The 2007 Daytona 500, the 49th running of the event, was the first race of the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season, taking place on February 18, 2007, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Kevin Harvick won the race by 0.02 second over Mark Martin in the closest finish since the first race at Daytona International Speedway when it took three days to declare Lee Petty the winner in 1959. The race was decided by a green-white-checker finish for the third year in a row, with two extra laps added for a total of 202 laps and 505 miles (813 km).

2007 Daytona 500
Race details[1]
Race 1 of 36 in the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series
Date February 18, 2007 (2007-02-18)
Official name Daytona 500 by Toyota
Location Daytona International Speedway
Daytona Beach, Florida, U.S.
Course Permanent racing facility
2.5 mi (4.02336 km)
Distance 202 laps, 505 mi (812.718 km)
Scheduled Distance 200 laps, 500 mi (804.672 km)
Weather Cold with temperatures approaching 55.9 °F (13.3 °C); wind speeds up to 15.90 miles per hour (25.59 km/h)
Average speed 149.333 miles per hour (240.328 km/h)
Attendance 185,000
Pole position
Driver Robert Yates Racing
Time 48.304
Qualifying race winners
Duel 1 Winner Tony Stewart Joe Gibbs Racing
Duel 2 Winner Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports
Most laps led
Driver Kurt Busch Penske Racing
Laps 95
Winner
No. 29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing
Television in the United States
Network Fox
Announcers Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip and Larry McReynolds
Nielsen Ratings 10.1/20
(17.5 million viewers)
The 2007 Daytona 500 program cover.

Entry list edit

No. Driver Team Manufacturer
00 David Reutimann (R) Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota
01 Mark Martin Ginn Racing Chevrolet
1 Martin Truex Jr. Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet
2 Kurt Busch Penske Racing Dodge
04 Eric McClure Morgan-McClure Motorsports Chevrolet
4 Ward Burton (W) Morgan-McClure Motorsports Chevrolet
5 Kyle Busch Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
6 David Ragan (R) Roush Racing Ford
07 Clint Bowyer Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
7 Robby Gordon Robby Gordon Motorsports Ford
8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (W) Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet
09 Mike Wallace Phoenix Racing Chevrolet
9 Kasey Kahne Evernham Motorsports Dodge
10 Scott Riggs Evernham Motorsports Dodge
11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet
12 Ryan Newman Penske Racing Dodge
13 Joe Nemechek Ginn Racing Chevrolet
14 Sterling Marlin (W) Ginn Racing Chevrolet
15 Paul Menard (R) Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet
16 Greg Biffle Roush Racing Ford
17 Matt Kenseth Roush Racing Ford
18 J. J. Yeley Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet
19 Elliott Sadler Evernham Motorsports Dodge
20 Tony Stewart Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet
21 Ken Schrader Wood Brothers Racing Ford
22 Dave Blaney Bill Davis Racing Toyota
23 Mike Skinner Bill Davis Racing Toyota
24 Jeff Gordon (W) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
25 Casey Mears Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
26 Jamie McMurray Roush Racing Ford
27 Kirk Shelmerdine Kirk Shelmerdine Racing Chevrolet
29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
30 Stanton Barrett Ware Racing Enterprises Chevrolet
31 Jeff Burton Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
34 Kevin Lepage Front Row Motorsports Dodge
36 Jeremy Mayfield Bill Davis Racing Toyota
37 Bill Elliott (W) Front Row Motorsports Dodge
38 David Gilliland (R) Robert Yates Racing Ford
39 Regan Smith (R) Ginn Racing Chevrolet
40 David Stremme Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge
41 Reed Sorenson Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge
42 Juan Pablo Montoya (R) Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge
43 Bobby Labonte Petty Enterprises Dodge
44 Dale Jarrett (W) Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota
45 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Dodge
48 Jimmie Johnson (W) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
49 Mike Bliss BAM Racing Dodge
55 Michael Waltrip (W) Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota
58 James Hylton Hylton Motorsports Chevrolet
60 Boris Said No Fear Racing Ford
66 Jeff Green Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet
70 Johnny Sauter Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet
71 Frank Kimmel (R) Fast Track Racing Chevrolet
72 Brandon Whitt (R) CJM Racing Chevrolet
74 Derrike Cope (W) McGlynn Racing Dodge
78 Kenny Wallace Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet
83 Brian Vickers Team Red Bull Toyota
84 A. J. Allmendinger (R) Team Red Bull Toyota
88 Ricky Rudd Robert Yates Racing Ford
96 Tony Raines Hall of Fame Racing Chevrolet
99 Carl Edwards Roush Racing Ford
Official Entry list

