The
2007 NEXTEL Open and NEXTEL All-Star Challenge was held on Saturday, May 19, 2007 at
Lowe's Motor SpeedwayLowe's Motor Speedway is a speedway in Concord, North Carolina, north of Charlotte. It features a long quad-oval track that seats 167,000 people, with room for 50,000 more spectators in the infield...
in
Concord, North CarolinaConcord is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 55,977. It is the county seat of Cabarrus County and a winner of the All-America City Award in 2004...
, a suburb of
CharlotteCharlotte is the largest city in the state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. Charlotte's population was estimated to be 687,456 in 2008, making it the 18th largest city in the United States. Residents of Charlotte are referred to as "Charlotteans"...
. Native Carolinian and former NBA superstar
Michael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a retired American professional basketball player and active businessman. His biography on the National Basketball Association website states, "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time." Jordan was one of the most effectively marketed...
was the grand marshal of the event.
All-Star Challenge
The race is unique to its "All-Star Game" format, much like those in the other North American major "stick and ball" sports (baseball, football, basketball and hockey). Only race winners (either drivers or teams) in the
2006The 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season started at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, February 12 with the Bud Shootout and ended on Sunday, November 19 with the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The Chase for the NEXTEL Cup began with the Sylvania 300 on Sunday, September 17 at New Hampshire...
and the first eleven races of the 2007 seasons, plus former Winston/NEXTEL Cup Champions and All-Star event winners from the past decade (covering the span between 1997 and 2006) automatically qualify for the main event. A description on how the race was reformatted for the 2007 running can be found here. The race also awards no points as it is an exhibition race, meaning drivers can take greater risks than they normally would not do in a regular event. In addition, on restarts of the race after caution flags, the cars line up in a double file restart, akin to the start of a regulation race.
Qualifying for this event is abnormal to the standards of
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947-48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
. Those entered for the main event take three timed qualifying laps (instead of the usual two laps used in all sanctioned oval races), but they must take a required pit stop for four tires after either the first or second lap, coming in at the pit road speed (in the case of LMS, 45 miles per hour), but come out at full throttle. This puts a premium on the pit crew teams to be fast like regular pit stops, and to even out the field, pit box #22 is used for all qualifiers. Infractions will also incur time penalties. Also starting in 2007, the selection of the pit boxes used by teams were made after the annual Pit Crew Challenge event to be held three days earlier at
Charlotte Bobcats ArenaThe Time Warner Cable Arena The Time Warner Cable Arena The Time Warner Cable Arena (also known locally as "TWC Arena", is an entertainment and sports venue located in the Uptown (downtown) area of Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. Its primary use is as the home court of the Charlotte Bobcats of the...
, won by the
Ryan NewmanRyan Joseph Newman is a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He drives the #39 U.S. Army/Haas Automation Chevrolet Impala for Stewart Haas Racing under crew chief Tony Gibson. Newman graduated from Purdue University in 2001 with a B.S. in vehicle structure engineering., and is the only active...
#12 team. In the qualifying,
Matt KensethMatthew Roy Kenseth is an American stock car driver. Matt currently drives the #17 DeWalt Ford in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Roush Fenway Racing. He is currently the defending Daytona 500 champion, having won a rain-shortened race in 2009, the first Daytona 500 win for the Roush Fenway...
won the pole.
Kevin HarvickKevin Michael Harvick is an American race car driver and car owner, competing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Richard Childress Racing, driving the #29 Shell Pennzoil Chevrolet Impala SS...
was bumper-to-bumper with
Jimmie Johnson Jimmie Kenneth Johnson is a current NASCAR Sprint Cup race car driver who drives the #48 Lowe's/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet Impala SS co-owned by Rick Hendrick and his teammate Jeff Gordon and operated by Hendrick Motorsports. Johnson is the reigning three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion...
coming to the start/finish line to win the race.
NEXTEL Open
All other drivers or teams that are in the NEXTEL Cup Top 50 owners or drivers points that do not automatically qualify for the All-Star Challenge are entered into a 40-lap, two-half event called the NEXTEL Open. Only the top two drivers, plus one additional driver on the lead lap that is voted in by fans on the
world wide webThe World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet. With a web browser, one can view Web pages that may contain text, images, videos, and other multimedia and navigate between them using hyperlinks...
via Sprint/NEXTEL's web site, their customers and attendees of the race, join the elite field. Standard qualifying rules applied for those in this event, which saw
Carl EdwardsCarl Michael Edwards, II is an American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series driver for Roush Fenway Racing.In the Sprint Cup Series, Edwards Drives the #99 Aflac Ford Fusion...
win "P-1" (a/k./a the pole position), edging fellow Roush-Fenway teammate
David RaganDavid Ragan is a stock car racer who drives for Roush Fenway Racing in the #6 UPS Ford in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, as well as the #6 Discount Tire Company Ford in the Nationwide Series, in which he was the 2007 Rookie of the Year...
