2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series
 | This article documents a current sporting event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses. Initial news reports, scores, or statistics may be unreliable. The last updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. |
The 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season began on February 10, 2007 at Daytona International Speedway with the Budweiser Shootout and will end with the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18 of that same year. The Chase for the NEXTEL Cup will begin with the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway. This also serves as the final year that the series will be known as the NEXTEL Cup Series, as Sprint Nextel has decided to change the title series to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Changes in the points system and The Chase
It was officially announced on January 22 at the annual NASCAR Media Tour in Charlotte, North Carolina that two changes have been made for the 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup.
The first is that wins will now be more important. The driver who finishes first now receives 185 points instead of 180. Including the five-point bonus for leading a lap, and the possible five bonus points for leading the most laps, a driver can now get a maximum of 195 points for winning a race.
The other changes involve the actual Chase. The top twelve drivers after the Chevy Rock and Roll 400 will automatically qualify. Additionally, each driver will have their points reset to 5,000, plus ten points for each win during the first 26 races.
Top Stories and Controversies
Several major news stories and controversies have appeared early in the 2007 campaign.
Car of Tomorrow
AT&T Inc. vs. NASCAR
AT&T and BellSouth's Cingular brand, sponsor of Richard Childress Racing's #31 car, was legally renamed AT&T upon BellSouth's acquisition by AT&T, and has been phased out. This is not allowed under the grandfather clause in the original sponsorship agreement between the former Nextel Communitions (now Sprint Nextel) with NASCAR, and on March 16, it was announced that AT&T had filed suit in Atlanta Federal Court seeking to overturn said grandfather clause because of this and allow AT&T decals on the car. A judge ruled that RCR was allowed to put AT&T decals on the car on May 18, and the decals made their debut the following night in the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge. NASCAR originally had a stay when the judge ruled in RCR's favor, but that was later rescinded. On June 17, NASCAR countersued AT&T for $100 million (US).
Robby Gordon & Motorola
Motorola is an associate sponsor on Robby Gordon's #7 car, however when his self-owned team tried to put a Motorola decal on the car for the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway March 18, NASCAR ruled that this was in breach of the exclusivity clause with Sprint Nextel (even though NEXTEL uses Motorola phones) because NASCAR noticed this deal was part of Cellco Partnership (a joint partnership of Verizon and Vodafone) sponsorship of Gordon's Busch Series car (which is legal). NASCAR and Sprint later relented when it was decided to allow Motorola's Audio Products Division to be the car sponsor.
Shell logo controversy
Another controversy surrounds Shell and Sunoco. Sunoco is the exclusive gasoline supplier to NASCAR, yet RCR has signed Shell and their Pennzoil brand to the #29 car, driven by Kevin Harvick, winner of the Daytona 500 as that car had large Shell sponsorship decals during that race as well as large Shell logos on team uniforms in the pit crew and on Harvick himself. Pennzoil became the primary sponsor at following week's race in California. This was more than likely done at Sunoco's request, as a rival gasoline sponsored a car winning NASCAR's premier race, taking away publicity from an official sponsor.
Mark Martin schedule
The other concerns the part-time schedule being undertaken by Mark Martin. Through the spring Atlanta race, Martin held the points lead. Because he is taking a part-time schedule in the #01 Ginn Racing U.S. Army ride, Martin has reiterated that he will not run in all 36 races on the circuit this season, despite finishing second in the Daytona 500. He relinquished the lead by passing on the spring races at Bristol and Martinsville. Rookie driver Regan Smith is driving the #01 car in those races, as owner points had that car an exempt team for Bristol (from 2006) and Martinsville. However, Martin is extending his schedule to include a few more points races, but will again not race the full season.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. signs 5 year contract with Hendrick Motorsports
On May 10, 2007, it was announced that Dale Earnhardt, Jr. would be leaving the #8 Budweiser Chevrolet following the conclusion of the season as he could not get a contract extension with Dale Earnhardt, Inc., the driving team his father founded and run by his stepmother, Teresa Earnhardt. Speculation according to WFXT in Boston had him going to Richard Childress Racing where the "unretirement" of the #3 car that his father drove to six then-Winston Cup championships and the 1998 Daytona 500 championship would have happened. Other rumors had him going to Joe Gibbs Racing driving a team sponsored by VISA, or had him starting a NEXTEL Cup team with the organization he owns that fields Busch Series cars, JR Motorsports. However, at a press conference on June 13, 2007, Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced a five year deal to join Hendrick Motorsports, replacing Kyle Busch who drives the #5 Kellogg's/Carquest Chevrolet and will be driving the #5 or the #25 depending upon which car Casey Mears moves to next year[1].
2007 season
Teams
Each NEXTEL Cup race has a field of 43 cars.
For the first five races of 2007, the top 35 teams in owners points (not drivers' points) in 2006 earned an exemption into each race. If a driver went to a new team, he did not have a guaranteed starting spot, but his old team did, except if that new team was an exempt team. If a past champion is not driving for an exempt team (outside the top 35 in owner points), he may be eligible to use a past champions' provisional to enter the race. The provisional guarantees a spot to the most recent champion not exempt, but those who are former champions will be limited to six for the entire 2007 season.
Teams not exempt must "race" their way in during qualifying - if 47 cars are attempting to make the race, and no one is using a provisional, then there are 12 cars racing for eight spots, and the eight fastest cars will make the race. (The Daytona 500, which uses a different qualifying procedure, is the only exception to this rule, though the top 35 are still locked in.)
Starting with the sixth race in 2007, the current top 35 teams are awarded exemptions for the next race.
Full time entries
These 49 teams are expected to attempt all 36 NEXTEL Cup races. Those who need to qualify on time have their current owners points bolded.
Note: Dale Jarrett has used all of his championship provisionals through the spring race at Talladega.
(*) - Has past champions provisionals.
(†) - Will run the road races this season.
Part-time entries
These cars are expected to attempt several NEXTEL Cup races, but not all 36. Because it is highly unlikely any of the part-time teams will be in the top 35 in owners' points, they will have to race their way in to all events.
Rookies
- A. J. Allmendinger, #84 Red Bull Toyota (Team Red Bull)
- Paul Menard, #15 Menards Chevy (Dale Earnhardt Inc.)
- Juan Pablo Montoya, #42 Texaco / Havoline Dodge (Chip Ganassi Racing)
- David Ragan, #6 AAA Ford (Roush Fenway Racing)
- David Reutimann, #00 Domino's Pizza / Burger King Toyota (Michael Waltrip Racing)
- Regan Smith, #01 U.S. Army Chevy (Ginn Racing) §
- Jon Wood, #21 Little Debbie Ford (Wood Brothers/JTG Racing) §
§ - Smith and Wood will be running partial seasons, though they will be eligible for the rookie of the year award. The two have not announced they will be running for the award, however.
Driver Standings
| Currently eligible for the Chase for the NEXTEL Cup |
Standings as of July 16, 2007.
