8,888 free tickets given away for Vegas race

Jo Nell Coates has a stake in Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s rising NASCAR fortunes this year. A very big stake. Coates, of Deerfield, Wisc., is one of 8,888 ticket buyers who will be refunded the price of her 2009 NASCAR ticket in Las Vegas if Earnhardt Jr. captures the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup championship. Earnhardt Jr. won Sunday's LifeLock 400 at Michigan International Speedway and stands only 84 points behind series leader Kyle Busch. Coates and the others purchased their tickets for next year's race as part of "Dale Jr.'s South Point Jackpot" at LVMS.

"Our whole family has been fans of Junior for so long, so to say that his win on Sunday raised our level of excitement would be an understatement," Ms. Coates said. "We have 12 tickets in our family, and we want him to win the title so bad. The thought of us winning free tickets if he wins makes things even better."

Earnhardt's victory also gives him at least 10 bonus points heading into the Chase for the Sprint Cup, which begins in September. "This win probably gives him a lot of momentum heading into the rest of the season," said race fan Art Davoren of Las Vegas, also one of the 8,888 fans who took advantage of the promotion. "There are a lot of good tracks coming up for Junior, so maybe he could get a few more wins before the Chase. I think getting that first one is probably the hardest one. Maybe he will get on a roll now."