2008 Aaron's 499
Encyclopedia
The 2008 Aaron's 499
was the ninth race in the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule
and was raced on April 27th, 2008 at Talladega Superspeedway
two miles east of Lincoln
in Talladega County, Alabama
. This race was the second race of the season utilizing restrictor plate
s and the first time that the spring race was raced using the Car of Tomorrow
template, with the 2007 UAW-Ford 500
(now known as the AMP Energy 500) being the first on the superspeedway. The telecast in the USA
started at 1 PM US EDT
on Fox
, with radio coverage on MRN Radio
on terrestrial stations and Sirius Satellite Radio
starting at 1:15 PM US EDT.
's #78 car scored the pole thanks to "Front Row" Joe Nemechek
, who edged Tony Stewart on the last run of the day.
Failed to qualify: Dave Blaney
(#22), John Andretti
(#34), J.J. Yeley (#96).
For Yeley, this was the first race he missed as Hall of Fame Racing
were outside the Top 35 Owner Points exemption.
was the winner of the race when "The Big One" occurred in the backstretch off Turn Two and the yellow flag flew on the final lap. Kyle Busch was passing Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the inside, and got loose, bumping into Dale and causing him to spin out. The winning car was also noted to have a large "donut" on the side. This happened after hard contact with the #26 of Jamie McMurray
. Both cars finished in the top-five, though.
This win was the last winner of any of NASCAR's three majors as of the 2011 Daytona 500 to be in that season's Chase.
Aaron's 499
The Aaron's 499 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car auto race held at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama. The race has always been held in late April or early May. The Aaron's 499 is also one of four races currently run with restrictor plates, the others being the AMP Energy 500,...
was the ninth race in the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule
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...
and was raced on April 27th, 2008 at 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...
two miles east of Lincoln
Lincoln, Alabama
Lincoln is a city in Talladega County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 4,577. It was named for Major General Benjamin Lincoln, who served in the American Army during the Revolutionary War.-Geography:...
in Talladega County, Alabama
Talladega County, Alabama
Talladega County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Talladega is a Muscogee Native American word derived from TVLVTEKE, which means "border town." As of 2010, the population was 82,291...
. This race was the second race of the season utilizing restrictor plate
Restrictor plate
A restrictor plate or air restrictor is a device installed at the intake of an engine to limit its power. This kind of system is occasionally used in road vehicles for insurance purposes, but mainly in automobile racing, to limit top speed and thus increase safety, to provide equal level of...
s and the first time that the spring race was raced using 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...
template, with the 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....
(now known as the AMP Energy 500) being the first on the superspeedway. The telecast in the USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
started at 1 PM US EDT
North American Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
on Fox
NASCAR on Fox
NASCAR on Fox is the Emmy-winning branding used for Fox Sports's broadcasts of NASCAR races airing on the Fox network since 2001. The production has been in high-definition since 2005.-Background:...
, with radio coverage on MRN Radio
Motor Racing Network
The Motor Racing Network is the principal radio broadcasting operation of NASCAR, promoting themselves as "The Voice of NASCAR." It broadcasts coverage of most major NASCAR races at the top three levels of NASCAR at tracks owned by International Speedway Corporation as well as Dover International...
on terrestrial stations and Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
starting at 1:15 PM US EDT.
Pre Race News
- After a fill-in performance two weeks ago by Johnny SauterJohnny SauterJohnathan Joseph Sauter is a NASCAR driver from Wisconsin. Sauter is the son of former NASCAR driver Jim Sauter, and the brother of NASCAR drivers Tim Sauter and Jay Sauter...
, Ken SchraderKen SchraderKenneth Schrader is a second-generation race car driver. He currently races on local dirt and asphalt tracks around the country while driving part-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the ARCA Racing Series for his own Ken Schrader Racing. He also runs part time in the NASCAR Camping...
, who was released from his ride at BAM RacingBAM RacingBAM Racing is a NASCAR racing team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, owned by Beth Ann and Tony Morgenthau. The team began in the ARCA RE/MAX Series in 2000, moving to NASCAR in 2001 to 2008 before sitting out 2009 due to the economy...
, will be the new driver of the Haas CNC RacingHaas CNC RacingStewart-Haas Racing, formerly known as Haas CNC Racing, is a NASCAR racing team based in Kannapolis, North Carolina, which runs Chevrolet Impalas. The team is owned by Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, and runs the #14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet Impala driven by Stewart and the #39 United States...