Drivers marked with (R) = Rookie Contender
+/- = Gain/Loss in position from previous race
Poles = Number of first place starting positions, decided in qualifying
| Rank | +/- | Driver | Points | Behind | Starts | Poles | Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 | Car |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Jeff Gordon
|
2911 | Leader | 19 | 5 | 4 | 12 | 17 | #24 Chevrolet | |
| 2 |  Denny Hamlin
|
2608 | (-)303 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 11 | #11 Chevrolet | |
| 3 |  Matt Kenseth
|
2565 | (-)346 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 13 | #17 Ford | |
| 4 | +1 | Jeff Burton
|
2491 | (-)420 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 10 | #31 Chevrolet |
| 5 | +1 |  Carl Edwards
|
2473 | (-)438 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 7 | #99 Ford |
| 6 | +1 |  Tony Stewart
|
2429 | (-)482 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 12 | #20 Chevrolet |
| 7 | -3 | Jimmie Johnson
|
2423 | (-)488 | 19 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 11 | #48 Chevrolet |
| 8 | +1 | Kevin Harvick
|
2337 | (-)574 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 9 | #29 Chevrolet |
| 9 | -1 |  Kyle Busch
|
2314 | (-)597 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 10 | #5 Chevrolet |
| 10 | +1 |  Clint Bowyer
|
2281 | (-)630 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 | #07 Chevrolet |
| 11 | -1 |  Martin Truex Jr.
|
2203 | (-)708 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 1 | #1 Chevrolet |
| 12 |  Dale Earnhardt Jr.
|
2146 | (-)765 | 19 | 0 | 00 | 7 | 3 | #8 Chevrolet |
2007 season races
All races are held in the USA. Race names are subject to change. See List of 2007 NASCAR races for a list and schedule of the 2007 season races.
Budweiser Shootout
This non-points race, which involves the previous season's pole winners and past Shootout winners, was held on Saturday, February 10, 2007, at Daytona International Speedway officially kicking off Speedweeks. Two-time series champion Tony Stewart took the checkered flag, but as he did so, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. made contact with the back bumper of Elliott Sadler, causing a five-car wreck less than 1000 feet from the start/finish line.
One of the biggest headlines for the Shootout was that it would be the first NEXTEL Cup race to feature Toyota, and in the draw for starting spots, Dale Jarrett, a Toyota driver, drew the pole position. However, he slid to the back within four laps of the start, and stayed there for most of the race. Brian Vickers, the other Toyota driver in the event, started fourth, and though he went back-and-forth through the field, finished eighth.
Top Ten Results:
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | #20 | Tony Stewart
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 2 | #38 | David Gilliland
|
Ford | Robert Yates Racing |
| 3 | #2 | Kurt Busch
|
Dodge | Penske Racing |
| 4 | #48 | Jimmie Johnson
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 5 | #29 | Kevin Harvick
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 6 | #01 |  Mark Martin
|
Chevrolet | Ginn Racing |
| 7 | #5 | Kyle Busch
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 8 | #83 | Brian Vickers
|
Toyota | Team Red Bull |
| 9 | #31 | Jeff Burton
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 10 | #10 | Scott Riggs
|
Dodge | Evernham Motorsports |
Daytona 500
Qualifying and Gatorade Duel
Qualifying for the front row of the 2007 Daytona 500 took place on February 11, 2007. Robert Yates Racing swept the front row with the #38 Ford Fusion of David Gilliland winning the pole and the #88 of teammate Ricky Rudd finishing second.
Rule-breaking tactics, however, swirled around the qualifying. Five teams were slapped with suspensions, fines and points deductions for illegal modifications. The hardest hit was Michael Waltrip, whose #55 team was the most harshly punished, having their race director and crew chief suspended indefinitely, fined $100,000 (US) and the docking of 100 owners and drivers points for a gelatin-like substance found in the intake manifold during inspections before the qualifying, and in a replacement manifold after qualifying. The substance was revealed by NASCAR, during the announcement of the penalties, to be an unspecified oxygenate compound that was blended with the fuel, possibly in an attempt to defeat the effect of the restrictor plate. Waltrip fired said crew chief for the unauthorized change that neither he or anyone else authorized. The #17 Matt Kenseth team of Roush Racing and the #9 Kasey Kahne team from Evernham Motorsports had their crew chiefs suspended for the first four races, fined $50,000 and had 50 driver and owner points taken away for illegal modifications discovered in post-qualifying inspections. All three teams also had their qualifying times for the pole positions disqualified, and Waltrip's original car was impounded by NASCAR, forcing him to go to a back-up auto for the first qualifying race.
Additionally, two other Evernham teams - the #10 of Scott Riggs and the #19 of Elliott Sadler - had their crew chiefs suspended for the first two races of the season, slapped with $25,000 fines and deductions of 25 owner and driver points. Unlike the other three teams, their times were allowed to stand and kept their starting positions for the qualifying doubleheader as those violations were found in pre-qualifying inspections.
Gilliland sat on the pole for the first of the Gatorade Duel races on February 15, 2007, which establishes the starting order for the Super Bowl of NASCAR Racing, while Rudd was on the point for the second race, which both aired on Speed as part of the new NASCAR TV package.
Top ten results:
Race One:
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | #20 | Tony Stewart
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 2 | #8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr.
|
Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. |
| 3 | #31 | Jeff Burton
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 4 | #38 | David Gilliland
|
Ford | Robert Yates Racing |
| 5 | #11 | Denny Hamlin
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 6 | #07 | Clint Bowyer
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 7 | #1 | Martin Truex Jr.
|
Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. |
| 8 | #55 |  Michael Waltrip
|
Toyota | Michael Waltrip Racing |
| 9 | #25 | Casey Mears
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 10 | #21 | Ken Schrader
|
Ford | Wood Brothers/JTG Racing |
Race Two:
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | #24 | Jeff Gordon §
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2 | #2 | Kurt Busch
|
Dodge | Penske Racing |
| 3 | #40 | David Stremme
|
Dodge | Chip Ganassi Racing |
| 4 | #5 | Kyle Busch
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 5 | #17 | Matt Kenseth
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 6 | #18 |  J.J. Yeley
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 7 | #99 | Carl Edwards
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 8 | #12 | Ryan Newman
|
Dodge | Penske Racing |
| 9 | #13 |  Joe Nemechek
|
Chevrolet | Ginn Racing |
| 10 | #96 | Tony Raines
|
Chevrolet | Hall of Fame Racing |
NOTE: First race was extended by three laps (157.5 miles) due to green-white-checker finish.
§ — During post-race inspection, it was discovered that Jeff Gordon's car was one inch too low due to misaligned bolts on a shock absorber. Gordon would keep the win, but had to start 42nd in the Daytona 500.