. The Nextel Open was won by Martin Truex, Jr.. Johnny Sauter finished second.
Crew Chiefs As Drivers
A new event that served as a preliminary to the All-Star Challenge which aired on Speed Channel was a race among NEXTEL Cup crew chiefs, sponsored by
Kobalt ToolsKobalt is a fictional character, a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. He first appears in Kobalt #1 , and was created by John Rozum and Arvell Jones.-Publication history:...
, driving small Legends Thunder Roadster Cars (the creation of Lowe's Motor Speedway president H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler) on the quarter-mile oval in front of the main track's grandstand. Former crew chief, car owner and
ESPNESPN is an American cable television network dedicated to broadcasting and producing sports-related programming 24 hours a day....
/
ABCESPN 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 coverage has been delegated to ESPN, a sports cable network majority-owned by ABC's parent, The...
color commentator
Andy PetreeAndy 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. That car was driven by the Bandit...
won the overall race, earning a $10,000 donation to his favorite charity.
List of 2007 qualifiers
The following drivers qualified after they won at least one race in the
2006The 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season started at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, February 12 with the Bud Shootout and ended on Sunday, November 19 with the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The Chase for the NEXTEL Cup began with the Sylvania 300 on Sunday, September 17 at New Hampshire...
or
2007The 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season began on February 10, 2007 at Daytona International Speedway with the Budweiser Shootout and ended on November 18 of that same year at Homestead-Miami Speedway with the Ford 400. The Chase for the NEXTEL Cup began with the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire...
seasons, in order of their qualifying win:
- Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Kenneth Johnson is a current NASCAR Sprint Cup race car driver who drives the #48 Lowe's/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet Impala SS co-owned by Rick Hendrick and his teammate Jeff Gordon and operated by Hendrick Motorsports. Johnson is the reigning three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion...
- 2006 Daytona 500The 2006 Daytona 500 was the first race in the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup season. It took place on February 19, 2006 at Daytona International Speedway.-Qualifying and Gatorade Duels:...
- Matt Kenseth
Matthew Roy Kenseth is an American stock car driver. Matt currently drives the #17 DeWalt Ford in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Roush Fenway Racing. He is currently the defending Daytona 500 champion, having won a rain-shortened race in 2009, the first Daytona 500 win for the Roush Fenway...
- 2006 Auto Club 500The Auto Club 500 is a long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. This is one of two races held at the Auto Club Speedway, the other being the Pepsi 500. Prior to 2005, the race was held in late April or early May...
- Kasey Kahne
Kasey Kenneth Kahne is a race car driver full time in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series and part-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. For the 2009 season, he drives the #9 Budweiser Dodge Charger for Richard Petty Motorsports with teammates Elliott Sadler, Reed Sorenson,...
- 2006 Golden Corral 500The Kobalt Tools 500 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup stock car race that is actually in length held in March at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia.-Past winners:Kobalt Tools 500...
- Kurt Busch
Kurt Thomas Busch is a professional American race car driver. He drives the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series...
- 2006 Food City 500The Food City 500 is a 500 lap race NASCAR Sprint Cup race held on the track at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. This is one of two NASCAR races held at Bristol, the other being the Sharpie 500, and is considered one of NASCAR's best races...
- Tony Stewart
Anthony Wayne 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." Tony currently owns...
- 2006 DirecTV 500The Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 is a 500-lap NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held at the Martinsville Speedway in , just outside of Martinsville...
- Kevin Harvick
Kevin Michael Harvick is an American race car driver and car owner, competing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Richard Childress Racing, driving the #29 Shell Pennzoil Chevrolet Impala SS...
- 2006 Subway Fresh 500
- Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is a professional American race car driver who drives the #88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet Impala SS in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series for Hendrick Motorsports, and drives in the Nationwide Series part-time for the #5 car for his own team, JR Motorsports...
- 2006 Crown Royal 400The Crown Royal Presents the Your Name Here 400 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup stock car race held at the Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Virginia. Since 2007, race title sponsor Crown Royal names the race after the winner of an essay contest during Daytona Speedweeks...
