2007 Nextel All-Star Challenge Explained

The 2007 Nextel Open and Nextel All-Star Challenge was a professional auto race held on May 19, 2007, at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.[1] North Carolina native and former NBA MVP Michael Jordan was the grand marshal of the event.

Race and qualifying format

All-Star Challenge

NASCAR's All-Star Challenge is an exhibition race which uses a different format. Similarly to the All-Star games in other North American sports leagues, it does not affect the championship standings. Race winners (either drivers or teams) in the 2006 and the first eleven races of the 2007 seasons, plus former Winston/Nextel Cup Champions and All-Star event winners from the past decade, automatically qualify for the main event. 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. A description of how the race was reformatted for the 2007 running can be found here.

Qualifying for this event is different from qualifying in NASCAR. 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), with no speed limit on exits. Infractions will also incur time penalties. Starting in 2007, the selection of the pit boxes used by teams was made after the annual Pit Crew Challenge event to be held three days earlier at Charlotte Bobcats Arena, won by the Ryan Newman No. 12 team. In the qualifying, Matt Kenseth won the pole. Kevin Harvick was bumper-to-bumper with Jimmie Johnson 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, a 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 Web via Sprint/Nextel's website, their customers, and attendees of the race, join the elite field. Standard qualifying rules applied for those in this event, which saw Carl Edwards win "P-1" (the pole position), edging fellow Roush-Fenway teammate David Ragan. The Nextel Open was won by Martin Truex Jr. Johnny Sauter finished second.

Kobalt Tools Crew Chief Race

Before the All-Star Challenge, a new preliminary race was held between Nextel Cup crew chiefsā€”the Kobalt Tools Crew Chief Race.[2] The race comprised eighteen crew chiefs driving small Legends Thunder Roadster cars on the quarter-mile oval in front of the main track's grandstand and was televised in the United States on Speed. NASCAR on ESPN color commentator and former crew chief, Andy Petree won the main event, earning a $10,000 donation for any charity of his choice.[3] The charities he decided to donate the race winnings to were Motor Racing Outreach and Mud Creek Baptist Church.

List of 2007 qualifiers

The following drivers qualified after they won at least one race in the 2006 or 2007 seasons, in order of their qualifying win:

The following drivers qualified as a result of driving a car that won a race in 2006 with a different driver:

The following drivers qualified as a result of being a former Nextel Cup champion (since 1997):

The following drivers qualified as a result of being a former winner of the Nextel All-Star Challenge (since 1997):

The following drivers qualified via the Nextel Open:

Also qualifying, the 2007 Fan Vote Winner:

Entry List

The Open

DriverTeamMake
00 David Reutimann (R) Toyota
1 Chevrolet
4 Chevrolet
6 David Ragan (R) Ford
07 Chevrolet
7 Ford
10 Dodge
13 Chevrolet
14 Ginn Racing Chevrolet
15 Paul Menard (R) Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet
18 Chevrolet
19 Gillett Evernham Motorsports Dodge
21 Jon Wood (R) Ford
22 Toyota
26 Roush Fenway Racing Ford
34 Dodge
36 Bill Davis Racing Toyota
37 Front Row Motorsports Dodge
38 David Gilliland (R) Ford
40 Dodge
41 Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge
42 Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge
45 Dodge
49 Dodge
55 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota
66 Chevrolet
70 Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet
78 Chevrolet
84 A. J. Allmendinger (R) Toyota
88 Robert Yates Racing Ford
96 Chevrolet
99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford

All-Star Challenge

DriverTeamMake
01 Ginn Racing Chevrolet
2 Dodge
5 Chevrolet
8 Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet
9 Gillett Evernham Motorsports Dodge
11 Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet
12 Penske Racing South Dodge
16 Roush Fenway Racing Ford
17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford
20 Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet
24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
25 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
43 Petty Enterprises Dodge
44 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota
48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
83 Red Bull Racing Toyota