The race
The race was hotly contested by many, with many stories abound. From Toyota attempting to emotionally rebound after Michael Waltrip's loss of not only his crew chief and VP of Competition, but also losing 100 driver and owner points. Other stories were Jeff Gordon's disqualification after winning his Gatorade Duel, and Tony Stewart's Speedweeks domination, attempting to win the Bud Shootout, the Duel, and the Daytona 500. The first few laps were incident free except for a spin by road racing veteran Boris Said. The race was dominated by Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch. Both combined for a total of 130 of 200 laps. However, with just under a quarter of the laps to go, Tony got loose in Turn 4 while Kurt was unable to avoid Stewart and turned him into the wall in a crash that looked like the one that killed Dale Earnhardt in 2001. From that point on, it was a game of survival of the fastest as defending race winner Jimmie Johnson, outside polesitter Ricky Rudd, and fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. were taken out in incidents throughout the day. A red flag was brought out in a crash involving Jamie McMurray, Rudd, and Junior. At the time of the flag, Mark Martin, who had not won the Great American Race in 22 tries, was in the lead with his ex-teammates behind him. On the restart, everyone attempted to pass Mark on the low line, but he successfully blocked. However, charging up the outside was Kevin Harvick who came from 34th to take the lead heading into the fourth turn. However, the Big One would finally occur on the last lap as Kyle Busch hit the apron and spun, causing a chain reaction crash. Despite the incidents, NASCAR officials did not freeze the field and let Harvick and Martin duke it out in the last hundred yards. In one of the closest 500s since the inaugural in 1959, Kevin Harvick passed Mark Martin to the stripe by 0.020 seconds, becoming the 31st different winner of the Great American Race.
Top ten results (202 laps/505 miles due to green-white-checkered rule.)
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | #29 | Kevin Harvick
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 2 | #01 | Mark Martin
|
Chevrolet | Ginn Racing |
| 3 | #31 | Jeff Burton
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 4 | #09 | Mike Wallace
|
Chevrolet | Phoenix Racing |
| 5 | #6 | David Ragan (R)
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 6 | #19 | Elliott Sadler
|
Dodge | Evernham Motorsports |
| 7 | #9 |  Kasey Kahne
|
Dodge | Evernham Motorsports |
| 8 | #38 | David Gilliland
|
Ford | Robert Yates Racing |
| 9 | #13 | Joe Nemechek
|
Chevrolet | Ginn Racing |
| 10 | #24 | Jeff Gordon
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
Failed to Qualify:
- Duel Race #1:Mike Bliss (#49), Kenny Wallace (#78), Stanton Barrett (#30), Bill Elliott (#37), Ward Burton (#4), Brandon Whitt (#72), A. J. Allmendinger (#84), James Hylton (#58), Jeremy Mayfield (#36)
- Duel Race #2:Mike Skinner (#23), Brian Vickers (#83), Frank Kimmel (#71), Derrike Cope (#74), Kevin Lepage (#34), Regan Smith (#39), Kirk Shelmerdine (#27), Paul Menard (#15), Eric McClure (#04).
Auto Club 500
The Auto Club 500, NASCAR's second points race of the season, and what many people consider "the first real race of the season" (without the restrictor plates run at Daytona) was held at California Speedway on February 25, 2007. This race was the first run in NEXTEL Cup series history with unleaded gasoline, as all three major series began running Sunoco 260 GT Plus, a 112-octane racing fuel, starting with this race. Jeff Gordon won his first pole of the season. Matt Kenseth swept the Busch and Cup Series races at Fontana, and Toyota gained its first top-10 in the NEXTEL Cup Series.
Top ten results:
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | #17 | Matt Kenseth
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 2. | #24 | Jeff Gordon
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 3. | #48 | Jimmie Johnson
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 4. | #31 | Jeff Burton
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 5. | #01 | Mark Martin
|
Chevrolet | Ginn Racing |
| 6. | #07 | Clint Bowyer
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 7. | #2 | Kurt Busch
|
Dodge | Penske Racing South |
| 8. | #20 | Tony Stewart
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 9. | #5 | Kyle Busch
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 10. | #83 | Brian Vickers
|
Toyota | Team Red Bull |
Failed to qualify: Michael Waltrip (#55), Ward Burton (#4), Jeremy Mayfield (#36), A. J. Allmendinger (#84), Brandon Whitt (#72), Mike Bliss (#49), Kenny Wallace (#78), Kevin Lepage (#34)
UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400
The UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400, NASCAR's third race of the season, was held at the newly refurbished Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 11, 2007. Kasey Kahne won the pole.
Top ten results:
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | #48 | Jimmie Johnson
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2. | #24 | Jeff Gordon
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 3. | #11 | Denny Hamlin
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 4. | #17 | Matt Kenseth
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 5. | #01 | Mark Martin
|
Chevrolet | Ginn Racing |
| 6. | #99 | Carl Edwards
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 7. | #20 | Tony Stewart
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 8. | #12 | Ryan Newman
|
Dodge | Penske Racing South |
| 9. | #5 | Kyle Busch
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 10. | #26 | Jamie McMurray
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
Failed to qualify: A.J. Allmendinger (#84), Mike Bliss (#49), John Andretti (#37), Brian Vickers (#83), David Reutimann (#00), Jeremy Mayfield (#36), Brandon Whitt (#72), Kevin Lepage (#34), Michael Waltrip (#55), Ken Schrader (#47).
NOTE: Regan Smith was to have qualified in the #39 car, but the car was withdrawn prior to qualifying.
Kobalt Tools 500
The fourth race of the season, the Kobalt Tools 500, was held at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 18, 2007. Ryan Newman won the pole, his seventh at Atlanta, but started 43rd after blowing an engine in Saturday practice.
Top ten results:
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | #48 | Jimmie Johnson
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2. | #20 | Tony Stewart
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 3. | #17 | Matt Kenseth
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 4. | #31 | Jeff Burton
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 5. | #42 |  Juan Pablo Montoya (R)
|
Dodge | Chip Ganassi Racing |
| 6. | #07 | Clint Bowyer
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 7. | #99 | Carl Edwards
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 8. | #1 | Martin Truex Jr.
|
Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. |
| 9. | #41 |  Reed Sorenson
|
Dodge | Chip Ganassi Racing |
| 10. | #01 | Mark Martin
|
Chevrolet | Ginn Racing |
Failed to qualify: Scott Wimmer (#33), Ward Burton (#4), John Andretti (#37), Michael Waltrip (#55), Kenny Wallace (#78), Kevin Lepage (#34), Jeremy Mayfield (#36), A. J. Allmendinger (#84)
Food City 500
The fifth race of the season, the Food City 500, was held at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 25, 2007. This was the first race to feature the Car of Tomorrow and the last before the fabled high banks are repaved with new concrete for the August race under the lights with progressive banking.
Jeff Gordon won the first CoT Pole Position in NASCAR history, but this race was the first race without Joe Nemechek participating in five years as he failed to qualify on speed as his #13 Ginn Racing team missed the show. However, Jeremy Mayfield (Bill Davis Racing #36) and A.J. Allmendinger (Team Red Bull #84) both started their first race of the season.
Top ten results: (504 laps/252 miles due to green-white-checkered rule.)
