Race 2 Win: Coca-Cola 600

Nextel Cup Series

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Coca-Cola 600 - Race Notes

Lowe's Motor Speedway

Track Data:
Race #: 12 of 36 (5-29-05) Track Size: 1.5 Mile
Event: Coca-Cola 600 Number of Laps: 400
Location: Charlotte, NC Length of Event: 600 Miles
Length of Front Stretch: 1,952.8 Feet Degree of Banking in Corners: 24?
Length of Back Stretch: 1,360 Feet Degree of Banking on Straights: 5?

Qualifying/Race Data:
Last year's event pole winner: Jimmie Johnson 187.052 mph 5-27-04 28.869 seconds
Last year's event winner: Jimmie Johnson 142.763 mph 5-30-04 4 hrs, 12 min, 10 sec
Track qualifying record: Ryan Newman 188.877 mph 10-14-04 28.590 seconds
Track race record (600 miles): Bobby Labonte 151.952 mph 5-28-95 3 hrs, 56 min, 55 sec

Historical data:
Race winners:
Bobby Allison (6) Darrell Waltrip (6) Dale Earnhardt (5) Richard Petty (5) David Pearson (4) Buddy Baker (4) Fred Lorenzen (4) Jeff Gordon (4) Mark Martin (4) Donnie Allison (3) Cale Yarborough (3) LeeRoy Yarbrough (3) Dale Jarrett (3) Jimmie Johnson (3) Joe Weatherly (2) Neil Bonnett (2) Benny Parsons (2) Bill Elliott (2) Junior Johnson (2) Rusty Wallace (2) Jim Paschal (2) Davey Allison (2) Bobby Labonte (2) Jeff Burton (2) Marvin Panch (1) Nelson Stacy (1) J.L. Johnson (1) Speedy Thompson (1) Harry Gant (1) Kyle Petty (1) Ken Schrader (1) Charlie Glotzbach (1) Geoffrey Bodine (1) Ernie Irvan (1) Terry Labonte (1) Matt Kenseth (1) Sterling Marlin (1) Jamie McMurray (1) Tony Stewart (1) Races won from the pole: 13 of 92 events (14%)
Races won from in top 10: 71 of 92 events (77%)
Races won from outside top 10: 21 of 92 events (23%)

Track Milestones

Fireball Roberts won the pole for the first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Charlotte, the World 600 in 1960.

Joe Lee Johnson won the first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Charlotte, the World 600 in 1960.

Track lighting was installed in 1992. The first night race was the 1992 The Winston. The first night (twilight) points race was the 1993 Coca-Cola 600.

Charlotte Motor Speedway was renamed Lowe's Motor Speedway in 1999.

The 2003 UAW-GM Quality was the first complete night race at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Track Update
There have been nine different race winners in the last 11 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Jimmie Johnson (May 2003 and both races 2004) is the only repeat race winner since the fall of 1999.

Manufacturer Update
All three manufacturers have posted victories at Lowe's Motor Speedway in the past three seasons, but Chevrolet has won four straight.

Qualifying Update
Jeff Gordon has won seven Bud Poles in his 24 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at Charlotte (29 perecnt). He is second only to retired driver David Pearson with 14 poles in 46 races at the North Carolina speedway (30 percent).

The Money
Purse $6,359,649
NASCAR NEXTEL Leader Bonus 90,000
MBNA Mid-Race Leader Bonus $5,000

Tire/Fuel Data
Goodyear Tire Codes: Left-side — D-6852; Right-side -- D-6876
Other Tracks With This Same Tire Combination: None
Estimated Pit Window: Every 60-65 laps, based on fuel mileage

Would You Believe?
Ryan Newman has scored four Bud Poles, a second and three fourth-place starts in his eight races at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Track Tidbits

The field at Charlotte will consist of 43 cars. The 43rd position is reserved for a past NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion, if needed. If unused, it will go to the next eligible owner.

Two qualifying laps will be used to determine the starting positions with the adjustments made afterwards as required.

There have been 92 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at Lowe's Motor Speedway, two races per year, since the track opened in 1960. In 1961, there were two 100-mile qualifying point races held the week before the World 600.

Jimmie Johnson is the defending Bud Pole winner for the Coca-Cola 600.

David Pearson leads all drivers with 14 Bud Poles at Charlotte, including 11 straight from the fall of 1973 through 1978.

Jeff Gordon has won seven poles at Charlotte, the most of all active drivers. He won five straight poles for the Coca-Cola 600 between 1994 and 1998.

There have been only three different Bud Pole winners in the last eight races at Charlotte. Ryan Newman (May 2001; both 2003, October 2004) and Jimmie Johnson (May 2002; May 2004) are the repeat Bud Pole winners in the eight-race period. Jimmy Spencer won the Bud Pole there in October 2001. Qualifying was rained out in the fall of 2002.

