Lowe's Motor Speedway
Track data
Race #: 12 of 36 (5-28-06)
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: 1,980 Feet
Length of Back Stretch: 1,500 Feet
Degree of Banking on Straights: 5 degrees
Degree of Banking in Corners: 24 degrees
Qualifying/Race data:
Last year's event pole winner: Ryan Newman 192.988 mph 5-26-05 27.981 seconds
Last year's event winner: Jimmie Johnson 114.698 mph 5/29/05 5 hrs, 13 min, 52 sec
Track qualifying record: Elliott Sadler 193.216 mph 10-13-05 27.948 seconds
Track race record (500 miles): Jeff Gordon 160.306 mph 10-11-99 3 hrs, 07 min, 31 sec
Historical data:
Race winners:
Bobby Allison (6) Darrell Waltrip (6) Dale Earnhardt (5) Richard Petty (5) Jimmie Johnson (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) 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 94 events (14%)
Races won from in top 10: 73 of 94 events (78%)
Races won from outside top 10: 21 of 94 events (22%)
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.
The 1961 World 600 had two 100-mile qualifying races that were points races.
The first six fall races at Charlotte were 400-mile events (1960-65).
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 race at Lowe's Motor Speedway run completely at night.
A race has been shortened at Charlotte due to rain four times; three in the spring event.
Track Update
There have been nine different race winners in the last 12 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at Lowe's Motor
Speedway. Jimmie Johnson (five - May 2003, both races 2004 and 2005) 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 four seasons, but
Chevrolet has won six straight.
Qualifying Update
Jeff Gordon has won seven Bud Poles in his 26 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at Charlotte, second only
to David Pearson who had 14 poles in 46 Charlotte races. Ryan Newman (third) has won five Bud Poles in 10
attempts there.
Would You Believe?
Ryan Newman has started fourth or better in all 10 of his races at Lowe's Motor Speedway. He has scored
five Bud Poles, two seconds and three fourth-place starts giving him a 2.10 starting average there.
The Money
Purse $6,452,431
NASCAR NEXTEL Leader Bonus $30,000
Tire/Fuel Data
Goodyear Tire Codes: Left-side - D-4020; Right-side - D-4022
Other Nextel Cup Tracks With Same Tire Combinations: None
Estimated Pit Window: every 37-41 laps, based on fuel mileage (14-gallon fuel cell)
Track Tidbits
The field at Lowe's Motor Speedway 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 94 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.
Ryan Newman 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 and has two Bud Poles for the fall race (1993 and 2000).
There have been only four different Bud Pole winners in the last 10 races at Charlotte. Ryan Newman (May
2001; both 2003, October 2004 and May 2005) and Jimmie Johnson (May 2002; May 2004) are the repeat
Bud Pole winners in the 10-race period. Jimmy Spencer (October 2001) and Elliott Sadler (October 2005)
are the other Bud Pole winners there since 2000. 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 five of the last six races at
Charlotte, including four straight.
Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip are the all-time winners at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Both have six
Charlotte victories.
Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers, with five victories at Charlotte. Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin
each have four.
Since 1960 when NASCAR NEXTEL Cup racing began at Lowe's Motor Speedway, a sweep has occurred
seven times, most recently by Jimmie Johnson (2005).
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, from the second
starting position and from the third starting position 13 times each. Fourth has produced seven winners; and
fifth eight for a total of 54 victories in 94 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.
Only one of the last 10 races at Charlotte has been won from the front row, but four of the last 10 have been
won from a starting position of 13th or worse.
Showing the Way
Jimmie Johnson (860) has led almost twice as many laps as Tony Stewart (475), who is second in laps led
there in the past 10 races at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Johnson competed in only nine of those 10 races.
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.
Jeff Gordon started finished second in his first race at Lowe's in May 1993, during his rookie season.
Sterling Marlin (ninth - May 1978) and Bobby Labonte (eighth - May 1993) both posted top-10 finishes in
their first race at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
Lowe's Motor Speedway - The Track
The track was first paved in 1960.
The track was first repaved in 1973.
The turns were repaved in 1979.
The turns were repaved again in 1987.
