2007 Auto Club 500
Race details | |||
---|---|---|---|
Race 2 of 36 in the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season | |||
Date | February 25, 2007 | ||
Official name | Auto Club 500 | ||
Location |
Auto Club Speedway Fontana, California, U.S. | ||
Course |
Permanent racing facility 2.0 mi (3.23 km) | ||
Distance | 250 laps, 500 mi (804.672 km) | ||
Weather | Temperatures up to 68.9 °F (20.5 °C); wind speeds up to 13 miles per hour (21 km/h)[1] | ||
Average speed | 135.839 miles per hour (218.612 km/h) | ||
Pole position | |||
Driver | Hendrick Motorsports | ||
Time | 38.765 | ||
Most laps led | |||
Driver | Matt Kenseth | Roush Fenway Racing | |
Laps | 133 | ||
Winner | |||
No. 17 | Matt Kenseth | Roush Fenway Racing | |
Television in the United States | |||
Network | Fox | ||
Announcers | Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip, and Larry McReynolds |
The 2007 Auto Club 500 was the second race in the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup season. It was held on February 25, 2007 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California.
This was the first Cup race to use unleaded gasoline. All cars ran on Sunoco 260 GTX, a 98-octane (R+M/2) unleaded racing fuel, which had been tested at lower tier series in late 2006 and approved for 2007.
In the final accident of the race, David Reutimann was spun out accidentally by Greg Biffle and went into the wall in the corner. The strike to the wall was among the hardest hits NASCAR had ever recorded. The in-car camera showed him dazed by the impact and struggling to get out, unable to respond to his crew initially. Although he suffered a bruised foot, he was otherwise uninjured, and competed in the Busch Series race in Mexico City the next weekend.[2]
The race was won by Matt Kenseth, driving the No. 17 Ford for Roush Fenway Racing. Kenseth also led the most laps in this race while Jeff Gordon won the pole.
Entry list[]
Qualifying[]
Rank[3] | Driver | Nbr | Car | Time | Speed | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jeff Gordon | 24 | Chevrolet | 38.765 | 185.735 | |
2 | Kasey Kahne | 9 | Dodge | 38.810 | 185.519 | |
3 | Mark Martin | 01 | Chevrolet | 38.814 | 185.500 | |
4 | Kevin Harvick | 29 | Chevrolet | 38.830 | 185.424 | |
5 | Dale Earnhardt, Jr. | 8 | Chevrolet | 38.834 | 185.405 | |
6 | Clint Bowyer | 07 | Chevrolet | 38.960 | 184.805 | |
7 | Martin Truex, Jr. | 1 | Chevrolet | 39.009 | 184.573 | |
8 | Jeff Burton | 31 | Chevrolet | 39.058 | 184.341 | |
9 | Juan Pablo Montoya | 42 | Dodge | 39.084 | 184.219 | |
10 | Casey Mears | 25 | Chevrolet | 39.098 | 184.153 | |
11 | Tony Stewart | 20 | Chevrolet | 39.099 | 184.148 | |
12 | Kyle Busch | 5 | Chevrolet | 39.101 | 184.139 | |
13 | Greg Biffle | 16 | Ford | 39.145 | 183.932 | |
14 | Dave Blaney | 22 | Toyota | 39.146 | 183.927 | |
15 | Brian Vickers | 83 | Toyota | 39.162 | 183.852 | * |
16 | Jeff Green | 66 | Chevrolet | 39.184 | 183.748 | |
17 | Denny Hamlin | 11 | Chevrolet | 39.205 | 183.650 | |
18 | Kurt Busch | 2 | Dodge | 39.210 | 183.627 | |
