Atlanta Motor Speedway Daily Notes Package for March 7- 9 Kobalt Tools 500 Race Weekend

Governor Sonny Perdue Celebrates Atlanta Motor Speedway Day Today at State Capitol

Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue and Sen. John Douglas hosted the sixth annual Atlanta Motor Speedway Day today at the Georgia State Capitol in preparation for the this weekend’s Kobalt Tools 500 race weekend.

The function included NASCAR Sprint Cup champion and ESPN analyst Rusty Wallace, drivers David Ragan, Steven Wallace, Andy Lally and David Stremme as well as Craftsman Truck Series team owner Billy Ballew and Atlanta Motor Speedway president and general manager Ed Clark.

Fans in attendance were treated to a parade lap around the State Capitol that saw Gov. Perdue, behind the wheel of a Sprint Cup style stock car.

Chevrolet Tahoe Up for Grabs at AMS and Nicorette 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series Race will see 300 Grand Marshals

Part of the Nicorette Ultimate Race Weekend Sweepstakes, ten winners from across the United States will turn a key to see if they can start a Chevrolet Tahoe presented by Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon. The ceremony will take place shortly before the Nicorette 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Saturday, March 8.

Three hundred members of Nicorette’s race fan QUIT Crew will serve as grand marshals for the Nicorette 300. The 300 members all joined the Crew, earning the right to be named a grand marshal for Saturday’s event.

The grand marshals will take a garage tour, meet fellow QUIT Crew members from the garage area and be introduced at pre-race ceremonies before giving the command for drivers to start their engines.

Chevrolet Looks to Extend Winning Ways at Atlanta Motor Speedway

Chevrolet has dominated Atlanta Motor Speedway unlike any other manufacturer and with Chevrolet’s current roster of drivers, the odds are high that Sunday’s Kobalt Tools 500 race winner will be behind the wheel of a bow-tie.

Team Chevy drivers have won 34 times in the 97 previous NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Atlanta Motor Speedway, more than any other manufacturer. Coming off an AMS sweep last year, Jimmie Johnson will be eyeing the three-peat when he takes the green flag on Sunday.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has visited victory lane at AMS once in his Sprint Cup career, a feat his father accomplished an astonishing nine times.

"My Daddy always ran good at Atlanta, so I focused on that fact,” Earnhardt Jr. said “He always ran well. You could always count on him running up front at Atlanta. I think I liked the track before I ever raced on it. I assumed I would appreciate it and would like driving on it -- and I do. Plus Tony Eury Jr.'s style of setting up a car fits that track good. It has helped me a lot."

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Drivers and Crew Members Celebrate Atlanta Motor Speedway as a Homecoming

The grind of 25 scheduled NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events can take a toll on NASCAR drivers and crew members, so they covet any chance they can to return to their home state for a weekend of racing.

Several Atlanta area competitors and one driver will be participating in Friday night’s American Commercial Lines 200.

Shane Sieg of Tucker, Ga., will be making his third start at AMS where his best finish is 17th. Kevin Gravitte of Conyers, Ga. is the jackman on the No. 13 ThorSport Racing Chevrolet of driver Shelby Howard. Gravitte played basketball for Mount Vernon Christian School in two state championship seasons and was named the team and title game’s Most Valuable Player in his senior year.

Two Kevin Harvick Inc. crew members also hail from the Peach State: Jeffrey Ross of Washington and Austin Walker of Lawrenceville. Ross is the rear tire carrier for Ron Hornaday Jr. and will perform the same duties for Kevin Harvick in Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series Nicorette 300. Walker is the rear tire carrier for Jack Sprague.

Craftsman Truck Series team owner and Blairesville, Ga. resident Billy Ballew has visited victory lane at AMS and Dacula, Ga.’s Andy Lally will be making his first Craftsman Truck start at NASCAR’s fastest track.

Tickets to the entire Kobalt Tools 500 race weekend are available by calling 877-9-AMS-TIX (877-926-7849), 770-946-4211 or by visiting www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.