2006 NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge at Lowes Motor Speedway

The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup stars come into the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge with a win-or-wreck attitude. There are no points on the line this weekend but there is a $1,000,000 payday for the winner. This made-for-TV event is a 90-lap three-segment dash for cash. There is little time for patience and strategy. Drivers need to go all out, get to the front and collect the win.

Speedway ticket office (800) 455-FANS or (704) 455-3200

Buy online from TicketsNow (direct link)

Lowes Motor Speedway is a mile and a half tri-oval with 24 degrees of banking in the turns. The track is fast and even though there is a preferred groove there is still enough room for a faster car to get by.

Lowes Motor Speedway is the home track for NASCAR. The majority of the teams are based within 30 miles of the speedway and everybody brings their best stuff to Lowes because everybody wants the bragging rights of winning their home race.

90 laps = 135 miles in three segments

40 laps then 30 laps and then 20 laps for $1,000,000

There are no points on the line this week. The only way that this event has Championship implications is if someone gets injured.

The current points top ten are:

1. Jimmie Johnson -0
2. Tony Stewart -93
3. Matt Kenseth -94
4. Mark Martin -199
5. Dale Earnhardt Jr. -226
6. Jeff Gordon -295
7. Kyle Busch -298
8. Kasey Kahne -307
9. Kevin Harvick -321
10. Jeff Burton -391

This weekend we'll get a preview of the new track surface. Last season Lowes Motor Speedway set records for the number of cautions as the track surface was causing significant tire problems. Since we were here in October the track has been completely repaved.

During tire tests in April the drivers reported that it was very smooth and very fast. We can definitely expect track records to fall during qualifying this year. Lets hope the the racing is good too.

TV: FX Saturday, May 20th, 7:00PM Eastern.

Radio: MRN and XM Satellite

Actual Race: 7:30PM Eastern

$3,250,450 including the winner's share of $1,005,000

Last year the first segment had some excitement as Kevin Harvick caused a big mess on the front stretch that collected ten cars. Mark Martin was in front of the mess and cruised home for an easy first segment win.

The top six were inverted and Ryan Newman won an uneventful second segment.

Pit stops saw Mark Martin come out of the pits in third as the first driver with four fresh tires. Mark was able to take advantage of his faster tires to take the lead and the easy $1,000,000 win.

For my top pick this week I am going with a driver that is young, bold, brave and fast. Kasey Kahne has won this season in Atlanta and Texas which are both similar to Lowes Motor Speedway. He can get the most out of his car when it's right and has a great team behind him that can give him what he needs.

My backup pick is quite a bit tougher. Any one of twenty drivers could show up this weekend with a winning combination. With an all new track surface and unknown conditions this race is a crapshoot.

Even though Roush Racing has won the last two All-Star events, I'm torn between Hendrick Motorsports teammates. Jimmie Johnson has been having a great year and certainly knows how to win in Charlotte. However I'm going to go with Jeff Gordon for my backup. He has the experience to adjust quickly to the new racing surface and has won this event three times in the past.