Grassroots Racing’s Biggest Event, the Legends Big Money 100, Returns July 2-3 to Charlotte Motor Speedway

The biggest event in all of grassroots racing, the third annual Legends Big Money 100, will take place July 2-3, on Charlotte Motor Speedway's frontstretch quarter-mile oval. With the only $100,000 purse in Legend Car racing, the event will boast some of the fiercest competition among the best grassroots racers around the globe.

"We are thrilled to announce the Legends Big Money 100 returning to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the third year," said Don Hawk, vice president of business affairs, Speedway Motorsports, Inc. "This event brings together the best Legend Car and Bandolero talent in the world and this year we're adding a new level of excitement by making it a double INEX points event. Competitors and fans will not want to miss this year's Legends Big Money 100!"

Registration for the Legends Big Money 100 is just $100 and is now open online at http://www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/tickets/legends_big_money_100/. Drivers are encouraged to register early as the entry fee will increase as the event gets closer. The Legends Big Money 100 will be a regional points event and the only double INEX points event. Competitors who purchase a new Legend Car from U.S. Legend Cars International will receive free entry into the Legends Big Money 100.

"I was so excited to win last year's Big Money race," said Marietta, Ga., native, Kyle Plott, who won the 2011 Legends Big Money 100 at the age of 15. "This is such a big event with a purse that is unheard of in Legend Car racing. The $25,000 top prize was a nice cherry on top for winning a race with so many great drivers, including NASCAR's David Ragan."

Competitors participating in the Legends Big Money 100 have the option of registering in three Legend Car divisions based on the driver's age and experience level: Young Lions/Semi-Pro, Masters or the Legends Big Money 100, which is open to all drivers. Young Lions/Semi-Pro and Masters competitors can also compete in the Legends Big Money 100 division. A separate entry fee is required for each class entered.

The infield will open Sunday, July 1, for competitors to tech their cars and practice before the grandstands open for two full days of racing on Monday and Tuesday, July 2-3.

Each division will run a qualifying session, heat races and an A-Main race, with the Legends Big Money 100 A-Main serving as the grand finale of the event.

Competitors will complete time trials to determine their starting position in the heat races. Drivers will then progress to B-Mains based on their finishing position in the heats. The starting lineup for each A-Main will consist of heat race winners and the first-place finishers from the B-Mains. A total of 30 competitors will race in the Legends Big Money 100 A-Main event, which will be 100 laps. In addition, a select number of promoter's choice provisionals may be awarded.

Bandolero drivers will also have the opportunity to compete in a Bandolero two-race championship event, with qualifying sessions, heat races and main events on each day. All drivers will compete in one of two Bandolero classes, Bandits and Outlaws.

The Legends Big Money 100 is open to all INEX licensed Legend Car competitors. All minors 17 and younger must complete a minor waiver, which is available for download at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/waivers.

For additional information on the Legends Big Money 100, visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or call the Charlotte Motor Speedway events department at (704) 455-3205. For more information about U.S. Legend Cars International and Legend Cars, visit www.uslegendcars.com or call U.S. Legend Cars International's headquarters at (704) 455-3896. Connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CLTMotorSpdwy or become a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/charlottemotorspeedway.

Governor Perdue Signs Bill Making Stock Car Racing North Carolina's Official State Sport

(With the stroke of a pen today at Charlotte Motor Speedway, North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue signed Senate Bill 322 into law, making stock car racing the official state sport and adding to the history of fabulous firsts at the historic 1.5-mile superspeedway. Photo by Brad Bowling) 

 

With the stroke of a pen today at Charlotte Motor Speedway, North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue signed Senate Bill 322 into law, making stock car racing the official state sport and adding to the legacy of fabulous firsts at the historic 1.5-mile superspeedway.

Perdue was joined by a host of special guests on hand to watch the bill signing ceremony, including Marcus Smith, president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway; NASCAR Hall of Famers Ned Jarrett and Bobby Allison; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver David Ragan; and a group of fourth and fifth grade students from Lake Norman Elementary School and Mt. Mourne IB School in Iredell County, who originated the bill. In addition, 12 grassroots Legend Car and Bandolero drivers, industry leaders and dignitaries who are members of the North Carolina Motorsports Advisory Council and Charlotte Motor Speedway fans were in attendance. 

"Sometimes it takes really bright kids to tell all of us grown-ups what we ought to be doing. And that's what these students are about today," said Perdue. "They found something that should have been right under our noses because we all love NASCAR, we love Charlotte Motor Speedway, we get really excited during race season. So it's pretty cool for these students to understand that we needed to do better."

