Nascar SCS Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway May Sun. 24 on FOX at 7:00 PM ET

↑↑1st Fly Over in Holding Pattern (Clicky the Picky)↑↑

Mama and I went to the Kids House in Kannapolis for Dinner and the Race. They just happen to be in the Holding Pattern for the FA-18's that were here for the Opening Ceremonies. It was really cool to be able to stand in the front yard and see this. After the Track Pass they flew around the house for another 4-5 passes- I figure they were doing a Mock Bombing run before heading back to NAS Oceana.

Official Race & Points Report(pdf)

Carl Edwards wins at Charlotte: #19-Carl Edwards won the Coca-Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway for his 1st win of the season, 1st win at Charlotte and 24th career win. Edwards last win was 31 races ago at Sonoma Raceway in June 2014.
#16-Biffle finished 2nd followed by #88-Earnhardt Jr., #20-Kenseth, #78-Truex Jr., #31-Newman, #2-Keselowski, #11-Hamlin, #4-Harvick and #41-Busch.
Harvick maintains the drivers points lead with 473, 41 points over #78-Truex Jr.
Pole winner #20-Kenseth led 27 laps, fell down 1 lap with an unscheduled pit stop for a loose wheel, got the lucky dog pass and finished 4th.
#18-Kyle Busch, in his first points race of the season after being injured at Daytona, finished 11th and ran all 400 laps.
#48-Johnson spun twice, recovering the 1st time, but not the 2nd time, hitting the inside SAFER wall. After repairs, Johnson came back on the track and finished 40th, down 30 laps. Only four drivers failed to finish the race.
There were 22 lead changes among 9 drivers. There were 8 cautions for 39 yellow flag laps.
The average speed was 147.803mph.
See unofficial race results, awards, money won, laps led, cautions and more on the Unofficial Race Results page (pdf) and check out the Penalty Report (pdf) and Lap Summary Report (pdf).
See OFFICIAL race results & points standings on the Official Race & Points Report (pdf).(5-24-2015)

Race Fast Facts - Charlotte:
#19-Carl Edwards won the 56th Annual COCA-COLA 600, his 24th victory in 385 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his first victory and second top-10 finish in 2015. Edwards breaks a 31-race winless drought with the victory.
This is his first victory and 14th top-10 finish in 21 races at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Edwards' previous best Charlotte finish was third, three times.
#16-Greg Biffle (second) posted his ninth top-10 finish in 25 races at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It is his second top-10 finish in 2015.
#88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. (third) posted his 12th top-10 finish in 31 races at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
#4-Kevin Harvick leads the point standings by 41 points over #78-Martin Truex Jr.
(NASCAR Integrated Sports Marketing)(5-24-2015)

And now the Medical Report (AKA Hold Muh Beer and Watch This!)

Man Airlifted to Hospital after Speedway Accident: A man was airlifted to the hospital after he was hit by a car at Charlotte Motor Speedway. An eyewitness said the man was sitting on the back of a tow bar between a camper and another vehicle being towed. The camper turned, he fell off, and was run over by the towed vehicle. No word on the condition of the man who was hit.(Fox Charlotte)(5-25-2015)

Hamlin dehydrated, taken to infield care center, is OK: Late in the race, #11-Denny Hamlin reported feeling ill in his car (finished 8th) at Charlotte and complained of a severe headache. He was taken to the infield care center after the race, and team owner Joe Gibbs said his driver was dehydrated, was given an IV and was feeling better after the treatment.(NASCAR Wire Service)
AND comments from Hamlin:
Q) How are you feeling after visiting the infield care center after the race?
Hamlin: "A lot better now. I knew when my knee was sore afterwards that it was probably fluids. My off-day was 36 holes of golf and a full tennis match. Probably over did it a little bit this weekend. I think the dehydration led to a migraine and just felt nauseous the last 100 laps or so. Thank goodness, that didn't cost us the win. Just the bad end of that strategy and what not, but still proud of our FedEx Office team for really giving me a car that could contend for a win. This is a good sign and congrats to Carl (Edwards), this is an awesome two weeks really for our organization."
Q) Was it difficult to finish the race feeling like you did?
"It's tough, I was borderline throwing up trying to race for the lead. You just try to power through it and of course when you run well, you always feel a little bit better, but when the race is over and everything comes to a stop you realize how bad you feel. A lot better now with fluids and everything. It was directly related to hydration."
Q) Was it challenging to come back from the loose wheel?
Hamlin: "That part of it stunk a little bit, but the 78 (Martin Truex Jr.) came back and passed us anyway. When he came back out, he had fresher air than what I did. I came out kind of middle of the pack and just couldn't run the lap times I needed to. Those guys ended up on the bad end of the strategy anyway."(Toyota Racing)(5-25-2015)

