With a $1,000,000 on the line, drivers are ready to rumble, All-Star style. Brian France, Chairman and CEO of NASCAR recognizes that this particular event will bring out a more aggressive side of drivers.

[media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignright” width=”241″][/media-credit]“You can be a lot more aggressive,” Kyle Busch commented on Friday. “That probably may be the reason why I‘ve gotten myself in trouble here a little bit is just trying to push it as hard as you can push it to try to win the race,” Busch added.

“The All-Star race is a different atmosphere for me, since it’s a different way of racing for everybody. It’s just that it’s a non-points race, and the pure fact you’re going after a race just for bragging rights and a million bucks,’ Kyle Busch said, ‘That’s what it is all about.” Busch, currently on probation for a post-race altercation with Kevin Hayrick at Darlington Speedway will be under the watchful eye of NASCAR during Saturday‘s main event.

When questioned about his current feelings and position with Harvick, Busch had this response. “My priorities are to go out on the race track and race everybody as hard as I can, as clean as I can and do my job to try to win races. The things that happen on the race track sometimes when you get into somebody and wrinkle some sheet metal and hurt some feelings,” he continued. “It’s a part of NASCAR racing and has been for years. Unfortunately, there seems to be a following between Kevin (Harvick) and I and what’s going to happen next. To me it’s just another competitor out there on the race track. I race them all the same and give them all the same room that they give me. I don’t foresee any further incidences, but that’s from my side. I’ve forgiven and forgotten.”

Best known for his exciting style of driving, Busch finds it hard to define his type of driving style. “A lot of guys would say that they’re patiently aggressive. That’s the best way to look at it,’ Busch said. ‘I guess that’s the way I thought I was a few years ago, even though there wasn’t a lot of patience involved.” While his patience has improved, Busch still remains aggressive. His winning ways irk race fans, but in his own words, ‘it makes it exciting for fans.’

For NASCAR’s newest bad boy Ryan Newman, this race will be a gunfight worth winning. “The win in the All-Star Race was my greatest win, I thought, as a person and as a team.” Newman continued, “What we did and what we achieved that night, it’s all for the glory. In an All-Star race, it’s much more than pride.” Newman, the 2002 All-Star Race winner has recently been called out for an exchange with Juan Pablo Montoya.

“The All-Star weekend, it has changed what it looks like over the last several years.” Dale Earnhardt Jr. said after questions arose that he did not care if he made the All-Star field. Earnhardt tried to explain his position and felt misinterpreted. “It’s a different race than what it was in the mid-80’s but it is still our All-Star event. Looking at other sports it’s a celebration of the sport, celebration of what the sport is about, celebration of the characters in the sport past and present.”

While the money and prestige is on the line, Earnhardt believes that this race is all in fun. No pressure and no points were his message. And while many drivers consider this track to be in their backyard because of the race shop location, for Earnhardt it is truly a hometown track. The Kannapolis native believes in the history of the racetrack and has enjoyed coming to the Charlotte Motor Speedway for many years.

Earnhardt won the All-Star event in 2000. His memories coming to the checkered flag was that of pure panic. “You start hearing all the noises in the car and wondering what’s going to fall off and what you broke and what’s breaking now and what’s going to break,” Earnhardt added. “I don’t know. It was just panic mode the whole time, just really frantic inside the car.”

Earnhardt, a historian in the garage, would rather see the fans treated to a more relaxed day of racing. He recalls a time when this particular event was more of a circus than a celebration and a fun time to boot. “Now that I’m in the event and working and trying to race and trying to win it,” Earnhardt said,“ it’s a lot more pressure, lot more intense but maybe it’s still fun from the other side of the fence to experience.”

[media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignright” width=”217″][/media-credit]The Sprint Showdown will feature an all Ford front row. Leading the field to the green in Roush Fenway Racing Driver David Ragan in the No. 6 UPS machine. Ragan timed in with a lap of 28.172 seconds, which translates into 191.68 mph. Starting on the outside of the front row is Richard Petty Motorsports driver A.J. Allmendinger in the Best Buy famed No. 43. Rounding out the top 3 is Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Driver Paul Menard.

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The All-Star Race will be led to the green flag by Kyle ‘Rowdy’ Busch in the M&M No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. His team turned in a cumulative effort and combined team time of 1:59:19 sec. Clint Bowyer claimed the outside pole position in his Richard Childress Racing BB&T Chevrolet No. 33. Starting third is Roush Fenway Racing Driver Greg Biffle in the No. 16 3M machine.

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Congratulation to Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 Fed Ex crew who won their second consecutive Pit Crew Challenge for Joe Gibbs Racing.

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Tony Stewart celebrated his 40th birthday at the track on Friday, and while he admits to a few small pieces of cake. He does agree, there is no place else that he rather be. “I love what I do. I love being with the people that I am around and most of my friends are in the garage area, so I can’t think of a better place to spend my birthday.”

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Special paint schemes of interest include Stewart’s No. 14 carrying the blue and orange colors for Burger King. Mark Martin is riding in the No. 25 Farmers Insurance Group (red). Juan Pablo Montoya is carrying the Energizer banner on the hood of his No. 42 machine in preparation for the ‘Light Up the Night’ program. Carl Edwards Aflac Ford will be decorated in new black and orange AFLAC colors. Kevin Harvick’s Budweiser machine is tearing it up in black, white and red. The famed Rainbow machine of Jeff Gordon has turned into a black and red Dupont machine for the All-Star event. Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s AMP Energy Chevrolet features AMP Up the Music in a black and silver paint scheme. Meanwhile Bobby Labonte will race his No. 47 machine with a new sponsor: Reese Towpower.

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“With today being NASCAR Day, we are proud of the money we raised, mostly going to children’s charities, and not to mention the monies just granted to the tornado victims throughout Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi,” Said Brian France when he addressed the media on Friday.

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Monday night the NASCAR Hall of Fame will induct its second class. The class includes Bobby Allison, Ned Jarrett, Lee Petty, Bud Moore and David Pearson.

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Clint Bowyer shared his excitement about Kansas Speedway. “I just went back there for a media day, just kind of pumping up the upcoming race. The soccer field is done. I’m waiting for the casino. I know that’s going to be a big hit when they get that done. But I’m just looking forward to going back there. I’m really excited about the way our cars are running on these 1.5 mile tracks. The car was good here in practice and we’ve got a brand new bullet in store for Kansas, so I’m looking forward to it.”

It means a lot to Carl Edwards to be going to Kansas twice this year. “A win at Kansas in the Cup Series, you guys don’t know how much that would mean to me. I am excited we are running twice there. I thin our program is suited very well to those type of tracks.

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Jeff Gordon will make his 17th appearance in the All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He is a three-time winner in this event. (1995, 1997, 2001)

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Mark Martin appreciates the race fans that make sacrifices to be at the track. “We love the fan which is why we’re able to race on this level. And for most all of us, we came up through the ranks where there might be 1000 or 1500 fans in the stands on a given night of racing. When you start having 150,000 fans at a race, it’s pretty overwhelming for us to really comprehend how you can reach out and touch so many people. The fans are what drives this sport. We’re all grateful for their loyalty.”

Mark Martin has made 21 appearances in the All-Star event. He has the most appearances of any active driver. He will run the No. 25 HMS machine in this race, which signifies 25 years of racing for Papa Jo Hendrick.

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On their approach to Saturday night’s racing, drivers are of the same mindset. Martin Truex Jr.’s approach “If you don’t win, it don’t matter. Win or go home.” For the Showdown, Brian Vickers is going “all out! We’ve got to just put it on the line. You either win or go home.” Vickers sat out of this event last season following a medical issue.

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