#70 car starting with this race. BAM Racing has curtailed their schedule as a result of a major sponsorship pullout and the transition to Toyota cars, and may not return until the fall. Schrader helped improve his new team and would start third. - Tony StewartTony StewartAnthony 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...
, according to reports, wants to get out of his contract with Joe Gibbs RacingJoe Gibbs RacingJoe Gibbs Racing is a group of NASCAR racing teams owned and operated by former Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs, who first started racing on the NASCAR circuit in 1991, and J. D. Gibbs, his son...
, but both sides have denied reports. - Dale Earnhardt, Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Jr.* NOTE: References to "Earnhardt", "he", and "him" refer to the subject of this article, unless otherwise specified. References to his father will include "Sr."...
started his 300th NASCAR Cup race. - David StremmeDavid StremmeDavid Andrew Stremme is an American stock car driver. He is most notable as the 2003 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year, winning the award while running a part time for several different teams. He currently drives the #30 Chevrolet Impala for Inception Motorsports.-Early life:Stremme was...
, who lost his ride in the #40 Chip Ganassi RacingChip Ganassi RacingChip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is an automotive racing organization with teams competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. They have won 4 Champ Car, 3 Indy Racing League and 1 Grand-Am championships...
DodgeDodgeDodge 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....
last year after they signed Dario FranchittiDario FranchittiGeorge Dario Marino Franchitti is a Scottish racing driver. He formerly competed in the CART series before switching to the IndyCar Series where he was 2007 champion, and won the rain-shortened 2007 Indianapolis 500. Franchitti is also a former NASCAR driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, competing...
, will replace the defending Indy 5002007 Indianapolis 500The 91st Indianapolis 500 ran on Sunday, May 27, 2007 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the 12th Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League, and marked the fifth race of the 2007 IndyCar Series season just after the 2007 Kansas Lottery Indy 300 and just before the 2007 ABC Supply...
champion after Franchitti broke his ankle in the Nationwide Series race on Saturday.
Qualifying
Furniture Row RacingFurniture Row Racing
Furniture Row Racing is a NASCAR team based in Colorado and fields the #78 Chevrolet Impala for Regan Smith. The team is owned and sponsored by the U.S. furniture store chain Furniture Row and is the only NASCAR team headquartered in Colorado....
's #78 car scored the pole thanks to "Front Row" Joe Nemechek
Joe Nemechek
Joseph Frank Nemechek III is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver and owner of NEMCO Motorsports. He won the 1992 Busch Series championship...
, who edged Tony Stewart on the last run of the day.
Failed to qualify: Dave Blaney
Dave Blaney
David Blaney is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver. He currently drives the #36 Golden Corral/Big Red Chevrolet Impala for Tommy Baldwin Racing. Blaney was a successful sprint car driver before he started racing in NASCAR...
(#22), John Andretti
John Andretti
John Andretti is an American race car driver. He has won in CART, IMSA GTP, Rolex Sports Car Series and NASCAR. He was the last NASCAR driver to win a Cup race for the famous Petty Enterprises team.-Andretti family:...
(#34), J.J. Yeley (#96).
For Yeley, this was the first race he missed as Hall of Fame Racing
Hall of Fame Racing
Hall of Fame Racing was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing team principally owned by Jeff Moorad, Tom Garfinkel, and Tom Davin. The team was created as a joint venture between former Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman...
were outside the Top 35 Owner Points exemption.
Race
Kyle BuschKyle 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...
was the winner of the race when "The Big One" occurred in the backstretch off Turn Two and the yellow flag flew on the final lap. Kyle Busch was passing Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the inside, and got loose, bumping into Dale and causing him to spin out. The winning car was also noted to have a large "donut" on the side. This happened after hard contact with the #26 of Jamie McMurray
Jamie McMurray
James Christopher "Jamie" McMurray is a professional American race car driver. McMurray is best known for winning the 2002 UAW-GM Quality 500 as a substitute driver in his second Winston Cup start, and is one of three drivers to win both the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 in the same year...
. Both cars finished in the top-five, though.
This win was the last winner of any of NASCAR's three majors as of the 2011 Daytona 500 to be in that season's Chase.