The 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup

Chase for the Nextel Cup

The Chase for the Sprint Cup, originally known as "The Chase for the Championship" during its creation, and then "The Chase for the Nextel Cup" is the championship system used in NASCAR's top division, the Sprint Cup Series, akin to the postseason in American professional sports leagues...

 was the ten-race playoffs which concluded the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season. It began with the Sylvania 300

Sylvania 300

The Sylvania 300 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire.The Sylvania 300 has traditionally held in mid-September, however, the race has been rescheduled once in its history...

 on September 16, 2007 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and ended with the Ford 400

Ford 400

The Ford 400 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup stock car race held at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida.The race is relatively new on the NASCAR circuit, first being run in 1999. Since 2002, the Ford 400 has been part of the Ford Championship Weekend, the last week of the NASCAR season. Starting...

 on November 18 of the same year at Homestead-Miami Speedway

Homestead-Miami Speedway

Homestead-Miami Speedway is a race track in Homestead, Florida southwest of Miami.Since 2002 Homestead has hosted the final races of the season in all three of NASCAR's series: the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and the Camping World Truck Series...

, with Jimmie Johnson

Jimmie Johnson

Jimmie Kenneth Johnson is an American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race car driver. He currently drives the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports....

 winning the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Championship.

The entry requirements for the Chase changed this year. Previously, the top ten drivers in the points standings and anyone else within 400 points of the leader after the Chevy Rock and Roll 400

Chevy Rock and Roll 400

The Wonderful Pistachios 400 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup stock car race held at the Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Virginia. Since 2004, the race has served as the last race in NASCAR's "regular season". After this race, the top twelve drivers in the standings advance to the ten-race...

 would qualify for the Chase. This year, the top twelve drivers in the points standings after the Chevy Rock and Roll 400 automatically qualified for the Chase with each drivers' point total reset to 5,000 points, with a ten point bonus for each race won during the first 26 races. In addition, as NASCAR makes the full-time transition to the Car of Tomorrow

Car of Tomorrow

The Car of Tomorrow, sometimes called CoT or "Car of Today", is the car style for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Larger and boxier than the design it replaced, the Car of Tomorrow is safer, costs less to maintain, and was intended to make for closer competition.The car was introduced in the 2007 Cup...

, half of the races used the new template, and the other half used the older tamplate, which was officially retired from Cup competition following the Ford 400. The title "Chase for the NEXTEL Cup" was also retired, as the season ending playoff will be renamed the "Sprint for the Cup" in 2008

2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

The 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season began on February 9, 2008 at Daytona International Speedway with the Budweiser Shootout, followed by pole qualifying on Sunday, February 10, 2008 for the 50th Daytona 500 on February 17...

.

