Race Weeks events: No restrictions on this full plate

DAVID POOLE

The Charlotte Observer

Thursday, May. 15, 2008

Some of the events, activities related to May's racing at Lowe's Motor Speedway:

Friday

• More than a dozen Sprint Cup Series drivers are scheduled to take phone pledges and talk about charitable initiatives during the NASCAR Day Telethon at the Sam Bass Gallery near Lowe's Motor Speedway on Friday and at the Sprint Experience at the track Saturday. Fans can call 888-629-1684 or text their e-mail addresses to 81714 to make pledges to the NASCAR Foundation.

• Joey Logano and Chrissy Wallace will sign autographs, and Anita Rich, co-author of "Portraits of NASCAR," will sign books from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Cabarrus County Convention and Visitors Bureau's Visitor Center at 3003 Dale Earnhardt Blvd. in Kannapolis.

Saturday

• NASCAR Collector Memorabilia Show, 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Embassy Suites Hotel, 5400 John Q. Hammons Drive, Concord. Buy, sell and trade die-cast cars, trading cards, autographed items, coins, sheet metal and other collectibles.

Tuesday

• Engine Builder Showdown at 7 p.m. at the NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville. Engine builders compete head-to-head to assemble an engine with the winners earning the Randy Dorton Memorial Trophy.• A charity go-kart event 3-7 p.m. at NASCAR Speedpark at Concord Mills Mall. Fans can buy tickets to race against some of their favorite NASCAR personalities. Proceeds will benefit the Women's Auxiliary of Motorsports and the Victory Junction Gang Camp. Eric McClure, Erin Crocker, Erik Darnell, A.J. Allmendinger and Regan Smith are scheduled to be there at 3-5 p.m. David Reutimann, Dennis Setzer, Stacey Compton, Jack Sprague, David Gilliland, Travis Kvapil and Larry McReynolds are set for 4-6. Ryan Newman, Andy Lally, Justin Marks, Matt Crafton, Hermie Sadler, Kevin Hamlin, Steve Byrnes, Kraig Kinser, Scott Lagasse and Bryan Clauson are set for 5-7.

Thursday, May 22

• JR Motorsports begins a two-day fan event at its shop in Mooresville. Festivities will run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday. Nationwide Series drivers Brad Keselowski and Landon Cassill, JR Motorsports President Kelley Earnhardt Elledge and the team's weekly series drivers will sign autographs at 12:30 p.m. Friday. Tickets for the autograph sessions will be distributed beginning at 10 a.m.

Friday, May 23

• Penske Racing fan day from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the team's shop at 200 Penske Way in Mooresville. Autograph tickets for drivers Newman and Kyle Busch will be distributed at 8 a.m. in front of the gift shop near the guest parking lot.• Gillett Evernham Motorsports Fan Appreciation Day, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the team's shop at 320 Aviation Drive, Statesville. Kasey Kahne, Elliott Sadler, Patrick Carpentier and Chase Miller will sign autographs at 9 a.m., with 400 wristbands per driver being handed out at 7:30 a.m.

This week:

• All-Star Race at Lowe's Motor Speedway (Concord)

• Approximately 9 p.m. Saturday (TV coverage on Speed)

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