Qualifying edit

Tony Stewart, driving the #20 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS for Joe Gibbs Racing, won the first Gatorade Duel race, while Jeff Gordon drove the #24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet to the checkered flag in the second race. However, widespread rules infractions that affected five teams – the #17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Fusion team of Matt Kenseth, the three Evernham Motorsports Dodge Charger teams of Kasey Kahne (#9), Scott Riggs (#10) and Elliott Sadler (#19 car) – were discovered during the Pole Qualifying on February 11. But, a sixth team – the #55 Toyota Camry from Michael Waltrip Racing driven by the teams' owner – suffered the most severe punishment handed out by the motorsports sanctioning body since 2000, as it was docked 100 driver and owner points, causing it to leave Daytona with negative owner and championship points (−27 points). In addition, Gordon was penalized with the loss of his starting position after the #24 Chevrolet failed a post-race inspection because of an improper spoiler height. His starting position was changed from fourth to 42nd. There were no other penalties assessed against himself or the team and he remained listed as the winner of the second duel race.

When all was said and done, Robert Yates Racing swept the top two positions, with David Gilliland driving the #38 Ford Fusion to the pole at 186.320 mph (299.853 km/h), with his teammate, Ricky Rudd in the #88 Fusion alongside a mere 0.185 seconds behind.

Bill Elliott was not the only past Daytona 500 champion to miss the race, as 25 other cars battled for a set of seven spots in the starting grid. Ward Burton (who won in 2002) and Derrike Cope (the 1990 winner) did not qualify from their respective races. Elliott was not eligible for the past champion's provisional, as it was given to Dale Jarrett, who was the more recent champion.

Before the green flag the following drivers dropped to the rear of the field for the reasons indicated: #00 – David Reutimann (transmission change), #18 – J. J. Yeley (transmission change), #41 – Reed Sorenson (transmission change). #24 – Jeff Gordon (failed post race inspection after winning the Gatorade Duel race #2, Gordon was supposed to start 4th).

Pre-race edit

Kelly Clarkson, the first winner of American Idol and spokesperson for the 2007 edition of "NASCAR Day", performed in the pre-race "Salute to America" concert, with her set consisting of Since U Been Gone, One Minute (from her third studio album My December) and Miss Independent. Big and Rich sang the National Anthem, while Academy Award winning actor Nicolas Cage served as the grand marshal of the event, giving the command to have the drivers start their engines in a low-key manner. Baseball ironman and 2007 inductee into the Baseball Hall of Fame Cal Ripken Jr. drove the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 pace car for the pre-race laps, and Phil Parsons, the brother of Benny Parsons, who had died of complications from lung cancer prior to the season, was given the honor of dropping the green flag for the race.

Race summary edit

 
Kevin Harvick's 2007 Daytona 500-winning No. 29 Pennzoil Chevrolet Monte Carlo

David Gilliland was in the front of the field when the green flag waved. The first caution came on lap 16 when Boris Said moved up the track coming off of turn 2, most likely unaware that David Reutimann was there, and spun. He had very minor damage and continued the race from there. The race then stayed under the green flag for about 60 laps, during which Tony Stewart took the lead from Kurt Busch. On lap 79, Kyle Petty hit the wall after his rear tire blew out, bringing out another yellow flag. He went behind the wall for repairs. Reutimann obtained the free pass to return to the lead lap. Kurt Busch took the lead again during most of the next green flag period, only being passed by Ryan Newman for one lap on lap 128, and then by Stewart again on lap 150.