The students worked to get the legislation passed for more than a year and the bill was ratified last week by the state's General Assembly. In proposing the legislation, the students pointed to motorsports' $6 billion annual economic impact to North Carolina and noted that Charlotte, N.C., and the surrounding region is home to Charlotte Motor Speedway, the NASCAR Hall of Fame and more than 90 percent of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams. More than 200 businesses in Cabarrus County support the motorsports industry, which employs nearly 20,000 people in the region. 

"It feels really good to know that the bill has finally passed and nobody disagreed with making stock car racing North Carolina's state sport, it feels really rewarding," said Sierra Bice, a student at Lake Norman Elementary School. 

North Carolina now joins other U.S. states with an official state sport, including Alaska (dog mushing); Colorado (snowboarding and skiing); Massachusetts (basketball); Minnesota (hockey); and South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming (rodeo).

"When you think about North Carolina and you think about racing, it really has been unofficially the state sport for so long and I think today to have the governor sign a bill that makes racing the official state sport is really neat and special," said Smith. "It's an exciting time and a real privilege for Charlotte Motor Speedway to be such a big part of the governor's trip today." 

To view photos from the event, visit: www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/multimedia/photo/. 

Tickets for October races at Charlotte Motor Speedway are on sale now and can be purchased online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling the speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267). The Coca-Cola Four Pack includes tickets, hot dogs and Coca-Cola drinks starting at just $39.75 per person. 

Connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CLTMotorSpdwy or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/charlottemotorspeedway.

VIDEO: YOU Can Be on Kenny Wallace's NASCAR Nationwide Series Car!

TRANSCRIPT: Joplin, Mo., Native Jamie McMurray Discusses Recent Tornado

(Jamie McMurray talked to the media at Charlotte Motor Speedway Saturday about the devastating tornado that struck his home town last weekend. Chris Graythen/Getty Images for NASCAR)

 ON HELPING VICTIMS OF TORNADO DEVASTATION IN JOPLIN, MO

‘I don’t know if you guys remember Irwin or not; they were partnered with Roush, and they actually sent 250 pairs of gloves just the other day. I had a friend call and say what they needed immediately were gloves to help with the search and rescue. So Irwin was nice enough to send them some gloves. But all the sponsors, Coke, McDonalds, and everybody has actually come to me. Initially I was like gosh, I’m going to call these people and see if they’ll do something to help raise some money. Everyone that’s involved with our NASCAR program, whether its sponsors or team owners or crew guys all came to me before I could get to them asking for ways they could help. So I thought that was really cool for our community to try and give back to them.”

WAS THAT YOUR HIGH SCHOOL?

“Yep, my high school.”  

WERE YOU BORN IN THAT HOSPITAL?

“I was not born in St. John’s. Most kids are born in Freeman Hospital, which is the hospital that they took everyone from St. John’s to. So no, I was not born in St. John’s.”

HOW CLOSE WAS THE TORNADO TO WHERE YOU USED TO LIVE? DID YOUR OLD HOUSE GET HIT?

“Yeah, actually I had friends send me pictures of the neighborhood that I grew up in, and it’s gone. They sent me pictures and I had a friend actually send pictures of my house through text messages, and I didn’t even know what he had sent me. I did figure it out because the only part left of my house was actually the address left on the front wall. But when you look at the pictures of the house, there’s no background. There are no trees or homes or landmark in the background to defy what you’re looking at. So, yeah, really the tornado took the whole neighborhood out.”  

HAVE YOU HEARD FROM YOUR OLD HIGH SCHOOL BUDDIES OR OLD GIRLFRIEND

“I have not heard from any old girlfriends (laughter).”

YOU KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING

“Yeah, I don’t have any family there anymore. My family has all moved to North Carolina. I do have a lot of friends still there. But like most of us in here, I probably haven’t stayed as close to friends of my hometown as I would have like to have. But I recently have joined FaceBook and a lot of friends have befriended me. So I’ve been in contact with a few of them. Everyone that I know or at least friends talking to friends, I haven’t known anyone that’s lost their life. I have a lot of friends that have lost their homes. But everyone that I know and of my friends that know, everyone seems to be okay right now. Although, I don’t know any more than you guys (the media) so. I just know what I’ve watched on the news and I’ve read on the internet. There are still a lot of people missing; so you just pray and hope that everyone is okay.”  

