NASCAR makes place for ‘burnouts’
Celebrating has now become a competition in itself.
During the Sprint All-Star race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, N. C. next month, NASCAR will showcase a “burnout” competition. Five drivers will showcase their victory celebrations by spinning their tires, doing two doughnuts and finally sliding into Victory Lane in an event scheduled to precede the race to be held May 17.
On Tuesday at the track, Sprint Cup driver Clint Bowyer had planned to demonstrate a burnout for the assembled media in a car loaned to him by the Richard Petty Driving Experience. But he wrecked the car as he returned to pit road.
“It was practice, man,” Bowyer jokingly told The Associated Press. “That’s what you’re here for — to see what to do and what not to do. I had a little disagreement with the wall. It didn’t work out so good.”
The other four participating drivers will be announced at a later date.
Participants in the contest, which will be sponsored by Pennzoil, will have to do two 360-degree spins and then drive into a mock victory lane on the frontstretch. Drivers will not be allowed to go onto the apron on the frontstretch or the grass. The quickest driver wins a $ 10, 000 donation to his favorite charity.
In other NASCAR news, Roush Fenway Racing is in negotations to renew the Office Depot sponsorship on the No. 99 car driven by Carl Edwards, according to sportsbusinessjournal. com. Office Depot is in the final year of its three-year deal with the team. If a new contract is not finalized, UPS will pursue a deal with the team, the Web site reported, citing industry sources.... Robby Gordon is one of 238 competitors this week in the Central Europe Rally, a seven-stage, 2, 000-mile offroad race that started Sunday in Budapest, Hungary, and ends Saturday in Baia Mare, Romania. Gordon, who is driving a Hummer H 3 in the event, plans to fly back for Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 at Talladega (Ala. ) Superspeedway. In the meantime, P. J. Jones will step in for practice and qualifying at Talladega.... A. J. Allmendinger will return to the No. 84 Red Bull car this weekend at Talladega in a Toyota sporting a special silver paint scheme. Allmendinger was replaced by Mike Skinner for five races in the car.... Jon Wood will make his 2008 Sprint Cup debut at Talladega, driving the Wood Brothers Racing Ford.
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