On lap 152, Stewart got on the apron in turn 4, got loose, and spun into Kurt Busch. He spun to a halt, while Busch kept the engine going and went to the garage area for repairs. However, with 46 laps to go, he was unable to continue and did not finish the race. A fourth caution came on lap 175 when a 5-car crash involving Reutimann, Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Green and Tony Raines occurred in the backstretch. Mark Martin took the lead shortly before the yellow flag came out. Another crash which took out Ken Schrader happened on lap 186, after contact from Dave Blaney who was parked for the remainder of the race (who may have been unaware of his right front tire being flat according to Darrell Waltrip). With 5 laps to go, Matt Kenseth ran into Jamie McMurray, who hit the wall and collected Dale Earnhardt Jr. with him. Ricky Rudd and Martin Truex Jr. were collected as well. Rudd remained on the lead lap, but Truex fell a lap down. McMurray and Earnhardt Jr. both were out of the race, finishing 31st and 32nd, respectively. The race was delayed for approximately 12 minutes for cleanup under the red flag. This set up a green-white-checkered finish.

With 2 laps to go, an outside line began to form, with Kevin Harvick, Kenseth and Jeff Burton. Martin came to the white flag looking for a victory. On the backstretch, Kyle Busch, sitting 2nd place, tried both ways to get around Martin. Meanwhile, Kenseth began to bump-draft Harvick, with Burton in tow. Harvick flew by David Stremme, Gilliland, Mike Wallace, David Ragan and Greg Biffle. Busch, trying to get around Martin and block Harvick at the same, nearly squeezed Harvick into the wall as Harvick zipped past him and pulled even with Martin. Harvick and Martin, Busch and Kenseth, and Biffle and Burton were side by side out of turn 4. With the checkered flag in sight, Busch hit the apron, getting him loose. He spun out and started a chain reaction collecting most of the field. Clint Bowyer took the worst hit, turning over on his roof and skidding across the finish line on it while on fire before flipping back upright in the grass. Harvick beat Martin by .02 of a second to claim the victory. After being 6th place out of turn 4, Burton finished 3rd. Mike Wallace and David Ragan were surprises, rounding out the Top 5.