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | #5 | Kyle Busch
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2. | #31 | Jeff Burton
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 3. | #24 | Jeff Gordon
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 4. | #29 | Kevin Harvick
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 5. | #16 | Greg Biffle
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 6. | #66 | Jeff Green
|
Chevrolet | Haas CNC Racing |
| 7. | #8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr.
|
Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. |
| 8. | #07 | Clint Bowyer
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 9. | #26 | Jamie McMurray
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 10. | #25 | Casey Mears
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
Failed to qualify: Kevin Lepage (#37), David Reutimann (#00), Michael Waltrip (#55), Paul Menard (#15), Joe Nemechek (#13), Johnny Sauter (#70)
Goody's Cool Orange 500
The Goody's Cool Orange 500, the sixth race of the season was held at Martinsville Speedway on April 1, 2007, as this race was the second race to feature the Car of Tomorrow and the first of the season to use the 2007 owners' points to lock in the Top 35 teams for qualification. Denny Hamlin won the pole for this race, and Jimmie Johnson was the race winner.
Top ten results:
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | #48 | Jimmie Johnson
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2. | #24 | Jeff Gordon
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 3. | #11 | Denny Hamlin
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 4. | #5 | Kyle Busch
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 5. | #8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr.
|
Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. |
| 6. | #31 | Jeff Burton
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 7. | #20 | Tony Stewart
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 8. | #10 | Scott Riggs
|
Dodge | Evernham Motorsports |
| 9. | #26 | Jamie McMurray
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 10. | #17 | Matt Kenseth
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
Failed to qualify: Michael Waltrip (#55), Paul Menard (#15), Kenny Wallace (#78), Kevin Lepage (#34), Brian Vickers (#83), Ward Burton (#4)
Samsung 500
The Samsung 500, the seventh race of the season was held at Texas Motor Speedway on April 15, 2007. Qualifying was cancelled due to a wild tornado outbreak and the field was set by current owners' points, as a result Jeff Gordon started from the pole. He finished a respectable fourth place, but the race was won on turn 2 of the final lap by Jeff Burton, who overtook Matt Kenseth for the lead in a classy finish.
Top ten results:
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | #31 | Jeff Burton
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 2. | #17 | Matt Kenseth
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 3. | #01 | Mark Martin
|
Chevrolet | Ginn Racing |
| 4. | #24 | Jeff Gordon
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 5. | #26 | Jamie McMurray
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 6. | #16 | Greg Biffle
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 7. | #1 | Martin Truex Jr.
|
Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. |
| 8. | #42 | Juan Montoya (R)
|
Dodge | Chip Ganassi Racing |
| 9. | #11 | Denny Hamlin
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 10. | #40 | David Stremme
|
Dodge | Chip Ganassi Racing |
Did not qualify due to qualifying cancellation: David Reutimann (#00), Jeremy Mayfield (#36), John Andretti (#37), A. J. Allmendinger (#84), Michael Waltrip (#55), Ward Burton (#4), Kevin Lepage (#34), Scott Wimmer (#33)
Subway Fresh Fit 500
The eighth race of the season, the Subway Fresh Fit 500, was held at Phoenix International Raceway on April 21, 2007. This was the third race to feature the Car of Tomorrow, as well as the season's first night race. Jeff Gordon captured his third pole of the season, tying him for fourth on the all-time poles list with Darrell Waltrip. Near the end of the race, he pulled away from Tony Stewart, won the race and tied Dale Earnhardt's 76 wins. In the eyes of his son, Jeff Gordon pulled a class act and drove a "Polish Victory Lap" with the flag of his father's famous #3, but fans of "The Imtimidator" threw cans and bottles of beer on the track (mainly Earnhardt, Jr.'s sponsor Budweiser), and were criticized by the driver of the #8 car in the post-race news conference. Tony Stewart, who was leading when Jeff Gordon passed him following a caution was so irate about the outcome (even going as far to criticize that NASCAR "fixes" races much like professional wrestling on his satellite radio show later that week) blew off the manditory appearance at the post-race media session, and was fined $10,000 (US) for doing so.
Top ten results:
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | #24 | Jeff Gordon
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2. | #20 | Tony Stewart
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 3. | #11 | Denny Hamlin
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 4. | #48 | Jimmie Johnson
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 5. | #17 | Matt Kenseth
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 6. | #66 | Jeff Green
|
Chevrolet | Haas CNC Racing |
| 7. | #5 | Kyle Busch
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 8. | #43 |  Bobby Labonte
|
Dodge | Petty Enterprises |
| 9. | #70 | Johnny Sauter
|
Chevrolet | Haas CNC Racing |
| 10. | #29 | Kevin Harvick
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
Failed to qualify: Jeremy Mayfield (#36), Michael Waltrip (#55), John Andretti (#37), Brian Vickers (#83), A. J. Allmendinger (#84), Mike Bliss (#49), Brandon Ash (#02)
Aaron's 499
The Aaron's 499, the ninth race of the season, was held at Talladega Superspeedway on April 29, 2007. Jeff Gordon won his second consecutive pole over David Gilliland who clocked an identical qualifying time by virtue of his higher standing in the owner points. Gordon broke his tie with Dale Earnhardt, while fourteen fans were arrested for throwing more beer cans at Gordon, despite being warned prior to the race. Those fans were banned from buying tickets from Talladega for life, but a loophole was found that would have those fans buying tickets from third-party companies and attend races in Alabama. Wood Brothers/JTG Racing missed their first race since the May 2000 event at California Speedway as they were out of the Top 35 in points.
Top ten results:
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | #24 | Jeff Gordon
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2. | #48 | Jimmie Johnson
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 3. | #2 | Kurt Busch
|
Dodge | Penske Racing |
| 4. | #38 | David Gilliland
|
Ford | Robert Yates Racing |
| 5. | #26 | Jamie McMurray
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 6. | #29 | Kevin Harvick
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 7. | #8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr.
|
Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. |
| 8. | #40 | David Stremme
|
Dodge | Chip Ganassi Racing |
| 9. | #12 | Ryan Newman
|
Dodge | Penske Racing |
| 10. | #1 | Martin Truex Jr.
|
Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. |
Failed to qualify: Michael Waltrip (#55), Brian Vickers (#83), Dave Blaney (#22), A. J. Allmendinger (#84), Ken Schrader (#21), Mike Wallace (#09), Kevin Lepage (#34), John Andretti (#37), Mike Bliss (#49)
Crown Royal Presents The Jim Stewart 400
The tenth race of the season, the Crown Royal Presents The Jim Stewart 400, was scheduled to be held at Richmond International Raceway on May 5, 2007, but was postponed due to rain to May 6th. This was the fourth race to feature the Car of Tomorrow. The race was named after Jim Stewart of Houma, Louisiana who won an essay contest during the festivities leading up to the Daytona 500 sponsored by Crown Royal. The contest was so popular, it is being repeated in 2008. Jeff Gordon captured his third straight pole by .01 second over second place qualifier Carl Edwards. Dale Jarrett failed to qualify and missed his first Nextel Cup Race since the 1994 fall race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
Top ten results:
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | #48 | Jimmie Johnson
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2. | #5 | Kyle Busch
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 3. | #11 | Denny Hamlin
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 4. | #24 | Jeff Gordon
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 5. | #2 | Kurt Busch
|
Dodge | Penske Racing |
| 6. | #12 | Ryan Newman
|
Dodge | Penske Racing |
| 7. | #29 | Kevin Harvick
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 8. | #20 | Tony Stewart
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 9. | #07 | Clint Bowyer
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 10. | #17 | Matt Kenseth
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
Failed to qualify: Brian Vickers (#83), Michael Waltrip (#55), Jeremy Mayfield (#36), Ken Schrader (#21), Dale Jarrett (#44), Kevin Lepage (#37), Mike Bliss (#49)
Dodge Avenger 500
The Dodge Avenger 500, NASCAR's eleventh race of the season, was held at Darlington Raceway on May 13, 2007, after rain forced the scheduled race date (May 12) to be postponed to the following afternoon. This was the fifth race to feature the Car of Tomorrow. Clint Bowyer won his first career pole when he earned the pole position in qualifying.