Qualifying

The Open

Pos.DriverTeamMake
1 99 Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing Ford
2 6 David Ragan (R) Roush Fenway Racing Ford
3 22 Dave Blaney Bill Davis Racing Toyota
4 38 David Gilliland (R) Robert Yates Racing Ford
5 42 Juan Pablo Montoya (R) Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge
6 26 Jamie McMurray Roush Fenway Racing Ford
7 41 Reed Sorenson Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge
8 84 A. J. Allmendinger (R) Red Bull Racing Toyota
9 88 Ricky Rudd Robert Yates Racing Ford
10 15 Paul Menard (R) Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet
11 1 Martin Truex Jr. Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet
12 10 Scott Riggs Gillett Evernham Motorsports Dodge
13 14 Sterling Marlin Ginn Racing Chevrolet
14 13 Joe Nemechek Ginn Racing Chevrolet
15 66 Jeff Green Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet
16 49 Mike Bliss BAM Racing Dodge
17 96 Tony Raines Hall of Fame Racing Chevrolet
18 21 Jon Wood (R) Wood Brothers Racing Ford
19 4 Ward Burton Morgan-McClure Racing Chevrolet
20 70 Johnny Sauter Haas CNC Racing Chverolet
21 78 Kenny Wallace Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet
22 07 Clint Bowyer Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
23 19 Elliott Sadler Gillett Evernham Motorsports Dodge
24 18 J. J. Yeley Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet
25 7 Robby Gordon Robby Gordon Motorsports Ford
26 36 Jeremy Mayfield Bill Davis Racing Toyota
27 45 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Dodge
28 00 David Reutimann (R) Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota
29 34 Kevin Lepage Front Row Motorsports Dodge
30 37 Boris Said Front Row Motorsports Dodge
31 40 David Stremme Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge
32 55 Michael Waltrip Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota

All-Star Challenge

Pos.DriverTeamMake
1 17 Matt Kenseth Roush Fenway Racing Ford
2 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
3 2 Kurt Busch Penske Racing South Dodge
4 29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
5 31 Jeff Burton Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
6 5 Kyle Busch Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
7 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
8 12 Ryan Newman Penske Racing South Dodge
9 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet
10 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet
11 9 Kasey Kahne Gillet Evernham Motorsports Dodge
12 16 Greg Biffle Roush Fenway Racing Ford
13 44 Dale Jarrett Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota
14 83 Brian Vickers Red Bull Racing Toyota
15 43 Bobby Labonte Petty Enterprises Dodge
16 25 Casey Mears Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
17 20 Tony Stewart Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet
18 01 Mark Martin Ginn Racing Chevrolet
19 1 Martin Truex Jr.* Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet
20 70 Johnny Sauter** Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet
21 78 Kenny Wallace*** Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet

* - Won the Showdown

** - Showdown runner up

*** - Fan Vote winner

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 Sauter edged out Carl Edwards for the second transfer spot in this race.

The 40-lap race was stopped four times due to caution, including a 10-car incident halfway through lap 1 in which, among other things, the hoods of the cars driven by David Gilliland and Juan Pablo Montoya collided.

Kenny Wallace won the fan vote, partly due to a large Get out the vote campaign mounted by Speed Channel, where he worked as an analyst.

The Challenge

Kevin Harvick passed Jeff Burton at the start of the fourth and final segment and won the event for the first time in his career. Harvick won $1,031,539, which at the time was the largest amount awarded to an all-star race winner. Jimmie Johnson finished second, and Mark Martin finished third.

Burton had inherited the lead from Matt Kenseth, 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 visit the pits at least once, but no service was required. Kenseth decided on the visit and also won the first segment. Kyle Busch was first at the end of the second segment.

It was the fourth win for Richard Childress Racing after three wins by Dale Earnhardt.

This race was also notable for a crash between brothers Kurt Busch and Kyle Busch. They touched entering turn 1 with 18 laps to go, sending both into the wall rear-first. In an interview after the incident, Kurt Busch joked that he would not "be eating Kellogg's anytime soon," referring to Kyle Busch's sponsor.