Results edit

Pos Grid Car No. Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Laps Led Status
1 34 29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 202 4 Running
2 26 01 Mark Martin Ginn Racing Chevrolet 202 26 Running
3 7 31 Jeff Burton Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 202 0 Running
4 22 09 Mike Wallace Phoenix Racing Chevrolet 202 0 Running
5 35 6 David Ragan (R) Roush Racing Ford 202 0 Running
6 30 19 Elliott Sadler Evernham Motorsports Dodge 202 0 Running
7 28 9 Kasey Kahne Evernham Motorsports Dodge 202 0 Running
8 1 38 David Gilliland (R) Robert Yates Racing Ford 202 18 Running
9 18 13 Joe Nemechek Ginn Racing Chevrolet 202 0 Running
10 42 24 Jeff Gordon (W) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 202 0 Running
11 6 40 David Stremme Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge 202 0 Running
12 12 18 J. J. Yeley Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 202 0 Running
13 33 41 Reed Sorenson Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge 202 0 Running
14 23 60 Boris Said No Fear Racing Ford 202 0 Running
15 39 7 Robby Gordon Robby Gordon Motorsports Ford 202 0 Running
16 41 70 Johnny Sauter Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet 202 0 Running
17 38 14 Sterling Marlin (W) Ginn Racing Chevrolet 202 1 Running
18 11 07 Clint Bowyer Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 202 0 Running
19 36 42 Juan Pablo Montoya (R) Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge 202 0 Running
20 17 25 Casey Mears Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 202 0 Running
21 17 43 Bobby Labonte Petty Enterprises Dodge 202 0 Running
22 43 44 Dale Jarrett (W) Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 202 0 Running
23 14 99 Carl Edwards Roush Racing Ford 202 0 Running
24 8 5 Kyle Busch Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 202 4 Running
25 25 16 Greg Biffle Roush Racing Ford 202 0 Running
26 2 88 Ricky Rudd Robert Yates Racing Ford 202 0 Running
27 10 17 Matt Kenseth Roush Racing Ford 202 6 Running
28 9 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 201 0 Flagged
29 13 1 Martin Truex Jr. Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 201 13 Flagged
30 15 55 Michael Waltrip (W) Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 200 0 Flagged
31 24 26 Jamie McMurray Roush Racing Ford 195 0 Accident
32 5 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (W) Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 195 0 Accident
33 20 96 Tony Raines Hall of Fame Racing Chevrolet 195 0 Flagged
34 37 22 Dave Blaney Bill Davis Racing Toyota 186 0 Parked
35 19 21 Ken Schrader Wood Brothers Racing Ford 185 0 Accident
36 31 66 Jeff Green Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet 181 0 Flagged
37 32 10 Scott Riggs Evernham Motorsports Dodge 179 0 Flagged
38 16 12 Ryan Newman Penske Racing Dodge 175 1 Engine
39 21 48 Jimmie Johnson (W) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 173 0 Accident
40 40 00 David Reutimann (R) Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 173 0 Accident
41 4 2 Kurt Busch Penske Racing Dodge 166 95 Flagged
42 29 45 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Dodge 160 0 Flagged
43 3 20 Tony Stewart Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 152 35 Accident
Failed to Qualify
44 49 Mike Bliss BAM Racing Dodge
45 36 Jeremy Mayfield Bill Davis Racing Toyota
46 15 Paul Menard (R) Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet
47 78 Kenny Wallace Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet
48 34 Kevin Lepage Front Row Motorsports Dodge
49 74 Derrike Cope (W) McGlynn Racing Dodge
50 30 Stanton Barrett (R) Ware Racing Enterprises Chevrolet
51 39 Regan Smith (R) Ginn Racing Chevrolet
52 37 Bill Elliott (W) Front Row Motorsports Dodge
53 71 Frank Kimmel (R) Fast Track Racing Chevrolet
54 72 Brandon Whitt (R) CJM Racing Chevrolet
55 58 James Hylton Hylton Motorsports Chevrolet
56 04 Eric McClure (R) Morgan-McClure Motorsports Chevrolet
57 27 Kirk Shelmerdine Kirk Shelmerdine Racing Chevrolet
58 4 Ward Burton (W) Morgan-McClure Motorsports Chevrolet
59 83 Brian Vickers Team Red Bull Toyota
60 23 Mike Skinner Bill Davis Racing Toyota
61 84 A. J. Allmendinger (R) Team Red Bull Toyota
Source:[2]

Controversy over the finish edit

Because of an incident between Casey Mears and Dale Jarrett at the 2003 Sylvania 300 in New Hampshire International Speedway, NASCAR mandated a "freezing of the field" policy whenever a caution flag is thrown, effectively ending the phenomenon that is racing back to the caution. Such a flag did not fly after the last-lap crash. There is some disputed visual evidence that suggests that, if the caution had flown strictly according to NASCAR rules, Martin may have won.[3]

The issue was especially passionate because Martin was in his 23rd Daytona 500 start and had never won. Such a win, arguably, would have been popular with fans, similar to Dale Earnhardt's 1998 victory (in his 20th start) or Darrell Waltrip's 1989 triumph (in his 17th). Martin retired following the 2013 season, never having achieved a Daytona 500 victory in his 29 attempts.

In some races, NASCAR has permitted the cars to run to the finish in case of more "minor" spins on the last lap.

References edit

  1. ^ "Weather information for the 2007 Daytona 500". Retrieved January 6, 2015.
  2. ^ "2007 Daytona 500 – Racing-Reference.info". Archived from the original on 2012-02-19. Retrieved 2013-12-06.
  3. ^ ESPN.com: Harvick barely takes checkered at drama-filled Daytona
Preceded by NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Season
2007
Succeeded by