Final standings

Pos	Seed	Driver	Car	S	P	W	T5	T10	DNF	Winnings (USD United States dollar The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies.... )	Pts/(Behind)
1	1	Jimmie Johnson Jimmie Johnson Jimmie Kenneth Johnson is an American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race car driver. He currently drives the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports....	#48 Lowe's Lowe's Lowe's Companies, Inc. is a U.S.-based chain of retail home improvement and appliance stores. Founded in 1946 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, the chain now serves more than 14 million customers a week in its 1,710 stores in the United States and 20 in Canada. Expansion into Canada began in...  Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...	36	4	10	20	24	4	$7,646,421	6,723/ 2007 Champion
2	2	Jeff Gordon Jeff Gordon Jeffery Michael "Jeff" Gordon is a professional NASCAR driver. He is the driver of the #24 Drive to End Hunger/DuPont/Pepsi Chevrolet Impala. He is a four-time Sprint Cup Series champion and a three-time Daytona 500 winner. He is third on the all-time wins list, with 85 career wins, and has the...	#24 DuPont DuPont E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...  Chevrolet	36	7	6	21	30	1	$7,148,662	6,696 (-77)
3	12	Clint Bowyer Clint Bowyer Clint Bowyer is a NASCAR driver. He drives the #15 5 Hour Energy Toyota Camry in the Sprint Cup Series for Michael Waltrip Racing. Early in his career, he drove for Richard Childress Racing. He won the 2008 Nationwide Series championship....	#07 Jack Daniels Jack Daniel's Jack Daniel's is a brand of sour mash Tennessee whiskey that is among the world's best-selling liquors. It is known for its square bottles and black label. As of November, 2007, one blogger was claiming that it was the best-selling whiskey in the world. It is produced in Lynchburg, Tennessee by...  / DirecTV DirecTV DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...  Chevrolet	36	2	1	5	17	0	$4,215,869	6,377 (-346)
4	8	Matt Kenseth Matt Kenseth Matthew Roy "Matt" Kenseth is an American stock car driver. Kenseth currently drives the No. 17 Crown Royal Ford Fusion in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Roush Fenway Racing...	#17 DeWalt DeWALT DeWalt is a worldwide brand of power tools for the construction, manufacturing and woodworking industries. It is a subsidiary of Stanley Black & Decker.- History :...   Ford Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...	36	0	2	13	22	4	$6,485,629	6,298 (-425)
5	9	Kyle Busch Kyle Busch Kyle Thomas Busch, is an American NASCAR driver and team owner. He currently drives the No. 18 Mars/Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Sprint Cup Series, the No. 18 Z-Line Designs/NOS Energy Drink Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs in the Nationwide Series, and the No...	#5 Kellogg's/Carquest Carquest Carquest Auto Parts is a chain of auto-supply stores. There are over 3,400 Carquest Auto Parts locations in North America. The company is a supplier to National Account customers like Goodyear, Firestone, CarMax, Meineke, Midas, American Tire Dealers. General Parts International Inc. is the largest...  Chevrolet	36	0	1	11	20	2	$4,685,518	6,293 (-430)
6	3	Tony Stewart Tony Stewart Anthony Wayne "Tony" Stewart is an American auto racing driver and owner. Throughout his racing career, Stewart has won titles in Indy cars and stock cars as well as midget, sprint and USAC Silver Crown cars, giving him the recognition of "one of the finest racers of his generation."Stewart...	#20 Home Depot The Home Depot The Home Depot is an American retailer of home improvement and construction products and services.The Home Depot operates 2,248 big-box format stores across the United States , Canada , Mexico and China, with a 12-store chain...  Chevrolet	36	0	3	11	23	4	$6,396,751	6,242 (-481)
7	5	Kurt Busch Kurt Busch Kurt Thomas Busch is an American NASCAR and NHRA driver. He drives the No. 22 Shell Oil Company/Pennzoil Dodge Charger in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and will race on an "opportunity permitting" basis in the Pro Stock division of NHRA...	#2 Miller Lite Miller Lite Miller Lite is a 4.2% abv pale lager brand sold by MillerCoors of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Sibling beers include Miller Genuine Draft and Miller High Life.-History:...   Dodge Dodge Dodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....	36	1	2	6	14	3	$5,287,846	6,231 (-492)
8	10	Jeff Burton Jeff Burton Jeffrey Brian "Jeff" Burton , also referred to as JB or The Mayor, is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver who drives the #31 Caterpillar Chevrolet Impala for Richard Childress Racing. Burton is the younger brother of Ward Burton, who is a former Sprint Cup driver...	#31 AT&T Chevrolet	36	0	1	9	18	3	$6,015,667	6,231 (-492)
9	4	Carl Edwards Carl Edwards Carl Michael Edwards, II is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #99 Fastenal/Aflac Ford Fusion in the Sprint Cup Series and the #60 Ford in the Nationwide Series for Roush Fenway Racing...	#99 Office Depot Office Depot Office Depot is a supplier of office products and provides many services. The company's selection of brand name office supplies includes business machines, computers, computer software and office furniture, while its business services encompass copying, printing, document reproduction, shipping,...  Ford Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...	36	1	3	11	15	4	$4,611,967	6,222 (-501)
10	11	Kevin Harvick Kevin Harvick Kevin Michael Harvick is an American stock car auto racing race car driver and car owner currently competing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Richard Childress Racing, driving the No. 29 Budweiser/Jimmy John's/Rheem/Okuma/Realtree Outdoors/Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet Impala...	#29 Shell Royal Dutch Shell Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...  / Pennzoil Pennzoil Pennzoil is an American oil company founded in Los Angeles, California in 1913. In 1955, it was acquired by Oil City, Pennsylvania company South Penn Oil, a former branch of Standard Oil. In 1963, South Penn Oil merged with Zapata Petroleum; the merged company took the Pennzoil name. During the...  Chevrolet	36	0	1	4	15	0	$7,494,593	6,199 (-524)
11	7	Martin Truex Jr. Martin Truex Jr. Martin Lee Truex Jr. is a NASCAR driver. He drives the #56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota Camry for Michael Waltrip Racing in the Sprint Cup Series. Truex is a two-time Nationwide Series champion; having won the title in 2004 and 2005. His younger brother, Ryan is a champion in the K&N Pro Series East...	#1 Bass Pro Shops Bass Pro Shops Bass Pro Shops is a privately held retailer of hunting, fishing, camping and related outdoor recreation merchandise. Bass Pro Shops is known for a large selection of hunting, fishing, and other outdoor gear.-History:The owner, John L...  Chevrolet	36	1	1	7	14	4	$5,003,881	6,164 (-559)
12	6	Denny Hamlin Denny Hamlin James Dennis Alan "Denny" Hamlin is an American race car driver. Though originally born in Tampa, Florida, Hamlin was raised for most of his life in Chesterfield, Virginia. After racing in go-karts for a number of years, he worked his way up to Late Models by 2004 and signed a development contract...	#11 FedEx FedEx FedEx Corporation , originally known as FDX Corporation, is a logistics services company, based in the United States with headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee...  Chevrolet	36	1	1	12	18	1	$4,983,814	6,143 (-580)

Key: S-Starts; P-Poles; W-Wins; T5-Top 5 finishes; T10-Top 10 finishes; DNF-Did not finish; Pts-Points.

