Taking the checkered in last year’s All-Star Challenge at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Kasey Kahne proved that the fan vote plays a tremendous role in the outcome of the ‘no holds barred’ event at the 1.5 mile speedway.

Locked in to this year’s race, Kahne’s fellow Richard Petty Motorsports teammates are chasing after the coveted fan vote to earn a spot in the show.

Hoping to finish in the top-two in the All-Star Showdown, Reed Sorenson hopes to collect a spot for his No. 43 Dodge in the All-Star Challenge. If the driver fails to transfer via the Challenge, he pledges to donate his ration of the winnings to the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Currently on a hot streak in recent weeks, Sorenson is confident that he and the No. 43 team have what it takes to earn a spot and win the All-Star events in Charlotte this weekend.

"The fan vote is pretty important as Kasey proved last year,” Sorenson stated. “If I'm fortunate enough to transfer in through the fan vote then I'll gladly give my prize money to charity. The Ronald McDonald House Charities do some great work with kids and families. I'm fortunate to do what I love in life and I think giving back is important. If the fans give me a way into the All-Star race then I don't have a problem giving that money to people doing a lot of good in the world."

Taking the victory in the All-Star Showdown last year, AJ Allmendinger is certain that he can finish first again this year. With the win not being guaranteed, Allmendinger has done a bit of campaigning in an effort to collect the fan vote should he not make it to the big dance by triumph.

Assuring that his promotion is only the back-up plan, Allmendinger has been handing out Hunt Brothers Pizza to fans in Talladega, gave out "Vote for AJ" t-shirts to Hardcore Race Fans, written guest columns in the Richmond newspaper and gone on national television to appeal for fan votes. The 27 year old competitor has also fitted his wife and dog in special t-shirts, as well as getting his buddy David Reutimann to exhibit one of his “Vote For AJ” shirts.

"Giving away the shirts and Hunt Brothers pizzas have been a lot of fun but the best moment so far is giving David Reutimann one of my "Vote for AJ" shirts,” said Allmendinger. “There's a secret a lot of you don't know. Reutimann has a lot of my merchandise in his motorhome closet. I'm serious, he has a real man crush on me. He wears me out for hats all the time. I'm not trying to stir anything up, but I think his wife and kids are going to vote for me!”

In an attempt to persuade the fans to donate their vote to him Allmendinger declared, “If you vote for me you will be helping out mankind.”

Hoping to humor the fans into voting for him, Elliott Sadler confirmed during an interview on SPEEDTV that if the fans were to vote him into the All-Star Challenge then he would personally rent and man a dunking booth for one hour prior to the Coca-Cola 600. Sadler also gave his word to donate the proceeds raised to Speedway Children’s Charities.

Should he not qualify for the All-Star Challenge by a win or second place finish in the Showdown, Sadler is willing to take a dip and cool down before he competes in the Coca-Cola 600.

“Race fans should vote Elliott Sadler into the All-Star Race because I’m a good race car driver, I like to have fun with the fans and I’m the best looking driver out there. I’m just goofing around - kinda.” Sadler continued, “But honestly, I think it would be a great honor to represent the race fans in the All-Star Race. Plus, as an added incentive if I win I’m going to rent a dunking booth for the Coca-Cola 600 right outside of Lowe’s Motor Speedway, which I will personally be in, and allow fans to try and dunk me. Any money that we raise through donations will then go directly to Speedway Children’s Charities. So there is a little incentive to vote me in so we can have some fun for a great cause!”

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