The race marked the 50th anniversary of the first Rebel 300, run on Confederate Memorial Day weekend. Ironically, like the inaugural Rebel exactly 50 years to the date of the rescheduled date, the 51st running of the "Rebel" was postponed because of rain itself. Unlike 1957, when Darlington Raceway president Bob Colvin was fined for racing on Sunday, a violation of South Carolina Blue Laws, current regulations permit Sunday racing provided (1) the race was scheduled for greater than 250 miles or (2) if the race start was later than 1:30 PM. The 501.367 mile distance made the race legal on Sunday.
(The September 1983 Busch Series race at Darlington, held on a Sunday as the Southern 500 was held on Monday, was 250 miles because of the law. All other races at the track have been 200 miles on Friday or Saturday.)
Despite radiator problems, Jeff Gordon won his second Rebel, his first since 1996. (Gordon won a record-tying five Mountain Dew Southern 500's, his most for any major, part of NASCAR's Grand Slam, was removed from the schedule because of a lawsuit.)
This was also the first daytime race at Darlington since the Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 in March 2004.
Following the race, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. had been docked 100 drivers points, his owner, Teresa Earhardt (his stepmother) had 100 owners points taken away from the #8 team and was fined $100,000 and crew chief Tony Eury, Jr. was suspended until July 4th for illegal bolts on the wing of the Chevy Impala Car of Tomorrow.
Top ten results:
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | #24 | Jeff Gordon
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2. | #11 | Denny Hamlin
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 3. | #48 | Jimmie Johnson
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 4. | #12 | Ryan Newman
|
Dodge | Penske Racing |
| 5. | #99 | Carl Edwards
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 6. | #20 | Tony Stewart
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 7. | #17 | Matt Kenseth
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 8. | #8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr.
|
Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt Incorporated |
| 9. | #07 | Clint Bowyer
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 10. | #31 | Jeff Burton
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
Failed to qualify: Jeremy Mayfield (#36), Ward Burton (#4), Mike Bliss (#49), Michael Waltrip (#55), Dale Jarrett (#44), Scott Riggs (#10)
NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge
The 23rd annual NEXTEL Open and All-Star Challenge, the second and final non-points event of the season, was held at Lowe's Motor Speedway on May 19, 2007. As part of the new NASCAR television package, these events were broadcast on Speed after six years on FX. New formats were used for not only the All Star itself, but also for the Open and the Pit Crew Challenge. in the first rule changes since the "Survivor" theme was eliminated from the event (then known as The Winston) after the 2003 season. Matt Kenseth earned the pole for the main event, while Martin Truex, Jr. and Johnny Sauter overtook a fading pole sitter Carl Edwards to win the NEXTEL Open, and Kenny Wallace (a/k/a "Herman the German") voted in by the fans, but it was Kevin Harvick in the end winning the final quarter over defending champion Jimmie Johnson and the $1 million first prize. To reflect the change in the series (and event's) title sponsor, the 2008 race and all future races will be called the Sprint All-Star Challenge.
Top Ten Results
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | #29 | Kevin Harvick
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 2 | #48 | Jimmie Johnson
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 3 | #01 | Mark Martin
|
Chevrolet | Ginn Racing |
| 4 | #31 | Jeff Burton
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 5 | #20 | Tony Stewart
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 6 | #70 | Johnny Sauter
|
Chevrolet | Haas CNC Racing |
| 7 | #17 | Matt Kenseth
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 8 | #12 | Ryan Newman
|
Dodge | Penske Racing South |
| 9 | #8 | Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
|
Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt Inc. |
| 10 | #1 | Martin Truex, Jr
|
Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt Inc. |
Coca-Cola 600
The Coca-Cola 600, NASCAR's twelveth Nextel Cup race of the season, was held at Lowe's Motor Speedway on May 27, 2007. This is the longest race run by NEXTEL Cup (600 miles), and marks the official one-third mark of the season. Penske Racing South teammates Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch led a group of three Dodges to the green flag. One of the main factors of the 600 is not only the physical condition of the drivers, but the legend that Lowe's has of being an ever changing racetrack.
The "first phase" of the 600 was wild and crazy, with two cautions involving 21 cars in all. FOX commentator Darrell Waltrip even said that the race had a higher attrition rate than Bristol.The first wreck saw five-time Lowe's winner Jimmie Johnson lose his tire tread and start a multi car pileup behind him. The second crash was more spectacular. The car of Tony Raines got loose and turned the car of Jeff Gordon into the grass. As Gordon came back across the track, the oncoming car of A.J. Allmendinger hit the right side door, jacking Gordon's car off the ground. Penske's dominance of the day would end in the night with a crash by Kurt Busch and a blown engine from Newman. Toyota, who had been struggling through the first third of the season, had only lead a total of 15 laps. However, not only did both of Team Red Bull's cars make the race, but Brian Vickers carried the day for the manufacturer, leading 72 laps before power steering problems hit, but rallied for the marquee's first top five in NEXTEL Cup competition. Somehow, in the end, the longest race of the season would come down to who could go the longest on 18¾ gallons of fuel. Casey Mears, who had not won in 154 previous attempts, snapped his losing streak and joined teammate Jeff Gordon on the list of first time winners of the Coke 600. Mears went straight to Victory Lane after running out of fuel after crossing the finish line, leaving none to do a post-race burnout or "doughnuts".
Top ten results:
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | #25 | Casey Mears
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2. | #18 | J.J. Yeley
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 3. | #45 | Kyle Petty
|
Dodge | Petty Enterprises |
| 4. | #41 | Reed Sorenson
|
Dodge | Chip Ganassi Racing |
| 5. | #83 | Brian Vickers
|
Toyota | Team Red Bull |
| 6. | #20 | Tony Stewart
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 7. | #88 | Ricky Rudd
|
Ford | Robert Yates Racing |
| 8. | #8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr.
|
Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt Incorporated |
| 9. | #11 | Denny Hamlin
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 10. | #48 | Jimmie Johnson
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
Failed to qualify: Paul Menard (#15), Michael Waltrip (#55), Ward Burton (#4), Kevin Lepage (#37), Mike Bliss (#49), David Reutimann (#00)
Autism Speaks 400 presented by Visa
The Autism Speaks 400 presented by Visa, the thirteenth race of the season, was held at Dover International Speedway on June 4, 2007 following postponement due to rain. Ryan Newman won his second consecutive pole. This was the sixth race to feature the Car of Tomorrow, as well as the last race broadcast by FOX in 2007. The race also serves as the halfway mark for the battle for entry into the 2007 Chase for the Nextel Cup. This race also marked the first time since Daytona that Michael Waltrip raced on Sunday, or because of the rainout, a Monday. In a twist of irony, Waltrip's teammate, David Reutimann, who had out qualified or bumped his boss from the field many times before, failed to qualify for his second consecutive race. Martin Truex Jr. won his first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race, leading 216 of the 400 laps. The race was also noted for the announcement during the race that Bill France, Jr. peacefully passed on earlier that afternoon. It was the last race of the season to be broadcast on FOX.