The pole at Charlotte has been swept 14 times. Ryan Newman (2003) was the most recent driver to win both Bud Poles in a season at Charlotte.

Jimmie Johnson is the defending champion of the Coca-Cola 600. He has won three of the last four races there.

Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip are the all-time winners at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Both have six Charlotte victories.

Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin lead all active drivers, each with four victories at Charlotte.

In 45 years of twice-a-year NASCAR NEXTEL Cup racing at Lowe's Motor Speedway, a sweep has occurred just six times, most recently by Jimmie Johnson (2004).

Dale Earnhardt (1986) was the most recent driver to win both Charlotte races in the same year prior to Johnson. Richard Petty (1975), David Pearson (1974), Bobby Allison (1971) and Fred Lorenzen (1965) are the others to win both Charlotte races in the same year.

The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Lowe's Motor Speedway has been won from the pole and from the second starting position 13 times each. Third has produced 12 winners while fourth and fifth have each produced seven for a total of 52 victories in 92 races from the top-five starting positions (57-percent).

Jimmie Johnson won the 2003 Coca-Cola 600 from the 37th starting position, the furthest back a race winner has started at Charlotte.

Six of the last 16 races at Charlotte have been won from the front row, but six of the last 11 have been won from a starting position of 13th or worse.

Rookie Success

Jamie McMurray won in his first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Charlotte, the 2002 UAW-GM Quality 500 – prior to his 2003 rookie season.

Jimmie Johnson won a Bud Pole and posted two top-10 finishes at Lowe's Motor Speedway in his rookie season (2002).

Kevin Harvick started sixth and finished second in his first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Charlotte in May 2001.

Ryan Newman posted his career-first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Bud Pole in qualifying for the 2001 Coca- Cola 600 – prior to his 2002 rookie season.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr., scored his career-first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Bud Pole in qualifying for the 2000 Coca-Cola 600. Fellow 2000 Rookie-of-the-Year contender, Matt Kenseth, posted his career-first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory in the race.

Tony Stewart finished fourth in his first race at Charlotte, the 1999 Coca-Cola 600.

Track Milestone
Ricky Rudd is expected to make his 58th start at Lowe's Motor Speedway that will make him second alltime in starts at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Richard Petty holds the record with 64 starts there.

Career Milestones

Kyle Petty is expected to make his 725th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup start at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Ricky Rudd is expected to make his 764th consecutive career start this week at Lowe's Motor Speedway, extending the all-time record for consecutive starts by a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup driver.

Point Leader at Lowe's Motor Speedway
Jimmie Johnson has competed in seven races at Lowe's Motor Speedway. He won both races there in 2004 and has scored three victories there in his last four races. He has scored six straight top-10 finishes at Lowe's, the longest current top-10 streak among active drivers.

Defending NEXTEL Cup Champion at Lowe's Motor Speedway
Kurt Busch has competed in nine races at Lowe's Motor Speedway scoring just one top-10 finish. He scored his best finish (fourth) in October 2004.

Strong Starter at Lowe's Motor Speedway
Ryan Newman has posted eight straight top-four starts, including four Bud Poles in eight races at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Winning From Up Front at Lowe's Motor Speedway
Twenty-six of the 92 races at Lowe's Motor Speedway (28 percent) have been won from a front-row starting position including Jimmie Johnson's victory from the Bud Pole there in this race one year ago.

Charlotte Dominator
Jimmie Johnson has finished seventh or better in his last six races at Lowe's Motor Speedway, the longest top-10 streak among active drivers.

Manufacturer Dominance
A Chevrolet has won the last four races at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

And Beat Goes On
Mark Martin has been running at the finish in his last 20 races at Lowe's Motor Speedway, the longest current streak among active drivers.

Selected Records at Lowe's Motor Speedway

Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with seven Bud Poles at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon lead all active drivers each with four victories at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Mark Martin leads all active drivers with 15 top-five finishes in 40 races at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Ricky Rudd leads all active drivers with 25 top-10 finishes in 57 races at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Mark Martin has led 1,148 laps at Lowe's Motor Speedway, more than any other active driver

Ryan Newman has a 2.25 starting average in eight races at Lowe's Motor Speedway the best of all 479 drivers that have competed at Lowe's since 1960.

Jamie McMurray has a 9.0 average finish in five races at Lowe's Motor Speedway, the best of all active drivers.

Skunked at Lowe's Motor Speedway
Ricky Rudd is expected to compete in his 58th race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Rudd and Dave Marcis are the only two drivers that have never won there among 16 drivers who had 40 or more starts at Lowe's.

