Hill commemorates 2003 All-Star race

While the outcome of the 2004 NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge wasn't decided until the very end, Jimmie Johnson won last year's event in convincing style after taking the lead with 15 laps to go in the final segment and powering away from his rivals.

Johnson gunned his No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet -- sporting a special red-white-and-blue paint scheme promoting Lowe's Power of Pride program -- around teammate Jeff Gordon on Lap 175 and never looked back.

Renowned motor sports artist Garry Hill has commemorated the electricity of the event with an original painting and fine art prints entitled, "The Winston All-Star Race 2003." This marks the 17th year that Hill has used his immense talents to chronicle motor racing's most-celebrated all-star shootout, dating back to the 1987 event.

The original painting, commissioned by Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse and now on display at The Speedway Club, was unveiled last Wednesday evening at a special reception hosted by Charlotte mayor Pat McCrory at Discovery Place, where the much-heralded IMAX NASCAR production is now playing.

"It is indeed an honor and a privilege to create the artwork annually to commemorate the effort of our sport's greatest teams," said Hill, a native Virginian now making his home in Mooresville, NC. "It's one of the more exciting opportunities I have as an artist -- to document the accomplishments of NASCAR's finest."

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As in the past, Hill's perceptive eye captured the single most defining moment of the event on canvas. "The Winston All-Star Race 2003" depicts Johnson lighting up the tires during a well-deserved celebratory burnout.

"Jimmie's car was on rails last year," the artist noted. "He had everyone covered. After taking the checkered flag, Jimmie came across the infield grass and did his burnout right across the speedway logo and Lowe's signage. It was one of the most beautiful burnouts I've ever seen. If burnouts were an Olympic event, that one would have been judged a '10.' That burnout, with the 'Power of Pride' logo showing so prominently on the hood, pretty much said it all. So that's the image that inspired the artwork."

Garry Hill Automotive Fine Art is now offering limited edition lithographs of "The Winston All-Star Race 2003." Availability is limited to 500 prints and 50 artists proofs. Each piece has been sequentially-numbered and hand-signed by both Hill and Johnson.

"The Winston All-Star Race 2003" is one of five Garry Hill limited edition prints now being offered at the NASCAR.com SuperStore.