NORMALLY WHEN YOU COME TO KANSAS FOR THE FALL RACE, YOU USUALLY GO FISHING IN JOPLIN. DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS FOR THAT WHEN YOU COME NEXT WEEK?

“Initially we planned on another fishing trip to Johnny’s place, but we’re going to go next Thursday. We’re actually going to go to Springfield. We’re going to leave early Thursday morning and meet up with the group from Convoy for Hope at Bass Pro Shops there. I guess they’re sending a lot of supplies down on that day so we’re going to go and meet up with them and then go to Joplin. I was fortunate that the mayor and the chief of police; you know you can’t get everywhere. You can’t just go back to your home I don’t believe, right now. So they’re actually going to give me a tour of everything and let me go see the house I grew up in and my high school, and look at all of it.”  

YOU HAVE JOPLIN ON YOUR RACE CAR THIS WEEKEND. DO YOU THINK THAT IF YOU WIN THIS RACE, OR WIN IN KANSAS, DO YOU THINK MAYBE YOU CAN LIFT SOME SPIRITS OF SOME PEOPLE BACK HOME?

“Certainly we’re here to win. I haven’t been back to Joplin for four or five years and I moved away from there when I was 20 years old. But Joplin will always be my hometown. And I’ve got, I don’t know, maybe it’s a different outlook now, but when we go do fundraisers, certainly I’m still going to do a lot with Autism, but I think for a long time it will be about Joplin and trying to get the city back where it was. I had a friend who lives there tell me that Joplin would recover; he just didn’t know if it would recover in our lifetime. He said the trees that are down and the amount of building that it’s just going to take a really long time to rebuild all this. So there will be a big effort on my part over the years to come to help with the hospital and school and the families that have lost everything.”

DID THE PEOPLE FROM THE TOWN ACTUALLY REACH OUT TO YOU ABOUT COMING, OR DID YOU INITIATE THAT?

“I probably had some friends ask about coming. But I wanted to go there. It’s really hard for me to explain. This doesn’t happen to very many people. There’s something special about your hometown. It’s just hard to explain. I wanted to go there on my own and just see everything. I’ve been glued to the TV for the last six days just watching everything and trying to remember what things looked like before. So, I want to go there and see it for myself.”

HOW DO YOU WEIGH YOUR CHANCES THIS WEEKEND AND WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE COCA-COLA 600 THAT MAKES IT A SPECIAL WIN?

“Well, it being the longest race, certainly there’s something to brag about with the length of the race and how the track changes over the course of the night. This is the one track coming to this year that I was really excited about because we ran so well here last year. It’s always been a really good track for me. We unloaded with the same stuff that we won with and pretty much the same set-up we ran second with; and just a long ways, half a second a lap off the pace. So probably the worst trace we’ve been to this year for us. It’s the same for the No. 42 (Juan Pablo Montoya) so I’m not real sure. There is certainly nothing wrong with our cars. We just haven’t hit on it. The new tire has thrown us off at a lot of tracks and man; we just really struggled on Thursday. I was actually with our team at the 7-Post last night from like 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. trying to find something else to try today. And they’ve got a new game plan. Just going off the All-Star race and Thursday night, we were out to lunch. So we’ve got to get better and make some good adjustments and I’m hoping that we found the magic button last night.”  

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO APPROACH THE NEXT DOZEN RACES TO GET YOURSELF TO THAT WILDCARD?

“We’ve got to get better. We’re struggling right now. I feel like our short track program is probably our best; and that was our worst last year. And the 1.5-mile and bigger tracks where we ran so well last year, we’re struggling on right how. I don’t know if it’s the tires; I don’t know. I think most of the guys on our team and throughout the organization are dumbfounded at how you could be so good at these tracks last year and unload with very similar set-ups and it’s not just the No. 1, but it’s also the No. 42. The difference between winning and running average is so fine because the rules are so close. It doesn’t take a lot to get a long ways off and we’ve proved that. So, at the same time we’re hoping that we can find just a few small things to get us back to where we were last year because we certainly just don’t have the speed right now that we did.”

HAVE YOU SAID ANYTHING TO RICKY STENHOUSE, JR. ABOUT SUBBING FOR TREVOR BAYNE IN FIRST CUP RACE?

