Official Release

Darlington Raceway and Bojangles’ Famous Chicken ‘n Biscuits announced today a five-year extension of their NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bojangles’ Southern 500 race entitlement partnership.

Jeff Gordon put Chevrolet on the front row for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular season finale at Richmond International Raceway (RIR) in his No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevy SS. The current point leader’s second-place qualifying effort was his fifth front-row start in the last seven races.

JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford Fusion (Qualified 5th) – “I will take that. I will take a fifth place effort. We were 14th in practice so I didn’t think we would be that good but we were able to get our car out there in time and lay down a good lap the first session. I over drove it the second session. I was expecting more grip with the shade and I over drove it. That is my bad. I probably lost a half a tenth there and that would have put us third. I think the fact that Brad went out a little sooner with the clean track and we waited too long and the sun poked out cost us a little bit there too. If we keep stacking these pennies up we will figure out how to get the pole. That is okay though, we will race from there.”

JEFF GORDON, NO. 24 DRIVE TO END HUNGER CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED 2nd - ON SECOND ROUND QUALIFYING: "These conditions are tough out there. It is hot, and it is slick out there. You are trying to adjust your car for a night race, and know that you are qualifying in the late afternoon, early evening here."

CLINT BOWYER, No. 15 5-hour ENERGY Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing - Starting Position: 6th - How was qualifying and how is the car for the race? "We finished sixth in today's festivities with the 5-hour ENERGY Toyota."

DALE EARNHARDT, JR., NO. 88 NATIONWIDE INSURANCE CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media at Richmond International Raceway and discussed Nationwide Insurance, strategy for the Chase, a relief fund for drivers, pressure in Chase and other topics.

KASEY KAHNE, NO. 5 FARMERS INSURANCE CHEVROLET SS, met with media at Richmond to discuss last week’s win in Atlanta, being part of the Chase, qualifying efforts and more.

RYAN NEWMAN, NO. 31 CATERPILLAR CHEVROLET SS met with media and discussed the Chase and the scenarios within that, his expectations of how the racing will be on Saturday night at Richmond, and more.

Greg Biffle, driver of the No. 16 3M Ford Fusion, has his season on the line this weekend at Richmond International Speedway. Firmly on the bubble to make the Chase, Biffle spoke about the weekend ahead and the implications of a successful or unsuccessful night with media members Friday afternoon.

Carl Edwards, driver of the No. 99 Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Ford Fusion, was the fastest car in final practice at Richmond International Raceway Friday afternoon after being in the top-five of the morning session. Edwards met with media members Friday to discuss his start to the weekend and more.