NOTES:

1. The original seedings saw Edwards placed fourth ahead of Kurt Busch based on most second place finishes, while Denny Hamlin was seeded sixth based on the same criteria, followed by Truex, Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Jeff Burton and Harvick, with further tiebreakers based on third place finishes, etc.

2. Kurt Busch by most wins finished in seventh place ahead of Jeff Burton.

3. Those in boldface were invited to the 2007 NEXTEL Cup Banquet November 30 in New York.

Standings Plus/Minus Through The Chase

Driver	Seed	1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Final
		Chg	Std	Chg	Std	Chg	Std	Chg	Std	Chg	Std	Chg	Std	Chg	Std	Chg	Std	Chg	Std	Chg	Std	Std	Chg
Jimmie Johnson	1	n/c	1	-2	3	+2	1	-1	2	n/c	2	n/c	2	n/c	2	+1	1	n/c	1	n/c	1	1	n/c
Jeff Gordon	2	n/c	2	+1	1	-1	2	+1	1	n/c	1	n/c	1	n/c	1	-1	2	n/c	2	n/c	2	2	n/c
Tony Stewart	3	n/c	3	+1	2	-2	4	n/c	4	n/c	4	n/c	4	-1	5	-1	6	+1	5	-1	6	6	-3
Carl Edwards	4	-4	8	+2	6	-1	7	+1	6	+1	5	n/c	5	+1	4	-1	5	-4	9	n/c	9	9	-5
Kurt Busch	5	-7	12	+1	11	+2	9	+2	7	n/c	7	-3	10	+1	9	n/c	9	-1	10	+3	7	7	-2
Denny Hamlin	6	-3	9	-3	12	n/c	12	+3	9	n/c	9	+1	8	-2	10	-1	11	-1	12	n/c	12	12	-6
Martin Truex Jr.	7	+1	6	-1	7	-1	8	-2	10	-1	11	n/c	11	-1	12	n/c	12	+1	11	n/c	11	11	-4
Matt Kenseth	8	+1	7	-3	10	-1	11	n/c	11	-1	12	n/c	12	+1	11	+1	10	+4	6	+2	4	4	+4
Kyle Busch	9	+4	5	+1	4	-2	6	-2	8	+2	6	n/c	6	n/c	6	+2	4	n/c	4	-1	5	5	-4
Jeff Burton	10	-1	11	+3	8	-2	10	-2	12	+2	10	+1	9	+1	8	+1	7	-1	8	n/c	8	8	+2
Kevin Harvick	11	+1	10	+1	9	+4	5	n/c	5	-3	8	+1	7	n/c	7	-1	8	+1	7	-3	10	10	+1
Clint Bowyer	12	+8	4	-1	5	+2	3	n/c	3	n/c	3	n/c	3	n/c	3	n/c	3	n/c	3	n/c	3	3	+9

Chg = Change in position.
n/c = No change in position.
Std = Standing After Race

Standings at beginning of Chase

1. Jimmie Johnson, 5,060 points, leader
2. Jeff Gordon, 5,040, -20
3. Tony Stewart, 5,030, -30
4. Carl Edwards, 5,020, -40
5. Kurt Busch, 5,020, -40
6. Denny Hamlin, 5,010, -50
7. Martin Truex, Jr., 5,010, -50
8. Matt Kenseth, 5,010, -50
9. Kyle Busch, 5,010, -50
10. Jeff Burton, 5,010, -50
11. Kevin Harvick, 5,010, -50
12. Clint Bowyer, 5,000, -60

Standings at end of the "regular season"

At the conclusion of the "regular season" (the 2007 Chevy Rock & Roll 400

2007 Chevy Rock & Roll 400

The 2007 Chevy Rock & Roll 400 was the twenty-sixth and final "regular season" race in the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season. The race was run on Saturday night, September 8, 2007 at Richmond International Raceway in Henrico County, Virginia, just outside of Virginia's state capital...

), these were the point standings before the Chase adjustments were made. Also indicated are how far up or down in the standings a driver went when the Chase points were awarded:

1. Jeff Gordon, 3,849 pts., leader, down one spot.
2. Tony Stewart, -312 pts, down one spot.
3. Denny Hamlin, -359, down three spots.
4. Jimmie Johnson, -410 pts., up three spots.
5. Matt Kenseth, -419 pts., down three spots.
6. Carl Edwards, -427 pts., up two spots.
7. Jeff Burton, -521 pts., down three spots.
8. Kyle Busch, -547 pts., down one spot.
9. Clint Bowyer, -670 pts., down three spots.
10. Kurt Busch, -689 pts. and two wins, up five spots.
11. Martin Truex, Jr., -689 pts. and one win, up four spots.
12. Kevin Harvick, -694 pts., up one spot.

