Nextel All-Star Challenge - Lowe's Motor Speedway

Martin "Salutes to You" with All-Star Challenge Victory
“This one is for the fans!” said honored veteran Mark Martin as he celebrated his Nextel All-Star Challenge win in victory lane Saturday night at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Martin, who is in his final year of Nextel Cup competition, has dubbed his farewell tour a ‘Salute to You’ and that is what he wanted to do with his win in NASCAR’s special all-start event. Decked out in a retro paint scheme that honored Martin’s 1993 season, Martin took his third and final lead of the night with 19 laps remaining and outpaced Elliott Sadler to win the NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge for the second time in his career and took home a check worth $1.1 million. Martin led three times for a total of 24 laps on the night and won by a margin of 0.582 seconds over Sadler. Sadler ended his night in second place, followed in third place by Brian Vickers, who transferred into the race by winning the Nextel Open. Hendrick teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson finished fourth and fifth respectively, after Gordon passed Johnson at the checkered flag. Martin also won the first segment of the event, while Ryan Newman took the win in segment two. This was supposed to be the final all-star race for Martin, but now he has said that he will return for this event next season to defend his title. The All-Star Challenge produced only three leaders all night; Martin, Sadler and Newman.

Nextel All-Star Challenge Notes

· Race Results · Ford Post-Race Quotes · Chevrolet Post-Race Quotes · Dodge Post-Race Quotes · Segment Two Results · Segment One Results · Nextel Open Race Results · Nextel Open Chevrolet Post-Race Quotes · Nextel Open Rookie Post-Race Quotes · Nextel Open Segment One Results · All-Star Challenge Starting Lineup · Nextel Open Starting Lineup · Dodge Qualifying Quotes · Ford Qualifying Quotes · Chevrolet Qualifying Quotes · Rookie Qualifying Quotes · All-Star Challenge Practice 1 · Nextel Open Practice 1 · Chevrolet Friday Quotes · Dodge Friday Quotes · Rookie Friday Quotes · All-Star Challenge Qualifying Order · Nextel Open Qualifying Order · All-Star Challenge Entry List · Nextel Open Entry List · Weekend Schedule · Driver Lineup · Fast Facts · Nextel Open Fast Facts · Raybestos Rookie Notes

· Jimmie Johnson Notes · Greg Biffle Notes · Jeff Gordon Notes · Elliott Sadler Notes · Kurt Busch Notes · Tony Stewart Notes · Ryan Newman Notes · Kevin Harvick Notes · Jamie McMurray Notes · Mark Martin Notes · Dale Earnhardt Jr. Notes · Rusty Wallace Notes · Carl Edwards Notes · Dale Jarrett Notes · Kasey Kahne Notes · Jeremy Mayfield Notes · Jeff Burton Notes · Sterling Marlin Notes · Joe Nemechek Notes · Matt Kenseth Notes · Kyle Busch Notes · Scott Riggs Notes · Dave Blaney Notes · Casey Mears Notes · Brian Vickers Notes · Ricky Rudd Notes · Bobby Labonte Notes · Scott Wimmer Notes · Terry Labonte Notes · Boris Said Notes

Vickers Spins Bliss on Final Lap to Win Nextel Open
Just when it appeared that Mike Bliss was on his way to a win in the Nextel Open and a starting spot in the Nextel All-Star Challenge, Brian Vickers wrecked Bliss and snatched the victory along with all the accolades. Bliss, who started from the pole position, led the most laps in the event, leading four times for 16 of the race’s 30 laps, but it was all for naught as Vickers spun him out as the two neared the start/finish line, to lead his only lap of the night. Vickers still only won the race by 0.144 seconds over Bliss, as Bliss spun sideways across the finish line. Travis Kvapil, who led 13 laps during the event, was the winner of Segment One of the Nextel Open. With the victory, Vickers will race in the Nextel All-Star Challenge later this evening, along with Martin Truex Jr., who was voted in by the fans.

Newman and Crew Win All-Star Challenge Pole Position
Impound or no impound, even three laps with a pit stop thrown in, it doesn’t matter to the Rocketman, he is fast no matter the qualifying procedure. Ryan Newman and his pit crew captured the pole for Saturday night’s NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge at Lowe’s Motor Speedway after making three fast laps and a 13-second pit stop. Newman, who won the All-Star event in 2002, clocked in a total time of 122.443 seconds, at an average of 132.306 mph. Mark Martin’s ‘Salute to You’ tour will continue in fine fashion, as he nabbed the outside pole position, with a total time of 123.192 seconds. Rusty Wallace will roll off from the third position, while Elliott Sadler and Kasey Kahne round out the top five starting spots.

Bliss Will Start Nextel Open from the Pole
Mike Bliss won the pole position for tomorrow night's Nextel Open, setting a new track record in the process. Bliss broke the track record with a qualifying lap of 28.540 seconds, at an average speed of 189.208 mph, and will start from the pole with hopes of winning the Open on Saturday evening and transferring into the Nextel All-Star Challenge. Rookie Kyle Busch will join him on the front row, while Casey Mears and rookie Travis Kvapil start from row two.