- Greg Biffle
Gregory Jack Biffle is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver who drives the #16 3M Ford Fusion for Roush Fenway Racing. He now lives in Mooresville, North Carolina.-Early career:...
- 2006 Dodge Charger 500
- Denny Hamlin
James Dennis Alan Hamlin, Jr. is an American race car driver. He currently drives the #11 Fedex Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series.-Racing prior to NASCAR:...
- 2006 Pocono 500The Pocono 500 is the first of two stock car races held at the Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, on the NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule in mid-June, the other being the Pennsylvania 500, usually held in July. The Pocono 500 replaced a 400-mile race at Texas World Speedway on NASCAR's schedule...
- Jeff Gordon
Jeffery Michael Gordon is a professional American race car driver. He was born in Vallejo, California, raised in Pittsboro, Indiana, and currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina...
- 2006 Dodge/Save Mart 350
- Kyle Busch
Kyle Thomas Busch is an American race car driver. He drives the #18 Mars/Interstate Batteries/NOS Energy Drink Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Sprint Cup Series, the #18 Z-Line Designs/NOS Energy Drink Toyota Camry for Gibbs in the Nationwide Series, and the #51 Miccosukee Resorts Toyota...
- 2006 Lenox Industrial Tools 300The Lenox Industrial Tools 301 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire. Organizers added an extra lap starting in 2008 to represent that the title sponsor, Lenox Industrial Tools, "is looking for users and suppliers of...
- Jeff Burton
Jeffrey Brian Burton also sometimes referred to as "JB" is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver. He drives the #31 Caterpillar Chevrolet Impala SS for Richard Childress Racing. He also races part-time in the Nationwide Series driving the #29 Holiday Inn Chevrolet...
- 2006 Dover 400
- Brian Vickers
Brian Lee Vickers is an American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver. Vickers was the 2003 Nationwide Series champion, and at age 20, the youngest champion in any of NASCAR's three top-tier series. He currently drives the #83 Red Bull Toyota Camry for the Red Bull Racing Team.-Early years:Vickers...
- 2006 UAW Ford 500The AMP Energy 500 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama. The AMP Energy 500 is also one of four races currently run with restrictor plates, the others being the Aaron's 499, the Coke Zero 400, and the Daytona 500. Through 1996, the race...
(drove the #25 Hendrick MotorsportsHendrick Motorsports is a stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The team is principally owned by Rick Hendrick, but Jeff Gordon and Mary Hendrick are listed as the owners of the #48 and #5 respectively...
car)
The following drivers qualified as a result of driving a car that won a race in 2006 with a different driver:
- Casey Mears
Casey James Mears is the driver of the #07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet Impala SS in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Richard Childress Racing...
- #25 car won the 2006 UAW Ford 500
The following drivers qualified as a result of being a former NEXTEL Cup champion (since
1997The 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Season began on Sunday February 9 and ended on Sunday November 16. Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon was crowned champion at season's end. It was Gordon's second championship in three years...
):
- Jeff Gordon
Jeffery Michael Gordon is a professional American race car driver. He was born in Vallejo, California, raised in Pittsboro, Indiana, and currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina...
(1997, 1998The 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Season began on Sunday February 8 and ended on Sunday November 8. Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon was crowned champion for the third time in four years. It was NASCAR's 50th Anniversary season. Chevrolet squeaked out a win over Ford with 16 wins over Ford's 15...
and 2001 Champion, already qualified)
- Dale Jarrett
Dale Arnold Jarrett is a former American race car driver. He is the 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup Champion and the son of two-time NASCAR Grand National Champion Ned Jarrett. He is the younger brother of Glenn Jarrett, a former NASCAR driver himself and pit commentator. He is also the father of former...
(1999The 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup Season began on Sunday February 7 and ended on Sunday November 21. Robert Yates Racing driver Dale Jarrett was crowned the champion...
Champion)
- Bobby Labonte
Robert Alan Labonte is an American race car driver in the Nascar Sprint Cup Series. He currently drives the #96 Ask.com/Texas Instruments DLP HDTV/Academy Sports + Outdoors Ford Fusion for Hall of Fame Racing, in an association with Yates Racing and the #71 TaxSlayer.com car for The Racer's Group....
(2000The 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Season began on Sunday February 13 and ended on Sunday November 20. Joe Gibbs Racing driver Bobby Labonte was crowned champion at season's end. The NASCAR Manufacturers' Championship was won by Ford when they captured 14 wins and 234 points to better Pontiac's 11 wins...
Champion)
- Tony Stewart
Anthony Wayne 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." Tony currently owns...