Races

Drivers in italics did not qualify for the 2007 Chase.

Date	Race	Track	2006 winner	2007 winner	Car
September 16	Sylvania 300 2007 Sylvania 300 The 2007 Sylvania 300 was the 27th race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season and the first of the ten-race 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup championship series...	New Hampshire Motor Speedway Loudon, New Hampshire Loudon, New Hampshire Loudon is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,317 at the 2010 census. Loudon is the home of New Hampshire Motor Speedway....	Kevin Harvick Kevin Harvick Kevin Michael Harvick is an American stock car auto racing race car driver and car owner currently competing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Richard Childress Racing, driving the No. 29 Budweiser/Jimmy John's/Rheem/Okuma/Realtree Outdoors/Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet Impala...	Clint Bowyer Clint Bowyer Clint Bowyer is a NASCAR driver. He drives the #15 5 Hour Energy Toyota Camry in the Sprint Cup Series for Michael Waltrip Racing. Early in his career, he drove for Richard Childress Racing. He won the 2008 Nationwide Series championship....	CoT
September 23	Dodge Dealers 400 2007 Dodge Dealers 400 The 2007 Dodge Dealers 400, was run September 23rd, 2007 in the state capital of Delaware at Dover International Speedway, the 28th race in the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season and the second race of the ten-event 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup...	Dover International Speedway Dover International Speedway Dover International Speedway is a NASCAR-sanctioned race track located in Dover, Delaware, owned by, and serving as the corporate headquarters of, Dover Motorsports, Inc. It is co-located with a harness racing track, Dover Downs, and shares the complex with Dover Downs Hotel & Casino... Dover, Delaware Dover, Delaware The city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware...	Jeff Burton Jeff Burton Jeffrey Brian "Jeff" Burton , also referred to as JB or The Mayor, is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver who drives the #31 Caterpillar Chevrolet Impala for Richard Childress Racing. Burton is the younger brother of Ward Burton, who is a former Sprint Cup driver...	Carl Edwards Carl Edwards Carl Michael Edwards, II is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #99 Fastenal/Aflac Ford Fusion in the Sprint Cup Series and the #60 Ford in the Nationwide Series for Roush Fenway Racing...	CoT
September 30	LifeLock 400 2007 LifeLock 400 The 2007 LifeLock 400 is the 29th race in the 2007 NASCAR season and the third race of the ten in the 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup Championship Series. The event, held at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas, was run on September 30, 2007....	Kansas Speedway Kansas Speedway Kansas Speedway is a tri-oval race track in Kansas City, Kansas. The speedway was built in 2001 and currently hosts two annual NASCAR race weekends. The IndyCar Series also raced at the speedway until 2011... Kansas City, Kansas Kansas City, Kansas Kansas City is the third-largest city in the state of Kansas and is the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the third largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The city is part of a consolidated city-county government known as the "Unified...	Tony Stewart Tony Stewart Anthony Wayne "Tony" Stewart is an American auto racing driver and owner. Throughout his racing career, Stewart has won titles in Indy cars and stock cars as well as midget, sprint and USAC Silver Crown cars, giving him the recognition of "one of the finest racers of his generation."Stewart... ≠	Greg Biffle Greg Biffle Gregory Jack "Greg" Biffle is a NASCAR driver who drives the #16 3M Ford Fusion for Roush Fenway Racing in the Sprint Cup Series. After racing in the NASCAR Winter Heat Series in the mid-90s, he was recommended to Jack Roush by former announcer Benny Parsons...	S
October 7	UAW Ford 500 2007 UAW-Ford 500 The 2007 UAW-Ford 500 was the 30th race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Season and the fourth race in the 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup. This race was raced on Sunday, October 7, 2007 at the Talladega Superspeedway outside of Talladega, Alabama....	Talladega Superspeedway Talladega Superspeedway Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama, United States. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base just outside the small city of Lincoln. It was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in... Talladega, Alabama Talladega, Alabama Talladega is a city in Talladega County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 15,143. The city is the county seat of Talladega County. Talladega is approximately 50 miles east of Birmingham, Alabama....	Brian Vickers Brian Vickers Brian Lee Vickers is a American NASCAR driver. He was the 2003 Busch Series champion, and at age 20, became the youngest champion in any of NASCAR's three top-tier series... ≠	Jeff Gordon Jeff Gordon Jeffery Michael "Jeff" Gordon is a professional NASCAR driver. He is the driver of the #24 Drive to End Hunger/DuPont/Pepsi Chevrolet Impala. He is a four-time Sprint Cup Series champion and a three-time Daytona 500 winner. He is third on the all-time wins list, with 85 career wins, and has the...	CoT
October 13	Bank of America 500 2007 Bank of America 500 The 2007 Bank of America 500, the 31st race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season, and the fifth race of the 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup, was run on Saturday, October 13, 2007 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, a suburb of Charlotte...	Lowe's Motor Speedway Lowe's Motor Speedway Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race... Concord, North Carolina Concord, North Carolina Concord is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. According to Census 2010, the city has a current population of 79,066. It is the largest city in Cabarrus County and is the county seat. In terms of population, the city of Concord is the second largest city in the Charlotte Metropolitan Area...	Kasey Kahne Kasey Kahne Kasey Kenneth Kahne is a NASCAR driver. He drives the #5 Farmers Insurance Group Chevrolet Impala for Hendrick Motorsports in the Sprint Cup Series....	Jeff Gordon	S
