2008 Dodge Challenger 500
Encyclopedia
The 2008 Dodge Challenger 500, the eleventh race on the NASCAR Sprint Cup season
, was held on Saturday, May 10th at the fabled Darlington Speedway in Darlington, South Carolina
. This race was the 52nd edition of the Confederate Memorial Day
race originally known as the Rebel 300. The race was televised in the USA on Fox
starting at 7 PM US EDT
with radio being handled on MRN
on terrestrial radio and Sirius Satellite Radio
. It was the first race on the newly repaved 1.366 mile track as "The Lady in Black" has gone under an extreme makeover akin to plastic surgery
, with speeds at Goodyear
tire testing in March having cars clocked at or over 200 MPH.
The race also served as the last chance to qualify for Sprint All-Star Race XXIV
to be held the following week at Lowe's Motor Speedway
in Concord, North Carolina
. Otherwise, those who have not won a race, a series championship or a previous All-Star race would have to qualify via the Sprint Showdown race as one of the top two finishers or through fan voting by being on the lead lap in the Showdown.
, Kyle Busch quieted them down with his third win of the 2008 campaign.
Failed to Qualify: Johnny Sauter
(#70), Jeff Green (#34).
baseball matchup joined in progress with the prerace show once the game ended.
2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
The 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season began on February 9, 2008 at Daytona International Speedway with the Budweiser Shootout, followed by pole qualifying on Sunday, February 10, 2008 for the 50th Daytona 500 on February 17...
, was held on Saturday, May 10th at the fabled Darlington Speedway in Darlington, South Carolina
Darlington, South Carolina
Darlington is a city in and the county seat of Darlington County, in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is a center for tobacco farming. The population was 6,720 at the 2000 census and is part of the Florence Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. This race was the 52nd edition of the Confederate Memorial Day
Confederate Memorial Day
Confederate Memorial Day, also known as Confederate Decoration Day and Confederate Heroes Day , is an official holiday and/or observance day in parts of the U.S. South as a day to honor those who died fighting for the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War...
race originally known as the Rebel 300. The race was televised in the USA on Fox
NASCAR on Fox
NASCAR on Fox is the Emmy-winning branding used for Fox Sports's broadcasts of NASCAR races airing on the Fox network since 2001. The production has been in high-definition since 2005.-Background:...
starting at 7 PM US EDT
North American Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
with radio being handled on MRN
Motor Racing Network
The Motor Racing Network is the principal radio broadcasting operation of NASCAR, promoting themselves as "The Voice of NASCAR." It broadcasts coverage of most major NASCAR races at the top three levels of NASCAR at tracks owned by International Speedway Corporation as well as Dover International...
on terrestrial radio and Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
. It was the first race on the newly repaved 1.366 mile track as "The Lady in Black" has gone under an extreme makeover akin to plastic surgery
Plastic surgery
Plastic surgery is a medical specialty concerned with the correction or restoration of form and function. Though cosmetic or aesthetic surgery is the best-known kind of plastic surgery, most plastic surgery is not cosmetic: plastic surgery includes many types of reconstructive surgery, hand...
, with speeds at Goodyear
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. Goodyear manufactures tires for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, SUVs, race cars, airplanes, farm equipment and heavy earth-mover machinery....
tire testing in March having cars clocked at or over 200 MPH.
The race also served as the last chance to qualify for Sprint All-Star Race XXIV
2008 Sprint All-Star Race
The Sprint Showdown and Sprint All-Star Race XXIV were run on Saturday, May 17, 2008 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, a suburb outside of Charlotte...
to be held the following week at Lowe's Motor Speedway
Lowe's Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...
in Concord, North Carolina
Concord, North Carolina
Concord is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. According to Census 2010, the city has a current population of 79,066. It is the largest city in Cabarrus County and is the county seat. In terms of population, the city of Concord is the second largest city in the Charlotte Metropolitan Area...
. Otherwise, those who have not won a race, a series championship or a previous All-Star race would have to qualify via the Sprint Showdown race as one of the top two finishers or through fan voting by being on the lead lap in the Showdown.