19 | Ryan Newman | 12 | Dodge | 39.230 | 183.533 | |
20 | Reed Sorenson | 41 | Dodge | 39.244 | 183.468 | |
21 | Carl Edwards | 99 | Ford | 39.266 | 183.365 | |
22 | Paul Menard | 15 | Chevrolet | 39.275 | 183.323 | * |
23 | Jimmie Johnson | 48 | Chevrolet | 39.280 | 183.299 | |
24 | David Stremme | 40 | Dodge | 39.315 | 183.136 | |
25 | Matt Kenseth | 17 | Ford | 39.359 | 182.931 | |
26 | Joe Nemechek | 13 | Chevrolet | 39.372 | 182.871 | * |
27 | Sterling Marlin | 14 | Chevrolet | 39.375 | 182.857 | * |
28 | Bobby Labonte | 43 | Dodge | 39.404 | 182.723 | |
29 | J.J. Yeley | 18 | Chevrolet | 39.422 | 182.639 | |
30 | Scott Riggs | 10 | Dodge | 39.428 | 182.611 | |
31 | Johnny Sauter | 70 | Chevrolet | 39.432 | 182.593 | * |
32 | John Andretti | 37 | Dodge | 39.452 | 182.500 | * |
33 | David Reutimann | 00 | Toyota | 39.467 | 182.431 | * |
34 | Michael Waltrip | 55 | Toyota | 39.500 | 182.278 | * |
35 | Ricky Rudd | 88 | Ford | 39.541 | 182.089 | |
36 | Ward Burton | 4 | Chevrolet | 39.555 | 182.025 | * |
37 | Jeremy Mayfield | 36 | Toyota | 39.555 | 182.025 | * |
38 | A.J. Allmendinger | 84 | Toyota | 39.561 | 181.997 | * |
39 | Jamie McMurray | 26 | Ford | 39.572 | 181.947 | |
40 | Ken Schrader | 21 | Ford | 39.629 | 181.685 | |
41 | Kyle Petty | 45 | Dodge | 39.630 | 181.681 | |
42 | Elliott Sadler | 19 | Dodge | 39.647 | 181.603 | |
43 | David Ragan | 6 | Ford | 39.664 | 181.525 | OP |
44 | David Gilliland | 38 | Ford | 39.687 | 181.420 | OP |
45 | Tony Raines | 96 | Chevrolet | 39.697 | 181.374 | OP |
46 | Brandon Whitt | 72 | Chevrolet | 39.801 | 180.900 | * |
47 | Mike Bliss | 49 | Dodge | 39.849 | 180.682 | * |
48 | Robby Gordon | 7 | Ford | 39.953 | 180.212 | OP |
49 | Kenny Wallace | 78 | Chevrolet | 40.200 | 179.104 | * |
50 | Dale Jarrett | 44 | Toyota | OP | ||
51 | Kevin Lepage | 34 | Dodge | * |
OP: qualified via owners points
PC: qualified as past champion
PR: provisional
QR: via qualifying race
* - had to qualify on time
Failed to qualify, withdrew, or driver changes: Michael Waltrip (#55), Ward Burton (#4), Jeremy Mayfield (#36), A.J. Allmendinger (#84), Brandon Whitt (#72), Mike Bliss (#49), Kenny Wallace (#78), Kevin Lepage (#34), Scott Wimmer (#33-WD), Regan Smith (#39-WD), Derrike Cope (#74-WD)
Results[]
Fin[4][5] | St | # | Driver | Sponsor | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 25 | 17 | Matt Kenseth | Carhartt, DeWalt | Ford | 250 | 133 | running | 195 |
2 | 1 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | DuPont, Cromax Pro | Chevy | 250 | 2 | running | 175 |
3 | 23 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Lowe's | Chevy | 250 | 31 | running | 170 |
4 | 8 | 31 | Jeff Burton | Cingular Wireless | Chevy | 250 | 18 | running | 165 |
5 | 3 | 01 | Mark Martin | U.S. Army | Chevy | 250 | 1 | running | 160 |
6 | 6 | 07 | Clint Bowyer | Jack Daniel's | Chevy | 250 | 2 | running | 155 |
7 | 18 | 2 | Kurt Busch | Miller Lite | Dodge | 250 | 0 | running | 146 |
8 | 11 | 20 | Tony Stewart | Home Depot | Chevy | 250 | 28 | running | 147 |
9 | 12 | 5 | Kyle Busch | CARQUEST Auto Parts, Kellogg's | Chevy | 250 | 9 | running | 143 |
