Early news from NASCAR banquet (Update)

UPDATE The ballrooms at the Wynn Las Vegas are busy with a flurry of activity, getting ready for the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards. The red carpet is being installed as we arrived for the function and the entertainment is practicing their numbers. Pictures are being taken of Hendricks Motorsports team members and their significant others, with everyone formally dressed for the big event tonight.

Jimmy Johnson, Hendricks Motorsports driver will be awarded his seventh championship trophy in a few hours. Overall, thirty-one different drivers have won the Championship, with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, Sr and Jimmie Johnson holding the record for most titles at seven. Johnson has the record for most consecutive Drivers' Championships, winning five from 2006 to 2010.

Some of tonight's entertainers will be Sting, Sixteen-time Grammy Award winner, American Authors, Skylar Grey, five-time Grammy Award-nominated artist, and Olivia Holt. Some of the presenters for tonight's awards will be Jordin Sparks, won American Idol at 17 year old in 2007, Guy Fieri, a restaurateur who has five restaurants in Las Vegas and Sullivan Stapleton, who starts on NBC's hit drama "Blindspot" and many more glamorous people.

You can watch the entire event tonight on NBCSN. The Red Carpet will start at 8 pm Eastern time, with the awards program following at 9 pm Eastern time. Lucille Dust reporting from Las Vegas

Johnson's #48	Jeff Gordon	Sting

12/02/16 AR1.com staff are at tonight's back tie NASCAR Awards banquet in Las Vegas and below are a couple of early photos:

Backstage	Team members and spouses gather