Official Release

Matt Kenseth will make his 18th consecutive MENCS All-Star start on Saturday, the longest streak of any driver. It’s also tied for the most All-Star starts of any active driver (Kevin Harvick) heading into the weekend.

For Paul Menard and the crew of his No. 21 Menards/Knauf Ford Fusion, this weekend’s trip to Charlotte Motor Speedway will be a venture into uncharted territory.

Self on Racing at Charlotte: “Charlotte was a race that I felt slipped out of our hands last year,” said Self.  “We had a good truck and I felt I drove one of my best races on a mile-and-a-half, but we came up a little short of a top-10 finish.

In the past the NASCAR All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway turned out to be a helpful learning curve for Martin Truex Jr.’s success in the following week’s Coca-Cola 600 at the 1.5-mile oval.

Fontaine on Racing at Charlotte: “I’m ready for Charlotte,” said Fontaine.  “We had an okay finish at Kansas.  Of course, we always want a little more, but we have some good notes from Kansas that we can apply to Charlotte and come off the truck strong.

Jimmie Johnson on the All-Star Race: “The All-Star Race is fun – high energy – and the pit crews are a big part of the show. There is a lot of money on the line to win and so there will be some chaos. This rules package should mix it up a bit – it’s going to be interesting.”

The Hertz Corporation, one of the world’s largest vehicle rental companies, has joined 12-time NASCAR Cup Series champions Hendrick Motorsports as a primary sponsor of leading rookie of the year contender William Byron and his iconic No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 team beginning in 2018.

Roush Fenway Racing has released the schedule for its special ‘Homecoming’ edition of Fan Appreciation Day on Thursday, May 24. Roush Fenway Legends Mark Martin, Jeff Burton and Greg Biffle will join Matt Kenseth and legendary team owner and 2019 NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee Jack Roush and his current stable of NASCAR drivers including Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Trevor Bayne for the annual event at Roush’s World Headquarters in Concord, N.C.

Kahne’s Dumont JETS Camaro ZL1 is sure to bring back memories for his fans who helped vote him into the 2008 All-Star Race thanks to the Sprint Fan Vote.  Kahne is the only driver who has won the fan vote for the event and then gone on to win the million-dollar payout in the non-points event.  

"I think the new aerodynamic package is going to put on a good race for the Monster Energy Open and the All-Star Race this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway," Allmendinger said.