“I talked to him a little bit before qualifying yesterday, but I didn’t talk to him after that. I did talk to (crew chief of the No. 21 Wood Bros. Ford) Donnie (Wingo) last night and I’d forgotten; Donnie was calling me just to ask about Joplin, and I’ve forgotten even that Ricky was in his car. In the middle of our conversation I asked him where they qualified and he told me ninth and then I started to remember that Stenhouse was in there and I told him he got Ricky at a really good time because that’s where I was in 2002 when I came in. It just seemed like whatever car you got in you ran well. I watched him. He jumped in the No. 21 car and the first two or three laps he was up to speed and he’s a really good race car driver. He’s a super-talented kid. I’ve watched all those Nationwide races and he has come a long ways in a year from crashing and seeming like he was having bad luck, to making really good decisions and he won his first race last week. He’ll be tough on Sunday. That’s a really good car he’s in and the one thing I did tell Ricky was that he came into Cup at a good time because the Roush cars are the strongest cars right now. And if he would have come in last year at this time, it would have been a different story.”  

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU THINK OF GROWING UP IN JOPLIN? WHAT WAS THE BEST THING ABOUT IT?

“You only know where you grew up, right? You don’t know what it’s like to grow up in New York City or in a large city. So Joplin to me was just normal. I think about it with my kid and how much different he’s going to grow up than I did because we’re going to live in a much larger environment where there are museums and different culture than the way I was raised in Joplin. Joplin is just home to me. When I think about the school and racing at the go-kart track there in Joplin;I don’t know, I just can’t imagine it any other way because that’s the way it was. Joplin just seems normal to me.”

TRANSCRIPT: Tony Stewart Press Conference at Charlotte Motor Speedway

(Photo by Brandon W. Mudd)

Tony Stewart talked to the media Thursday at Charlotte Motor Speedway:

ARE YOU GOING TO BE AT SPEED STREET TOMORROW NIGHT?

“Yes.”

WHAT’S PLAYING? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BE DOING?

“I have no idea. I’ll know when I get there.”

HAVE YOU BEEN A PART OF THAT IN THE PAST? WHAT SORT OF EXPERIENCE HAS IT BEEN?

“Yeah, but you’ve got to remember I’m more worried about trying to figure out what I’m doing in my race car right now. I’m worried about my race car. I’m not worried about all this other stuff. This is ‘Hell Week’ being in Charlotte. We don’t do anything but work all week for two and a half weeks. So, it’s non-stop. We’re just happy when we can be at the track and can finally get a break.”

MATT KENSETH SAID 600 MILES IS REALLY LONG WHEN YOU’RE CAR IS NOT DOING WHAT YOU WANT IT TO

“500 miles is a long time when you’re car’s not right. I’m not sure that we’re practicing in the heat of the day here for qualifying tonight; so that’s why we’ve got Saturday to work on the race stuff.”

WITH THIS HEAT, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN USE FROM LAST WEEK THAT YOU’RE GOING TO BRING OVER?

“Look in your archives. Every year everybody tells you ‘Yes’ on that. That’s what everybody says. That’s what everybody said last week. It’s the same answer this week. Log this answer for the rest of my life that yes, everything that we learned last week we will use toward this week for the rest of my life. That’s what we’ll do.”

OK

“That’s a given. Everybody is going to do that. Everybody is going to look off their notes last week because we’re running the same track two weeks in a row. And they’re both ending at night. So it’s as consistent as you can get. I know you have to ask but I have to answer it that way because I get tired of answering the same thing every May the same question.”

HOW IS KANSAS DIFFERENT FROM THIS TRACK IN YOUR APPROACH?

“It’s shaped different (laughs); it’s a whole different race track. Even the tracks that are shaped the same as Charlotte race differently. I mean Atlanta races different, Texas races different; and Kansas is totally shaped different than here. So it’s a whole different place.”

I KNOW IT’S SHAPED DIFFERENT, BUT HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FOR YOU? WHAT DO YOU DO DIFFERENTLY?

“The handling characteristics are different. Man, I don’t even know what kind of answer you want for that because it’s kind of far out there. I don’t even know when Kansas is compared to now.”

IT’S NEXT WEEK

“Okay, I don’t even know. Like I say, we’re worried about this week and not what we’re doing next week at Kansas or the week after that wherever we’re at then. We’ve got 600 miles we’re trying to work on this week.”

HOW IS YOUR CAR?

“I think it’s pretty good. I’m pretty happy with the balance so far in race trim. It’s just staying focused on what we’re doing. There have been so many distractions in the last week and a half, and everybody wants to talk about Kansas or something else that doesn’t pertain to anything that we’re doing right now, that it’s hard to focus on it.”

WITH YOUR OWNER’S HAT ON, CAN I ASK YOU ABOUT DANICA PATRICK?

