Pit Crew Challenge to be part of All-Star festivities

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Reinforcing the status of the Nextel All-Star Challenge as one of the nation's elite sporting events, Nextel and NASCAR on Wednesday announced that the first NASCAR Nextel Pit Crew Challenge presented by Motorola will take place May 19 at 7 p.m. at the Charlotte Coliseum.

The only event of its kind officially sanctioned by NASCAR, this inaugural contest will pit the nation's favorite over-the-wall athletes against each other in seven head-to-head skills competitions designed to showcase the talents of NASCAR's top crew members. Components of the competition include individual and team contests for tire changers, tire carriers, gas men and jack men, and the competitors will earn at least $200,000 in guaranteed cash and prizes.

"The NASCAR Nextel Pit Crew Challenge is one of the many ways that Nextel is helping to raise the NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge to the next level," said Mark Schweitzer, senior vice president of marketing for Nextel Communications.

"We are excited to recognize the incredible contributions of these crew members with a unique event for the fans and the motorsports industry. We are also appreciative of the North Carolina Local Organizing Committee and our partners at Motorola for their efforts in putting this event together."

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Robin Pemberton, vice president of competition for NASCAR, and a former crew chief, also is excited about this event. "I know first-hand how hard the crew works in NASCAR Nextel Cup competition," he said. "It's great that NASCAR and Nextel could come together to honor the crews who are truly the foundation of our exciting sport."

Fans from across the country will be able to see some of their favorite teams in action as the Pit Crew Challenge will be made into a one-hour show to air on FX leading into the Nextel All-Star Challenge on May 21. This event also will be broadcast on MRN radio.

"Motorola is proud to partner with Nextel in this unique event to recognize the individuals who are the backbone of NASCAR teams on race day," said Peter Aloumanis, director of U.S. Markets Division for Motorola's iDEN(r) Devices. "The relationship between the pit crews and the drivers is similar to that between Motorola and Nextel, in that success depends on teamwork, quality of work, constant innovation, beating the competition, and speed -- all part of getting the job done."

Tickets for the event are available for $10; children under 12 will be admitted free. Tickets for the Pit Crew Challenge can be purchased through Ticketmaster, Lowe's Motor Speedway ticket office, at each stop of the Nextel All-Star Challenge Trophy Tour or by calling (704) 455-FANS.

At the event, charitable contributions can be made to NASCAR Day, a celebration of NASCAR spirit that benefits Victory Junction Gang Camp, Speediatrics and Speedway Children's Charities.

Eligible Teams

All teams eligible for the Nextel All-Star Challenge can participate in the competition. The event is not mandatory. Expected participants include the 18 Nextel Cup Series teams currently qualified for the 2005 Nextel All-Star Challenge. Six members of each team are allowed to compete.

The Competition

• Round One: Chosen by a random drawing, all teams compete, two teams at a time, against the clock in the individual skills/team competition, with the eight fastest teams progressing to Round Two as determined by overall team time.

In this first head-to-head round, special attention is paid to each crew member's task, with an individual championship at stake and a cash incentive to clock the quickest time. The fastest crew member at each station will be crowned as the individual champions in the following categories: front tire changer and carrier, rear tire changer and carrier, jack man and gas man. Each of the championship crew members will receive a $10,000 cash prize for excellence at their station.

• Round Two: Quarterfinals -- The competition continues with the team challenge, with the eight fastest teams (total team time) from Round One, seeded by Round One overall team time.

• Round Three: Semifinals -- The competition changes, with the fastest four (4) teams competing in a standard four-tire Nextel Cup Series pit stop.

• Round Four: Finals -- The fastest winning teams from Round Three compete in a standard four-tire Nextel Cup Series competition pit stop with the fastest of the two crowned as the inaugural NASCAR Nextel Pit Crew Challenge champion.

Rounds One and Two Format Details

The individual skills stations in these two rounds are actually pit boxes with a full size Nextel Cup Series car. The four cars and pit boxes will be set up specifically for the front-tire changer and carrier, rear-tire changer and carrier, jack man and gas man. All team members will begin simultaneously at the sound of a starter's pistol. They will hit a stop button positioned on pit wall as they leave their respective pit box, creating their individual split time.

• Front-Tire Changer and Front-Tire Carrier Pit Box -- In this box, changers and carriers will work together to simulate race-day conditions. Just like a Nextel Cup Series event, the front-tire changer and carriers will start from outside the pit box, attacking the right side of the car first, then moving onto the left. The second tire will be pre-positioned at the pit wall. Competitors will use their own air guns, and a 5-second time penalty will be administered for any lugs not passing a 20 lb "torque" test.

• Rear-Tire Changer and Rear-Tire Carrier Pit Box --Very similar to the Front positions, but the starting position will be just over the wall, near the left rear of the car.

• Gas Man Pit Box -- In this box, the gas man will be responsible for filling a car with 18 gallons of non-flammable liquid, using two pre-loaded nine-gallon cans. The competitors can use their own fuel nozzles, but must use the provided cans. Gas men will start with one fuel can in hand from just over the wall near left rear of the car, and will be timed through setting the second can down. If the fuel cell is not full, the competitor will receive a time penalty.

• Jack Man Pit Box -- In this box, the jack man, using his own jack, must jack each side of the car high enough to lift both tires off the ground and trigger a special "height light." The jack man must start from outside of the pit box with his hands off the jack and must set off both lights before continuing the competition.

• 40 Yard "Push" -- As soon as each team member finishes his respective station, he can go to the center of the Charlotte Coliseum, where a special 40-yard lane is created. Each team will get to push its own 3,400-pound race vehicle across the finish line. Timing will begin when the car starts to move, finishing when the nose of the racing machine crosses the electronic finish line.