(2002The 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup began on Saturday, February 10, and ended on Sunday, November 17. Tony Stewart with Joe Gibbs Racing was crowned the Winston Cup champion...
and 2005The 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series began on Saturday, February 12. The ten race Chase for the Nextel Cup started with the Sylvania 300 on Sunday, September 18, and ended on Sunday, November 20, with the Ford 400....
Champion, already qualified)
- Matt Kenseth
Matthew Roy Kenseth is an American stock car driver. Matt currently drives the #17 DeWalt Ford in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Roush Fenway Racing. He is currently the defending Daytona 500 champion, having won a rain-shortened race in 2009, the first Daytona 500 win for the Roush Fenway...
(2003 Champion, already qualified)
- Kurt Busch
Kurt Thomas Busch is a professional American race car driver. He drives the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series...
(2004 Champion, already qualified)
- Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Kenneth Johnson is a current NASCAR Sprint Cup race car driver who drives the #48 Lowe's/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet Impala SS co-owned by Rick Hendrick and his teammate Jeff Gordon and operated by Hendrick Motorsports. Johnson is the reigning three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion...
(2006 Champion, already qualified)
The following drivers qualified as a result of being a former winner of the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge (since 1997):
- Jeff Gordon
Jeffery Michael Gordon is a professional American race car driver. He was born in Vallejo, California, raised in Pittsboro, Indiana, and currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina...
(1997 and 2001 winner, already qualified)
- Mark Martin
Mark Anthony Martin is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver for Hendrick Motorsports and the #5 Kellogg's/Carquest Chevrolet Impala SS. Mark is also a part-time driver in the Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports. He has also qualified for the Chase for the Sprint Cup 4 years out of 6 during it's...
(1998 and 2005 winner, already qualified)
- 1999 winner was Terry Labonte
Terrance Lee Labonte is a retired NASCAR driver who occasionally drives in the Sprint Cup Series when called upon. Labonte was introduced to the sport through his father, who had worked on race cars as a hobby for his friends...
, who retired after the 2006 season and did not compete
- Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is a professional American race car driver who drives the #88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet Impala SS in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series for Hendrick Motorsports, and drives in the Nationwide Series part-time for the #5 car for his own team, JR Motorsports...
(2000 winner, already qualified)
- Ryan Newman
Ryan Joseph Newman is a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He drives the #39 U.S. Army/Haas Automation Chevrolet Impala for Stewart Haas Racing under crew chief Tony Gibson. Newman graduated from Purdue University in 2001 with a B.S. in vehicle structure engineering., and is the only active...
(2002 winner)
- Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Kenneth Johnson is a current NASCAR Sprint Cup race car driver who drives the #48 Lowe's/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet Impala SS co-owned by Rick Hendrick and his teammate Jeff Gordon and operated by Hendrick Motorsports. Johnson is the reigning three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion...
(2003 and 2006 winner, already qualified)
- Matt Kenseth
Matthew Roy Kenseth is an American stock car driver. Matt currently drives the #17 DeWalt Ford in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Roush Fenway Racing. He is currently the defending Daytona 500 champion, having won a rain-shortened race in 2009, the first Daytona 500 win for the Roush Fenway...
(2004 winner, already qualified)
The following drivers qualified via the NEXTEL Open:
- Martin Truex Jr.
Martin Lee Truex, Jr. is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver. He currently drives the #1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet Impala SS for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. Truex won the Nationwide Series Championship in 2004 and 2005. In 2010, he will drive the #56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota Camry for Michael Waltrip...
(won the NEXTEL Open)
- Johnny Sauter
Jonathan 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...
(finished 2nd in the NEXTEL Open)
Also qualifying, the 2007 Fan Vote Winner:
- Kenny Wallace
Kenny Wallace is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series driver who currently drives the #28 United States Border Patrol Chevrolet Impala SS for Jay Robinson Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He also works as an on-air personality for Speed Channel, on shows such as NASCAR RaceDay...
The Open
Martin Truex, Jr. won the NEXTEL Open, which was the first win for him of any kind in a NEXTEL Cup race.
Johnny SauterJonathan 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...
edged out
Carl EdwardsCarl Michael Edwards, II is an American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series driver for Roush Fenway Racing.In the Sprint Cup Series, Edwards Drives the #99 Aflac Ford Fusion...
for the second transfer spot on offer in this race.