The entire track was repaved in 1994.
The first “levigation” was done before the May race in 2005.
The front straight and more “levigation” in the turns was done after the 2005 May race.
The latest repaving of the entire track took place earlier this year (beginning in January 2006).
The Goodyear tires used in the recent open test have been reported to be very “hard” allowing a driver to post
his fastest laps far into a run. Tires are not expected to be a concern at Lowe's in 2006, but will present many
challenges in qualifying for those drivers that are not used to this “hard” compound. Some have reported
that their first 20 laps during testing was like being on “ice”, which is expected to bring out the best in driver
talent.
The 22 caution periods in the 2005 Coca-Cola 600 was the most caution periods in a race all-time. The race
lasted 5 hours, 13 minutes, 52 seconds.
Starting Up Front is not Important at Lowe's Motor Speedway
The last five races at Lowe's Motor Speedway have been won from a top-10 starting position. However,
four of the last 10 races at Lowe's were won from outside the top 10 including one from a 37th-place starting
position, the lowest starting position of a Lowe's race winner in the tracks 94-race history.
Lowe's Streaks
Ryan Newman has started from the top five in all 10 of his races at Lowe's Motor Speedway, the longest
current streak. All 10 of his starts are fourth or better, including five Bud Poles.
Jimmie Johnson has won the last four races at Lowe's Motor Speedway. No driver in NASCAR history has
won five straight races at a superspeedway.
Carl Edwards has competed in two races at Lowe's Motor Speedway, scoring top-10 finishes in both.
Owner Wins at Lowe's Motor Speedway
Car owner Rick Hendrick has scored 13 wins at Lowe's Motor Speedway, the most of any car owner.
Hendrick's victories were scored by six different drivers: Jimmie Johnson (five), Jeff Gordon (four), Darrell
Waltrip (two), Terry Labonte (one) and Ken Schrader (one).
Recent Domination at Lowe's Motor Speedway
Ryan Newman has won five Bud Poles at Lowe's including four of the last six. Jimmie Johnson has scored
all five of his Lowe's victories in those same six races. David Pearson is the all-time Bud Pole winner at Lowe's
posting 14 Bud poles there, including 11 straight between the fall of 1973 through the fall of 1978.
Leading The Way at Lowe's Motor Speedway
Bobby Allison won six races Lowe's Motor Speedway and is tied with Darrell Waltrip for the most victories
all drivers. Allison is also the all-time lap leader there, having led 2,249 laps. Mark Martin leads all active
drivers with 1,148 laps led in 42 races there. Martin has four victories at Lowe's.
Would you Believe?
Jeff Gordon has won four races at Lowe's Motor Speedway. His last win came there in October 1999, 13
Lowe's races ago. Gordon's last victory came at Martinsville in October 2005, 16 races ago - his only victory in
the last 38 races.
Who's Hot
Jimmie Johnson has won three races in 2006, more than any other driver.
Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth are the only drivers to score six top-five finishes in 11
races this season.
Jimmie Johnson is the only driver to score eight top-10 finishes in the first 11 races in 2006.
Mark Martin and Jimmie Johnson have each scored top-15 finishes in 10 of the 11 races in 2006.
Greg Biffle and Tony Stewart are the only drivers to lead at least one lap in nine of the 11 races this
season.
Matt Kenseth ranks third in the point standings at Darlington. After 11 races one year ago, he ranked 21st.
Tony Stewart has moved from 22nd to second in the point standings since Race No. 2 at California.
Jeff Burton has climbed from 21st to 10th in the point standings since Martinsville. One year ago he
ranked 18th in the point standings.
Two races ago Greg Biffle was 232 points behind 10th. After his victory at Darlington he is now 106
behind 10th.