“You can’t ask me anything about Danica. It doesn’t have anything to do with what I’m doing here today. If you have something to ask me about what we’re doing here today, feel free. And I’ll stay here as long as you want. Do you have anything else?

I’M GOOD.

“Okay.”

TRANSCRIPT: Kyle Busch Talks About His Speeding Ticket

(Photo by Bill Barrett)

The following is a transcript of Kyle Busch's press conference Thursday at Charlotte Motor Speedway:

What is your outlook for this weekend’s races?

“Given our past successes here from last week with the NOS Energy truck and having Zahra Baker (A 10-year-old disabled North Carolina girl who was found slain last year) on the side and winning that race in remembrance of her. Then being able to carry on a good, strong run into Saturday night with the All-Star race for my best finish in that event. Things were good. We’ve got nothing but excited guys coming in here for this weekend’s race, the Coca-Cola 600, and being the longest race of the year, we’ve definitely been ready for it and looking forward to being able to get out on the race track, have some good results and maybe win this thing and bring home my first Cup win at Charlotte.”

What is your reaction to the speeding ticket?

“I’m certainly sorry for my actions and for my lack of judgment. This is something that I can take and learn from and hopefully move forward and not let happen again.”

What did you think of Kimi Raikkonen moving forward in NASCAR?

“I thought Kimi (Raikkonen) did a nice job last week. Certainly, he gave the truck a good ride. It was really loose and he did a nice job with car control and everything else. What’s to be expected of him this weekend is certainly to just again try to run all the laps, try to make 300 miles in a Nationwide Series race, get a feel for what the car is like and we appreciate the guys from Kyle Busch Motorsports doing the building of the car and then for NEMCO Motorsports and them working on it here this week -- along with us just trying to help them out in case there’s any bugs. As far as the Sonoma race, we’ve had no discussions about Cup stuff at all. As far as I know, just this weekend is the last hoorah with Kimi unless he comes back and wants to do further races in NASCAR.”

How do you look back on the speeding incident?

“I’m certainly sorry that it happened and my actions led me to speed. It was a lack of judgment and all I can do is apologize to the public, my friends, my fans, my sponsors and everybody, look at this experience as a learning experience, and to move forward.”

Is it difficult to have a learning experience in the public eye?

“It’s certainly challenging sometimes with things you have to think about and of course actions that you may cause yourself. Thankfully, I’ve got some good people around me that can help me through these experiences and help me learn from them. Take the good from it and take the bad from it and just be able to apply that for later on down the road.”

Can you make a case for yourself?

“I’m sorry I’m not the jurisdiction to make a case. I leave that to the court systems and everything else like that. This matter will be handled through that as best as we can handle it and as best as the authorities decide to handle it. I have the utmost respect for the authorities across the United States of America that try to keep all of us safe every day. Of course, being Memorial Day weekend with all the men and women serving our country to keep us safe as well too. It’s not in my place to decide what does or does not happen.”

Has Joe Gibbs Racing given you any penalties?

“We have certainly discussed some things. We’re working through the process of that now and looking at what might be done later on down the road.”

What are your thoughts on the Truck Series?

“I love the Truck Series. I think it’s one of the best forms of racing we have in NASCAR. It’s definitely brought some excitement to the series over time with ESPN2 back in the 90s and of course with Speed Channel being the broadcast partner that we’ve had for the last few seasons. They’ve done a wonderful job for us. It’s definitely been a great series to run in, to be involved in, to win some races in and to now be owning a race team in the series is definitely great for myself and for all the people at Kyle Busch Motorsports that are employed there and that we can give jobs to and put food on the table for their families. Without the sponsorships and without the strong partnerships that we have there, we wouldn’t be here and be doing what we do. We have to thank all those people with Dollar General, NOS Energy Drink, Traxxas, Toyota and I’m sure there are some that I am forgetting -- forgive me. It takes all of those people to stand behind you that can makeyour program successful and that you can build it.”

Do you enjoy going the extra 100 miles at the 600?

“I definitely love the 600-mile race. It may be a little bit long and drawn out for some fans and you know maybe the short attention span sometimes will get you. For what the sport was built on and for how long this race has been in existence -- the 600 miles, it shows determination, it shows will, it shows how well you’re prepared, how well your cars are prepared -- it’s hard on engines, its hard on the drivers for that extra 100 miles as well. I said last week, sometimes they fly by and you feel like it was a two hour race and other times it goes so slow you feel like you’ve been in the car for six hours. Depends on how your car is driving really. I’m looking forward to it.”

Have you personally spoken with your team owner, your sponsors and your neighbors about the speeding incident?