October 21	Subway 500 2007 Subway 500 The 2007 Subway 500, the 32nd race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season and the sixth race in the Chase for the NEXTEL Cup, ran on Sunday, October 21st, 2007, at Martinsville Speedway, located on the outskirts of Martinsville, Virginia...	Martinsville Speedway Martinsville Speedway Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, near Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved... Martinsville, Virginia Martinsville, Virginia Martinsville is an independent city which is surrounded by Henry County, Virginia, United States. The population was 13,821 in 2010. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Martinsville with Henry County for statistical purposes...	Jimmie Johnson Jimmie Johnson Jimmie Kenneth Johnson is an American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race car driver. He currently drives the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports....	Jimmie Johnson	CoT
October 28	Pep Boys Auto 500 2007 Pep Boys Auto 500 The 2007 Pep Boys Auto 500 is the 33rd race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season and the seventh race that makes up the 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup...	Atlanta Motor Speedway Atlanta Motor Speedway Atlanta Motor Speedway is a track just outside Hampton, Georgia, twenty miles south of Atlanta. It is a quad-oval track with a seating capacity of over 125,000. It opened in 1960 as a standard oval. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track... Hampton, Georgia Hampton, Georgia Hampton is a city in southwestern Henry County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 6,987. Census Estimates for 2005 show a population of 4,743. Hampton mailing addresses also dip into eastern Clayton County and northern Spalding County.The Atlanta Motor...	Tony Stewart≠	Jimmie Johnson	S
November 4	Dickies 500 2007 Dickies 500 The 2007 Dickies 500 was the 34th race in the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season and the third to last race in the 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup. This race took place on Sunday, November 4th at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas.-Pre-race news:...	Texas Motor Speedway Texas Motor Speedway Texas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas.... Justin, Texas Justin, Texas Justin is a city in Denton County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,891 at the 2005 census.-History:In 1848, approximately 70 followers of the French utopian socialist Etienne Cabet arrived in what is now Justin to found an Icarian community. The attempt failed.Contrary to popular belief,...	Tony Stewart≠	Jimmie Johnson	S
November 11	Checker Auto Parts 500 2007 Checker Auto Parts 500 The 2007 Checker Auto Parts 500 presented by Pennzoil, the next to last race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season and the 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup ran on Sunday, November 11, 2007 at Phoenix International Raceway in the Phoenix suburb of Avondale, Arizona...	Phoenix International Raceway Phoenix International Raceway Phoenix International Raceway, also known as PIR, is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. The track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the Indycar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series... Avondale, Arizona Avondale, Arizona Avondale is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, adjacent to Phoenix, Arizona. According to 2010 Census Bureau, the population of the city is 76,238.Avondale is the home of Phoenix International Raceway, an auto racing facility...	Kevin Harvick Kevin Harvick Kevin Michael Harvick is an American stock car auto racing race car driver and car owner currently competing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Richard Childress Racing, driving the No. 29 Budweiser/Jimmy John's/Rheem/Okuma/Realtree Outdoors/Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet Impala...	Jimmie Johnson	CoT
November 18	Ford 400 2007 Ford 400 The 2007 Ford 400, the final race of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season for 2007 and the 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup, was run on Sunday, November 18, 2007 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida, located in Dade County outside Miami, the final event of the three day Ford Championship...	Homestead-Miami Speedway Homestead-Miami Speedway Homestead-Miami Speedway is a race track in Homestead, Florida southwest of Miami.Since 2002 Homestead has hosted the final races of the season in all three of NASCAR's series: the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and the Camping World Truck Series... Homestead, Florida Homestead, Florida Homestead is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States nestled between Biscayne National Park to the east and Everglades National Park to the west. Homestead is primarily a Miami suburb and a major agricultural area....	Greg Biffle Greg Biffle Gregory Jack "Greg" Biffle is a NASCAR driver who drives the #16 3M Ford Fusion for Roush Fenway Racing in the Sprint Cup Series. After racing in the NASCAR Winter Heat Series in the mid-90s, he was recommended to Jack Roush by former announcer Benny Parsons... ≠	Matt Kenseth Matt Kenseth Matthew Roy "Matt" Kenseth is an American stock car driver. Kenseth currently drives the No. 17 Crown Royal Ford Fusion in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Roush Fenway Racing...	S

