The 2014 NASCAR Hall of Fame class

-Tim Flock, two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion

-Jack Ingram, two-time NASCAR Busch (now Nationwide) Series champion and three-time Late Model Sportsman champion

-Dale Jarrett, 1999 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion and three-time Daytona 500 winner

-Maurice Petty, chief engine builder for Petty Enterprises

-Fireball Roberts, 33 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series wins, including 1962 Daytona 500

NASCAR drivers appearing at Food Lion Speed Street

Thursday, May 23

Driver/Guest

Appearance Time

Appearance Location

Ron Hornaday, Jr. Brennan Newberry Timothy Peters German Quiroga Ross Chastain Jennifer Jo Cobb Miguel Paludo Ross Chastain

1-3 p.m.

Creative Loafing display (autographs)

Jeb Burton

2-3 p.m.

Creative Loafing display (autographs)

German Quiroga

3:30 p.m.

Net 10 Wireless display

Sir Purr

5-6 p.m.

Panthers booth

Jeremy Clements Johanna Long Hal Martin Taylor Stricklin Max Papis Donnie Allison

7-9 p.m.

Creative Loafing display (autographs)

Friday, May 24

Driver/Guest			Appearance Time						Appearance Location
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.			12-2 p.m.						Kellogg's display: Wristbands ONLY*
Alex Bowman Joey Coulter Erik Jones Michael Annett Kyle Fowler Gray Gaulding			1-3 p.m.						Creative Loafing display
John Wes Townley			2-3 p.m.						Creative Loafing display
Richard Petty Dale Inman Aric Almirola			1:15 p.m.						Food Lion stage (Q&A)
German Quiroga			1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.						Net 10 Wireless display
Elliott Sadler			3 p.m.						One Main Financial display: Wristbands ONLY**
Jason Myers			3-4 p.m.						Creative Loafing display
Tim Dugger			4-5 p.m.						Creative Loafing display
Regan Smith			4:30-5:15 p.m.						Unilever display
Chad Knaus			5-5:45 p.m.						Creative Loafing display: Wristbands ONLY***
Regan Smith			5:15-5:30 p.m.						Food Lion stage
Sir Purr			5-6 p.m.						Panthers display
Tim Dugger			6-6:30 p.m.						Creative Loafing display
Joey Logano Ryan Newman			7-7:45 p.m.						Coca-Cola stage (Q&A)
Mark "Hollywood" Armstrong Michael Lingerfelt Dennis Terry Cory Baldwin Greg Donlin Greg Morin			7-9 p.m.						Creative Loafing display: "Tire Change Challenge presented by ENEOS"

Saturday, May 25

Driver/Guest

Appearance Time

Apperance Location

Ernie Irvan Jared Irvan Doug Herbert

11 a.m. - 1p.m.

Creative Loafing display

Sir Purr

1-2 p.m.

Panthers display

Casey Mears

4-4:30 p.m.

Geico display

Top Cats

6-7 p.m.

Panthers display

Tony Stewart Danica Patrick

7-7:45 p.m.

Coca-Cola Stage (Q&A)

Charlotte Roller Girls

8-9 p.m.

Creative Loafing display

Smith claims "done deal" report on track move is wrong

   The following is a statement from Speedway Motorsports Inc. Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, O. Bruton Smith:

“The ‘done deal’ report by WBTV regarding moving a race is false. No final decision has been made regarding any race date move, and I have not discussed this with NASCAR. 

   “Instead of what ‘could’ happen, let’s set the facts straight about what has happened. We’ve invested $100 million in the Charlotte Motor Speedway complex in the past six years to make it even better for the fans. We’ve expanded our fan zone, added pit road suites and built the world’s largest HDTV for every fan to enjoy. We’ve put more people to work with these projects and we’ve added more events to the calendar to bring in more tourists and fans. And we’ve done this during the worst economy since the Great Depression. 

   “We’ve done this without asking for a handout from the government, like we’ve seen from so many other sports facilities, teams or franchises, and yet at the same time property values are falling during the recession, our Cabarrus County taxes have doubled since 2005. We absolutely love the fans that come to Charlotte Motor Speedway. It’s frustrating to think about the future and consider that the local government doesn’t share the same excitement about Charlotte Motor Speedway that our fans do. The Cabarrus County politicians may say nice things to the media, but raising taxes does not support the tourism business, the area economy or companies trying to grow.”

Michael Annett finally cleared to race

 

   After being sidelined for eight races, Michael Annett will return to the driver's seat of the No. 43 Pilot Flying J Ford this weekend at the Charlotte Motor Speedway for Saturday's History 300 Nationwide Series event.