Top 10 in Points at This Track
First
Jimmie Johnson finished fourth in the Dodge Charger 500 at Darlington Raceway and remained first in the
NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings, moving to 93 points ahead of second-place Tony Stewart. Johnson is
the only driver to score eight top-10 finishes in 11 races this season. Johnson's three victories (Daytona, Las Vegas
and Talladega) remain the most by a driver this season. In 2006 Johnson has scored 10 top-15s in the first 11 races
and is tied with Mark Martin who also has 10 top-15 finishes, the only drivers to do so. Johnson ranked first in
the point standings after Race No. 11 in 2005 with a 41-point lead over then second-place Greg Biffle. Johnson
has ranked among the top-10 for 80 straight races, since Atlanta in March 2004. He has competed in nine races at
Lowe's Motor Speedway, scoring five victories, all in the last six races there. He has scored top-10 finishes in his
last eight races at Lowe's, the longest current streak. His first race at Lowe's produced a 39th-place finish and his
only DNF there. Johnson has a 6.67 average finish at Lowe's Motor Speedway, second only to Carl Edwards (6.5
in two starts at Lowe's). Johnson has scored four straight victories at Lowe's Motor Speedway. No driver has ever
won five straight races at a superspeedway. Johnson has won at least one race each season for five consecutive
years (2002-2006).
Second
Tony Stewart finished 12th in the Dodge Charger 500 at Darlington Raceway and remained second in the
NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. This is his best points ranking of 2006. It was his ninth top-15 finish
in the first 11 races of the season, including the last eight straight. Stewart has led at least one lap in nine of the
11 races this season and is tied with Greg Biffle as the only drivers to do so. His 60 lap leader bonus points are
second only to Biffle who has 65. Stewart has led 801 laps, the most of all drivers. Stewart has finished sixth or
better in five of the last six races. Six of his seven top-10 finishes in 2006 are top-fives. He has competed in 14
races at Lowe's Motor Speedway scoring one victory and nine top-10 finishes. Despite his good record at Lowe's,
Stewart finished 24th in this race one year ago and 25th there last fall. Stewart's only Lowe's victory came there
in October 2003. Stewart has no DNFs at Lowe's Motor Speedway. He has an 11.714 finishing average at Lowe's
Motor Speedway. He has led in eight of his 14 races at Lowe's. Stewart has won at least one race each season for
eight consecutive years (1999-2006).
Third
Matt Kenseth finished third in the Dodge Charger 500 at Darlington Raceway scoring his seventh top-10
finish in 2006. Six of his seven top-10 finishes in 2006 are top-fives. Kenseth scored his first victory of 2006 at
California. He has scored nine top-15 finishes this season. Kenseth remained third in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup
point standings. One year ago he ranked 21st in the point standings after 11 races. Kenseth has ranked among
the top-five in the point standings since his victory in Race No. 2 at California. He has competed in 13 races at
Lowe's Motor Speedway, scoring one victory and six top-10 finishes. Kenseth has not scored a top-10 finish
in his last three races at Lowe's. He finished 37th in this race one year ago, one of three DNFs at the Charlotte
superspeedway. He finished 26th there last October. His only Lowe's victory occurred in May 2000. He has a
15.615 finishing average at Lowe's Motor Speedway. He has led in eight of his 13 races at Lowe's. Kenseth has
won at least one race each season for five consecutive years (2002-2006).
Fourth
Mark Martin finished eighth in the Dodge Charger 500 at Darlington Raceway and remained fourth in the
NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. At this point one year ago he ranked 10th in the point standings. Martin
has scored 14 top-15 finishes in the 15 races since Atlanta last October. He has had only one DNF (Talladega in
October 2005 - Accident) in the 35 races since Dover in June 2005. Martin has competed in 42 races at Lowe's
Motor Speedway, scoring four victories there, most recently in May 2002. Martin has scored 20 top-10 finishes
at Lowe's Motor Speedway the most of all full time drivers. He finished 28th in this race one year ago, his sixth
straight finish outside the top-10 at Lowe's. That streak ended last October when he finished fifth. Martin has a
16.166 average finish at Lowe's Motor Speedway. He has led 1,148 laps at Lowe's Motor Speedway, the most
among active drivers.