Cassill completes Memorial Day double: Landon Cassill completed a double of his own on racing's busiest day, driving the #40 Snap Fitness Chevrolet in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, then turning around and jogging through the night to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. That journey of 13.92 miles took 1 hour, 41 minutes and 49 seconds -- a pace of 7 minutes, 19 seconds per mile -- and ended at 12:58 a.m. on Memorial Day. Cassill accepted a hug and kiss from his wife, Kaitlan, rubbed his dog, Indie, and thanked those who came out to watch the end of his run -- a group that included some of his crew members, as well as team owner Mike Hillman. All told, it was a 576.42-mile evening for the 25-year-old driver, who completed 375 laps (out of 400) at Charlotte, then stretched in the garage before starting his run. The event raised money for the Folds of Honor Foundation, through a partnership with Snap Fitness. For every 30-day trial pass purchased between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Snap Fitness will donate $1 to the foundation that provides scholarships to families of service members killed or disabled in active duty.(NASCAR.com)(5-25-2015)

Kyle Busch feels good after 600 miles: #18-Kyle Busch finished 11th in Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It was his first points race back since the XFINTIY Series accident at Daytona in February. Busch missed 11 races. Busch started the race in 17th position, running in the top-10 most of the race running as high as second on lap 295. But the handling went away just a bit for Busch following his lap-329 pit stop, and he dropped back to fifth with 33 laps remaining in the 400-lap race. Busch pitted for the final time for four tires and fuel with 21 laps to go, but the aforementioned six cars made it the rest of the way on fuel, turning Busch's possible fifth-place finish into an 11th place finish. Busch Discusses the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte:
"I feel pretty good. All in all, I felt like that was a great race for us with our Skittles Camry. We ran really strong. We ran up front, and we showed we had some speed. You know, it certainly is frustrating to finish where we did. That's disappointing. But sometimes you do win these things by fuel mileage races, so congratulations to our teammates, Carl (Edwards) and Matt (Kenseth). They finished up front there. But all in all, I can't say enough about everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing and just all of our partners that have stuck behind me, with Skittles here and M&M's Crispy, SNICKERS, Pedigree, Interstate Batteries and Toyota. Everyone pulling for me and cheering for me and helping me get back into this racecar, and to get out there and have a strong run means a lot. I'm really proud of my guys. Adam Stevens (crew chief) made some great calls tonight and got ourselves in some really good spots and up toward the front. We raced up toward the front. We battled side-by-side, door-to-door with guys for a little while and it felt good."(JGR/TrueSpeed)(5-25-2015)

