Event Preview Fact Sheet
Event/Date: Coca-Cola 600 – May 25, 2008
Venue: Lowe’s Motor Speedway – Concord, N.C.

· This Week’s Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet at Lowe’s Motor Speedway … Clint Bowyer will pilot Chassis No. 244 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This is a brand new Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet Impala SS.

· Toast to the Troops …Bowyer’s Jack Daniel’s Chevy will feature a special USO Toast to the Troops paint scheme for the annual 600-mile Memorial Weekend classic at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Jack Daniel’s and the USO joined together, beginning in 2005, to present the “Toast to the Troops” campaign, which gives Americans the opportunity to send special messages of support to the men and women serving in the U.S. armed forces. These “toasts” are included in care packages the USO delivers to troops deploying to Afghanistan, Iraq and other overseas locations, as well as troops arriving and departing on rest and recuperation (R&R) flights. The care packages include an assortment of items specifically requested by service members, such as prepaid international calling cards, toiletries, sunscreen, playing cards, a disposable camera and snacks. Special "stuffing parties" have been held on military installations across the country where military spouses, USO volunteers and Jack Daniel's employees added the "toasts" to care packages along with the other items. Since the "Toast to the Troops" campaign began, Jack Daniel's and the USO have collected more than 60,000 messages of support that were included in care packages assembled at Fort Campbell, Ky., Fort Gillem/Fort McPherson, Ga., Fort Hood, Texas, Scott Air Force, Mo., Naval Air Station North Island, Calif., Jacksonville Naval Station, Fla., and Quantico Marine Base, Va. In some instances, the care packages and messages were handed to service members as they were boarding planes for overseas deployment.

· Looking Over Lowe’s … In four Sprint Cup Series starts at LMS, Bowyer has a second-place finish to call a career best. Prior to last fall, the Emporia, Kan., driver finished 19th or worse in three previous attempts at the mile-and-a-half Concord, N.C., oval. He’s logged a 22.3 starting average and an 18.3 average finish and earned just shy of $500,000 in points-paying competition.

· Loop Data Highlights …

o Percentage of Laps Run on the Lead Lap … According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Bowyer is scored fourth in the Percentage of Laps Run on the Lead Lap category and has raced on the lead lap for 3,252 of the 3,664 (88.76 percent) laps run this season.

o Laps in the Top 15 …, Bowyer has spent 2,495 laps (68.1 percent) racing inside the top 15. That ranks him ninth among the 52 drivers graded by NASCAR.

o Laps Led … At the same time, the two-time Sprint Cup Series winner is eighth in the Laps Led category after spending 150 on top of the scoreboard.

o Average Running Position … Bowyer is ranked 12th in the Average Running Position category. His average position over the first 11 races is 14.929. That statistic is derived from the sum of his position on each lap divided by the number of laps run in each race.

o Driver Rating … Meanwhile, the 28-year-old driver enjoys an 88.3 Driver Rating. The Driver Rating is a formula that combines the following categories: wins, top-15 finishes, average running position while on the lead lap, average speed under green, fastest lap, most laps led and lead-lap finishes. The maximum a driver can earn in each race is 150 points. The Driver Rating number is used pre-race as a prediction tool and post-race as a performance evaluator.

· RCR at Charlotte … In 96 starts at LMS, RCR has earned four points-paying victories – all of them coming with Dale Earnhardt. Kevin Harvick also recorded an impressive win at the 2007 All-Star Race to go along with Earnhardt’s three victories at the annual all-star showcase, giving RCR eight total Sprint Cup Series checkered flags at LMS. Additionally, RCR boasts 18 top-five and 33 top-10 finishes at the 1.5-mile oval with seven different drivers including Bowyer, Jeff Burton, Earnhardt, Harvick, Ricky Rudd and Mike Skinner. Richard Childress, a former driver on NASCAR’s senior circuit, also contributed two of those top 10s from 1978-1979.

· Making it Four … Veteran NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Ken Schrader will attempt to qualify RCR’s No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet for this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600. Schrader, 52, of Fenton, Mo., made his Sprint Cup debut in 1984 and ran his first full season in 1985. After almost 25 years in NASCAR’s premier division, the seasoned racer has tallied one win, six top-five and 13 top-10 finishes in 44 starts at LMS.

· Keep on Rolling … Bowyer has been running at the end of every race dating back to Phoenix in November 2006, a streak of 46 races. The only other driver running at the end of more consecutive races is Bowyer’s RCR teammate Harvick who owns a streak of 55 events without a DNF (did not finish).

* After 11 … In the season’s first 11 races, Bowyer has notched one win, three top-five and seven top-10 finishes. The 28-year-old driver has logged a 21.4 starting average and a sturdy 11.5 finishing average. He has completed 3,662 of the 3,664 (99.94 percent) total laps run this season and sits fifth in the Sprint Cup Series championship point standings.

