News Release - NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown Returns To
Irwindale Speedway Oct. 20-21
For Immediate Release
NASCAR TOYOTA ALL-STAR SHOWDOWN RETURNS TO IRWINDALE SPEEDWAY OCT.
20-21
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 16,
2006) – For the
fourth consecutive year, the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown returns to
Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway, to showcase NASCAR’s top regional touring series
drivers. The 2006 edition of this special invitational event will be held Oct.
20-21, and features the NASCAR Grand National Division and NASCAR AutoZone Elite
Division.
In keeping with
tradition, the top 10 drivers from each of the four series that comprise the
NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division will be invited – including the Midwest, Northwest, Southeast and Southwest Series. The
top 15 drivers from the two series of the NASCAR Grand National Division, which
includes the AutoZone West Series and Busch East Series, will also be invited.
The NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division event will be 125 laps while the NASCAR Grand
National Division cars will race for 150 laps at Irwindale.
“For the fourth
year, Toyota is thrilled to be the title sponsor
of a nationally televised race promoting the budding stars of NASCAR,” said Les Unger, national motorsports
manager, Toyota Motor Sales, USA. “Toyota has a rich tradition in auto racing.
Continuing our commitment to a race that will be the proving ground for NASCAR’s
next generation of stars, and adding to the local short track fans’ experience,
is important to Toyota.”
Since it was
established in 2003, the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown has provided a national
audience for regional short track stars. Burney Lamar’s performances at the 2004
Toyota All-Star Showdown led to big opportunities. After finishing third in
2004, Lamar was given an opportunity to join Kevin Harvick Inc. as a development
driver in 2005. Lamar now races full-time in the NASCAR Busch Series.
2005 Toyota All-Star
Showdown race winners David
Gilliland and Auggie Vidovich
also advanced to the NASCAR Busch Series this season. Gilliland drives for Clay Andrews Racing while Vidovich was
recently named the driver of the No. 4 Dodge owned by Biagi-DenBeste
Racing.
“The Toyota All-Star
Showdown is definitely the biggest win on my resume to date,” said Gilliland.
“It helped me get my ride with Clay Andrews Racing and the opportunity to
compete in the NASCAR Busch Series. It gives drivers in the Grand National
Division and the AutoZone Elite Division an opportunity to showcase their talent
and get their name out there. Toyota has put a lot into it. NASCAR has put a
lot into it. I think they have done a great job.”
In order to reduce
travel costs for competitors, the event has been condensed from three days to a
two-day format. The schedule begins Friday, Oct. 20 with an afternoon practice
session for both divisions, followed by twin 50-lap qualifying races on Friday
evening. The results of Friday’s races will determine the starting lineups for
the main events on Saturday. Drivers will compete for more than $500,000 in
prize money on Saturday night, Oct. 21. SPEED will televise both nights of
racing while NASCAR Radio on XM Satellite Radio will also provide play-by-play
coverage.
Due to the schedule,
the Nov. 9 NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series event at Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway has been changed
to a non-points race. The 2006 Southwest Series championship and final point
standings will be decided following the Sept. 23 event at Altamont Motorsports Park in Tracy, Calif.
Past NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown
champions:
NASCAR Grand
National Division:
2003 – Austin
Cameron, El Cajon,
Calif.
2004 – Mike Johnson,
Salisbury, Mass.
2005 – David
Gilliland, Chino Hills,
Calif.
NASCAR AutoZone
Elite Division:
2003 – Ron Breese
Jr., DeKalb, Ill.
2004 – Eric Holmes,
Escalon, Calif.
2005 – Auggie
Vidovich, Lakeside,
Calif.
For More
Information, Contact:
Jeremy Davidson, NASCAR Public Relations, (386) 681-4173 or jdavidson@nascar.com.