Top ten results:
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | #1 | Martin Truex Jr.
|
Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt Incorporated |
| 2. | #12 | Ryan Newman
|
Dodge | Penske Racing South |
| 3. | #99 | Carl Edwards
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 4. | #11 | Denny Hamlin
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 5. | #17 | Matt Kenseth
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 6. | #16 | Greg Biffle
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 7. | #01 | Mark Martin
|
Chevrolet | Ginn Racing |
| 8. | #07 | Clint Bowyer
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 9. | #24 | Jeff Gordon
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 10. | #7 | Robby Gordon
|
Ford | Robby Gordon Motorsports |
Failed to Qualify: Dave Blaney (#22), Paul Menard (#15), Kenny Wallace (#78), David Reutimann (#00), Mike Bliss (#49), Kevin Lepage (#37).
Pocono 500
The Pocono 500, the fourteenth race of the season, was held at Pocono Raceway on June 10, 2007. It was the first of six 2007 races broadcast by TNT. Ryan Newman earned his third consecutive Budweiser Pole Award. In a delayed and postponed at lap 106 race, Jeff Gordon won his third Pocono 500.
Top ten results:
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | #24 | Jeff Gordon
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2. | #12 | Ryan Newman
|
Dodge | Penske Racing |
| 3. | #1 | Martin Truex Jr.
|
Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt Inc. |
| 4. | #25 | Casey Mears
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 5. | #20 | Tony Stewart
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 6. | #11 | Denny Hamlin
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 7. | #01 | Mark Martin
|
Chevrolet | Ginn Racing |
| 8. | #5 | Kyle Busch
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 9. | #17 | Matt Kenseth
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 10. | #07 | Clint Bowyer
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
Failed to Qualify: Michael Waltrip (#55), Kenny Wallace (#78), Jeremy Mayfield (#36), Kevin Lepage (#37), Dale Jarrett (#44), Mike Bliss (#49)
Citizens Bank 400
The Citizens Bank 400, the fifteenth race of the season, was held at Michigan International Speedway on June 17, 2007. J. J. Yeley won his first career pole, and Carl Edwards won his first race in 52 races. The race also saw Michael Waltrip, who has had a bad year since the Daytona qualifying fiasco, finish tenth in his NAPA #55 Toyota.
Top ten results:
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | #99 | Carl Edwards
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 2. | #1 | Martin Truex Jr.
|
Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. |
| 3. | #20 | Tony Stewart
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 4. | #25 | Casey Mears
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 5. | #8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr.
|
Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. |
| 6. | #5 | Kyle Busch
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 7. | #29 | Kevin Harvick
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 8. | #26 | Jamie McMurray
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 9. | #24 | Jeff Gordon
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 10. | #55 | Michael Waltrip
|
Toyota | Michael Waltrip Racing |
Failed to Qualify: Dale Jarrett (#44), Ward Burton (#4), Jeremy Mayfield (#36), Mike Bliss (#49), Kevin Lepage (#37), Kenny Wallace (#78)
Toyota/Save Mart 350
The sixteenth race of the season was held at Infineon Raceway on June 24, 2007. Failing inspections on Friday, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson were not allowed on the track that day, including for qualifying. As a result, they were placed 41st and 42nd respectively in the starting lineup, and two days following the race, both drivers were penalized 100 owner and driver points, fined $100,000 and had their crew chiefs (Chad Knaus for Johnson and Steve Letarte for Jeff Gordon) suspended for six races (until August 15) and placed on probation until the end of the 2007 calendar year. This was the seventh race to feature the Car of Tomorrow, and the first road course race of 2007. For the first time in two years, Jamie McMurray won the pole position. In addition to Regan Smith driving the #01 for Mark Martin, a number road course specialists were added, or substituted for regular drivers:
- #00 P. J. Jones instead of David Reutimann
- #36 (entered as #23) Butch Leitzinger instead of Jeremy Mayfield
- #37 Brian Simo instead of Kevin Lepage (failed to make race)
- #49 Klaus Graf instead of Mike Bliss (failed to make race)
- #55 Terry Labonte instead of Michael Waltrip
- #96 Ron Fellows instead of Tony Raines
- #60 (officially #160) Boris Said
- #91 (officially #191) Marc Goossens
Much of the race was dominated by road course ace Robby Gordon, whose self-owned #7 Monster Energy Ford dominated the field, leading 48 laps. Robby hoped to win his first race since 2003 (also on a road course). However, through all the twists and turns, fuel mileage came into play after Joe Nemechek spun. Gordon's hopes were dashed when he was forced to pit for fuel. After his stop, the lead was given to McMurray, who had not won since 2002. However, McMurray would be chased by ex-F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya. Montoya passed McMurray (who was later forced to pit for a splash of fuel) with a few laps remaining and held off Daytona 500 winner Kevin Harvick to become the first Colombian born driver (and the third not to have been born in the USA) to win in a NASCAR Cup Series event. The win was even bigger for Montoya's car owner, Chip Ganassi who had struggled in previous years but would finally taste victory for the first time since 2002.
Top ten results:
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | #42 | Juan Pablo Montoya
|
Dodge | Chip Ganassi Racing |
| 2. | #29 | Kevin Harvick
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 3. | #31 | Jeff Burton
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 4. | #07 | Clint Bowyer
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 5. | #16 | Greg Biffle
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 6. | #20 | Tony Stewart
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 7. | #24 | Jeff Gordon
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 8. | #5 | Kyle Busch
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 9. | #60 | Boris Said
|
Ford | No Fear Racing |
| 10. | #11 | Denny Hamlin
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
Failed to qualify: Ward Burton (#4), Brian Vickers (#83), A.J. Allmendinger (#84), Kenny Wallace (#78), Scott Riggs (#10), Klaus Graf (#49), Brandon Ash (#02), Brian Simo (#37), Paul Menard (#15)
Lenox Industrial Tools 300
The Lenox Industrial Tools 300, the seventeenth race of the season and the eighth to feature the Car of Tomorrow, was held at New Hampshire International Speedway on July 1, 2007. Dave Blaney won the pole, his second career pole and the first for Toyota in NEXTEL Cup.
