CONCORD, N.C. -- Here is a solid piece of advice for everyone planning to attend or tune into Saturday's night of racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Don't be late.

“

I hate that I'm in it. But you know, we haven't done the things that we need to do to be in the All-Star Race -- so we're in it.

”

-- JEFF BURTON

Even though the green flag won't drop on the main event -- the Sprint All-Star Race -- until approximately 9 p.m. ET, you don't want to miss the 40-lap Sprint Showdown that opens the racing festivities.

Normally a lineup dominated by no-names is dotted instead this year with a fair number of big ones. Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle of Roush Fenway Racing are in it, along with Jeff Burton and Clint Bowyer of Richard Childress Racing. Juan Montoya of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing will play in the preliminary event, as will Martin Truex Jr., Marcos Ambrose, Michael Waltrip and former Cup champion Bill Elliott.

Many of these guys are used to running in the main event. Now they'll have to finish first or second in the Showdown -- or get voted in afterward by fans -- to make the All-Star Race.

"We're going to have to go fast. There are a lot of good cars in that [Showdown], and it's going to be a tough race," Burton said. "Obviously the Roush cars are in there; I expect [Marcos] Ambrose to be fast; obviously Bowyer is going to be fast.

"And then you go back to some of the guys who haven't won races in a long time, and even they tend to go fast for few laps, too -- and that's what that race turns into. So I think it's going to be an incredibly competitive Showdown. I hate that I'm in it. But you know, we haven't done the things that we need to do to be in the All-Star Race -- so we're in it."

They are in it to win it, or at least to finish first or second. (Continued)