Coca-Cola extends partnership with Speedway Motorsports: The Coca-Cola Company has extended their long-term partnership with Speedway Motorsports, Inc. through 2020, ensuring that race fans across the country can continue to cheer on their favorite Coca-Cola Racing Family drivers at premier motorsports facilities with ice cold, delicious Coca-Cola refreshment. For more than 30 years, Coca-Cola and Speedway Motorsports have brought race fans together, enhancing event experiences and providing countless wonderful memories. The partnership renewal celebrates the longevity of their partnership as Coca-Cola and Speedway Motorsports continue to create the ultimate race day experience for fans across the country. In the renewed agreement, Coca-Cola, along with an array of sparkling and still beverage options, will continue as the "Official Soft Drink," "Official Sparkling Beverage," "Official Water, "Official Sports Drink" and "Official Enhanced Water" for seven Speedway Motorsports facilities (Atlanta, Charlotte, Sonoma, Kentucky, Las Vegas, New Hampshire and Texas). The agreement retains all non-alcoholic beverages at Atlanta, Charlotte and New Hampshire. The renewal also includes title sponsorship of the Coca-Cola 600, the longest continuous sponsorship of any race in NASCAR, at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Coca-Cola, along with Speedway Motorsports, will ensure all of these tracks remain premier destinations for NASCAR fans across the nation for years to come.
"For more than 30 years, Coca-Cola has been refreshing fans at the world's greatest speedways. What better place to share a Coke over our renewed partnership than at the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day Weekend," said Ivan Pollard, Senior Vice President, Connections, Investment and Assets, Coca-Cola North America.
"Coca-Cola and Speedway Motorsports share the same passion for entertaining fans and providing the ultimate race day experience. Our partnership renewal celebrates the heritage of this relationship in bringing fans closer to Coca-Cola and the sport they love the most."
"Coca-Cola and Speedway Motorsports have been making memories together for more than 30 years by honoring our troops, celebrating our passion for racing and creating spectacular experiences for our fans," said Marcus Smith, chief executive officer of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. "Coca-Cola is the world's most-respected and recognizable brand, and it's an honor to extend our partnership into its fourth decade. We look forward to serving our fans refreshing excitement both on and off the track for years to come."
Coca-Cola is a global brand with deep roots in local communities. Through this partnership extension, Coca-Cola and Speedway Motorsports will continue to create programs that engage race fans at Speedway Motorsports facilities in the local markets and regions where the speedways are located. By creating these unique experiences, Coca-Cola will connect with race fans at every level -- locally, nationally, at the track, in store, at home and elsewhere.(CMS)(5-24-2015)

Raceline TV to air on MAV-TV: Raceline TV, the nation's longest-running TV Show covering NASCAR Racing, has reached an agreement with MAV-TV to carry the show weekly. Starting the first week of June. Raceline will air on Saturdays at 9AM and again at noon EST, 52-weeks a year. Raceline also returns to FOX SportSouth and Root Sports SouthWest and will be adding several other west coast networks soon. Joe Moore, President and Host of Raceline, also co-host for Motor Racing Network, started the show in 1993 on a local TV Station in the Norfolk, VA market. Moore purchased the show in 2000, expanding distribution and covering NASCAR Sprint Cup, Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Series racing. Raceline features one -on-one interviews with the top drivers and crew chiefs in the sport and employs two veteran field reporters in Steve Post and Jeff Taylor, who work in the Charlotte bureau.(PR)(5-26-2015)

And for that little bit of Sweet after breakfast...

Linda Vaughn wins Jim Chapman Award: Linda Vaughn, who as Miss Hurst Golden Shifter and "The First Lady of Auto Racing" became one of the sport's greatest world-wide ambassadors, was announced as the first recipient of an honorary Jim Chapman Award for excellence in motorsports public relations. The Chapman Award, established in 1991, is considered by many in the industry as the highest honor in racing public relations. It is named in memory of Chapman, the legendary PR executive and innovator, who worked with Babe Ruth, Dan Gurney, Bobby Unser, Mario Andretti, Bill France Sr. and Avis Rent-a-Car founder Warren Avis among many others. Chapman, named Indy Car racing's "most influential man" of the 1980s, died in 1996 at age 80. The announcement was made at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the annual American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association breakfast meeting. Michael Knight, chairman of the selection committee and one of Chapman's closest friends, made the presentation. This first-ever honorary Chapman Award is the result of several suggestions and endorsement of the Chapman family and approval of members of the national media selection committee. Vaughn has earned PR awards from NHRA and SEMA and is in several Halls of Fame. Established in 1991 by media and publicists within the CART series, the Chapman Award originally focused on achievement in CART. After a hiatus of several years, the award was resumed in 2004, with eligibility expanded to anyone working in racing PR.(SpinDoctor500)(5-24-2015)

We'll make this one a Link to "Save the Chilrenz" and keep the Mods happy

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