KEY: S — Standard. CoT — Car of Tomorrow.

≠ — Did not qualify for 2006 Chase

2006 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup

The 2006 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup was a ten-race series that commenced with the Sylvania 300 on September 17, 2006 at New Hampshire International Speedway and concluded with the Ford 400 on November 19 of that same year at Homestead-Miami Speedway...

.

Race 1 - 2007 Sylvania 300

2007 Sylvania 300

The 2007 Sylvania 300 was the 27th race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season and the first of the ten-race 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup championship series...

 

Finishing Order Clint Bowyer (1) Jeff Gordon (2) Tony Stewart (3) Kyle Busch (4) Martin Truex Jr. (5) Jimmie Johnson (6) Matt Kenseth (7) Carl Edwards (12) Denny Hamlin (15) Kevin Harvick (17) Jeff Burton (18) Kurt Busch (25)

Standings after race: Jimmie Johnson, 5,210, Leader via most wins tiebraker. Jeff Gordon, 5,210 Tony Stewart, 5,200, -10 Clint Bowyer, 5,195, -15 Kyle Busch, 5,175, -35 Martin Truex, Jr., 5,170, -40 Matt Kenseth, 5,156, -54 Carl Edwards, 5,147, -63 Denny Hamlin, 5,128, -82 Kevin Harvick, 5,122, -88 Jeff Burton, 5,119, -91 Kurt Busch, 5,108, -102

Race 2 - 2007 Dodge Dealers 400

2007 Dodge Dealers 400

The 2007 Dodge Dealers 400, was run September 23rd, 2007 in the state capital of Delaware at Dover International Speedway, the 28th race in the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season and the second race of the ten-event 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup...

 

Finishing Order Carl Edwards (1) · Kyle Busch (5) Jeff Burton (7) Tony Stewart (9) Jeff Gordon (11) Clint Bowyer (12) Martin Truex, Jr. (13) Jimmie Johnson (14) Kevin Harvick (20) Kurt Busch (29) Matt Kenseth (35) Denny Hamlin (38)

Standings after race (before penalty): Jeff Gordon, 5,340 Tony Stewart, 5,338, -2 Carl Edwards, 5,337, -3 Jimmie Johnson, 5,336, -4 Kyle Busch, 5,330, -10 Clint Bowyer, 5,322, -18 Martin Truex, Jr., 5,294, -46 Jeff Burton, 5,265, -75 Kevin Harvick, 5,225, -115 Matt Kenseth, 5,224, -116 Kurt Busch, 5,189, -151 Denny Hamlin, 5,182, -158

Standings after race (after penalty): Jeff Gordon, 5,340, leader Tony Stewart, 5,338, -2 Jimmie Johnson, 5,336, -4 Kyle Busch, 5,330, -10 Clint Bowyer, 5,322, -18 Carl Edwards, 5,312, -28 Martin Truex, Jr., 5,294, -46 Jeff Burton, 5,265, -75 Kevin Harvick, 5,225, -115 Matt Kenseth, 5,224, -116 Kurt Busch, 5,189, -151 Denny Hamlin, 5,182, -158

Race 3 - 2007 LifeLock 400

2007 LifeLock 400

The 2007 LifeLock 400 is the 29th race in the 2007 NASCAR season and the third race of the ten in the 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup Championship Series. The event, held at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas, was run on September 30, 2007....

 

Finishing order Clint Bowyer (2) Jimmie Johnson (3) Jeff Gordon (4) Kevin Harvick (6) Kurt Busch (11) Denny Hamlin (29) Matt Kenseth (35) Jeff Burton (36) Carl Edwards (37) Martin Truex Jr. (38) Tony Stewart (29) Kyle Busch (41)

Standings after race: Jimmie Johnson, 5,506, leader Jeff Gordon, 5,505, -1 Clint Bowyer, 5,492, -14 Tony Stewart, 5,384, -17 Kevin Harvick, 5,380, -126 Kyle Busch, 5,370, -136 Carl Edwards, 5,346, -142 Martin Truex Jr., 5,348, -158 Kurt Busch, 5,379, -177 Jeff Burton, 5,370, -186 Matt Kenseth, 5,287, -219 Denny Hamlin, 5,258, -248

Race 4 - 2007 UAW-Ford 500

2007 UAW-Ford 500

The 2007 UAW-Ford 500 was the 30th race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Season and the fourth race in the 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup. This race was raced on Sunday, October 7, 2007 at the Talladega Superspeedway outside of Talladega, Alabama....

 

Finishing order Jeff Gordon (1) Jimmie Johnson (2) Denny Hamlin (4) Kurt Busch (7) Tony Stewart (8) Clint Bowyer (11) Carl Edwards (14) Kevin Harvick (20) Matt Kenseth (26) Kyle Busch (36) Martin Truex Jr. (42) Jeff Burton (43)

Standings after race: Jeff Gordon 5,690, leader Jimmie Johnson 5,681, -9 Clint Bowyer 5,627, -63 Tony Stewart 5,536, -154 Kevin Harvick 5,488, -202 Carl Edwards 5,485, -205 Kurt Busch 5,475, -215 Kyle Busch 5,430, -260 Denny Hamlin 5,428, -262 Martin Truex, Jr. 5,390, -300 Matt Kenseth 5,372, -318 Jeff Burton 5,354, -336

Race 5 - 2007 Bank of America 500

2007 Bank of America 500

The 2007 Bank of America 500, the 31st race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season, and the fifth race of the 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup, was run on Saturday, October 13, 2007 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, a suburb of Charlotte...

