New Hall of Fame Tours, Hauler Parades, Chase Drivers Searching For First Win at Charlotte During Bank of America 500 Week

The Sam Bass original artwork for Charlotte's souvenir program. 

CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 4, 2011) – Fans coming to Charlotte Motor Speedway during Bank of America 500 Week, Oct. 12-15, can look forward to a new NASCAR Hall of Fame tour, two NASCAR hauler parades and lots of drama in the Bank of America 500 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race, as many chasers are still searching for their first-ever Charlotte victory. Below are just some of the exciting happenings fans can enjoy at the speedway during Bank of America 500 Week:

Fan Fun During Bank of America 500 Week
New Hall of Fame Tours Include Q&A Session with Chase Drivers 
Charlotte Motor Speedway is partnering with the NASCAR Hall of Fame to let fans join in on 30-minute Q&A sessions with some of the drivers in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with the speedway’s Tuesday Chase Tours.  The tour includes admission to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, a food voucher for use at the Pit Stop Café inside the Hall and roundtrip transportation from the speedway. Tours start Oct. 11 and run each Tuesday through Nov. 15. Drivers scheduled for the sessions include Jimmie Johnson (Oct. 11); Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch (Oct. 18), Tony Stewart (Oct. 25); Carl Edwards (Nov. 1), Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Brad Keselowski (Nov. 8) and Kevin Harvick (Nov. 15). Seating for the Tuesday Chase Tours is extremely limited. Charlotte Motor Speedway also offers facility tours, like the Tram Tour that takes you down pit road at the speedway during race week, or fans can try one of the additional off-site tours of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, area race shops or the Sam Bass Gallery. Call 1-800-455-FANS (3267) for a tour reservation.

Campers, Fans Treated to NASCAR Hauler Parades 
The NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series haulers will give Charlotte Motor Speedway campers and fans a special treat with a hauler parade before they enter the garage for the Bank of America 500 and Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage. The Sprint Cup Series transporters will cross Highway 29 at Gate A on Thursday, Oct. 13, at 9:15 a.m., then make their way to the garage area. Nationwide Series haulers will cross at 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 12.

CATS Route Offers Convenient Transportation To and From the Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway is once again partnering with the Charlotte Area Transit System, or CATS, in Charlotte, N.C., to bring bus service from Center City Charlotte to the track. Starting from the Charlotte Transportation Center, race fans can take the 79X Concord Mills Express to beat the traffic and enjoy the Bank of America 500 at the speedway for just $7 round-trip. The route will run every 20 minutes from noon to 6 p.m. on Oct. 15. Return trips will begin immediately after the checkered flag as race fans make their way to the buses near the track's main entrance. To purchase tickets or for more information visit the Charlotte Transportation Center at 310 East Trade Street in Center City, go online at www.ridetransit.org or call (704) 336-RIDE (7433).

Fan Guide to Fun Highlights Bank of America 500 Race Activities
To enhance the fan experience during race week, Charlotte Motor Speedway officials have created a Fan Guide to Fun for race week events. The Fan Guide to Fun provides information on driver appearances, concerts, sponsor displays, pre-race infield activities and much more. The guide is available online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/fanguidetofun.

Souvenir Programs for Sale During Race Week Feature Sam Bass ‘OktoberFast’ Cover
Renowned motorsports artist Sam Bass unveiled his latest original painting that will serve as the cover art for the 2011 Bank of America 500 souvenir program. “OktoberFast!” highlights many of the food, fun, musical and racing activities fans can enjoy while they are in Charlotte for Bank of America 500 Week. On the colorful cover art, Bass has included painted images of Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup cars, including those of Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch and Jimmie Johnson.  Souvenir programs are just $10 and are for sale at multiple locations around the track during Bank of America 500 Week. Fans can also visit the Sam Bass Gallery located across the street from the track, behind Turn 2, featuring this new art work and hundreds of other pieces Bass has painted, drawn and designed over his 30-year career.

