Unofficially, the first round of the entry list has been slated for post Monday morning (01/12/2009). Currently fifty-two (52) cars are entered for the Camping World Series race. However, that number is expected to rise after the Points & Membership tabulate the entries that are delivered over the weekend.

All four races will air live on SPEED, which begins its coverage at 7:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) both nights - the Super Late Models and the Late-Chance Camping World race on Friday; and the Late Models and Camping World race on Saturday. In addition, for the first time, the racing will be aired on Sirius’ NASCAR channel.

Locked In …Thirteen drivers have locked in a spot in this year’s NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown by winning a NASCAR Camping World Series race (see chart on page 4). In addition to those drivers, champions of the NASCAR Developmental Series will be locked in. Antonio Perez (NASCAR Mexico Series), Scott Steckly (NASCAR Canadian Tire Series) and Philip Morris (NASCAR Whelen All-American Series) have entered the event, along with NASCAR Camping World Series champions Matt Kobyluck (East) and Eric Holmes (West).

All-Star Experience …Five drivers have competed in five previous NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown Camping World Series races. The list includes 2006 winner Kobyluck. Mike Johnson, Mike Olsen and Mike Duncan have also competed five times. Nine other drivers have run at least four times.

Seat Time … None of the five winners in the Camping World Series race have been able to repeat. Outside of the inaugural event of 2003, Joey Logano (2007) is the only driver to win the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown in his first appearance. In addition, Logano is the only rookie and the only driver to follow up a series championship with a Showdown win.

Finishing Up Front … Kobyluck has the most five-five finishes in the Camping World Series race with four. The only year he didn’t finish in the top five was the first event when he was 12th. Sean Caisse and Duncan are the only other drivers with multiple top-five finishes, with two each. Kobyluck has a race-high four top 10s and has the best average finish (4.2) of drivers who have made more than one start.

Leading The Way … David Gilliland has led the most laps in the Camping World Series race. The Riverside, Calif., competitor — who since graduated to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series — led a total of 133 laps (91 in 2004 and 42 in 2005).

Qualifying … The 2007 event was the first to feature qualifying laps. Caisse earned the pole award with a lap of 18.271 seconds/98.517 mph.

z. Smith
NASCAR Race Mom