 

Finishing order Jeff Gordon (1) Clint Bowyer (2) Kyle Busch (3) Jeff Burton (4) Carl Edwards (5) Tony Stewart (7) Jimmie Johnson (14) Martin Truex Jr. (17) Denny Hamlin (20) Kurt Busch (26) Kevin Harvick (33) Matt Kenseth (34)

Standings after race: Jeff Gordon 5880, leader Jimmie Johnson 5,812, -68 Clint Bowyer 5,802, -78 Tony Stewart 5,682, -198 Carl Edwards 5,640, -240 Kyle Busch 5,600, -280 Kurt Busch 5,565, -315 Kevin Harvick 5,552, -328 Denny Hamlin 5,531, -349 Jeff Burton 5,514, -366 Martin Truex Jr. 5,502, -378 Matt Kenseth 5,438, -442

Race 6 - 2007 Subway 500

2007 Subway 500

The 2007 Subway 500, the 32nd race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season and the sixth race in the Chase for the NEXTEL Cup, ran on Sunday, October 21st, 2007, at Martinsville Speedway, located on the outskirts of Martinsville, Virginia...

 

Finishing order Jimmie Johnson (1) Jeff Gordon (3) Kyle Busch (4) Matt Kenseth (5) Denny Hamlin (6) Clint Bowyer (9) Kevin Harvick (10) Carl Edwards (11) Jeff Burton (12) Tony Stewart (13) Martin Truex Jr. (19) Kurt Busch (31)

Standings after race: Jeff Gordon 6055, leader Jimmie Johnson 6002, -53 Clint Bowyer 5940, -115 Tony Stewart 5806, -249 Carl Edwards 5770, -285 Kyle Busch 5764, -290 Kevin Harvick 5686, -369 Denny Hamlin 5681, -374 Jeff Burton 5646, -409 Kurt Busch 5635, -420 Martin Truex Jr. 5608, -447 Matt Kenseth 5593, -462

Race 7 - 2007 Pep Boys Auto 500

2007 Pep Boys Auto 500

The 2007 Pep Boys Auto 500 is the 33rd race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season and the seventh race that makes up the 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup...

 

Finishing order Jimmie Johnson (1) Carl Edwards (2) Matt Kenseth (4) Jeff Burton (5) Clint Bowyer (6) Jeff Gordon (7) Kurt Busch (8) Kevin Harvick (15) Kyle Busch (20) Denny Hamlin (24) Tony Stewart (30) Martin Truex Jr. (31)

Standings after race: Jeff Gordon 6201, leader Jimmie Johnson 6192, -9 Clint Bowyer 6090, -111 Carl Edwards 5940, -261 Tony Stewart 5879, -322 Kyle Busch 5873, -328 Kevin Harvick 5809, -392 Jeff Burton 5801, -400 Kurt Busch 5782, -419 Denny Hamlin 5777, -424 Matt Kenseth 5752, -448 Martin Truex Jr. 5688, -513

NOTE: Drivers in Italics are mathematically eliminated from winning the championship.

Race 8 - 2007 Dickies 500

2007 Dickies 500

The 2007 Dickies 500 was the 34th race in the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season and the third to last race in the 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup. This race took place on Sunday, November 4th at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas.-Pre-race news:...

 

Finishing order Jimmie Johnson (1) Matt Kenseth (2) Martin Truex Jr. (3) Kyle Busch (4) Jeff Burton (6) Jeff Gordon (7) Kurt Busch (8) Kevin Harvick (10) Tony Stewart (11) Clint Bowyer (19) Carl Edwards (26) Denny Hamlin (29)

Standings after race: Jimmie Johnson 6382, leader Jeff Gordon 6352, -30 Clint Bowyer 6201, -181 Kyle Busch 6043, -339 Carl Edwards 6025, -357 Tony Stewart 6009, -373 Jeff Burton 5951, -431 Kevin Harvick 5943, -439 Kurt Busch 5929, -453 Matt Kenseth 5928, -454 Denny Hamlin 5858, -524 Martin Truex Jr. 5858, -524

NOTES: 1. Drivers in Italics are mathematically eliminated from winning the championship.

2. Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart were mathematically eliminated when Jimmie Johnson started the 2007 Checker Auto Parts 500

2007 Checker Auto Parts 500

The 2007 Checker Auto Parts 500 presented by Pennzoil, the next to last race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season and the 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup ran on Sunday, November 11, 2007 at Phoenix International Raceway in the Phoenix suburb of Avondale, Arizona...

