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The Chase Returns Home to Lowe’s Motor Speedway

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by Steve Wronkowicz

I am co-host of the syndicated radio show: ON PIT ROW. Charlie likes to call me an "idiot". I'm not an "idiot"; I just prefer not to let the facts get in the way of my opinions.

October 5, 2008 10:07 pm CDT No Comments

Lowe’s Motor Speedway was the first of NASCAR’s venues to sell naming rights and change its name from Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The one and half mile long quad-oval track seats 167,000 people, with room for 50,000 more race fans in the infield.  Completed in 1959, it was the first speedway to host nighttime superspeedway racing beginning in 1992, and to offer year-round residences with 52 condominiums available over turn one.  Owned by Speedway Motorsports; which has its corporate headquarters on the same property, the speedway is considered to be the home track for the far majority of NASCAR teams who are based within fifty  miles.

Along with the main oval, the speedway also has a 2.25 mile road course in the infield, a 0 .6 mile kart track in the infield, a quarter-mile oval using part of the front stretch and pit road, and an 0.2 mile oval outside turn three. Also, across the street from the speedway, is a 0.4 mile dirt track that opened in May 2000.

Amazingly most of the records held at Lowe’s are held by many of the past heros of the sport.  Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip shore the lead with six wins each.  Allison also shares the most top fives with Richard Petty; while The King also has the most top tens, with thirty-one and most starts with sixty-four.  Allison has led the most laps, while David Pearson holds the record for most poles with fourteen.

In 2005, the surface of the circuit had started to wear from its last paving in mid-1994, resulting in the track’s treatment in a diamond-grinding process to smooth out bumps. This process of levigation, caused major tire problems during both Sprint Cup Series events with a record 22 cautions at the Coca-Cola 600. It was the first Sprint Cup Series race to go more than five hours in 25 years. Speed increases, as a result of the levigation caused the tire problems that resulted in the speedway being repaved in 2006.

In the past seventeen races dating back through 2000, Jimmy Johnson is the biggest winner among Chase drivers with five.  The only other multiple winner over that time period is non-chaser, Kasey Kahne.  The remaining wins have been spread among nine different drivers including Chase participants Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth,  Jeff Burton and Tony Stewart.

This could be the race where non-chase drivers have the best chance at a win.  Kasey Kahne especially has proven he can win on the prototype for the cookie cutter tracks.  Kahne proved his mettle as recently as the All-Star event this year.  Once again though Jimmy Johnson would be the best bet of the Chase contenders to bring home a win.

photo credit: Icon Sports Media

Filed Under Hendrick Motorsports, Lowe's Motor Speedway, NASCAR, Nascar Chase 2008 

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