Lowe's to honor Jarrett with All-Star ticket package

CONCORD, N.C. -- Dale Jarrett will finally "race" the truck and Lowe's Motor Speedway is offering a special two-day ticket package for just $44 so fans can be on hand May 17 when Jarrett's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered Tour" culminates at the Sprint All-Star Race.

Those are just two of several events and promotions that officials from UPS and Lowe's Motor Speedway have announced in preparation for the 1999 Cup Series champion's final career start.

All-Star Race

SPEED will again broadcast the Sprint Showdown and All-Star Race. Tune in at 7 p.m. ET on May 17 to watch rivals race for $1 million -- and the fireworks!

• All-Star coverage

Jarrett unveiled on March 19 the No. 44 Toyota he will drive in the All-Star Race, which features a special paint scheme that pays tribute to several of the North Carolina native's career accomplishments. The unveiling marked the first time Jarrett viewed the metallic-gold design which unites the past with the present. The car displays design elements from both Jarrett's No. 44 as well as the No. 88 entry that he drove during the 1999 championship season.

But, before Jarrett straps into the No. 44 for the final time, he'll do something fans have eagerly anticipated, he's going to "race" the truck. After Jarrett is introduced prior to the All-Star Race, he will step into the UPS race truck from the company ad campaign and take one lucky fan for a ride around the 1.5-mile superspeedway.

In honor of Jarrett and in appreciation of the fans who have supported him, Lowe's Motor Speedway officials have created "DJ's Deal," a special Friday-Saturday (May 16-17) All-Star Weekend ticket package for only $44.

Friday's ticket is good for the All-Star Race qualifying session and the Truck Series race. The Saturday ticket is for the weekend's main event.

Diehard Jarrett fans can add a special $99 Saturday hospitality package to their ticket order which includes food and drink in a UPS Racing-themed chalet prior to the event and a question-and-answer session with Jarrett.

Lowe's Motor Speedway will kick off All-Star Week festivities by inducting Jarrett into the Lowe's Motor Speedway Court of Legends in front of Smith Tower on May 13, at which time the winner of the ride-along will be announced. The winner will be randomly selected from fans that have purchased tickets in the "DJ's Deal" section or have sent a postcard labeled "DJ's Ride-Along" to Lowe's Motor Speedway, P.O. Box 600, Concord, N.C. 28026. Contestants must include complete name, address, day/night phone numbers and e-mail address on each postcard entry.

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"This is obviously going to be a big weekend for me, my family and everyone at UPS," Jarrett said. "The opportunity for my last race to be at what I consider my home track is something I appreciate and look forward to.

With everything that is going on that night -- the ticket package, racing the truck and making my last start -- and the activities we have planned leading up to that race, I feel quite certain it will be an emotional night."

It was at Lowe's Motor Speedway that Dale Jarrett's storied racing career was nearly ruined 28 years ago. Jarrett was a young driver trying to make it in 1980 when he got a spot in the field for a late-model sportsman race at the track an hour from his home in Hickory, N.C.

With three laps to go, Gene Glover blew an engine and Jarrett rammed into the back of Glover's slowing car. The impact shattered Jarrett's ankle. He was able to climb out of the smoking car, but immediately collapsed to the ground.

"When you get out of a car and you're on the ground and your foot is turned the wrong way, then you're not sure what's going to happen," he said.

Despite the horrifying wreck, Jarrett had gotten a taste of racing. He was determined to return to this track again.

"It showed me that day that it was something I wanted to do even more than I ever wanted to before," Jarrett said. "It was my first opportunity at a big racetrack and the showplace of NASCAR racing. I knew that I wanted to come back here."

Jarrett eventually got back to racing a year later at his local track in Hickory. Then in 1982 he got a ride in the first year of what is now the Nationwide Series. Jarrett soon embarked on a 24-year career in NASCAR's top series, where he won the 1999 points championship, three Daytona 500s and collected 32 wins.

"When you have a break that was as severe as that and you have to spend a lot of time thinking about it, a lot of guys kind of fade off into oblivion,'' said Lowe's Motor Speedway president Humpy Wheeler, who witnessed the wreck in 1980. "He did exactly the opposite.

"It's a fitting culmination to a great career. Dale's a local guy and a three-time Cup race winner at Charlotte. He's been a class act who understands what this sport is about, and that's the fans. The $44 deal is an affordable way for race fans to join in as we give a fitting send-off to one of NASCAR's greatest champions."

The "DJ's Deal" package and tickets for all May events at Lowe's Motor Speedway, including the All-Star Race and the Coca-Cola 600 on May 25, can be purchased by calling 1-800-455-FANS or online at http://www.lowesmotorspeedway.com/.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.