Champion's Week kicks off in Vegas

Jimmie Johnson does a burnout on the Las Vegas Strip during last year's
Victory Lap in Las Vegas. (Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Johnson to be honored; schedule of events to start Wednesday

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The champion is crowned, the celebration awaits.

What a party it promises to be.

The 2010 edition of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week in Las Vegas will fete Hendrick Motorsports’ Jimmie Johnson, who earned an unprecedented fifth consecutive series title following the Nov. 21 season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

With events starting Wednesday, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week is full of fan-friendly activities that showcase the nation’s No. 1 form of motorsports while honoring its top driver and its loyal fan base.

Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR

After a 28-year run in New York, the annual postseason celebration made its Las Vegas debut last year, capped, as always, by the champion’s Friday-night coronation. This year’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony returns to one of the city’s premier resorts, Wynn Las Vegas, on Friday, Dec. 3.
SPEED will once again broadcast the event, live at 9 p.m. ET.

Comedian Frank Caliendo and country rockers Rascal Flatts will entertain during the awards ceremony. Joining them will be “Viva ELVIS by Cirque du Soleil,” a special performance of dance, acrobatics and music celebrating the King of Rock ‘n Roll, Elvis Presley.

The ceremony culminates several days of whirlwind activity involving not only the series champion, but also the other 11 drivers in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup – NASCAR’s “playoffs.” Those drivers, together with Johnson, comprise the top 12 in the series’ final standings.

“It's just been an amazing experience, amazing for myself and the team,” Johnson said of his five-title run. “I think it's been great for our sport to see the comparisons drawn to other sports that have been able to link together multiple championships. It's been awesome, a ton of fun.”

For the second consecutive year, some of the thousands of fans who flock to catch a glimpse of stock car racing’s biggest stars will join drivers, team owners and industry leaders in celebrating Johnson at the awards ceremony. Approximately 300 tickets are available to fans, which are being distributed by tracks, NASCAR partners and teams through various promotions. Fan tickets offer the following experiences:

• NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon seats
• Access to “NASCAR After The Lap, Made Possible By Coca-Cola and Ford”
• Fan reception & Red Carpet walk prior to the awards ceremony
• Awards ceremony seats

Following is a complete rundown of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week activities.

Wednesday, Dec. 1:

• NASCAR Street Tour: Two tricked-out NASCAR interactive Ford vehicles are scheduled to appear all week throughout Las Vegas with dynamic street teams, interactive video games and free giveaways.
• NASCAR Pit Stop Tour: The Pit Stop Tour program will run from Dec. 1-3, consisting of Official Partner show cars placed in iconic locations throughout the Las Vegas Strip. Brand ambassadors at each location (locations TBD) will be on site from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. for all three days, engaging the fans.
• Chasers for Charity Event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: Gates open at 10 a.m. The Richard Petty Driving Experience will offer rides with a percentage of the proceeds being donated to charity. The speedway will offer tours of the facility. There will be interactive displays throughout the track’s “Neon Garage” and live music on the main stage from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. In addition, all 12 Chase drivers will participate in a Family Feud-style game show hosted by comedian Kevin Burke between 2 to 3:30 p.m. Admission to the Fanfest is free, and mass transportation will be available from the strip and downtown.

 Thursday, Dec. 2:

• NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon: This annual industry/media event begins at 11 a.m. in the Bellagio Ballroom at the Bellagio and includes presentations to the Champion Crew Chief, Champion Sponsor, Raybestos Rookie of the Year and Most Popular Driver. Fans have the opportunity to attend for the first time. It is co-hosted by NASCAR and the National Motor Sports Press Association.
• Victory Lap: Set for 3:30 p.m., the top 12 drivers will motor down the famed Las Vegas Strip in their respective race cars. Expect an authentic pit stop along the route and two burn-out sections for drivers. Victory Lap begins in front of Planet Hollywood Hotel & Casino and ends at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Prior to Victory Lap at 3 p.m., Johnson will receive the Key to the City of Las Vegas from Mayor Oscar Goodman and Commissioner Tom Collins. Commissioner Collins also will present a Proclamation recognizing Champion’s Week and Johnson’s accomplishments.
• NASCAR After The Lap: This free fan event starts at 4:30 p.m., at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and features a question-and-answer session with drivers and an interactive Coca-Cola Fan Zone experience. Select fans will win NASCAR-themed prizes, including a 2011 Ford Taurus SHO. The Coca-Cola Fan Zone opens at noon, with doors to NASCAR After The Lap opening at 3 p.m. General admission seats are free, on a first-come, first-serve basis. Register for tickets at nascarafterthelap.com.

