Coke 600 Preview

Dale Jr returns to Lowes for another shot at the Coke600 that slipped away from him last year

AT LOWE'S MOTOR SPEEDWAY: In 19 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Lowe's Motor Speedway, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has recorded one pole position, five top-five finishes and nine top-10s. The Kannapolis, N.C., native made his Cup debut at the track in the 600-mile race on May 30, 1999, and since then has led 312 laps there.

ALL-STAR: Earnhardt started fourth and finished 10th in Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Earnhardt won the exhibition event in 2000.

A YEAR AGO: Earnhardt led 76 laps in last May's 600-mile event and finished fifth in his first points run at Lowe's Motor Speedway with Hendrick Motorsports.

CHASSIS CHOICE: This weekend at LMS, crew chief Tony Eury Jr. and the No. 88 engineers will unload Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 88-488. It is the same chassis Earnhardt raced in Saturday's all-star event.

DRIVER RATING: According to NASCAR's loop data statistics, Earnhardt is eighth in the driver rating category in the 600-mile event at LMS with an 88.6 score. The driver rating is a formula that combines the following categories: wins, finishes, top-15 finishes, average running position while on the lead lap, average speed under green, fastest lap, most laps led and lead-lap finishes. The maximum points a driver can earn in each race is 150 points. The driver rating number is used pre-race as a prediction tool and post-race as a performance evaluator.

AFTER DARLINGTON: Going into Lowe's Motor Speedway, Earnhardt is 18th in the Sprint Cup driver standings, 89 points behind 12th-place Carl Edwards.

QVC ON FRIDAY: This Friday, Earnhardt will be a guest on QVC's "For Race Fans Only." The show will air live at 8 p.m. ET. Visit www.dalejr.com for more information.

ONE MORE: Hendrick Motorsports' next win will mark the 180th for the organization. Rick Hendrick leads all car owners in the modern era and ranks second all-time with his 179 Sprint Cup wins.

CHEVY WEEK: The 2010 Daytona 500 pace car is one of four Chevrolets that will be on display May 19-24 during Chevy Week at Hendrick Motorsports. Additionally, fans can check out the 2010 Camaro LS7 Concept, the 2010 Camaro Black Concept and the 2010 Camaro GMPP Accessories car. They will be on display in front of the Hendrick Motorsports team shops and museum, which will have extended hours during this time. Visit www.HendrickMotorsports.com for more information.

HENDRICK AT LOWE'S: Hendrick Motorsports, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this season, has 15 wins and 13 pole positions in 48 Cup races (163 starts) at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Both figures rank as the second highest in each category for the organization. Nine of Hendrick's wins at Lowe's were recorded in the 600-mile May event.

HIGH MILEAGE: Hendrick Motorsports teams have logged more mileage at Lowe's Motor Speedway than any other track. In 48 races, Hendrick drivers have tallied 79,656 miles there. For perspective, you could drive the roughly 2,500-mile length of Interstate 40, from Barstow, Calif., to Wilmington, N.C., 32 times.

HENDRICK ON TWITTER: Hendrick Motorsports has launched its official Twitter page: www.twitter.com/HendrickInfo. Check out the page for updates on Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the rest of Hendrick Motorsports.

TRADIN' PAINT: AMP Energy has launched Tradin' Paint, a new limited time only, Dale Earnhardt Jr.-themed energy drink. The beverage is a collision of three flavors -- orange, lime and berry -- with all the energy ingredients and great taste that consumers expect from AMP. Featuring the same paint scheme as Earnhardt's No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet, Tradin' Paint also includes all the marks, dings and paint streaks that can show up on cars during a hotly contested race.

MEMORIAL DAY: As the nation's oldest Armed Forces component, the National Guard and its citizens/soldiers play a vital role in protecting the freedoms Americans hold so dear. Since 1636, the Guard has brought glory and honor upon itself and its soldiers through quiet and selfless service. There is a long and noble history of the National Guard serving at home and abroad to ensure the safety and freedom of their fellow citizens. As you celebrate Memorial Day with your friends and family, take a moment to thank a member of our nation's military for their service to our country and recognize the sacrifices they make on a daily basis to defend America's interests.

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DALE EARNHARDT JR., DRIVER OF THE NO. 88 NATIONAL GUARD/AMP ENERGY CHEVROLET (ON THE IMPORTANCE OF QUALIFYING AT LOWE'S MOTOR SPEEDWAY.): "Qualifying is pretty important. Having a pit stall that you like can be an advantage the whole race. It's a long race, with a lot of stops, and leading the race and being in clean air is real important. It really doesn't matter if you had a bad qualifying effort because you have plenty of time to get to the front, but pit selection is probably the most important part about it."

EARNHARDT (ON SUNDAY'S 600-MILE EVENT -- THE LONGEST ALL YEAR.): "It's long. We run 500 miles, and your body gets used to it. You think you wouldn't notice another 100 miles added, but mentally you do. That last 100 miles is really tough mentally. Trying to stay focused and trying to stay devoted to what you're doing because it's so easy just to kind of go, 'I'm tired.' Physically it's not a problem, but mentally your brain is just worked after it's over with. I like it. I love this racetrack. I love this area. I'm glad to be home these two weeks. I think it's awesome we run a 600-mile race at Charlotte."

TONY EURY JR., CREW CHIEF OF THE NO. 88 NATIONAL GUARD/AMP ENERGY CHEVROLET (ON SUNDAY'S 600-MILE EVENT -- THE LONGEST ALL YEAR.): "It's a long race. It's really difficult because when you start the track is really hot, really greasy. As night comes it really cools down and the car tightens up quite a bit. You've really got to have a car that is crutched to get through that first leg of the 600. The first 150 laps you want to make sure you don't tear up the car and aren't too loose and you can adjust from there. The key is to get through those first 150 laps without any problems and then you can have a good night."

EURY (ON WHAT IT TAKES TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT CHARLOTTE.): "You've got to have a car that is very adjustable and the driver has to be able to run different lines to accommodate the different situations that you are going to get in. Part of the race is going to be run up high and at the end is going to be won on the bottom. You've got to have a car that can negotiate traffic very well and keep your guys focused on pit road. You are going to have 12 or more pit stops. There are going to be gas-and-go's, two-tire stops and a lot of strategy on pit road."