| This speedway phenomena and crowd-sports | | | | |
| fascination is an annual specialty racing | | | | Drivers and car owners who have won |
| mass-event, presented by NASCAR, Daytona | | | | races in the current and preceding year. |
| Beach, Florida in the USA. Typically held in | | | | |
| the state of North Carolina at the Lowe's | | | | In the true spirit of competition, a |
| Motor Speedway, Concord, N.C., it has become | | | | driver who has left the team under whose |
| a part of the fabric of not only the local | | | | banner a race might have been one, remains |
| area, but also a National passion and | | | | eligible and the car owner's new driver can |
| worldwide sporting event of distinction. | | | | also race (through the last race before The |
| | | | All-Star Race) |
| It offers one and all - with an insatiable | | | | |
| need and appetite for the ultimate in speed | | | | Past NASCAR cup champions (past 10 |
| and custom wheels racing - some utter | | | | years ) |
| satisfaction and the perfect adrenaline rush, | | | | |
| on-demand and lap-by-lap! | | | | The All-Star Race winners (past 10 |
| | | | years) |
| It remains one of the largest global | | | | |
| spectator sports and sports-betting favorite, | | | | The winning driver of the Nextel |
| gaining ground every year. It has however | | | | Open |
| also known some ups and downs in its | | | | |
| interwoven, proud and tragic history. | | | | Drivers who have won in previous |
| | | | years, not eligible by the above (not owners) |
| It came rooted in and from humble beginnings | | | | |
| in the whiskey bootlegging down South, the | | | | If 20 drivers are not eligible, |
| ensuing stock-car racing of the early years, | | | | winners from previous seasons still active on |
| to the formal establishment of the national | | | | the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, become eligible |
| sanctioning body to govern stock racing on | | | | for The All-Star Race. All active drivers |
| December 12, 1947 called 'NASCAR', the now | | | | during that season become eligible, even if |
| well-recognized acronym and branding for the | | | | the field exceeds 20 competitors. |
| National Association for Stock Car Auto | | | | |
| Racing. | | | | It is then easy to see that the entry |
| | | | requirements for NASCAR-banner type events, |
| Its halls of fame also carry shadows and | | | | support standards of excellence and |
| sadness of numerous crashes, accidents and | | | | achievement. To qualify for the Nextel Open, |
| tragic incidents, famous driver deaths and | | | | drivers must be in the Top 50 of the final |
| losses that dot its development and sporting | | | | NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series [drivers] point |
| landscape. From struggling with and | | | | standings or in the Top 50 of the current |
| overcoming with triumph, numerous diverse | | | | NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series [drivers] point |
| challenges and obstacles like prohibition, | | | | standings as of March 14, 2006. Just because |
| the law, world war II, automotive and | | | | a driver is listed, does not mean they will |
| technological advancement and roller-coaster | | | | be participating in the race. |
| participation, retraction, interventions, | | | | |
| the birth of the 'HEMI', to tobacco | | | | The 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge, |
| advertising bans, corporate sponsorships | | | | showcased race winners from the previous and |
| partnering, increasing popularity, | | | | current seasons, as well as past event |
| broadcasting and media coverage, personal and | | | | champions and series champions from the past |
| professionals competing on and off-track, | | | | 10 years (1995-2005). All were active drivers |
| increasing hype, droves of timeless champions | | | | and competed in at least one series event |
| and recognized fallen heroes, NASCAR and | | | | during the preceding (2004 or 2005) season. |
| racing has remained a crowd pleaser and | | | | Also eligible was the winner of the NEXTEL |
| favorite. | | | | Open, a preliminary event for teams not |
| | | | qualified for the all-star event, and one |
| NASCAR, among other things, also acts as the | | | | other NEXTEL Open driver, who secures an |
| sanctioning and overseeing body for the | | | | empowered fan-favorite vote, into full |
| NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. In retrospect, here | | | | participatory rights and privileges in the |
| are some quick-facts about the events and | | | | all-star event. To qualify for the NEXTEL |
| more specifically the 2005 NEXTEL Cup Series. | | | | Open event, drivers must have been in the Top |
| With final races held on Saturday, May 21, | | | | 50 of the final 2004 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point |
| 2005, with capacity crowds exceeding | | | | standings, or in the Top 50 of the current |
| organizers' expectations and a new champion, | | | | point standings at the time. |
| everyone's eyes are on the pre-season thunder | | | | |
| and hopefuls in 2006! | | | | The ever-popular NASCAR's Nextel All-Star |
| | | | Challenge race, is likely to return to Lowe's |
| The Nextel Cup Series' second season, the | | | | Motor Speedway near Charlotte in 2006, but |
| 57th for NASCAR's premier division -- began | | | | NASCAR is contemplating its future, always |
| in February 2005 at Daytona and ended 35 | | | | with an eye on what tomorrow may bring to the |
| races later with the Ford 400 at Homestead. | | | | sport in general and the event in particular. |
| | | | |
| It consisted of 36-races in total, making up | | | | Quoted sources list The Charlotte Observer as |
| the 2005 Nextel Cup Series, including the | | | | reporting that recently a vice president from |
| season-ending 10-race Chase for the Nextel | | | | Nextel, (official sponsors of the NASCAR's |
| Cup "playoff." Tony Stewart tops the NASCAR | | | | Cup series as well as the all-star race), |
| world as the 2005 Nextel Cup Champion. | | | | said that the company was satisfied with the |
| | | | Charlotte area's efforts for the race and |
| You might be asking what makes a driver | | | | indicated the event would likely come back in |
| eligible for the Nextel Open and who or what | | | | 2006. |
| to watch for? Here are some of the general | | | | |
| guidelines: | | | | NASCAR Vice President Jim Hunter said nothing |
| | | | has been decided about the long term. "Every |
| Little has changed in the rules for the | | | | year, we revisit the idea of moving the |
| NASCAR Nextel Cup Series (Open and All-Star | | | | all-star race," he said. The story also lists |
| Challenge). Eligibility rules for | | | | that the all-star event creates |
| competitor-drivers potentially partaking in | | | | approximately $94 million dollars' worth of |
| the NASCAR | | | | impact on the region's economy in travel and |
| | | | tourism dollars spent. |
| - Nextel Cup Series include: | | | | |