“I have certainly had discussions with Mr. Coach Gibbs (team owner) as well as Joe Gibbs Racing and my sponsors as well too. It’s just a matter of showing your utmost respect for them and what they do for you. That they believe in you to do what you can in order to represent them well and obviously I had a lack in judgment and just made a mistake. I’m sorry for making that mistake, but as far as any of the people that have made comments or anything like that, I don’t have a relationship with any of those people. Unfortunately, I don’t go door-to-door knocking on the door and commenting to them. All I can do is say my piece here and let it be.”

Has something changed with your deal with Kimi Raikkonen?

“Yes.”

What has changed in your deal with Kimi Raikkonen?

“What’s changed is the payment schedule. The contract states that we’re supposed to receive so much and we have not. We’ve only received enough for these two races. It’s either up to Kimi (Raikkonen) or up to the financial people that run Kimi’s business side of things and decide that they need to find the sponsorship funds in order to carry the experience for him further.”

Is it difficult to have two teams working together on Kimi Raikkonen’s Nationwide car?

“I’m going to tell you -- Rick Ren (general manager, Kyle Busch Motorsports) -- we’ve given him a few grey hairs this year. He’s already had some, but he definitely has a lot more, that’s for sure. He’s bit the bullet an awful lot in these past few weeks in putting this deal together. We’ve done this before for some of our various technical alliances that we have such as VAR (Vision Aviation Racing) -- we build turn-key trucks. All they have to do is put a motor, transmission and driveshaft in it and go to the race track. Kyle Busch Motorsports chassis’ has the availability to do that -- we don’t like to, but we can. Certainly we feel like we build a top quality piece and we’ll see how it runs here this afternoon in the Nationwide Series for our first outing in building a car for NEMCO Motorsports.”

How much have you thought about the potential of what could have happened on Tuesday?

“There’s if, ands or buts to a lot of different things in life. Fortunately, there was no one hurt, but that doesn’t make any kind of excuse for what happened and for my lack in judgment and for what I did. Like I said, there’s a lot of processes to be thought about here. There’s some learning experiences to be taken from this and the best I can do is just try to move along past it for this weekend and take my course of action during the week in what might lie ahead.”

What did you mean when you said the Lexus was, ‘just a toy?’

“Well it was a car that was on loan to me from Lexus and it wasn’t that it was a toy, it’s a high performance vehicle and that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Should be driven with caution. Obviously, I didn’t have caution and I had a lack in judgment and there’s probably a reason why on TV commercials and such they always show at the bottom, professional driver, closed course. Mine was not that. Again, I apologize sincerely to all those affected and that all I can do is try to make sure it doesn’t happen again and that I make sure that lack of judgment doesn’t overcome me.”

Stenhouse Jr. to Fill in for Bayne; Make Sprint Cup Debut in Coca-Coca 600

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., will fill in for Trevor Bayne in the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford in this Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The race will mark the Sprint Cup debut for the 2010 Nationwide Series rookie of the year, who won his first Nationwide Series race last weekend at Iowa Speedway.

“Obviously its not the circumstances that you want to make your first Sprint Cup start,” said Stenhouse. “But you grow up dreaming about this moment and I am excited and grateful for the opportunity; to not only make my first start, but to be able to drive the No. 21 Ford of the Wood Brothers in one of the biggest races of the season.

“Trevor is a very good friend of mine and he’s going to be around this weekend and I know that his help with the transition will be instrumental. Hopefully we can give him an effort that will make him proud before we turn the car back over to him for the rest of the season.”

“We can’t wait to have Trevor back with us, but we can’t think of a better driver to fill in than Ricky,” said Wood Brothers co-owner Eddie Wood. “Ricky has been doing an outstanding job in the Nationwide Series. Like Trevor, he is definitely one of the up and coming drivers in our sport and we are happy that he accepted the offer to step in before Trevor comes back for our next race.”

Matt Kenseth will drive Roush Fenway’s No. 16 Fastenal Ford in Saturday’s Nationwide Series race at Charlotte. It will be the 20th NNS start for Kenseth at Charlotte, where he has won twice in the Nationwide Series.

“Charlotte has always been a good track for both me and Roush Fenway in the Nationwide Series,” said Kenseth. “I’m excited to be a part of the three-car Fastenal fleet that we’ll have out there on Saturday and hopefully one of us will end up back in victory lane.”

Bayne will make his return to NASCAR next weekend in the Nationwide Series at Chicagoland. He will make his next Sprint Cup start in the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford two weeks later at Michigan.