The 40-lap race was stopped four times due to caution, including a 10-car incident half-way through lap 1 in which, among other things, the hoods of the cars driven by
David GillilandDavid Gilliland is a NASCAR driver. His primary ride is the #71 TRG Motorsports Chevy. He is the son of former Cup and West Coast driver Butch Gilliland. He is mentored by former Sprint Cup race winner Jerry Nadeau.-NASCAR Regional Career:In 1996, he began working on his father's AutoZone West...
and
Juan Pablo MontoyaJuan Pablo Montoya Roldán is a race car driver in NASCAR and a former Formula One and CART driver. He has enjoyed great success, most famously in top open wheel racing series...
collided into each other.
As mentioned above,
Kenny WallaceKenny Wallace is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series driver who currently drives the #28 United States Border Patrol Chevrolet Impala SS for Jay Robinson Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He also works as an on-air personality for Speed Channel, on shows such as NASCAR RaceDay...
won the fan vote, partly a credit to a large
get out the vote"Get out the vote" are terms used to describe two categories of political activity, both aimed at increasing the number of votes cast in one or more elections.-Non-partisan contexts :...
campaign mounted by
Speed ChannelSpeed, sometimes still referred to as the Speed Channel, is a cable and satellite television channel broadcast to various parts of North America, but primarily the United States...
, where he works as an analyst.
The Challenge
Kevin HarvickKevin Michael Harvick is an American race car driver and car owner, competing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Richard Childress Racing, driving the #29 Shell Pennzoil Chevrolet Impala SS...
passed
Jeff BurtonJeffrey Brian Burton also sometimes referred to as "JB" is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver. He drives the #31 Caterpillar Chevrolet Impala SS for Richard Childress Racing. He also races part-time in the Nationwide Series driving the #29 Holiday Inn Chevrolet...
at the start of the fourth and final segment and never looked back to win the main event race for the first time in his career. Harvick won $1,031,539 for the victory, the largest amount ever for an all-star race winner.
Jimmie Johnson Jimmie Kenneth Johnson is a current NASCAR Sprint Cup race car driver who drives the #48 Lowe's/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet Impala SS co-owned by Rick Hendrick and his teammate Jeff Gordon and operated by Hendrick Motorsports. Johnson is the reigning three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion...
finished second, and
Mark MartinMark Anthony Martin is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver for Hendrick Motorsports and the #5 Kellogg's/Carquest Chevrolet Impala SS. Mark is also a part-time driver in the Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports. He has also qualified for the Chase for the Sprint Cup 4 years out of 6 during it's...
was third.
Burton had inherited the lead from
Matt KensethMatthew Roy Kenseth is an American stock car driver. Matt currently drives the #17 DeWalt Ford in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Roush Fenway Racing. He is currently the defending Daytona 500 champion, having won a rain-shortened race in 2009, the first Daytona 500 win for the Roush Fenway...
, who was sent to the tail end of the longest line due to speeding on pit road during the break between segments three and four. (During this break, teams had to at least visit the pits, but no service was required. Kenseth decided on the visit.) Kenseth had also won the first segment.
Kyle BuschKyle Thomas Busch is an American race car driver. He drives the #18 Mars/Interstate Batteries/NOS Energy Drink Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Sprint Cup Series, the #18 Z-Line Designs/NOS Energy Drink Toyota Camry for Gibbs in the Nationwide Series, and the #51 Miccosukee Resorts Toyota...
was first at the end of the second segment.
It was the fourth win for
Richard Childress RacingRCR Enterprises, LLC, doing business as Richard Childress Racing, is a NASCAR team based in Welcome, North Carolina and is owned and operated by former driver now businessman Richard Childress...
, after three wins by the late, legendary
Dale EarnhardtDale Earnhardt, Sr. was an American race car driver, best known for his career driving stock cars in NASCAR's top division. Earnhardt had four children, Kerry, Kelley Earnhardt Elledge, Dale Jr., and Taylor Earnhardt...
.
This race was also notable for a crash brothers
Kurt BuschKurt Thomas Busch is a professional American race car driver. He drives the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series...
and
Kyle BuschKyle Thomas Busch is an American race car driver. He drives the #18 Mars/Interstate Batteries/NOS Energy Drink Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Sprint Cup Series, the #18 Z-Line Designs/NOS Energy Drink Toyota Camry for Gibbs in the Nationwide Series, and the #51 Miccosukee Resorts Toyota...
were involved. They touched entering turn 1 with 18 laps to go, sending both into the wall rear-first. In the Speed Channel interview, Kurt joked that he wouldn't "be eating Kellogg's [cereal] anytime soon," referring to one of Kyle's sponsors.