Sprint Summer Showdown, $1,000,000 Bonus Fuels Unexpected Winners
HAMPTON,
Ga. (Aug. 15, 2011) – The Sprint Summer Showdown was introduced earlier
this summer as a way to up the level of competition for the five NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series events leading up to Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Sept. 4
AdvoCare 500. So far it is working.
Two
of the first three events saw first-time Sprint Cup winners and the
third was won by a driver who overcame tremendous pain from a hard
practice crash earlier that week.
Beginning
at Indianapolis, upset winner Paul Menard earned the right to kiss the
bricks in a stunningly popular victory. The win was Menard’s first of
his Sprint Cup career, and served as a reward to team owner Richard
Childress, who added a fourth team for Menard this season.
Last
week at Pocono, Brad Keselowski played hurt, which earned the respect
of many in the garage area. But Keselowski did more than simply ride
around the tricky triangle, as he held off current co-points leader Kyle
Busch in winning his second race of 2011. Keselowski’s win, backed up
with a strong runner-up finish at Watkins Glen, has moved Keselowski
solidly into the top-20 in points. His two wins also currently make him
the first wild card for the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship run
later in the season.
This
week’s exciting conclusion at Watkins Glen booked the third different
driver for the Sprint Summer Showdown. Marcos Ambrose survived a wild
green-white-checkered restart in overtime, winning his first-career
Sprint Cup race. The win marks the fifth different first-time winner in
2011, and is also the fifteenth different winner in twenty two races.
While
these three drivers have staked their claim for the chance at a large
payday at Atlanta, the most popular stars of the Sprint Cup series are
still looking to become eligible with only two qualifying races
remaining at Michigan and Bristol. Names like Jimmie Johnson, Carl
Edwards, Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick, Jeff
Gordon and Dale Earnhardt. Jr. have still not qualified, and the next
two weeks will be can’t-miss racing action. Add in drivers fighting for
Chase contention and two wild card spots up for grabs, and the AdvoCare
500 promises to be one of the marquee events of the 2011 campaign.
The
five Sprint Summer Showdown winning drivers will have more than their
wallets on their mind when the Sprint Cup circuit hits Atlanta. Each
eligible driver will be paired up with a lucky fan, and both the fan and
a charity of the driver’s choice will have a chance to win $1,000,000.
Fans that would like to enter the contest can visit sprint.com/speed.
NASCAR
night racing returns to Atlanta Motor Speedway this Labor Day weekend,
Sept. 2-4. Tickets for the AdvoCare 500 start at $39 and $19 for
students. Children 12 and under admitted free for the Great Clips 300
and the Atlanta 200 with an adult ticket. For more information, call the
Atlanta Motor Speedway Ticket Office at (877) 9-AMS-TIX, (770) 946-4211
or visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.
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