* Testing One, Two, Three, Testing … Bowyer and the Jack Daniel’s racing team tested at LMS on Monday, May 5 in preparation for this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600. This was the fifth of seven tests allowed under NASCAR’s 2008 testing policy. The remaining tests available to teams in NASCAR’s top division are scheduled for Pocono Raceway (May 27-28) and, again, at LMS (Sept. 23-24).

* Meet the Press … Bowyer will meet with the gathered press outside the No. 07 Jack Daniel’s transporter inside the Sprint Cup Series garage area Thursday, May 22 at 4:40 p.m. 

* CB at Speed Street … On Friday, May 23rd Bowyer is scheduled appear at Food Lion Speed Street at 2 p.m. to sign autographs for fans. Bowyer, along with Casey Mears, will be in the Chevy display located at the corner of College and 8th Street in Uptown Charlotte. The first 250 people who receive a wristband will receive an autograph. Wristbands will be handed out at the Chevy display on Friday morning beginning at 11 a.m. While in the Chevy display, fans can check out the 2008 Silverado as well as the line up of fuel efficient vehicles that go from Gas Friendly to Gas Free. Fans can also take the Chevy Challenge and receive a Team Chevy souvenir. Following his appearance at the Chevy Display, Bowyer will sign autographs on behalf of Hungry Man at the Vlasic display on the corner of 8th Street and Brevard. Autographs are limited and based on availability. 

* Experience is Essential … Bowyer will appear at the Jack Daniel’s Experience Sunday, May 25 at 2:15 p.m. The Jack Daniel’s Experience is a 53-foot tractor- trailer filled with artifacts, state-of-the art video monitors, sound system and graphics to give race fans a taste of Lynchburg and the Distillery. The Jack Daniel’s Experience will be located at the corner of U.S. Highway 29 and Bruton Smith Blvd. and be open on Thursday from 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. and on Sunday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Autographs may be available on a first come, first serve basis and will be limited in number due to time constraints. 

* Double Duty at LMS … In addition to his duties behind the wheel of the Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet, Bowyer returns to the seat of the No. 2 BB&T Chevy Monte Carlo SS for this weekend’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race at LMS. Live coverage of the CARQUEST Auto Parts 300 will take the green flag Saturday, May 24 at 7 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The race will be televised live on ESPN2 and broadcast from coast to coast on the Performance Racing Network and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the 13th race on the 2008 schedule will be televised live on SPEED the same day at 3:30 p.m. EDT. PRN and Sirius Satellite Radio will broadcast qualifying updates live. 

* Up to Speed … Flag to flag coverage of the Coca-Cola 600 will be televised live on FOX Saturday, May 25 beginning at 5 p.m. EDT. The race will be broadcast live on PRN and Sirius Satellite Radio. Live television coverage of qualifying for the 12th race on the 2008 schedule will take the green flag Thursday, May 22 at 7 p.m. EDT on SPEED. PRN and Sirius Satellite Radio will provide live qualifying updates.

CLINT BOWYER QUOTES

• You finished second in the Cup race last fall at Charlotte and led 79 laps. That had to be a confidence booster.

“I still feel like we still need to learn a little bit, especially after the way we ran last Saturday night. It felt like the groove moved up in the fall race last year and I never thought in a million years I’d be running around up against the wall at Charlotte. We made it work and were one of the fastest cars all night long. It’s going to be interesting to see how the new style car is going to race for 600 miles.”

• How much of a grind is 600 miles?

“It’s a long race. Last year we crashed. Everybody kind of crashed in the beginning and it was a nightmare. We just rode around. We still had to endure the heat and fatigue but, for the most part, we were out of the race. It was still hot and we were out there for a long time. It still took a toll but there was no reward to race for, other than just finishing.”

• In that situation, do you feel like you should just get a certain amount of points and move on instead of just having to ride around all night?

“That’s one reason why this sport is so competitive. If you make a mistake and crash, I think you should have to go out there and pay for it by finishing the race. I think you’d be pretty greedy if you just went out there, tore up your stuff and decided to just go to the house and worry about it later. Having to finish is part of points racing and racing in general.”

• Talk about the difference between racing 600 miles and the short features you were used to when you racing dirt back in the Midwest.

“You can’t even compare the two. Those are polar opposites. I grew up racing with the drop of the green flag it was go time. We raced for the win on the first lap. The first lap of the Coca-Cola 600 means absolutely nothing. The only way it means anything is if you’re on the pole and can get those first five bonus points but it’s certainly not worth crashing on the first lap just to get five points. That’s probably the most relaxed race you’ll start all season. As big as Charlotte is, you wouldn’t think you could go a lap down as fast as you can but if your car isn’t handling, you’ll go a lap down quick and it’s hard to get it back.”

• What was your first 600-mile race like?

“I remember getting to what felt like the end of the race and my spotter coming over the radio telling me that we were at halfway. It felt like I was out there for ages. This race, more than any other, shows how dedicated our fans are to the sport. They’ll sit there and grind it out right along with the drivers and the teams. It’s a cool race. It’s a long race and it takes a toll on you and on equipment. Six hundred miles takes a toll on everything.”