Pit Crew Challenge to be held at Charlotte Bobcats Arena

The pit crews of the top NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series teams will compete in the second annual NASCAR NEXTEL Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman on Wednesday, May 17, 2006, 7:30 p.m., at Charlotte Bobcats Arena with tickets on sale Monday, April 17 at 10:00 a.m.

The NASCAR NEXTEL Pit Crew Challenge is the only event of its kind officially sanctioned by NASCAR, and pits the nation’s favorite over-the-wall athletes against each other in seven head-to-head skills contests designed to showcase the talents of NASCAR’s top crew members.

Tickets for the NASCAR NEXTEL Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman go on sale Monday, April 17 at 10:00 a.m. Seating is general admission and ticket prices are $10.00 (plus applicable convenience fee). Tickets will be available online at CharlotteBobcatsArena.com, or by calling 1-800-495-2295. Tickets also can be purchased in person at Charlotte Bobcats Arena box office and the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center ticket outlet.

Participating NASCAR NEXTEL Pit Crew Challenge teams will hold open practice sessions at Cabarrus Arena and Events Center in May. The practices, which are open and free to the public, will take place Monday, May 8 from 2 - 6 p.m., Tuesday, May 9 and Wednesday, May 10 from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Charlotte Bobcats Arena, located in the heart of Uptown Charlotte, opened in fall 2005 and is home to the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats, WNBA’s Charlotte Sting, and ECHL’s Charlotte Checkers. The state-of-the-art arena will host more than 125 events a year including sports, concerts and family entertainment. Charlotte Bobcats Arena also provides Print and Park, an online, advance purchase parking program where arena guests are able to purchase parking up to 48 hours in advance of the scheduled event time in lots that are a 5, 10 or 15 minute walk from the arena. Guests can access Print and Park up to 48 hours prior to the scheduled event time by visiting CharlotteBobcatsArena.com.

CONTACT: Jamie Banks, Charlotte Bobcats Arena, (704) 688-8789 (o); (704) 258-3901(c); jbanks@BobcatsSE.com.