Top ten results:
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | #11 | Denny Hamlin
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 2. | #24 | Jeff Gordon
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 3. | #1 | Martin Truex Jr.
|
Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt Incorporated |
| 4. | #8 | Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
|
Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt Incorporated |
| 5. | #48 | Jimmie Johnson
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 6. | #66 | Jeff Green
|
Chevrolet | Haas CNC Racing |
| 7. | #31 | Jeff Burton
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 8. | #29 | Kevin Harvick
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 9. | #17 | Matt Kenseth
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 10. | #12 | Ryan Newman
|
Dodge | Penske Racing |
Failed to qualify: Michael Waltrip (#55), Chad Chaffin (#49)*, A.J. Allmendinger (#84), Kenny Wallace (#78), Scott Riggs (#10), Dale Jarrett (#44).
* — Shortly after qualifying, the #83 Red Bull Toyota driven by Brian Vickers was disqualified in post-qualifying inspection for being too low in the front valence and its' qualifying time was disallowed. Chaffin took Vickers' place in the starting lineup. Following the race, the cars of Kyle Busch and Johnny Sauter were found to also be too low in post-race inspection. NASCAR confiscated the cars and penalized both teams 25 driver & owner points, fined each crew chief $25,000 and placed their respective crew chiefs on probation until Sept. 19th, after the next New Hampshire race.
Pepsi 400
The Pepsi 400, NASCAR's eighteenth NEXTEL Cup race of the season, was held at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2007. The race officially marked the halfway point of the season, as well as the final time the old car template, with restrictor plate rules, were run on a superspeedway. Coverage on TNT featured limited interruptions in a "wide open" production. In addition, this race may be the last time the race will be called the Pepsi 400, ending a 21-year sponsorship. Coca-Cola may gradually take over pouring rights at all ISC-owned tracks starting with the Daytona Speedweeks events in February 2008. However, no deal has yet been confirmed by either NASCAR or Coca-Cola[2].
The biggest news to come out of this race was qualifying. Boris Said in the #60 Ford was the fastest, but a rainstorm stopped the process, and under NASCAR rules, all cars must make a qualifying attempt before it is made official. Six other cars not in the top 35 in owners' points were following Said, but Jeff Gordon would be on the pole as time trials were rained out, and the field was set by the NASCAR rulebook based on owner points.
The race itself featured many twists and turns. Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, and Dale Earnhardt Jr., some of the race favorites, were taken out early in a wreck. Eventually, Jamie McMurray, suffering a 166 race winless slump (since October 2002 at Lowe's Motor Speedway), overcame a black flag penalty in the race and broke through to record his second career victory by only .005 seconds over Kyle Busch, becoming tied for the second closest finish in NASCAR history, the closest coming in 2003 when Ricky Craven edged Kurt Busch at Darlington Raceway by .002 seconds.
Top ten results:
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | #26 | Jamie McMurray
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 2. | #5 | Kyle Busch
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 3. | #2 | Kurt Busch
|
Dodge | Penske Racing |
| 4. | #99 | Carl Edwards
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 5. | #24 | Jeff Gordon
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 6. | #16 | Greg Biffle
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 7. | #07 | Clint Bowyer
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 8. | #17 | Matt Kenseth
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 9. | #9 | Kasey Kahne
|
Dodge | Evernham Motorsports |
| 10. | #48 | Jimmie Johnson
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
Failed to make race as qualifying was rained out: Jeremy Mayfield (#36), A.J. Allmendinger (#84), Larry Foyt (#49), Michael Waltrip (#55), Kevin Lepage (#37), Ward Burton (#4), Boris Said (#60), Mike Wallace (#09), Eric McClure (#04), Kirk Shelmerdine (#27)
USG Sheetrock 400
The USG Sheetrock 400, NASCAR's nineteenth race of the season was held at Chicagoland Speedway on July 15, 2007 and will be the last 2007 race to be broadcast by TNT. Casey Mears won the pole. Of note, John Andretti, subbing for Kyle Petty who is currently in the TNT booth, qualified a surprise 9th, and Michael Waltrip made his fourth race of the season. Tony Stewart, who was in the midst of a 20-race winless streak and an altercation with teammate Denny Hamlin at Daytona, fended off challenges from Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson to grab his first victory of the season.
Top ten results:
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | #20 | Tony Stewart
|
Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 2. | #17 | Matt Kenseth
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 3. | #99 | Carl Edwards
|
Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 4. | #99 | Kevin Harvick
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 5. | #25 | Casey Mears
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 6. | #2 | Kurt Busch
|
Dodge | Penske Racing |
| 7. | #31 | Jeff Burton
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 8. | #12 | Ryan Newman
|
Dodge | Penske Racing |
| 9. | #24 | Jeff Gordon
|
Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 10. | #07 | Clint Bowyer
|
Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
Failed to Qualify: Scott Riggs (#10), Kevin Lepage (#37), Dale Jarrett (#44), Kenny Wallace (#78), Brian Vickers, (#83) A.J. Allmendinger (#84)
Allstate 400 at The Brickyard
The Allstate 400 at The Brickyard, the twentieth NEXTEL Cup race of the season will be held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 29, 2007. It will be the first NEXTEL Cup race to be broadcast by ESPN since the 2000 NASCAR season when they carried the NAPA 500 from Atlanta. Additionally, this will be the first time the Indianapolis event is scheduled for cable; the previous thirteen runnings of the race were broadcast on network television, either on ABC or NBC.
Of note, Petty Enterprises driver Kyle Petty is expected to make his 800th career NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series start at the Brickyard.
Pennsylvania 500
The twenty-first race of the season will be held at Pocono Raceway on August 5, 2007.
Centurion Boats the Glen
The twenty-second race of the season will be held at Watkins Glen International on August 12, 2007. This will be the ninth race to feature the Car of Tomorrow, and will be the second and final road course race of the season.
3M Performance 400
The twenty-third race of the season will be held at Michigan International Speedway on August 19, 2007. The race sponsor moves from the June race to the August race in 2007.
Sharpie 500
The twenty-fourth race of the season will be held at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 25, 2007. This will be the tenth race to feature the Car of Tomorrow.
NASCAR Nextel Cup Series 500
The twenty-fifth race of the season will be held at California Speedway on September 2, 2007. This will be ESPN's final race telecast.
Chevy Rock & Roll 400
The twenty-sixth race of the season will be held at Richmond International Raceway on September 8, 2007. This will be the eleventh race to feature the Car of Tomorrow, the first race to be broadcast on ABC and more importantly, the last race before the Chase to the NEXTEL Cup.
Chase for the Nextel Cup
All ten of the races in the 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup will air on ABC. The ten races will be evenly split between the regular stock car and the Car of Tomorrow, with the COT running at New Hampshire, Dover, Talladega, Martinsville and Phoenix.
Sylvania 300
The first race of the 2007 Chase will be held at New Hampshire International Speedway on September 16, 2007. This will be the twelfth race to feature the Car of Tomorrow.
Dover 400
The second race of the 2007 Chase will be held at Dover International Speedway on September 23, 2007. This will be the thirteenth race to feature the Car of Tomorrow.
Kansas 400
The third race of the 2007 Chase will be held at Kansas Speedway on September 30, 2007.