Results

The Open

Pos.DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatus
1 1 Marin Truex Jr. Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet 40 3 running
2 70 Johnny Sauter Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet 40 0 running
3 99 Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing Ford 40 37 running
4 22 Dave Blaney Bill Davis Racing Toyota 40 0 running
5 88 Ricky Rudd Robert Yates Racing Ford 40 0 running
6 07 Clint Bowyer Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 40 0 running
7 14 Sterling Marlin Ginn Racing Chevrolet 40 0 running
8 36 Jeremy Mayfield Bill Davis Racing Toyota 40 0 running
9 96 Tony Raines Hall of Fame Racing Chevrolet 40 0 running
10 26 Jamie McMurray Roush Fenway Racing Ford 40 0 running
11 40 David Stremme Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge 40 0 running
12 66 Jeff Green Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet 40 0 running
13 18 J. J. Yeley Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 40 0 running
14 45 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Dodge 40 0 running
15 84 A. J. Allmendinger (R) Red Bull Racing Toyota 40 0 running
16 7 Robby Gordon Robby Gordon Motorsports Ford 40 0 running
17 4 Ward Burton Morgan-McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 40 0 running
18 78 Kenny Wallace Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet 40 0 running
19 34 Kevin Lepage Front Row Motorsports Dodge 40 0 running
20 55 Michael Waltrip Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 38 0 running
21 00 David Reutimann (R) Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 33 0 electrical
22 6 David Ragan (R) Roush Fenway Racing Ford 20 0 crash
23 41 Reed Sorenson Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge 20 0 crash
24 19 Elliott Sadler Gillett Evernham Motorsports Dodge 20 0 crash
25 49 Mike Bliss BAM Racing Dodge 9 0 crash
26 37 Boris Said Front Row Motorsports Dodge 9 0 crash
27 10 Scott Riggs Gillett Evernham Motorsports Dodge 1 0 crash
28 38 David Gilliland (R) Robert Yates Racing Ford 0 0 crash
29 42 Juan Pablo Montoya (R) Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge 0 0 crash
30 15 Paul Menard (R) Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet 0 0 crash
31 13 Joe Nemechek Ginn Racing Chevrolet 0 0 crash
32 21 Jon Wood (R) Wood Brothers Racing Ford 0 0 crash

All-Star Challenge

Pos.DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatus
1 29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 80 20 running
2 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 80 0 running
3 01 Mark Martin Ginn Racing Chevrolet 80 0 running
4 31 Jeff Burton Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 80 0 running
5 20 Tony Stewart Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 80 0 running
6 70 Johnny Sauter Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet 80 0 running
7 17 Matt Kenseth Roush Fenway Racing Ford 80 36 running
8 12 Ryan Newman Penske Racing South Dodge 80 0 running
9 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet 80 0 running
10 1 Martin Truex Jr. Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet 80 0 running
11 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 80 0 running
12 44 Dale Jarrett Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 80 0 running
13 83 Brian Vickers Red Bull Racing Toyota 80 0 running
14 9 Kasey Kahne Gillett Evernham Motorsports Dodge 80 0 running
15 16 Greg Biffle Roush Fenway Racing Ford 80 0 running
16 78 Kenny Wallace Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet 80 0 running
17 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 63 0 crash
18 25 Casey Mears Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 63 0 crash
19 2 Kurt Busch Penske Racing South Dodge 62 0 crash
20 5 Kyle Busch Henndrick Motorsports Chevrolet 62 0 crash
21 43 Bobby Labonte Petty Enterprises Dodge 41 0 crash

Notes and References

  1. FATHEAD(R) to Celebrate 2007 NASCAR Day; Company Shows Support of NASCAR Day. Retrieved from: http://foundation.nascar.com/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?&pid=543&srcid=183. Archived 2013-07-05.
  2. Web site: Kobalt Tools Crew Chief Race Added To All-Star Lineup. Charlotte Motor Speedway. Speedway Motorsports, Inc.. May 17, 2016. May 17, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20160604200753/http://www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/fans/news/642557.html. June 4, 2016. dead.
  3. Web site: Petree Wins Crew Chief Race. Motor Racing Network. May 17, 2016. May 19, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20160531135645/http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2007/05/Petree-Wins-Crew-Chief-Race.aspx. May 31, 2016. dead.