NASCAR Cup Series

Prelude to the Dream fast facts

Published Sep. 2, 2009 12:08 p.m. ET

foxsports

The rescheduled Prelude to the Dream on Wednesday, Sept. 9 from Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio is back on HBO Pay-Per-View. Now known as the fifth annual Gillette Young Guns Prelude to the Dream, the all-star dirt Late Model race returns after its June 3 date was washed out by rain.

Headlining the returning driver lineup are the Gillette Young Guns: Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano. All will join Tony Stewart, the two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and owner of Eldora Speedway, in a battle for dirt supremacy that will be presented live to the entire nation on HBO Pay-Per-View, with proceeds from the telecast going to four charities — Wounded Warrior Project, Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, Operation Homefront and Fisher House — all of which cater to severely injured military personnel or fallen heroes and their families.

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The live, commercial-free broadcast featuring 25 drivers piloting 2,300-pound dirt Late Model stock cars capable of putting out over 800 horsepower will begin at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT), with an immediate replay and subsequent replays throughout the week and the following weekend. HBO Pay-Per-View's racing telecast has a suggested retail price of $24.95.

"We're grateful for Gillette's support and the participation of nearly all the drivers who originally committed to the June 3 race," said Stewart, whose four previous Prelude to the Dream events have collectively raised more than $2 million for charity. "Without Gillette, its Young Guns and all the other drivers who reconfigured their schedules, the fifth annual Gillette Young Guns Prelude to the Dream would not have been possible.

"And more important than just staging a race, Gillette's support allows us to continue to show the race live on HBO Pay-Per-View. It's the proceeds from the broadcast that will allow us to make a sizeable donation to four very deserving charities. And in light of what's going on in our world today — with our troops engaged in combat in Afghanistan, Iraq and other places around the world — we felt it was time to do something for those who came back from serving their country with severe injuries, and for those families whose loved ones never made it back. Thanks to Gillette and all of the Prelude's drivers, we're able to make this happen."

In addition to the aforementioned drivers joining Stewart in this year's Gillette Young Guns Prelude to the Dream, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Brian Vickers, Robby Gordon, David Reutimann, Bill Elliott, Dave Blaney, Aric Almirola, Kenny Wallace, Ken Schrader, Marcos Ambrose, David Stremme, A.J. Allmendinger, Ron Capps, Cruz Pedregon and Ray Evernham have also re-committed.

Noteworthy:

More Than 15 Driving Titles Represented at the Prelude: A total of 22 major championships have been won by drivers in the Prelude to the Dream: Sprint Cup [7] — Elliott (1988), Stewart (2002, 2005), Kenseth (2003), Johnson (2006, 2007, 2008); IROC [3] — Harvick (2002), Kenseth (2004), Stewart (2006); Nationwide Series [5] — Harvick (2001, 2006), Vickers (2003), Edwards (2007), Bowyer (2008); IndyCar Series [1] — Stewart (1997); NHRA Funny Car [2] — Pedregon (1992, 2008).

Dirt Veterans vs. Dirt Neophytes: Stewart, Kahne, Newman, Blaney, Bowyer, Elliott, Schrader and Wallace grew up on dirt tracks, while Vickers, Busch, Harvick, Almirola, Hamlin and Logano spent the majority of their racing upbringing on asphalt.

What Happens When a Drag Racer has to Turn the Steering Wheel? Capps is a 13-year veteran of the NHRA and Pedregon is a 15-year NHRA driver, where straight-line runs over 300 mph are commonplace.

Snapshots of the charities supported:

Wounded Warrior Project: Helps raise awareness and enlist the public's aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women, to help severely injured service members aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet the needs of severely injured service members.

Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund: Supports severely wounded military personnel and veterans, ensuring that those who sacrifice for our nation receive the best care possible. These efforts are funded entirely with donations from the public, and hundreds of thousands of individuals have contributed to the Fund.

Operation Homefront: Provides emergency assistance and morale to our troops, to the families they leave behind, and to wounded warriors when they return home.

Fisher House: Provides "a home away from home" for families of patients receiving medical care at major military and VA medical centers. The homes are normally located within walking distance of the treatment facility or have transportation available. There are 40 Fisher Houses located on 18 military installations and 10 VA medical centers. Three more are under construction.