UAW-Ford 500
The fourth race of the 2007 Chase will be held at Talladega Superspeedway on October 7, 2007. This will be the fourteenth race to feature the Car of Tomorrow, but it will be the first to use them with restrictor plates. Also, gear restrictions, which have not been used at restrictor plate races, but have been in use at other races since 2005, will also be used for the first time at the track.
Bank of America 500
The fifth race of the 2007 Chase will be held at Lowe's Motor Speedway on October 13, 2007.
Subway 500
The sixth race of the 2007 Chase will be held at Martinsville Speedway on October 21, 2007. This will be the fifteenth race to feature the Car of Tomorrow.
Georgia 500
The seventh race of the 2007 Chase will be held at Atlanta Motor Speedway on October 28, 2007.
Dickies 500
The eighth race of the 2007 Chase will be held at Texas Motor Speedway on November 4, 2007.
Checker Auto Parts 500 presented by Pennzoil
The ninth race of the 2007 Chase will be held at Phoenix International Raceway on November 11, 2007. This will be the sixteenth and final 2007 race to feature the Car of Tomorrow.
Ford 400
The 2007 NEXTEL Cup season will come to a close with the final race of the 2007 season at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18. The race will also observe two lasts: The last use of the current car design as the Car of Tomorrow will be used full time in 2008, and the last race under the Nextel Cup banner. Sprint will assume the title sponsorship starting with the 2008 Daytona 500.
Television Coverage
The 2007 season marks the start of a new television package. The contracts are for eight seasons, running until 2014. NBC and FX both egressed after the 2006 season, and ESPN and ABC have returned after a six-year absence, with ESPN last broadcasting the series' NAPA 500 from Atlanta in November of 2000, and ABC telecasting the Brickyard 400 in August of that same year.
FOX
FOX carried the first part of the season beginning with Speedweeks at Daytona, and continued coverage up through the June race held at the Dover International Speedway, with Fox-owned Speed Channel carrying the Gatorade Duel At Daytona qualifying races and the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge/NEXTEL Open doubleheader. Mike Joy, Larry McReynolds, and Darrell Waltrip returned to the broadcast booth for FOX. FOX also carried two Craftsman Truck Series races March 31 and May 26, with Speed carrying the remainder of the series.
TNT
TNT is currently in the midst of covering six mid-season races in June and July dubbed the "NASCAR Summer Series" including the Pepsi 400. The commentators include current announcers Bill Weber and Wally Dallenbach. Kyle Petty will replace the late Benny Parsons, and also drove and did commentary from his car during the June 24 race at Sonoma, which turned out at the outset of the race to be rather embarrassing as he uttered "fuck" in a replay of how he was involved in an accident. Petty is driving only a part-time schedule in 2007, as Chad McCumbee took over Petty's #45 car in the June Pocono race, and John Andretti, who drove the #43 car for Petty Enterprises, and won a race with them at Martinsville in 1999, is driving in the remaining races except for Sonoma. TNT is using rock band Hinder's remix of the Steppenwolf classic rock anthem "Born to Be Wild" as part of their race broadcast.
ESPN/ABC
ESPN and ABC will carry all races beginning with the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard in late July on ESPN running up through the Labor Day weekend race at California and ABC picking up their part of the package with the final pre-chase race at Richmond and the entire Chase for the NEXTEL Cup. The commentators will be Jerry Punch and Rusty Wallace. Punch last worked for the network as a pit reporter on IRL events such as the Indianapolis 500, and has also filled in on the play-by-play of NASCAR races prior to 2001, mostly during coverage of NASCAR Busch Series races, which ESPN2 and ABC will carry full time starting in 2007. Wallace is the 1989 NASCAR Cup Series champion. They will be joined by newcomer Andy Petree, a former team owner and Dale Earnhardt's crew chief in 1993 and 1994. Brent Musburger and Suzy Kolber will serve as the hosts on both ESPN and ABC. Rock group Aerosmith will kick off each broadcast with a live version of their big 1970s FM hit "Back in the Saddle" that was filmed in concert in Las Vegas.
Et cetera
Test schedule
In 2006, NASCAR instituted a new track testing policy that set a schedule for when and where NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series tests were conducted. These scheduled tests are the only opportunities that the NNCS teams will have to test their cars at NASCAR NEXTEL Cup tracks.
The testing issue has become a controversy because teams, especially Chevrolet Impala teams, have been testing their cars at various non-NNCS tracks, such as Greenville-Pickens Speedway, Virginia International Raceway, USA International Speedway (Lakeland, Florida), The Milwaukee Mile (flat track), and the North Carolina Motor Speedway (Rockingham, NC), on Michelin or Hoosier tires, to evade NASCAR's ban on testing except for specific dates.
All test reports are being telecast on SPEED.
| Date | Venue | Rain Date | Track | TV Times | Type of car |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 8 - 10th | Daytona International Speedway* | January 11 | 2.5 mi.; Tri-Oval | 7PM | Standard / CoT |
| January 15 - 17th | Daytona International Speedway** | January 18 | 2.5 mi.; Tri-Oval | 6:30 PM | Standard / CoT |
| January 29 & 30th | Las Vegas Motor Speedway | January 31 | 1.5 mi.; Quad-Oval | 7 PM | Standard / CoT |
| February 28≈ | Bristol Motor Speedway | None | 0.533 mi.; Oval | 7 PM | CoT |
| April 3 & 4th | Richmond International Raceway | April 5 | 0.75 mi.; D-shaped Oval | None | CoT |
| May 7 & 8th | Lowe's Motor Speedway | May 9 | 1.5 mi.; Quad-Oval | None | Standard |
| September 10 & 11th | Talladega Superspeedway | September 12 | 2.66 mi.; Tri-Oval | CoT |
(*) - Even numbered finishers in the 2006 NEXTEL Cup standings.
(**) - Odd numbered finishers in the 2006 NEXTEL Cup standings.
(≈) - Only one day was used as this was extended by NASCAR to three sessions due to an oncoming rainstorm on March 1st.
CoT — Car of Tomorrow.
NOTE: The scheduled tests for Dover International Speedway on May 14 and 15 were cancelled due to the rainout of the Dodge Avenger 500 from May 12 to May 13. NASCAR cannot control testing at non-Nextel Cup series tracks using Hoosier, Michelin, or non-current Goodyear tires, such as the Kentucky Speedway, North Carolina Speedway, Greenville-Pickens Speedway, The Milwaukee Mile, Nashville Superspeedway, or USA International Speedway. Many teams also use the Virginia International Raceway for road course testing.
See also
- 2007 NASCAR Busch Series
- 2007 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
- 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup
- List of current NASCAR races
- List of 2007 NASCAR races
- List of NASCAR all-time cup winners
- 2007 in sports
- 2007 in IRL
- 2007 Champ Car World Series season
External links and sources
- Official NASCAR site
- RacingOne
- Jayski's Silly Season Site
- Speed Channel
- ThatsRacin.com
- Rudd Won't Drive #28
Notes and references
- ^ Earnhardt to join Hendrick Motorsports for '08 season NASCAR.com. Accessed 11 July 2007.
- ^ The final ‘Pepsi 400’ coming up next weekend? That's Racin'. Accessed 11 July 2007.