Bank of America Offers 10 Percent Discount on Merchandise
Fans with Bank of America debit or credit cards will get a special discount at Charlotte Motor Speedway during Bank of America 500 Week. Fans who use their Bank of America cards to purchase merchandise from any Motorsports Authentics or Speedway Motorsports Inc. Properties souvenir stand or trailer at the track will receive 10 percent off their total purchase.

Ticket Information
Let the Troops Race Ticket Program Returns for Bank of America 500
Fans and companies are invited to purchase Bank of America 500 tickets for the men and women of the U.S. armed services with the Let the Troops Race ticket program. For just $20 fans and businesses may donate a reserved seat to a soldier, Marine, midshipmen, or airman by visiting www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or calling the Charlotte Motor Speedway ticket line at 1-800-455-FANS (3267). Seats will be provided to soldiers via the USO. In addition, special military pricing is available for active duty and retired military personnel for the major events at Charlotte Motor Speedway, zMAX Dragway and The Dirt Track at Charlotte by calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267) or by visiting the box office on race days.

On the Track
Brunnhoelzl Could Clinch Championship at UNOH Southern 150 NASCAR Modified Race
Drivers George Brunnhoelzl III, Burt Myers, Andy Seuss and others are expected to compete in the upcoming NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour (NWSMT) UNOH Southern Slam 150 during Bojangles' Pole Night on Oct. 13 as part of Bank of America 500 Race Week. With just two races left before the season ends, Brunnhoelzl is in position to clinch the series’ championship before the final event at Caraway Speedway. The West Babylon, N.Y., native leads Seuss by 130 points and has won four races so far this season. Tickets for the UNOH Southern Slam 150 and Bojangles' Pole Night are $12 in advance or $20 the day of the event and can be purchased online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267).

Media Storylines
Harvick Could Join Elite Company with Bank of America 500 Win 
With his victory in the 2011 Coca-Cola 600, Kevin Harvick scored his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Harvick’s first-ever Sprint Cup Series win at Charlotte came in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, a non-points earning event, in 2007. With the two previous May race wins at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Harvick has the opportunity to join some elite company if he can capture a victory in the Oct. 15 Bank of America 500. Only eight drivers in NASCAR history have won all three Sprint Cup Series events at Charlotte, including Davey Allison, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Mark Martin, Rusty Wallace and Darrell Waltrip.

Half the Chase for the Sprint Cup Field Still Searching for Elusive Charlotte Victory
Race time at Charlotte Motor Speedway brings fond memories of a first-ever Sprint Cup Series win for some NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers, including Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth, Bobby Labonte, Jamie McMurray, Casey Mears and David Reutimann. However, a number of high-profile drivers, including six drivers in the 2011 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, are still looking to score a Charlotte victory. In May, Kevin Harvick earned his first-ever NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win at the legendary superspeedway with his victory in the Coca-Cola 600, but championship contenders Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski and Ryan Newman have never won a points race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Each is hoping his luck will change Oct. 15 in the Bank of America 500.

Newman Looking to Add to Charlotte Motor Speedway Pole Count 
Ryan Newman leads all active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers in poles at the Mecca of Motorsports with nine. He's looking to add to that count during Bojangles’ Pole Night qualifying Oct. 13 for the Bank of America 500 on Oct. 15. Jeff Gordon was the pole winner for the 2010 Bank of America 500 with a speed of 191.544 and a time of 28.192. The track qualifying record at Charlotte Motor Speedway was set by Elliott Sadler for the 2005 Bank of America 500 with a speed of 193.216 mph, and a time of 27.948 seconds. Thirty-seven different drivers have posted poles at Charlotte Motor Speedway, led by David Pearson with 14.

Tickets for all October races at Charlotte Motor Speedway can be purchased online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling the speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267). The Coca-Cola Family Four Pack includes four tickets, four hot dogs and four Coca-Cola drinks starting at just $39.75 per person or fans can get four nights of great racing with the Bank of America 500 Week Super Ticket for just $99.

For daily updates on October race activities, connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway by following on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CLTMotorSpdwy or become a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/charlottemotorspeedway.