Daytona 500 2007
The 2007 Daytona 500 took place on February 18, 2007 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach , Florida .
Pole qualifying
All drivers drove two laps. However, pole qualifying only determined the drivers who started in the front row. All other drivers had to qualify for the Daytona 500 via the Gatorade Duels .
The two cars from Robert Yates Racing , (# 38) David Gilliland and (# 88) Ricky Rudd , grabbed the first two positions and were thus able to start the Daytona 500 from the front row.
Gatorade Duels
The Gatorade Duels are the qualifying races for the Daytona 500. In 2007 they were marked by scandals. Several teams were punished for irregularities. A prohibited substance was found in the gasoline of Michael Waltrip's car .
Tony Stewart won the first Gatorade Duel. The following participants in the first duel did not qualify for the Daytona 500: Ward Burton (# 4), Stanton Barrett (# 30), Jeremy Mayfield (# 36), Bill Elliott (# 37), Mike Bliss (# 49), James Hylton (# 58), Brandon Whitt (# 72), Kenny Wallace (# 78), AJ Allmendinger (# 84).
The winner of the second Gatorade Duel, Jeff Gordon , was subsequently penalized because his car was too low. He had to go to the Daytona 500 from 42nd place. NASCAR newcomer Juan Pablo Montoya led 18 laps in the second duel before he was eliminated with a defect. The following participants in the second duel did not qualify for the Daytona 500: Eric McClure (# 04), Paul Menard (# 15), Mike Skinner (# 23), Kirk Shelmerdine (# 27), Kevin Lepage (# 34), Regan Smith (# 39), Frank Kimmel (# 71), Derrike Cope (# 74), Brian Vickers (# 83).
For more see: Gatorade Duel
run
| space | begin | No. | Round | Surname | Team / sponsor / car brand |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 34 | 29 | 202 | Kevin Harvick | Richard Childress Racing / Shell / Pennzoil / Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS |
| 2 | 26th | 01 | 202 | Mark Martin | Ginn Racing / US Army / Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS |
| 3 | 7th | 31 | 202 | Jeff Burton | Richard Childress Racing / Cingular Wireless / Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS |
| 4th | 22nd | 09 | 202 | Mike Wallace | Phoenix Racing / Miccosukee Gaming and Resorts / Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS |
| 5 | 35 | 6th | 202 | David Ragan | Roush Fenway Racing / American Automobile Association / Ford Fusion |
| 6th | 30th | 19th | 202 | Elliott Sadler | Evernham Motorsports / UAW / Dodge Charger |
| 7th | 29 | 9 | 202 | Kasey Kahne | Evernham Motorsports / UAW / Dodge Dodge Charger |
| 8th | 1 | 38 | 202 | David Gilliland | Robert Yates Racing / M & Ms / Ford Fusion |
| 9 | 18th | 13 | 202 | Joe Nemechek | Ginn Racing / CertainTeed / Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS |
| 10 | 42 | 24 | 202 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports / DuPont / Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS |
| 11 | 6th | 40 | 202 | David Stremme | Chip Ganassi Racing / Coors Light / Dodge Charger |
| 12 | 12 | 18th | 202 | JJ Yeley | Gibbs Racing / Interstate Batteries / Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS |
| 13 | 33 | 41 | 202 | Reed Sorenson | Chip Ganassi Racing / Target Corporation / Dodge Charger |
| 14th | 23 | 60 | 202 | Boris Said | No Fear Racing / SoBe / No Fear Energy Drink / Ford Fusion |
| 15th | 39 | 7th | 202 | Robby Gordon | Robby Gordon Motorsports / Jim Beam / Ford Fusion |
| 16 | 41 | 70 | 202 | Johnny Sauter | Haas CNC Racing / Yellow Transportation / Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS |
| 17th | 38 | 14th | 202 | Sterling marlin | Ginn Racing / Waste Management / Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS |
| 18th | 11 | 07 | 202 | Clint Bowyer | Richard Childress Racing / Jack Daniels / Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS |
| 19th | 36 | 42 | 202 | Juan Pablo Montoya | Chip Ganassi Racing / Texaco / Havoline / Dodge Charger |
| 20th | 17th | 25th | 202 | Casey Mears | Hendrick Motorsports / US National Guard / GMAC / Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS |
| 21st | 27 | 43 | 202 | Bobby Labonte | Petty Enterprises / Cheerios / Dodge Charger |
| 22nd | 43 | 44 | 202 | Dale Jarrett | Michael Waltrip Racing / United Parcel Service / Toyota Camry |
| 23 | 14th | 99 | 202 | Carl Edwards | Roush Fenway Racing / Office Depot / Ford Fusion |
| 24 | 8th | 5 | 202 | Kyle Busch | Hendrick Motorsports / Kellogg's / Carquest / Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS |
| 25th | 25th | 16 | 202 | Greg Biffle | Roush Fenway Racing / Ameriquest / Ford Fusion |
| 26th | 2 | 88 | 202 | Ricky Rudd | Robert Yates Racing / Snickers / Ford Fusion |
| 27 | 10 | 17th | 202 | Matt Kenseth | Roush Fenway Racing / DeWalt / Ford Fusion |