   Annett was medically cleared Tuesday after suffering a broken and dislocated sternum after an accident in the season-opening Nationwide Series event at Daytona International Speedway in February.

   The Nationwide series regular underwent surgery for his injuries after the accident and has been sidelined for three months to allow his injuries to heal. Annett has been preparing for his return by participating in physical therapy over the last three weeks. Doctors, along with NASCAR officials, determined he was cleared to drive following an MRI on Monday afternoon.

Greg Biffle: "I highly doubt" Charlotte will lose a NASCAR race

   NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Greg Biffle took part in a teleconference on Tuesday and was asked about track owner Bruton Smith's claim there was a 70 percent chance he would move Charlotte Motor Speedway's fall Cup series date to Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the near future.

   Here was Biffle's response:

    "I highly doubt whether we see that race move to a different location. There's a lot of people that come to that race. Let's face it, it's a business decision a lot of times. You make business decisions on the amount of people or fans or people you can attract to a particular race," Biffle said. "If your race is well‑attended, I don't see any reason for moving it.  Obviously, if we're running all the races, we're not going to be going out and doing all the stuff to try to change our cars.

   "That's the way I perceive it. I'm an entrepreneur, business type of guy. I see the grandstands fairly full when it comes to our two Charlotte races, a lot of attendance. I don't know all the behind‑the‑scenes stuff.

   "Frankly, we'll race wherever the race is at. I like both of the race tracks. I would like to see it stay in Charlotte. If it goes to Vegas, then I suppose we have to race there."

Bruton Smith considers moving a Charlotte NASCAR race to Las Vegas

   By Jim Utter
   jutter@charlotteobserver.com

   Charlotte Motor Speedway owner Bruton Smith says Charlotte might may be on its way to losing one of its two prized spots on the schedule for NASCAR’s premier Sprint Cup Series schedule.

   During  In an interview Monday with WBTV on Monday, Smith said there was a 70 percent chance he would move the October NASCAR race weekend at CMS to Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

   Smith’s Speedway Motorsports Inc. owns both facilities. Las Vegas currently hosts one Cup series race each March.

   “When the game is over, it’ll be money, money, money. Money will move it,” Smith told WBTV. “I’d say (the chances) are about 70/30.”

   CMS spokesman Scott Cooper said he could not comment on race dates and locations.

   “What I can say is that our team at the speedway is laser-focused on making this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 the very best in our long history. The speedway generates a $420 million dollar economic impact annually to the region, and most of it occurs right now,” he said.

   “We’re looking forward to putting thousands of people to work this week and entertaining 100,000 plus race fans on Sunday with our Southern hospitality.”

   Asked to comment on Smith’s interview, Jeff Motley, the Las Vegas track’s vice president of public relations, said he would defer to Smith.

   NASCAR said it has received no formal request from SMI to move one of its races to another one of its tracks.

   “Tracks have the ability to request re-alignment,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR’s senior vice president of racing operations. “We review and always decide based on the best interest of the entire sport of NASCAR.

   “We’re beginning the 2014 process now, and have not had any formal requests to re-align.”

   Former SMI president H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler said the moving of a CMS race date would not only be a great loss to Charlotte but also to the South.

   “I don’t know what else could occur to disappoint the Southern race fan that has brought us to where we are,” he said. “They lost North Wilkesboro, Rockingham and half of Darlington.

   “It would also be a great loss for Charlotte Motor Speedway and this area.”

   Las Vegas Motor Speedway also hosted an IndyCar Series race during in 2011, but the race was pulled from the 2012 schedule after a 15-car wreck resulted in the death of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon.

NASCAR: Enough with the gimmicks

   Enough with the gimmicks already. The latest gimmick employed in the NASCAR All-Star Race this year was to use the average finish of drivers’ first four segments to determine how they would enter pit road for their mandatory pit stop before the final 10-lap segment.

   The goal was laudable – provide incentive for drivers to race hard every segment. The problem was no one in the stands – and then apparently on the Speed broadcast – had access to the information necessary to tell the outcome of that tabulation. Incorrect information on the TV broadcast left many thinking eventual Jimmie Johnson somehow “cheated” in winning the final segment and $1 million.

   One of the reasons NASCAR has said it doesn’t take away wins as penalties is that fans should know the winner of the race when they leave the track. Well, they should also know the rules – and have access to the correct results. If you run a race with rules than leaves fans screaming of conspiracy, then the rules are too complicated.

   Here’s an idea: Perhaps the all-star race can return to it was intended and that would a showcase of the best drivers in NASCAR doing what they do best – race.