"CARS 2" Star Larry the Cable Guy to Serve as Honorary Pace Car Driver for the 52nd Running of the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway

CONCORD, N.C., April 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue-collar comedian and the voice of Mater in the upcoming Disney-Pixar summer comedy "CARS 2," Larry the Cable Guy will "git-r-done" as the honorary pace-car driver for the 52nd running of the Coca-Cola 600 on May 29 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

In addition to leading the field of 43 NASCAR stars in the Coca-Cola 600, Larry the Cable Guy will also take part in various activities around the speedway, including attending the drivers meeting, prior to the main event.

Charlotte Motor Speedway will celebrate the U.S. opening of Disney-Pixar's "CARS 2" on June 24 with a special display for fans featuring full-size replicas of movie stars Lightning McQueen and Mater. Lightning McQueen and Mater will also participate in the pre-race parade laps.

"I am excited to Git R Done in the pace car at Charlotte Motor Speedway and lead the field to the start of NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600," said Larry the Cable Guy. "It will be an honor to be a part of the most patriotic pre-race show in America."  

"CARS 2" features star racecar Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) and the incomparable tow truck Mater (voice of Larry the Cable Guy) as they take their friendship overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix. But the road to the championship is filled with plenty of potholes, detours and hilarious surprises when Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage. Mater's journey leads him through the streets of Japan and Europe, trailed by his friends and watched by the world. The fast-paced fun includes a colorful new all-star cast, complete with menacing villains and international racing competitors.

In May 2006, Charlotte Motor Speedway hosted the world premiere of Disney-Pixar's "CARS," which was the first multi-screen digital cinema premiere ever held. More than 35,000 fans watched the premiere on a series of four giant custom-built outdoor movie screens.

"We're excited to once again work with Disney-Pixar and celebrate everything we love about cars, the summer and great NASCAR racing in Charlotte," said Marcus Smith, president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway. "Having Larry the Cable Guy and these awesome 'CARS 2' vehicles is a super addition to the spectacle and pageantry of the Coca-Cola 600. It's the perfect way to kick-off the summer for our fans, by pairing the biggest movie of the summer with NASCAR's most spectacular event, all on Memorial Day Weekend."

The Coca-Cola 600 will be televised live on FOX at 6 p.m. EDT and can be heard on the radio through the Performance Racing Network beginning at 5:45 p.m. EDT.

The only 600-mile event on the NASCAR schedule, the Coca-Cola 600 tests the endurance of both drivers and equipment each May and provides fans with more entertainment value than any other race in America.

Paying tribute to all veterans and active U.S. military servicemen and women, the pre-race show for the Coca-Cola 600 will include a military assault demonstration by Special Operations soldiers from Fort Bragg, N.C.; on-stage recognition of Medal of Honor recipients; and the unfurling of a gigantic, 11,250 square-foot American flag by families of active-duty troops.

Tickets for all May races at Charlotte Motor Speedway can be purchased online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling the speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267). Frontstretch tickets with the best views of the world's largest HD video board, debuting at the speedway in May, start at just $49 for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on May 21.  Fans can also purchase two frontstretch tickets for just $99 to the Coca-Cola 600 on May 29.

For daily updates on May race activities, connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway by following on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CLTMotorSpdwy or become a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/charlottemotorspeedway.

About Charlotte Motor Speedway

For 52 years, Charlotte Motor Speedway has set the standard for motorsports entertainment and evolved into "The Greatest Place to See the Race." Nestled in the heart of NASCAR country, Charlotte Motor Speedway is the only race vacation destination where fans can immerse themselves in the sport by visiting area race team shops and touring the NASCAR Hall of Fame before attending a race at the legendary 1.5-mile superspeedway. Generating a regional economic impact of approximately $400 million annually, the speedway hosts three premiere NASCAR events each year - the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, the Coca-Cola 600 and the Bank of America 500 - as well as more than three dozen other events for automotive and motorsports enthusiasts of all ages. Charlotte Motor Speedway's philosophy is to always put "Fans First" and create memories that last a lifetime for all that pass through the gates.

SOURCE Disney Pixar