Pre-race news
- As Darlington is NASCAR's answer to Fenway ParkFenway ParkFenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
or Wrigley FieldWrigley FieldWrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
, the two oldest baseball stadiums still in existence, three teams rolled out retro paint schemes for this race. Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s #88 Hendrick MotorsportsHendrick MotorsportsHendrick Motorsports , originally named All Star Racing, is a current American auto racing team created in 1984 by Rick Hendrick. The team currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Chevrolet Impalas...
team came to Darlington with a 1980s Mountain DewMountain DewMountain Dew is a citrus-flavored carbonated soft drink brand produced and owned by PepsiCo. The original formula was invented in the 1940s by Tennessee beverage bottlers Barney and Ally Hartman and was first marketed in Marion, VA, Knoxville and Johnson City, Tennessee. A revised formula was...
paint scheme similar to one that Darrell WaltripDarrell WaltripDarrell Lee Waltrip is a 3-time NASCAR Cup Series champion , 3-time runner-up , winner of the 1989 Daytona 500 and 5-time winner of the prestigeous Coca-Cola 600 ,...
drove for Junior Johnson RacingJunior JohnsonRobert Glenn Johnson, Jr. , better known as Junior Johnson, is a retired moonshiner in the rural South who became one of the early superstars of NASCAR in the 1950s and 1960s. He won 50 NASCAR races in his career before retiring in 1966...
while under their sponsorship, the Wood BrothersWood Brothers RacingWood Brothers Racing is an American auto racing team that competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide, and Camping World Truck Series. The team was formed in 1950 by the sons of Walter and Ada Wood, thus the Wood Brothers...
brought out their 1971 MercuryMercury (automobile)Mercury was an automobile marque of the Ford Motor Company launched in 1938 by Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford, to market entry-level luxury cars slotted between Ford-branded regular models and Lincoln-branded luxury vehicles, similar to General Motors' Buick brand, and Chrysler's namesake brand...
paint job for Bill ElliottBill ElliottWilliam Clyde "Bill" Elliott , also known as Awesome Bill from Dawsonville or Million Dollar Bill, is a part-time driver and former champion of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Elliott was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America on August 15, 2007. He won the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup...
on their #21 ride, made famous by David Pearson, and Yates RacingYates RacingYates Racing was an American stock car racing racing team that competed in NASCAR until the 2009 season when it merged with Richard Petty Motorsports. Previously known as Robert Yates Racing, the team was owned by Doug Yates, who has officially owned the team since his father Robert's retirement on...
's #28 of Travis KvapilTravis KvapilTravis Kvapil is an American race car driver. He currently drives for Front Row Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.-Early career:...
sported an old school sponsorship for Fayetteville, North CarolinaFayetteville, North CarolinaFayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....
FordFord Motor CompanyFord Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
dealer Lafayette Ford. In addition, the Joe Gibbs RacingJoe Gibbs RacingJoe Gibbs Racing is a group of NASCAR racing teams owned and operated by former Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs, who first started racing on the NASCAR circuit in 1991, and J. D. Gibbs, his son...
#18 Toyota with current points leader Kyle BuschKyle BuschKyle Thomas Busch, is an American NASCAR driver and team owner. He currently drives the No. 18 Mars/Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Sprint Cup Series, the No. 18 Z-Line Designs/NOS Energy Drink Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs in the Nationwide Series, and the No...
on board carried a special Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull M&Ms paint scheme. - Back in the saddle for the #40 Chip Ganassi RacingChip Ganassi RacingChip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is an automotive racing organization with teams competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. They have won 4 Champ Car, 3 Indy Racing League and 1 Grand-Am championships...
DodgeDodgeDodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....
was Sterling MarlinSterling MarlinSterling Marlin is a retired NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver. He is the son of late NASCAR driver Coo Coo Marlin. He is married to Paula and has a daughter, Sutherlin, and a son, Steadman, who sometimes races in the Nationwide Series....
after Ken SchraderKen SchraderKenneth Schrader is a second-generation race car driver. He currently races on local dirt and asphalt tracks around the country while driving part-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the ARCA Racing Series for his own Ken Schrader Racing. He also runs part time in the NASCAR Camping...
failed to make the Richmond race the previous week2008 Crown Royal Presents the Dan Lowry 400The 2008 Crown Royal Presents the Dan Lowry 400 is the tenth race on the NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule for the 2008 season, and was held Saturday, May 3 at Richmond International Raceway in Henrico County, Virginia, outside the state capital of Virginia. The race was telecast on Fox starting at 7:45...
. Another change found Jeff GreenJeff Green (NASCAR)Jeffery Green is an American stock car driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He currently drives part time in the Nationwide Series for Tri-Star Motorsports in their #44 entry and the Sprint Cup Series for Front Row Motorsports in their #55 entry.Green's 1990 Nashville Speedway USA championship...
replacing John AndrettiJohn AndrettiJohn Andretti is an American race car driver. He has won in CART, IMSA GTP, Rolex Sports Car Series and NASCAR. He was the last NASCAR driver to win a Cup race for the famous Petty Enterprises team.-Andretti family:...
in the #34 car, however they failed to qualify. - In broadcast radio news, a settlement between Motor Racing Network and rival Performance Racing NetworkPerformance Racing NetworkThe Performance Racing Network is a radio network controlled by Speedway Motorsports, Inc..Performance Racing Network broadcasts all NASCAR-sanctioned Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series events held at Speedway Motorsports-controlled tracks which include Atlanta, Bristol, Infineon, Las Vegas,...
over broadcast rights concerning the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series events at New Hampshire Motor Speedway were peacefully settled as Speedway Motorsports, Inc.Speedway Motorsports, Inc.Speedway Motorsports, Inc. or SMI is an American corporation that owns and manages racing facilities that host NASCAR, IZOD IndyCar Series, NHRA, WoO other racing series. The company's headquarters are located at Charlotte Motor Speedway, in the suburbs of Charlotte, NC. SMI owns nine racing...
bought the former New Hampshire International Speedway last year. MRN, owned by International Speedway CorporationInternational Speedway CorporationInternational Speedway Corporation is a corporation whose primary business is the ownership and management of NASCAR race tracks. ISC was founded by NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr. in 1953 for the construction of Daytona International Speedway and in 1999 they merged with Penske Motorsports to...
, held broadcast rights to the NSCS and NNS races there, and PRN wished to broadcast those races as SMI bought the property. As a result, MRN will have the rights to June 29's Lenox Industrial Tools 301 events, while PRN will take over radio broadcasting rights in time for the first race of the Chase for the Sprint Cup, the Sylvania 300Sylvania 300The Sylvania 300 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire.The Sylvania 300 has traditionally held in mid-September, however, the race has been rescheduled once in its history...
on September 14. MRN retains the rights to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at NHMS, as they hold the exclusive rights to that series.
Race
After getting a rousing chorus of booing from Earnhardt fans for what he did the previous week at Richmond2008 Crown Royal Presents the Dan Lowry 400
The 2008 Crown Royal Presents the Dan Lowry 400 is the tenth race on the NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule for the 2008 season, and was held Saturday, May 3 at Richmond International Raceway in Henrico County, Virginia, outside the state capital of Virginia. The race was telecast on Fox starting at 7:45...
, Kyle Busch quieted them down with his third win of the 2008 campaign.
Failed to Qualify: Johnny Sauter
Johnny Sauter
Johnathan Joseph Sauter is a NASCAR driver from Wisconsin. Sauter is the son of former NASCAR driver Jim Sauter, and the brother of NASCAR drivers Tim Sauter and Jay Sauter...
(#70), Jeff Green (#34).
Joined in Progress Note
Fox viewers who saw the St.Louis Cardinals Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
baseball matchup joined in progress with the prerace show once the game ended.