Speedway adds Flair to race week lineup

By James Bennett
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Lowe’s Motor Speedway has added Flair to NASCAR’s Sprint All-Star Race at the track May 16.

Former professional wrestler Ric “The Nature Boy” Flair was named honorary race director Friday, and track officials announced fan incentives to sell tickets for the 25th annual event.

The Charlotte resident and former World Wrestling Entertainment heavyweight champion will help promote the race. 

He will attend the drivers’ meeting, assist Speed Channel personalities with race introductions and serve on the panel of judges for the Pennzoil Victory Challenge.

“There’s nothing like NASCAR and the ‘Nature Boy’ to get you pumped up!” Flair, 60, said after he was introduced at a news conference Friday. “Our royal rumble will be 100 laps for a $1 million prize!”

Flair, known for strutting and shouting, “Woooooo!” at public appearances, was chosen for his outrageous personality, Lowe’s Motor Speedway President Marcus Smith said.

“We have had some great personalities serve as dignitaries over the years, but none have been stylin’ and profilin’ like the ‘Nature Boy’ will be at the All-Star Race,” Smith said. “Growing up in the area, and watching Ric perform through the years, it’s going to be a treat for me and all the fans at the Speedway. I can’t think of a better fit for NASCAR’s All-Star Slugfest.”

The Speedway’s advertising agency, The Tombras Group of Johnson City, Tenn., created a special wrestling-style poster for the race. Billed as “a night of fractured fenders and shattered dreams,” 

it jokingly listed the best head-to-head matchups during the race, including:
• Kevin “Happy” Harvick vs. “Cousin” Carl Edwards. The two scuffled in the garage area at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in October. A photographer snapped pictures of Edwards with his hands around Harvick’s neck.
• Dale “The People’s Champ” Earnhardt Jr. vs. Tony “Smoke” Stewart in a “transmission submission match.”
• Kurt “Vegas Violation” Busch and Clint “The Destroyer” Bowyer vs. Kasey “Night Train” Kahne and “Marvelous” Mark Martin in an “intercontinental roll-cage match.”
• Kyle “Rowdy” Busch vs. Just About Everybody in a “grudge match.”

“Everyone wants to run Kyle Busch off the track,” Flair said.

The Pennzoil Victory Challenge has been expanded this year from five to seven drivers. One will be Pennzoil driver Harvick, who finished fourth in the competition last year for the driver who can deliver the best tire-smoking burnout.

One ticket buyer will be chosen to ride shotgun with one of the driver’s during the Challenge.

“We’re taking fan participation to the next level,” Smith said. “With the help of Pennzoil, we’re taking an event that was already a crowd-pleaser, making a few tweaks and placing an emphasis on creativity this year.

“For one lucky fan, it’s going to be a memorable experience that will last a lifetime. They’ll never be able to get any close to the action that that!”

The Challenge winner wins $10,000 to donate to his favorite charity.

Ticket buyers for the All-Star Race and the May 24 Coca-Cola 600 will have a chance to see drivers Jimmie Johnson, Kahne, Marcos Ambrose and Paul Menard during tire testing next week. The four will be testing Goodyear tires on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

The grandstands will be open at no charge to all fans Tuesday and Wednesday, but ticket buyers for the two races will be invited to watch in pit row from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday. The drivers will participate in a fans forum from noon-1 p.m.

“We want to provide as much added value as we can to our ticket-holders, so we worked with Goodyear to allow the fans in to see a little on-track action in preparation for our May races,” Smith said. “We’ve also got a great lineup of drivers who’ve given up part of their lunch break to come out and interact with fans Wednesday.”

• Contact Managing Editor James Bennett at 704-789-9150.