Friday, Dec. 3:

• 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony: The big show starts at 6 p.m., crowning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion driver and owner and honoring the other drivers who finished in the top 10 in the final series standings.

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Four series champions honored at NNS/NCWTS banquet in Miami

NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Brad Keselowski,
center, with crew chief Paul Wolfe and team owner Roger Penske.

·   Brad Keselowski, No. 18 JGR Toyota Are NASCAR Nationwide Series Driver, Owner Champions
 
·   Todd Bodine, No. 18 KBM Toyota Win Driver, Owner Titles in NASCAR Camping World Trucks

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 22, 2010) – For the first time in NASCAR national series history, four championships in two different series were awarded simultaneously.

NASCAR Nationwide Series team owner champions Joe Gibbs Racing
with (from left) Jason Ratcliff, Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs and J.D. Gibbs.

Brad Keselowski and Todd Bodine officially were crowned the 2010 driver champions of the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, respectively, on the Americana Ballroom stage at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel on Monday evening.

Keselowski was honored with his first NASCAR national series title as champion of the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Bodine received his second championship ring in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, joining Ron Hornaday Jr. (four) and Jack Sprague (two) as the only drivers in the series with multiple titles.

Also, the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota captured a record-tying third consecutive NASCAR Nationwide Series owner championship, while the No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota won the owner crown in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series as a first-year team.

The champions were joined on stage by the drivers who finished in positions 2-5 in the final standings, along with each series’ Raybestos Rookie of the Year.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Todd Bodine.

After a fan vote on NASCAR.com, each series’ Most Popular Driver also was revealed. Keselowski and Narain Karthikeyan were chosen by the fans in the NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, respectively. Keselowski took home the award for the third consecutive year, tying him with Kenny Wallace for the most awards in that category.

Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Justin Allgaier and Paul Menard finished second through fifth and were honored along with Keselowski in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team champions
Eric Phillips, Kyle Busch and Rick Ren.

Aric Almirola, Johnny Sauter, Matt Crafton and Austin Dillon were second through fifth in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series standings, and joined Bodine on stage.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. earned the Raybestos Rookie of the Year Award in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Dillon claimed the honor in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Stenhouse is the fifth rookie winner for Jack Roush.

SPEED personalities Rick Allen and Krista Voda served as hosts of the event. The NASCAR Nationwide Series/NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards Banquet will air on Dec. 3 from 7 to 9 p.m. ET on SPEED, prior to the live telecast of the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony from Las Vegas.

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Rascal Flatts, Frank Caliendo to headline NASCAR Sprint Cup Series banquet at Vegas

Awards ceremony will be broadcast Dec. 3 at 9 p.m. ET on SPEED

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 10, 2010) – Country music band Rascal Flatts will join comedian Frank Caliendo at the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony on Friday, Dec. 3, at Wynn Las Vegas.

Broadcast live on SPEED at 9 p.m. ET, Rascal Flatts will entertain fans with a performance of songs from their multi-platinum selling records, as well as their upcoming album, “Nothing Like This,” due to release Nov. 16. Caliendo, impressionist extraordinaire, will host for a second-consecutive year.

“We have a supportive and loyal fan base among NASCAR nation, including the teams and drivers, and we plan to put on a special show for them as we all celebrate the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion,” said Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts. “It will be a thrill to perform in a room with drivers we follow and also call friends, and we look forward to performing for the fans tuning in live to the show.”

The Nashville trio has recorded 11 No. 1 singles and holds nearly 40 music award trophies since their career began in 2000. In the past decade, Rascal Flatts has sold more than 20 million albums and 25 million digital downloads. As part of the album launch of “Nothing Like This,” Rascal Flatts will be kicking off the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony with a special performance.  

Caliendo has become a Las Vegas staple, starring in his own show at Monte Carlo Resort and Casino. The MADtv alumnus is no stranger to NASCAR, having appeared at postseason events for the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, along with last year’s hosting gig.

“I am happy to be back as the host of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony, which is sure to be a fun-filled night with lots of laughs, amazing live performances and highlights from the action on the track this season,” Caliendo said. “Fans watching from home are in for a treat this year as I show off a few surprises I’ve been working on – so get ready!”   

The 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony is the culmination of NASCAR Champion’s Week, a week-long postseason celebration consisting of several days of high-energy and fan-friendly activities involving the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion and drivers who finished in the top 12 of the series’ final standings and competed in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup – NASCAR’s “playoffs.” In addition to Rascal Flatts and Caliendo, other talent announcements will be made soon.

For more information on the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony and NASCAR’s Champions Week, visit www.nascar.com/championsweek. 

- Courtesy of NASCAR press release

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