10 | 15 | 83 | Brian Vickers | Red Bull | Toyota | 250 | 0 | running | 134 |
11 | 17 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | FedEx Freight | Chevy | 250 | 0 | running | 130 |
12 | 19 | 12 | Ryan Newman | Mobil 1 | Dodge | 250 | 0 | running | 127 |
13 | 29 | 18 | J.J. Yeley | Interstate Batteries | Chevy | 250 | 0 | running | 124 |
14 | 26 | 13 | Joe Nemechek | CertainTeed, Ginn Resorts | Chevy | 250 | 0 | running | 121 |
15 | 13 | 16 | Greg Biffle | Ameriquest Mortgage | Ford | 250 | 2 | running | 123 |
16 | 39 | 6 | David Ragan | AAA Southern California | Ford | 250 | 0 | running | 115 |
17 | 4 | 29 | Kevin Harvick | Shell, Pennzoil | Chevy | 250 | 3 | running | 117 |
18 | 31 | 70 | Johnny Sauter | Best Buy, Yellow Transportation | Chevy | 249 | 0 | running | 109 |
19 | 24 | 40 | David Stremme | Coors Light | Dodge | 249 | 0 | running | 106 |
20 | 22 | 15 | Paul Menard | Menards, Quaker State | Chevy | 249 | 0 | running | 103 |
21 | 42 | 7 | Robby Gordon | Jim Beam | Ford | 249 | 0 | running | 100 |
22 | 37 | 45 | Kyle Petty | Wells Fargo | Dodge | 249 | 1 | running | 102 |
23 | 41 | 96 | Tony Raines | DLP HDTV | Chevy | 249 | 0 | running | 94 |
24 | 38 | 19 | Elliott Sadler | Dodge Dealers, UAW | Dodge | 248 | 0 | running | 91 |
25 | 40 | 38 | David Gilliland | M&M's | Ford | 248 | 0 | running | 88 |
26 | 9 | 42 | Juan Pablo Montoya | Texaco, Havoline | Dodge | 248 | 0 | running | 85 |
27 | 34 | 88 | Ricky Rudd | Snickers | Ford | 248 | 0 | running | 82 |
28 | 28 | 43 | Bobby Labonte | Cheerios, Betty Crocker | Dodge | 248 | 0 | running | 79 |
29 | 21 | 99 | Carl Edwards | Office Depot, SBON | Ford | 247 | 0 | running | 76 |
30 | 16 | 66 | Jeff Green | Yellow Transportation | Chevy | 247 | 0 | running | 73 |
31 | 10 | 25 | Casey Mears | National Guard, GMAC | Chevy | 246 | 0 | running | 70 |
32 | 43 | 44 | Dale Jarrett | UPS | Toyota | 246 | 0 | running | 67 |
33 | 33 | 00 | David Reutimann | Domino's Pizza | Toyota | 239 | 0 | crash | 64 |
34 | 32 | 37 | John Andretti | Camping World | Dodge | 220 | 0 | electrical | 61 |
35 | 27 | 14 | Sterling Marlin | Panasonic | Chevy | 198 | 0 | electrical | 58 |
36 | 36 | 21 | Ken Schrader | Little Debbie | Ford | 160 | 0 | engine | 55 |
37 | 35 | 26 | Jamie McMurray | Crown Royal | Ford | 134 | 0 | running | 52 |
38 | 2 | 9 | Kasey Kahne | Dodge Dealers, UAW | Dodge | 129 | 20 | engine | 54 |
39 | 14 | 22 | Dave Blaney | Caterpillar | Toyota | 112 | 0 | engine | 46 |
40 | 5 | 8 | Dale Earnhardt, Jr. | Budweiser | Chevy | 74 | 0 | engine | 43 |
41 | 30 | 10 | Scott Riggs | Stanley Tools, Valvoline | Dodge | 16 | 0 | crash | 40 |
42 | 7 | 1 | Martin Truex, Jr. | Bass Pro Shops | Chevy | 14 | 0 | engine | 37 |
43 | 20 | 41 | Reed Sorenson | Target, Energizer | Dodge | 7 | 0 | crash | 34 |
Failed to qualify, withdrew, or driver changes: | |||||||||
POS | NBR | DRIVER | SPONSOR | CAR | |||||
44 | 55 | Michael Waltrip | NAPA Auto Parts | Toyota | |||||
45 | 4 | Ward Burton | State Water Heaters | Chevrolet | |||||
46 | 36 | Jeremy Mayfield | 360 OTC | Toyota | |||||