Recent Dominators at Lowe's Motor Speedway

Ryan Newman has won three of the last four Bud Poles at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Jimmie Johnson has won three of the last four races at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Owner Domination at Lowe's Motor Speedway
Rick Hendrick is the all-time winning owner at Lowe's Motor Speedway, posting 11 victories with five different drivers (Jeff Gordon-four, Jimmie Johnson-three, Darrell Waltrip- two, Terry Labonte-one and Ken Schrader-1).

Sweeps at Lowe's Motor Speedway
There have been six sweeps at Lowe's Motor Speedway since twice-a-year racing began there in 1960. Jimmie Johnson (2004) posted the first Lowe's sweep since Dale Earnhardt in 1986, 18 years earlier.

Don't Tell Me You Can't
Jimmie Johnson won the 2003 Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway from the 37th starting position. This is the furthest back a race winner has started and won in the 45-year history at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Leading the way at Lowe's Motor Speedway

Jimmie Johnson is the only driver to lead in the last six races at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Top 10 Lap Leaders at Lowe's Motor Speedway
Driver Starts Laps Led
Allison, Bobby 44 2,249
Petty, Richard 64 1,703
Yarborough, Cale 50 1,664
Pearson, David 46 1,663
Earnhardt, Dale 48 1,522
Elliott, Bill 54 1,413
Baker, Buddy 57 1,200
Martin, Mark 40 1,148
Waltrip, Darrell 55 1,066
Wallace, Rusty 46 925

Tough at Lowe's in 2004

Jimmie Johnson scored victories in both Lowe's races in 2004. He was the only driver to score top-five finishes in both races there in 2004.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jamie McMurray, Elliott Sadler and Tony Stewart each scored top-10 finishes in both races at Lowe's in 2004.

Lowe's May Spell Trouble for Some of the Top 10

Second-place Greg Biffle has never scored a top-15 finish in four races at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Fourth-place Elliott Sadler has scored only two top-10 finishes in 13 races at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Both came there in 2004.

Fifth-place Kurt Busch has scored just one top-10 finish in nine races at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Seventh-place Ryan Newman has scored only three top-10 finishes in eight races at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Tenth-place Mark Martin has not scored a top-10 finish in his last five races at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

More Lowe's Woes

Dave Blaney has scored only one top-10 finish in 10 races at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Robby Gordon has never scored a top-15 finish in his nine races at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Jeff Green has finished 19th or worse in all nine of his races at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Kyle Petty has not scored a top-10 finish in his last 10 races at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Ricky Rudd has not scored a top-15 finish in his last five races at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Ken Schrader has not scored a top-10 finish in his last 10 races at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Winning Tougher than Ever in 2005
After 11 races in 2005, there are nine drivers who won in 2004 that have not won in 2005 (Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mark Martin, Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, Matt Kenseth, Elliott Sadler, Jeremy Mayfield, Rusty Wallace and Joe Nemechek).

Manufacturer Note
Kasey Kahne (Richmond) posted the first Dodge Charger victory since Neil Bonnett at Ontario in November 1977.

Starting Up Front Never Hurt
Only Ryan Newman has started every race in 2005 from a top-10 starting position.

Streaks
Mark Martin has been running at the finish in 33 consecutive races, the longest current streak.

Get Those Bonus Points
Greg Biffle is the only driver to lead at least one lap in eight of the 11 races in 2005. Biffle has led 739 laps this season, 195 more than Tony Stewart (544) the next highest lap leader.

Maintaining a Top-10 Standard

Kurt Busch has ranked in the top-10 of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series point standings for 46 consecutive races since Rockingham in February 2004, the longest current streak.

Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch are the only drivers that have ranked in the top 10 in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings after every race in 2005.

2005 Struggles

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (11th after Richmond) has ranked among the top 10 after just three of the 11 races this season. He ranked first in the point standings after 11 races one year ago.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has led only five laps in 2005. Dale Jarrett has led only one.

Mark Martin has led only 10 laps in 2005. Jeff Burton has led only six.

Matt Kenseth ranks 21st in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings after 11 races in 2005. One year ago he was fourth.

Bobby Labonte (31st) has posted five DNFs in 11 races in 2005, tied with Hermie Sadler for the most. Labonte ranked seventh in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings one year ago.

2005 Superspeedway Standouts In the first eight superspeedway races in 2005:

Most Points Earned - Jimmie Johnson - 1,222 (70 more than Greg Biffle)

Most Bud Poles – Ryan Newman (three)

Most Victories – Greg Biffle (three)

Most Top-fives – Jimmie Johnson (five)

Most Top-10s –Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch (six each)

Most Races Led – Greg Biffle (seven)

Winning Manufacturer – Ford (five-All Roush drivers)

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