Leaders separated by average of only 19,500 votes
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. – May 2, 2013 – Every driver wants to race his or her way into the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, but if a checkered flag isn’t captured this weekend at Talladega or next at Darlington, those eligible will need to rely on the Sprint Fan Vote or finish first or second in the Sprint Showdown qualifying race.
To date, an average of only 19,500 votes separates the drivers currently in the top 10 positions for the Sprint Fan Vote. While that figure seems high, history shows its futility. In 2012, more than 1.2 million votes were cast during the last three campaign weeks. That’s an average of more than 57,000 votes each day and nearly 3,000 cast each hour. The race for the Sprint Fan Vote is anything but over.
Former Daytona 500 winners Bill Elliott, Jamie McMurray and Michael Waltrip are notable names on the roster campaigning for Sprint Fan Votes, as are 2013 Rookie of the Year candidates Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
The 10 drivers leading the Sprint Fan Vote standings (in alphabetical order) are AJ Allmendinger, Jeff Burton, Elliott, Bobby Labonte, McMurray, Juan Pablo Montoya, Patrick, Stenhouse Jr., Martin Truex Jr. and Waltrip.
In addition to accumulating the most votes, a Sprint Fan Vote-eligible driver must also finish the Sprint Showdown qualifying race on the lead lap with a car in “raceable” condition (as determined by NASCAR Competition) to earn a spot in the race field.
Fans can vote an unlimited number of times until 5 p.m. (EDT) on May 18 by downloading the NASCAR Mobile ’13 application or visiting NASCAR.com/SprintFanVote. Votes cast on NASCAR Mobile ’13 will count twice toward a driver’s total. The driver receiving the highest number of votes will earn a spot in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, which airs live at 7:30 p.m. (EDT) on SPEED. Radio coverage on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio begins at 6:30 p.m. (EDT).
Tickets for the entire NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race weekend are on sale now. Packages start at just $99 for all weekend events including scanner rental. To purchase tickets, call 1-800-455-FANS (3267) or visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.
Fans are encouraged to follow @MissSprintCup, @CLTMotorSpdwy and @NASCAR on Twitter to engage in the #SprintAllStar Race and #SprintFanVote conversations throughout the voting window.
Drivers eligible for the Sprint Fan Vote:
AJ Allmendinger
Aric Almirola
Dave Blaney
Mike Bliss
Jeff Burton
Landon Cassill
Bill Elliott
David Gilliland
Travis Kvapil
Bobby Labonte
Terry Labonte
Michael McDowell
Jamie McMurray
Casey Mears
Paul Menard
Juan Pablo Montoya
Danica Patrick
David Ragan
David Reutimann
Scott Speed
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
David Stremme
Martin Truex Jr.
Michael Waltrip
Josh Wise
JJ Yeley
About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 55 million customers at the end of the first quarter of 2013 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The American Customer Satisfaction Index rated Sprint No. 1 among all national carriers in customer satisfaction and most improved, across all 47 industries, during the last four years. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 3 in both its 2011 and 2012 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.
