TEAM RED BULL
LOWE’S MOTOR SPEEDWAY
SPRINT SHOWDOWN & ALL-STAR RACE

ENTRIES: Red Bull No. 83 Brian Vickers and Red Bull No. 84 AJ Allmendinger
RACE: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, “Sprint Showdown & All-Star Race”
TRACK: Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Concord, NC DATES: May 16-17, 2008

+ ACCEPTING THE CHALLENGE
Trust Greg Miller when he says that the Pit Crew Challenge isn’t just some recreational, happy-to-be-here-type event.

“We take it very seriously,” said Miller, Red Bull Racing Team’s pit crew coach. “It’s the one time a year the pit crew guys get to shine. We can accumulate some bragging rights for the rest of the year, and not to mention there’s $70,000 on the line.”

The No. 83 Bull Crew’s skill will be on display Thursday night at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, N.C., as the event pits 24 crews — seeded based on the Sprint Cup points standings — facing each other in head-to-head stops with the winners of each heat advancing to the next round. The Pit Crew Challenge also includes individual prizes of $10,000.

“We’re more concerned about the team effort,” Miller said. “Our goal is to get to the final round and win the 70 grand.” Last year, the No. 83 team finished fifth overall and lost to the eventual winner, Ryan Newman’s No. 12 team.

On May 25 at 9:30 a.m. ET, tune in to the CW Network and “Three Wide Life” for part one of a special feature on Red Bull Racing Team’s pit crews.

THE NO. 83 BULL CREW
Brian Haaland, front tire changer
Aaron Schields, front tire carrier
Danny Kincaid, rear tire changer
Jake Brzozowski, rear tire carrier
Shaun Peet, jack man
Doug Newell, gas man
Mike Metcalf, catch can
Greg Miller, pit crew coach
Ben Cook, strength and conditioning coach

+ ALL ABOUT THE KIDS
Mixing cement, spreading mulch, sawing boards and digging waist-deep holes was, as Shaun Peet described, “like a day off.”

Maybe it was a getaway from the physical hardships that come with being a Red Bull Racing Team pit crew member. But it was all about the greater good, as both Bull Crews participated in Wednesday’s playground build that was part of the NASCAR Day celebration.

In conjunction with The Home Depot and KaBOOM!, the crewmen of the Nos. 83 and 84 and several NASCAR personalities constructed a playground at the Elon Home for Children in Charlotte, N.C. You name it, and they had it — everything from climbing walls and nets to slides and swings.

“It’s fun. We don’t get to do enough of this stuff,” said Aaron Schields, the front tire carrier on the No. 83. “It makes you feel good for the day, knowing you’re doing something that helps a lot of children.”

+ STATE OF BOTH RED BULLS
Red Bull Racing Team’s two Toyotas survived the super-quick surface of Darlington Raceway. The Lady in Black was handing out Darlington stripes left and right, but Brian Vickers brought the No. 83 home in 25th. AJ Allmendinger’s No. 84 wasn’t far behind in 27th.

NASCAR’s longest race, the 600-mile at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, is the next points race (May 25). Brian, who earned the team’s first top-five finish in last year’s 600, sits 17th in the standings — 105 points out of the top 12. AJ Allmendinger is 40th in owner points.

+ GOOD THING HE LIKES TO DRIVE
Red Bull’s Scott Speed came .374 seconds short of winning his second ARCA RE/MAX Series race Saturday at Kentucky Speedway. But he and Eddie Sharp Racing will take a second-place finish, one that moved Scott to sixth in the driver standings — 125 points out of the lead.

Scott will be behind the wheel of two vehicles this weekend. First, it’s Friday’s Craftsman Truck Series race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, where he’ll make his second start in Bill Davis Racing’s No. 22 Red Bull Toyota. His quest for the ARCA championship continues Sunday at the short track in Toledo, Ohio. Then it’s off to Mansfield, Ohio, for another truck race May 24.

+ MAKE A CALL FOR CHARITY
“Thanks for calling the NASCAR Day telethon. This is Brian Vickers. How can I help you?” … “AJ Allmendinger here on behalf of the NASCAR Day telethon. How much do you want to pony up?”

Fans will have a chance to speak to Brian, AJ or their favorite driver, as some of NASCAR’s biggest names help answer phones during the first NASCAR Day telethon on Friday.

By calling 1-888-MAY16TH (1-888-629-1684) and making a donation, fans will be helping the 30-plus driver, team and track charities that the NASCAR Foundation supports. Mention Brian or AJ, and 100 percent of your donation will go directly to their designated charity. Last year, NASCAR Day raised more than $1.3 million.

The telethon will run all day from the Sam Bass Gallery in Concord, N.C. SIRIUS Satellite Radio will go live from the event starting at 7 a.m. ET, and Speed TV will do live cut-ins throughout the day.

AJ will answer phones from 9-10 a.m.; Brian from 3-3:40 p.m.

+ VOTE FOR BRIAN AND AJ
Brian Vickers raced his way into the Sprint Showdown in 2005, and he’s quite confident he can do it again. Lowe’s Motor Speedway is Brian’s home track, and the No. 83 team earned Red Bull Racing’s first top-five finish there last May.

Teammate AJ Allmendinger missed the annual dash for cash last season, but he’s doing his part to make sure that doesn’t happen again. AJ has been using Speed TV — and Misty, his baby yellow Labrador — to throw out shameless plugs. “Vote for me,” AJ said. “If you don’t like me, that’s OK, just vote for me because you like my dog.”

Just in case Brian and AJ don’t race their way into the Sprint Showdown, visit www.nascar.com to vote, or text “NASCAR” to “7777” on your Sprint/Nextel phone.