The 2006 Nextel All-Star Challenge was the second exhibition stock car race of the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series and the 22nd iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, May 20, 2006, in Concord, North Carolina at Lowe's Motor Speedway, a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) permanent quad-oval. The race took the scheduled 90 laps to complete. At race's end, Jimmie Johnson, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would dominate the late stages of the race to win $1 million and his second Nextel All-Star Challenge. To fill out the podium, Kevin Harvick, driving for Richard Childress Racing, and Jeff Gordon, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would finish second and third, respectively.
In the preliminary Nextel Open, MBV Motorsports driver Scott Riggs would dominate the race to move on to the main Nextel All-Star Challenge. Meanwhile, Petty Enterprises driver Kyle Petty would win the fan vote to move onto the Nextel All-Star Challenge.
Background
Lowe's Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge, as well as the UAW-GM Quality 500. The speedway was built in 1959 by Bruton Smith and is considered the home track for NASCAR with many race teams located in the Charlotte area. The track is owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI) with Marcus G. Smith (son of Bruton Smith) as track president.
Format and eligibility The 90 laps of the Nextel All-Star Challenge was divided into three segments. Caution laps between segment breaks were not counted. The first segment was 40 laps long. Mandatory 10-minute pit stops/breaks were implemented in between both segment breaks. During the first 10-minute break, a random ping pong ball (each ball would have one NASCAR on Fox announcer or pit reporter on it) picked by Chris Myers would lead Myers to open a giant, promotional Nextel flip phone of the corresponding announcer. Each phone had a number that would decide how many cars would be inverted to start Segment 2, a 30-lap segment. After the second 10-minute break, drivers would race in a 20-lap shootout to decide the winner of the Nextel All-Star Challenge.
Drivers who had won in the previous season and the first 11 eleven races of the current season were automatically eligible to qualify for the Nextel All-Star Challenge. In addition, previous champions and former Nextel All-Star Challenge winners within the last 10 years (1995-2004) were also automatically eligible.
Teams who were not automatically eligible to qualify, but still wanted to have a chance at entering the Nextel All-Star Challenge were made to race in a qualifying race called the Nextel Open, a 30-lap shootout event where the winner of the event would qualify to race in the Nextel All-Star Challenge. Teams who were in the Top 50 in the 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series owner's points standings were allowed to race in the Nextel Open. In addition, a televote was made open to the public where the driver who got the most votes from the public would also qualify to move on to the Nextel All-Star Challenge.
Entry list
(R) denotes rookie driver.
Nextel Open #DriverTeamMakeSponsor00Hermie SadlerMBA RacingFordThe ACE and TJ Show1Martin Truex Jr. (R)Dale Earnhardt, Inc.ChevroletBass Pro Shops, National Wild Turkey Federation01Joe NemechekMB2 MotorsportsChevroletU.S. Army4Scott WimmerMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevroletAero Exhaust7Robby GordonRobby Gordon MotorsportsChevroletJim Beam Black07Clint Bowyer (R)Richard Childress RacingChevroletJack Daniel's10Scott RiggsMBV MotorsportsDodgeValvoline11Denny Hamlin (R)Joe Gibbs RacingChevroletFedEx Express14Sterling MarlinMB2 MotorsportsChevroletGinn Resorts18J. J. Yeley (R)Joe Gibbs RacingChevroletInterstate Batteries21Ken SchraderWood Brothers/JTG RacingFordU.S. Air Force22Dave BlaneyBill Davis RacingDodgeCaterpillar25Brian VickersHendrick MotorsportsChevroletGMAC27Kirk ShelmerdineKirk Shelmerdine RacingChevroletCatdaddy Carolina Moonshine30Mike WallaceRick Ware RacingDodgePro 3031Jeff BurtonRichard Childress RacingChevroletCingular Wireless32Travis KvapilPPI MotorsportsChevroletTide38Elliott SadlerRobert Yates RacingFordM&M's40David Stremme (R)Chip Ganassi RacingDodgeLone Star Steakhouse & Saloon41Reed Sorenson (R)Chip Ganassi RacingDodgeTarget42Casey MearsChip Ganassi RacingDodgeTexaco, Havoline45Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesDodgeMy Coke Rewards49Kevin LepageBAM RacingDodgeState Water Heaters51Mike GarveyCompetitive Edge MotorsportsChevroletMarathon American Spirit Motor Oil61Chad ChaffinFront Row MotorsportsChevroletRoadLoans66Jeff GreenHaas CNC RacingChevroletHaas Automation78Kenny WallaceFurniture Row RacingChevroletFurniture Row95Stanton BarrettStanton Barrett MotorsportsChevroletThe Race Space96Tony RainesHall of Fame RacingChevroletDLP HDTVOfficial Nextel Open entry list
Nextel All-Star Challenge #DriverTeamMakeSponsor2Kurt BuschPenske Racing SouthDodgeMiller Lite5Kyle BuschHendrick MotorsportsChevroletKellogg's6Mark MartinRoush RacingFordAAA8Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.ChevroletBudweiser9Kasey KahneEvernham MotorsportsDodgeDodge Dealers12Ryan NewmanPenske Racing SouthDodgeAlltel My Circle16Greg BiffleRoush RacingFordNational Guard, Charter17Matt KensethRoush RacingFordDeWalt19Jeremy MayfieldEvernham MotorsportsDodgeDodge Dealers20Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingChevroletThe Home Depot24Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevroletDuPont Performance Alliance26Jamie McMurrayRoush RacingFordIrwin Marathon Saw Blades29Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevroletGM Goodwrench43Bobby LabontePetty EnterprisesDodgeGo-Gurt48Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevroletLowe's55Michael WaltripBill Davis RacingDodgeNAPA Auto Parts88Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFordUPS99Carl EdwardsRoush RacingFordOffice DepotOfficial Nextel All-Star Challenge entry list
Practice
Nextel Open The only practice for Nextel Open drivers was held on Friday, May 19, at 12:00 PM EST. The session would last for one hour and 30 minutes. Jeff Green, driving for Haas CNC Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.329 and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed166Jeff GreenHaas CNC RacingChevrolet29.329184.118211Denny Hamlin (R)Joe Gibbs RacingChevrolet29.337184.068318J. J. Yeley (R)Joe Gibbs RacingChevrolet29.454183.337Full Nextel Open practice results
Nextel All-Star Challenge The only practice for Nextel All-Star Challenge drivers was held on Friday, May 19, at 1:50 PM EST. The session would last for one hour and 25 minutes. Kasey Kahne, driving for Evernham Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.531 and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed19Kasey KahneEvernham MotorsportsDodge29.531182.859219Jeremy MayfieldEvernham MotorsportsDodge29.719181.702316Greg BiffleRoush RacingFord29.745181.543Full Nextel All-Star Challenge practice results
Qualifying Qualifying for the Nextel Open was held on Friday, May 19, at 6:05 PM EST. Each driver would have two laps to set a fastest time; the fastest of the two would count as their official qualifying lap.