Fifth
Dale Earnhardt Jr., finished fifth in the Dodge Charger 500 at Darlington Raceway and climbed from sixth to
fifth in the point standings. One year ago he ranked 11th in the point standings. Earnhardt has scored eight top-
15 finishes in the 11 races in 2006. He has competed in 13 races at Lowe's Motor Speedway, scoring six top-10
finishes. His best Lowe's finish of third came there in October 2004. He finished 33rd in this race one year ago
and posted his worst Lowe's finish of 42nd there last October. That was one of three DNFs in 13 races there.
Earnhardt has an 18.923 average finish at Lowe's. He has led in six of his 13 races at Lowe's, but has never led
more than 17 laps in a single race there.
Sixth
Jeff Gordon finished second in the Dodge Charger 500 at Darlington Raceway and climbed from ninth to
sixth in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. Gordon ranked third in the point standings at this point one
year ago, 124 points behind then point leader Jimmie Johnson. He is now 295 points behind current point leader
Johnson one year later. Gordon has competed in 26 races at Lowe's Motor Speedway, scoring four victories and
15 top-10 finishes. His last Lowe's victory came in October 1999. His four victories at Lowe's ties him with Mark
Martin for second among active drivers and is just one behind Jimmie Johnson (five). Gordon finished 30th in this
race one year ago and 38th there last October, his worst season of finishes there in his career. Gordon has a 15.461
average finish at Lowe's Motor Speedway. He has led 440 laps at Lowe's, ranking seventh among active drivers
there. Since his last Lowe's victory in October 1999, Gordon has scored a top-10 finish in six of his 12 races there.
Seventh
Kyle Busch finished seventh in the Dodge Charger 500 at Darlington Raceway and climbed from eighth to
seventh in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. It marked his sixth top-10 finish in 11 races this season.
One year ago he ranked 22nd in the point standings. Busch has scored eight top-15 finishes in the 11 races in
2006. He has competed in four races at Lowe's, finishing 25th or worse in all four. He finished 25th in this race
one year ago and posted his worst Lowe's finish of 39th there last October - his second DNF at Lowe's.
Eighth
Kasey Kahne finished 21st in the Dodge Charger 500 at Darlington Raceway scoring his fourth finish of
21st or worse in 2006, all in the last six races. Kahne has dropped from a high of second in the point standings to
eighth in those six races. He has scored six top-10 finishes in 2006. Kahne has won two races in 2006, (Atlanta
and Texas) both from the Bud Pole. Kahne has scored seven top-15 finishes in the first 11 races in 2006. One year
ago he ranked 15th in the point standings. Kahne has competed in just four races at Lowe's and has yet to post a
top-10 finish there. His best Lowe's finish was 12th, however he has led in all four of his races there and has only
one DNF at the Charlotte superspeedway. He finished 26th in this race one year ago and 23rd there last October.
Kahne has a 23.25 average finish at Lowe's. Kahne has won at least one race each season for two consecutive
years (2005-2006).
Ninth
Kevin Harvick finished 37th in the Dodge Charger 500 at Darlington Raceway and dropped from fifth to ninth
in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. One year ago he ranked eighth in the point standings. Harvick
has scored five top-10 finishes in 2006, all in the last seven races. He has competed in 10 races at Lowe's Motor
Speedway posting three top-10 finishes. His best Lowe's finish of second came in his very first race there (May
2001). He finished 14th in this race one year ago and 28th last October, extending a streak of four straight finishes
outside the top 10. He has been running at the finish in all but one of his races there. He has a 19.0 average finish
at Lowe's Motor Speedway and has led there just twice, leading one lap each time.
10th
Jeff Burton finished ninth in the Dodge Charger 500 at Darlington Raceway and climbed from 11th to 10th
in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. Burton moved back to his highest points ranking of 10th in 2006
for the second time this season. Burton also ranked 10th in the standings after Las Vegas. He has scored six top-
10 finishes in 11 races this season. One year ago he ranked 18th in the point standings. Burton has competed in
24 races at Lowe's Motor Speedway and has scored two victories and 10 top-10 finishes. His last Lowe's victory
came in May 2001. While he has led in six races at Lowe's, Burton has never led more than 19 laps in a race
there. He finished 22nd in this race one year ago and 14th there last October. Burton has scored only one top-10
finish in his last six Lowe's races. Burton has a 16.28 average finish at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