47 | 84 | A.J. Allmendinger | Red Bull | Toyota | |||||
48 | 72 | Brandon Whitt | Dutch Quality Stone | Chevrolet | |||||
49 | 49 | Mike Bliss | ZoneLoans.com | Dodge | |||||
50 | 78 | Kenny Wallace | Furniture Row Racing | Chevrolet | |||||
51 | 34 | Kevin Lepage | Front Row Motorsports | Dodge | |||||
WD | 33 | Scott Wimmer | Holiday Inn | Chevrolet | |||||
WD | 39 | Regan Smith | Ginn Resorts | Chevrolet | |||||
WD | 74 | Derrike Cope | McGlynn Racing | Dodge |
Time of Race: 3 hours, 36 minutes, 41 seconds.
Average Speed: 138.451 MPH.
Margin of Victory: 0.679 seconds.
Lead Changes: 28 among 12 drivers.
Cautions: Nine for 37 laps.
Cars finished on the lead lap: 17
Attendance: 87,000
Red Flags: 1 for 15 minutes, 18 seconds
Key[]
* Led one lap
** Led most laps
† Rookie of the Year Candidate
Withdrew[]
Scott Wimmer in the #33 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, Regan Smith in the #39 Chevrolet for Ginn Racing, and Derrike Cope in the #74 McGlynn Racing Dodge all withdrew from the race.
Race Recap[]
Cautions[]
Lap of incident | Laps of caution | Cars causing the caution | Description |
---|---|---|---|
7 | 5 | 10, 26, 41 | Scott Riggs got loose on the backstretch and was hit by Reed Sorenson and Jamie McMurray. Sorenson retired from the race (finishing 43rd), Riggs only briefly returned and McMurray later returned after being in the garage. |
14 | 4 | 1 | Martin Truex Jr. blew an engine, he was done and finished 42nd. |
20 | 3 | 6 | David Ragan spun coming onto the backstretch, but didn't hit anything and continued on. |
54 | 5 | 14 | Sterling Marlin spun on the backstretch, hitting the outside wall. He went behind the wall for repairs, later retiring due to electrical problems. |
92 | 4 | none | Debris (on the backstretch). |
115 | 4 | none | Debris (location unknown). |
120 | 5 | 8 | Dale Earnhardt, Jr., having just returned from the garage due to engine problems, lost it completely. He spun in turn 3 and 4 but didn't hit anything. He retired from the race, finishing 40th. |
226 | 4 | none | Debris (on the backstretch). |
243 | 3 | 00, 16, 43, 88 | Greg Biffle got into David Reutimann, sending him hard into the turn 3 wall. Reutimann's car briefly caught fire and was demolished. He was not injured but briefly had the wind knocked out of him. He was forced to retire from the race and finished 33rd. Ricky Rudd and Bobby Labonte were also involved. The race was red-flagged for cleanup. |
References[]
- ^ "Weather information for the 2007 Pepsi 500". Retrieved July 25, 2014.
- ^ Smith, Marty (March 5, 2007). "Reutimann's Crash Among Hardest Ever Recorded". ESPN. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
- ^ "Race Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved 2021-06-08.
- ^ "2007 Auto Club 500 - The Third Turn". www.thethirdturn.com. Retrieved 2021-06-08.
- ^ "Race Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved 2021-06-08.
- 2007 in sports in California
- 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series
- NASCAR races at Auto Club Speedway
- February 2007 sports events in the United States