now as important in racing as driving the racecar. You have got to be able to do both to get the job done for a team like Roush Racing. All of these guys I'm here with are all good racecar drivers or they wouldn't be here. I have to prove not only that I can get the job done behind the wheel, but that I can communicate with a team, with a sponsor and with the public in order to be the best represent of Roush Racing in this group!"

The driver's next test behind the wheel will be at Darlington Speedway beginning August 15th through August 17th. Sometime after that Jack Roush will announce his newest driver chosen from this group of competing racers. Discovery Channel has teamed up with Roush Racing to capture all of the excitement and drama of the competition on film with unprecedented access to Roush's "Gong Show". The high-energy 13-part series DRIVER X: RACE FOR THE RIDE will debut on Discovery Channel October 31, 2005.

"Making it to the final 12 was real important,'' remarked Barnes. "There will be a lot more television exposure for the guys who made this cut. Even if I don't get the ride with Roush Racing, I feel like the opportunity this experience has given me will help open some doors for me to be able to take the next step up in my racing career. It's been a lot of fun, I want to thank everyone who has been responsible for helping me get this opportunity, now it's up to me to take advantage of it!"

-www.chuckbarnesjr.com.