Motor Coach Installation
Lap of Luxury
By Kelly Sweeney
During the 10-month Sprint Cup Series racing season, NAS-
CAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) drivers spend
as many as four nights a week aboard their motor coaches. This home
away from home, parked on the infield of the track in a secure, gated
area, allows the driver more time at the track by eliminating commute
time and affords them all the comforts of home during a potentially
stressful time. With 36 races a season and sponsorship deals and pole
positions depending on their performance, these drivers need every
advantage they can get to qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is the sport’s highest level of pro-
fessional competition. It consists of 36 races on 20 oval tracks and two
road courses in 22 cities across the country. The champion is deter-
mined using a point system where points are given according to finish-
ing placement and laps led. After the first 26 races of the season, the
12 highest ranking drivers are seeded based on their wins and compete
in the last 10 races with the difference in points greatly equalized. The
final 10 races are called the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
Amadas Coach, established in 1981 and headquartered in Virgin-
ia, specializes in converting luxury motor homes and VIP executive
coaches. Their vehicles have been used by the likes of Rick Hendrick,
Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney and the Dave Matthews Band. The com-
pany was called upon last year to provide a new luxury motor coach
to a successful, young NASCAR driver, who had been using a custom
Amadas Coach Prevost Triple Slideout for the past two seasons.
Designer Julie Mandrell of Viaggio Lux in Dallas attended her first
NASCAR race — the Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speed-
way — several years ago. As a first-time attendee, she was told to pick
a driver to cheer for. She was delighted to learn last year that she had
been selected to design a motor coach for the very same driver. Man-
drell recalls, “I was extremely excited and nervous. I’ve designed air-
planes for princes in the Middle East, but this was my favorite driver!”
Viaggio — Italian for travel — Lux is a fitting name for Mandrell’s
company as she is known for her expertise and innovation in creating
first-class interiors that define luxury and sophistication, and deliver
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an unforgettable experience.
One of Mandrell’s initial concerns was designing an interior for
.designtrade.net
someone she had never met. She discovered this was not a cause for
concern when she traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina, for the Me-
morial Day weekend Coca-Cola 600. With Shannon Adams, market-
ing and purchasing manager for Amadas Coach, and the Tom Johnson
Camping Center, Mandrell did a walk-through on the driver’s previ-
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