Scott Riggs, driving for MBV Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 28.953 and an average speed of .
Nextel Open Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed110Scott RiggsMBV MotorsportsDodge28.953186.509211Denny Hamlin (R)Joe Gibbs RacingChevrolet28.960186.464366Jeff GreenHaas CNC RacingChevrolet29.081185.688418J. J. Yeley (R)Joe Gibbs RacingChevrolet29.178185.071531Jeff BurtonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet29.319184.181621Ken SchraderWood Brothers/JTG RacingFord29.392183.723725Brian VickersHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet29.393183.71784Scott WimmerMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet29.421183.542940David Stremme (R)Chip Ganassi RacingDodge29.434183.4611042Casey MearsChip Ganassi RacingDodge29.497183.0701114Sterling MarlinMB2 MotorsportsChevrolet29.518182.9391296Tony RainesHall of Fame RacingChevrolet29.532182.852131Martin Truex Jr. (R)Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet29.534182.840147Robby GordonRobby Gordon MotorsportsChevrolet29.537182.8221578Kenny WallaceFurniture Row RacingChevrolet29.568182.6301641Reed Sorenson (R)Chip Ganassi RacingDodge29.585182.5251701Joe NemechekMB2 MotorsportsChevrolet29.680181.9411832Travis KvapilPPI MotorsportsChevrolet29.872180.7711907Clint Bowyer (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet29.875180.7532045Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesDodge29.940180.3612149Kevin LepageBAM RacingDodge30.010179.9402295Stanton BarrettStanton Barrett MotorsportsChevrolet30.182178.9152322Dave BlaneyBill Davis RacingDodge30.519176.9392400Hermie SadlerMBA RacingFord30.563176.6842561Chad ChaffinFront Row MotorsportsChevrolet30.620176.3552630Mike WallaceRick Ware RacingDodge49.060110.0692727Kirk ShelmerdineKirk ShelmerdineChevrolet57.46493.9722851Mike GarveyCompetitive Edge MotorsportsChevrolet2:02.75843.9892938Elliott SadlerRobert Yates RacingFord - -Official Nextel Open qualifying results
Nextel All-Star Challenge Qualifying for the Nextel All-Star Challenge was held on Friday, May 19, at 7:10 PM EST. Each driver would run 3 laps each, with each driver having to do a mandatory pit stop within those three laps.
Kasey Kahne, driving for Evernham Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 2:02.296 and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed19Kasey KahneEvernham MotorsportsDodge2:02.29644.155248Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet2:02.93843.92532Kurt BuschPenske Racing SouthDodge2:03.23543.819424Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet2:03.79843.619512Ryan NewmanPenske Racing SouthDodge2:04.13143.502616Greg BiffleRoush RacingFord2:04.29443.445717Matt KensethRoush RacingFord2:04.39143.411820Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet2:04.57143.349929Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet2:05.05943.180105Kyle BuschHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet2:05.21643.1251143Bobby LabontePetty EnterprisesDodge2:05.21843.1251288Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord2:07.42742.3771399Carl EdwardsRoush RacingFord2:07.43842.3741455Michael WaltripBill Davis RacingDodge2:08.54742.0081526Jamie McMurrayRoush RacingFord2:08.94841.877166Mark MartinRoush RacingFord2:09.19841.796178Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet2:23.71337.5751819Jeremy MayfieldEvernham MotorsportsDodge2:25.10637.214Official Nextel All-Star Challenge qualifying results
NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge The second iteration of the NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge was held on Wednesday, May 17. Dale Earnhardt, Inc.'s No. 1 team managed to win the event, with the team winning $70,000.
Format and eligibility To be eligible to compete, a team either had to win a race in 2005 or 2006, win a previous Nextel All-Star Challenge race, or have won the championship within the last 10 years. The Nextel Open and Fan Vote winners from the 2005 Nextel All-Star Challenge were automatically eligible to enter. 24 teams would compete in a tournament-style bracket with four rounds.
Round 1 Round 1 would consist of the 24 teams racing against the clock, two teams at a time, in an individual skills/team competition. The teams with the fastest eight overall team times would move on to Round 2.
There were 4 skills that each team had to individually accomplish with their respective members, along with one team exercise at the end:
Front Tire Changer and Front Tire Carrier: The front tire changer and carriers will start from outside the pit box, attacking the right side of the car first, then moving onto the left. The second tire will be pre-positioned by the carrier at the pit wall. Competitors will use their own air guns, and a five second time penalty will be administered for any lugs not properly installed. Tire changer must hit split timer button on exit of pit box.