Race 9 - 2007 Checker Auto Parts 500

2007 Checker Auto Parts 500

The 2007 Checker Auto Parts 500 presented by Pennzoil, the next to last race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season and the 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup ran on Sunday, November 11, 2007 at Phoenix International Raceway in the Phoenix suburb of Avondale, Arizona...

Finishing order Jimmie Johnson (1) Matt Kenseth (3) Tony Stewart (4) Kevin Harvick (6) Martin Truex Jr. (7) Kyle Busch (8) Jeff Burton (9) Jeff Gordon (10) Clint Bowyer (11) Kurt Busch (12) Denny Hamlin (16) Carl Edwards (42)

Standings after race: Jimmie Johnson 6572, leader Jeff Gordon 6486, -86 Clint Bowyer 6331, -241 Kyle Busch 6185, -387 Tony Stewart 6169, -403 Matt Kenseth 6103, -469 Kevin Harvick 6093, -479 Jeff Burton 6089, -483 Carl Edwards 6067, -505 Kurt Busch 6056, -516 Martin Truex, Jr. 6009, -593 Denny Hamlin 5973, -599

NOTE: Drivers in italics are mathematically eliminated from winning the championship.

Race 10 - 2007 Ford 400

2007 Ford 400

The 2007 Ford 400, the final race of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season for 2007 and the 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup, was run on Sunday, November 18, 2007 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida, located in Dade County outside Miami, the final event of the three day Ford Championship...

Finishing order Matt Kenseth (1) Kurt Busch (2) Denny Hamlin (3) Jeff Gordon (4) Carl Edwards (5) Martin Truex, Jr. (6) Jimmie Johnson (7) Jeff Burton (8) Kevin Harvick (19) Kyle Busch (20) Tony Stewart (30) Clint Bowyer (39)

Final standings: Jimmie Johnson, 6,723 pts, 2007 Series Champion Jeff Gordon, -77 pts Clint Bowyer, -346 pts Matt Kenseth, -425 pts Kyle Busch, -430 pts Tony Stewart, -481 pts Kurt Busch, -492 pts* Jeff Burton, -492 pts Carl Edwards, -501 pts Kevin Harvick, -524 pts Martin Truex Jr., -559 pts Denny Hamlin, -580 pts

* - Kurt Busch finished one place ahead of Jeff Burton based on most wins (Two wins vs. one).

Television

ABC

ESPN on ABC

ESPN on ABC is the brand used for sports programming on the ABC television network. Officially the broadcast network retains its own sports division; however, for all practical purposes, ABC's sports division has been merged with ESPN, a sports cable network majority-owned by ABC's parent, The...

 carried the entire Chase for the NEXTEL Cup in 2007, marking the first time that the entire Chase was carried on network television. (In previous years, it had been on a combination of NBC

NBC Sports

NBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...

 and TNT

Turner Network Television

Turner Network Television is an American cable television channel created by media mogul Ted Turner and currently owned by the Turner Broadcasting System division of Time Warner...

.) The commentators for ABC were Jerry Punch

Jerry Punch

Dr. Jerry Punch is an American auto racing and college football commentator on ESPN. Punch also does local radio spots in Knoxville.-Early life and career:...

 and Rusty Wallace

Rusty Wallace

Russell William Wallace, Jr. is a past NASCAR Winston Cup Champion, currently a broadcaster on ESPN, car owner in the Nationwide Series, and a co-host of NASCAR Angels.-Early racing career:...

, who are joined by newcomer Andy Petree

Andy Petree

Andy Petree , is a long-time fixture in NASCAR. After racing for years at local short track , Andy became part owner of the #32 Busch Series car for Dale Jarrett. By the age of 28, Andy was already a NASCAR Winston Cup crew chief on the Leo Jackson racing team...

, a former team owner and Dale Earnhardt

Dale Earnhardt

Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was an American race car driver, best known for his involvement in stock car racing for NASCAR...

's crew chief in 1993 and 1994. The hosts were Brent Musburger

Brent Musburger

Brent Woody Musburger is an American sportscaster for the ESPN and ABC television networks. Formerly with CBS Sports and one of the original members of their legendary program The NFL Today, Musburger has covered NASCAR, NBA, MLB, NCAA football and basketball games. Musburger has also served as a...

 (race) and Suzy Kolber

Suzy Kolber

Suzanne Lisa "Suzy" Kolber is a football sideline reporter, co-producer, and sportscaster for ESPN. She was one of the original anchors of ESPN2 when it launched in 1993. Three years later, she left ESPN2 to join Fox Sports, but rejoined ESPN in late 1999....

 (studio).

See also

• 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series
• 2007 NASCAR Busch Series
• 2007 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

External links and sources

• Official NASCAR site
• RacingOne
• Jayski's Silly Season Site
• Speed Channel
• ThatsRacin.com
• RacinFreek.com hosted by Freewebs.com