| 28 | 9 | 11 | 201 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing / FedEx / Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS |
| 29 | 13 | 1 | 201 | Martin Truex junior | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. / Bass Pro Shops / Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS |
| 30th | 15th | 55 | 200 | Michael Waltrip | Michael Waltrip Racing / National Automotive Parts Association / Toyota Camry |
| 31 | 26th | 26th | 195 | Jamie McMurray | Roush Fenway Racing / Crown Royal / Ford Fusion |
| 32 | 5 | 8th | 195 | Dale Earnhardt, Jr. | Dale Earnhardt, Inc./ Budweiser / Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS |
| 33 | 20th | 96 | 195 | Tony Raines | Hall of Fame Racing / Texas Instruments / Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS |
| 34 | 37 | 22nd | 186 | Dave Blaney | Bill Davis Racing / Caterpillar / Toyota Camry |
| 35 | 19th | 21st | 185 | Ken Schrader | Wood Brothers / JTG Racing / Little Debbie / Ford Fusion |
| 36 | 31 | 66 | 181 | Jeff Green | Haas CNC Racing / Best Buy / Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS |
| 37 | 32 | 10 | 179 | Scott Riggs | Evernham Motorsports / Valvoline / Dodge Charger |
| 38 | 12 | 12 | 175 | Ryan Newman | Penske Racing / Alltel / Dodge Charger |
| 39 | 21st | 48 | 173 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports / Lowe's / Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS |
| 40 | 40 | 00 | 173 | David Reutimann | Michael Waltrip Racing / Domino's Pizza / Toyota Camry |
| 41 | 4th | 2 | 166 | Kurt Busch | Penske Racing / Miller Lite / Dodge Charger |
| 42 | 29 | 45 | 160 | Kyle Petty | Petty Enterprises / Wells Fargo / Dodge Charger |
| 43 | 3 | 20th | 153 | Tony Stewart | Joe Gibbs Racing / Home Depot / Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS |
- Race duration: 3 hours, 33 minutes and 54 seconds
- Average speed: 149,335 mph
- Winner's lead: 0.020 seconds
- Change in leadership: 13 (9 drivers)
- Most leadership laps: Kurt Busch - 95
- Yellow phases: 6 for 24 rounds
- Spectators: 185,000
The Daytona 500 was the first race of the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup season . After the start of the race, David Gilliland , who started from pole position, led the field for 18 laps. The first yellow phase occurred on lap 18 when Boris Said slipped into David Reutimann's car and lost control. The dominant drivers in the following phase of the race were Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch . Both together led a total of 130 of 200 laps. On lap 80, Kyle Petty slipped into the wall with a puncture, which triggered another yellow phase. After three quarters of the race, Tony Stewart suffered severe oversteer and could no longer hold the car. Kurt Busch could no longer evade Stewart and turned him into the wall, which caused the third caution phase of the race.
The reigning Nextel Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson triggered a caution period on lap 175 after he hit the wall with his car and the drivers Denny Hamlin , Jeff Green , Tony Raines and David Reutimann could no longer avoid it. Only a few laps later, on lap 187, the next big accident occurred after Carl Edwards and Reed Sorenson hit the wall and Dave Blaney had a flat tire. Blaney drove through the pit lane with the flat tires almost unbraked and took Ken Schrader, Casey Mears and Jamie McMurray out of the race because he returned to the track unbraked. He was subsequently disqualified from NASCAR.
Just a few laps after the restart, there was another major accident that ushered in a yellow phase. Matt Kenseth touched his teammate Jamie McMurray , who slammed into the outer wall. Dale Earnhardt junior couldn't avoid him, which ended his day. Also, Martin Truex Jr. and Ricky Rudd had their race finish, as they also had damage to their cars. The result of the accident was a red phase. The field was stopped on the straight. Because the accident happened on lap 197, the race was extended.
The last restart happened with two laps still to be driven. Mark Martin, who had fought his way forward, led the field. On the final lap, Mark Martin, who had been leading up to that point, had no chance when Kevin Harvick passed him on the top line in the last corner. Both drove side by side across the finish line. Harvick was 0.02 seconds ahead and won the 2007 Daytona 500.
Shortly before they both crossed the finish line, there was a mass crash behind them in which more than ten cars were involved. Clint Bowyer slid across the finish line, sparkling on the roof, and was ranked 18th after Casey Mears hit him in such a way that he overturned.
Kevin Harvick is the 31st driver to win the "Great American Race", the Daytona 500 .