LAS VEGAS – The 2010 NASCAR Prize Money & Decal Program year-end special award winners for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) will be awarded in Las Vegas today at 2 p.m. EST. The event will be streamed live on NASCAR.COM. To watch the webcast, click here.
Well-known aftermarket executives on stage to award the winning drivers, crew chiefs and NASCAR teams will include among others: Mike Proud and Tim Nelson of Federal-Mogul, Ted Abdon and Brian Lunniss of Mechanix Wear, Stu Grant of Goodyear; Pat DiDomenicis of Mobil 1, Jeff Blocher of Affinia’s WIX Brand and Ted Hughes of MAHLE Clevite.
Official winners of this year’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Prize Money & Decal Program year-end special awards include:
• MOBIL 1 COMMAND PERFORMANCE DRIVER OF THE YEAR (awarded to the winner of each race or the next highest finishing eligible competitor): Kurt Busch
• MECHANIX WEAR MOST VALUABLE PIT CREW OF THE YEAR (winning pit crew is determined by a vote from each team’s crew chief): No. 11, Joe Gibbs Racing
• MAHLE CLEVITE ENGINE BUILDER OF THE YEAR (awarded to the top engine builder based on points awarded for qualifying and finishing position): No. 48, Hendrick Motorsports
• COORS LIGHT POLE AWARD: Jamie McMurray
• DIRECTV CREW CHIEF OF THE YEAR (awarded to the crew chief of the driver who has demonstrated the best qualifying and race effort based on finishing times during the weekend): Gil Martin, No. 29, Richard Childress Racing
• GOODYEAR TIRES AWARD (awarded to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion): Jimmie Johnson
• GOODYEAR GATORBACK FASTEST LAP AWARD (presented to the eligible driver who turns the fastest lap while leading the race): Jimmie Johnson
• MOOG PROBLEM SOLVER OF THE YEAR (presented to the crew chief who improves the most from the first half of the race to the second half of the race utilizing the 40 best lap times): Gil Martin, No. 29, Richard Childress Racing
• O’REILLY AUTO PARTS POSITION IMPROVEMENT AWARD (presented to the eligible driver who improves the most positions from their starting position to their finishing position): Kevin Harvick
• RAYBESTOS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Kevin Conway
• SUNOCO DIAMOND PERFORMANCE (awarded to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion): Jimmie Johnson
• TISSOT PIT ROAD PRECISION AWARD (awarded to the eligible driver/pit crew who spends the least amount of time on pit road and finishes the race on the lead lap): No. 17, Roush-Fenway Racing
• WIX FILTERS LAP LEADER AWARD (awarded to the eligible driver who leads the most laps during the race wins the most WIX Lap Leader Awards): Denny Hamlin
The NASCAR Prize Money & Decal Program, commonly referred to as the contingency program, is administered by the NASCAR Automotive Group. The program strives to build strong relationships with high-quality, performance-driven brands that are leaders in their respective categories and award money to NASCAR teams via per-race and year-end postings.
Competitors become eligible for awards money by displaying partner decals on the front fender of their race vehicles and, in some instances, use of a sponsor’s product. National series contingency sponsors will contribute more than $8.8 million to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams in 2010.
