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Last Updated Monday, Nov 19, 2007 2:08 am, EST

Checker Auto Parts 500

Status: Final Phoenix International Raceway

Race Capsule

Phoenix International Raceway
  • What:

    Race 40 of 41 on Sprint Cup circuit

  • Where:

    Phoenix International Raceway, Avondale, AZ

  • When:

    November 11, 2007 3:45 pm EST

  • Laps:

    312

  • Track Length:

    1. miles

  • Race Length:

    312.00 miles

  • Purse:

    $4,998,497

Drivers to Watch

Carl Edwards Chase Points: 6,025 (5th) Dropped to fifth in the standings after running 26th at Texas, a day after clinching the 2007 NASCAR Busch Series championship; finished second to Jimmie Johnson at Atlanta; finished 11th at Martinsville after running fifth at Lowe's; ran 14th at Talladega a week after wrecking at Kansas and finishing 37th; won at Dover after finishing 12th at New Hampshire, but failed post-race inspection and was docked 25 points and fined; penalty dropped him from third to sixth in the standings; ran 42nd at Richmond, but prior to that had four consecutive top-10 finishes, including a win at Bristol and a runner-up finish at California; also won at Michigan earlier this year; has 10 top-fives and 14 top-10s this year; has been consistent with only a trio of finishes lower than 30, including a 42nd at first Talladega race; ran 11th here in April and fifth last November.
Martin Truex Jr. Chase Points: 5,858 (11th) Finished third at Texas to move out of bottom spot of Chase standings; had dropped to 12th in the standings after finishing 31st at Atlanta; ran 19th at Martinsville and 17th at Lowe's following 42nd at Talladega and a 38th at Kansas; started first Chase with a 13th at Dover following a fifth at New Hampshire; finished 15th at Richmond, but only needed to start the race to qualify; has been overshadowed by more famous teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr., but has outperformed him all season; won his first career Nextel Cup race at Dover in June; has seven top-fives and 12 top 10s, including a third at Pocono and second at Michigan in back-to-back weeks after the win at Dover; finished second in both Michigan races this year; has only two other finishes outside the top 30 this season - 42nd at California and 37th at Bristol during the early part of the season; ran 12th here last November.
Jeff Gordon Chase Points: 6,352 (2nd) Dropped to second in the standings by 30 points behind teammate Johnson with a seventh at Texas; also ran seventh the week before at Atlanta; finished third at Martinsville after consecutive wins at Charlotte and Talladega; ran fifth at Kansas; rebounded from rough stretch leading up to the Chase by finishing 11th at Dover and second to Bowyer at New Hampshire; prior to the Chase finished fourth at Richmond but was 22nd at California, 19th at Bristol and 27th at Michigan over previous three races; prior to Michigan had finished in the top 10 in 10 straight races; was the first driver to clinch a spot in the "Chase for the Championship"; spun with less than two laps remaining at Watkins Glen while leading, costing him a potential win - still managed to finish ninth; was docked 100 points for failing post-qualifying inspections at Sonoma, where he ran seventh; has six checkered flags this season and 81 career, just two shy of tying Cale Yarborough for fifth place all-time; reached a landmark milestone at the first Talladega race, recording his 77th career victory to pass the late Dale Earnhardt for sixth all-time; has 10 poles this season - double that of Ryan Newman who has five; won here in April and ran fourth here in last November.
Jimmie Johnson Chase Points: 6,382 (1st) Three straight wins at Texas, Atlanta and Martinsville moved him to the top of the standings, 30 points ahead of Gordon; had dropped out of the top spot in the Chase after finishing second to Gordon at Talladega; was 14th at Lowe's and ran third at Kansas prior to Talladega; opened the Chase with a 14th at Dover following a sixth at New Hampshire; earned top seed with consecutive wins at Richmond and California; was 21st at Bristol, but posted back-to-back third place finishes at Michigan and Watkins Glen; defending series champion suffered through an up-and-down season before the Chase, finishing 39th at the Brickyard after a fiery crash on the heels of a 37th at Chicago; prior to those two poor showings, finished 10th at Daytona after running fifth at New Hampshire; has also posted victories this season at Las Vegas, and the first races at Atlanta, Martinsville and Richmond; despite collecting 19 top-five finishes, has been hurt by five finishes outside the top 35; was second in this race last year and was fourth here in April.
Jeff Burton Chase Points: 5,951 (7th) Finished sixth at Texas following a fifth at Atlanta to move up to seventh in the Chase standings; despite two consecutive top-10's was eliminated from title contention; ran 12th at Martinsville, but finished last at Talladega following a 36th at Kansas; started the Chase in seventh place, but dropped to 11th with his second straight 18th place finish at New Hampshire, following Richmond; ran fourth at California and 12th at Bristol prior to Richmond; finished out of the top-10 in four races before California; prior to that tough stretch had registered four top-10 finishes over a six-race span; ran seventh at first New Hampshire race and third at Sonoma to end a streak of four consecutive finishes outside the top 10; has nine top-five finishes and 17 top-10s and has only five finishes of 34th or worse this season; captured his only victory of the season at Texas; ran 10th at this race last season.
Denny Hamlin Chase Points: 5,858 (12th) Finished 29th at Texas to fall back to 12th in the standings; ran out of gas on the final restart while leading at Atlanta and finished 24th; finished sixth at Martinsville and 20th at Lowe's following a fourth at Talladega; title hopes were all but dashed after 29th at Kansas; ran 38th at Dover, dropping to last among Chase contenders; was involved in an altercation with Kyle Petty in the garage following wreck midway through the race at Dover; won his only race of the season at New Hampshire in July, but could manage only a 15th-place finish at Loudon to start the Chase; followed up the win at New Hampshire by finishing dead last at Daytona after wrecking early in the race with teammate Tony Stewart; avoided the sophomore slump by posting 11 top-five and 17 top-finishes this season; finished second at Darlington and Watkins Glen and has four third-place finishes at Las Vegas, Martinsville, Phoenix and Richmond; also finished last at Bristol; has consecutive top-10 finishes in last two races at Phoenix.
Matt Kenseth Chase Points: 5,928 (10th) Finished second to Johnson at Texas; ran fourth at Atlanta and fifth at Martinsville to halt surprising Chase struggles; was 34th at Lowe's which followed back-to-back 35th-place finishes at Dover and Kansas; ran 26th at Talladega to all but end title hopes; ran seventh at New Hampshire; did not close the regular season strong with a 14th at Richmond after a seventh at California - a week after crashing and finishing 39th at Bristol; ran fourth at Michigan in the rain delayed race; posted fourth straight top-10 finish by placing 10th at the Brickyard; ran 34th and 42nd, respectively, prior to the four straight top-10 results; captured his only victory of the season in the campaign's second race at California; has 11 top-five finishes and 20 top-10s this season; ran fifth here in April.
Clint Bowyer Chase Points: 6,201 (3rd) Remained third in the standings after running 19th at Texas, but dropped 181 points out of the lead with two races to go; finished sixth at Atlanta after placing ninth at Martinsville, continuing strong CHase run; was runner-up at Charlotte after an 11th at Talladega; followed up his first career Nextel Cup win at New Hampshire by running 12th at Dover and second at Kansas; finished 12th at Richmond and ran 20th at California, following a third at Bristol in three races prior to the Chase; has 17 top-10 finishes in 34 races this season; has five top-five finishes, including a fourth on the road course at Sonoma to go along with his solid showing at Bristol and win at New Hampshire; has finished 30th or worse just three times - 36th at Las Vegas, 35th at Talladega and 37th at the first race in New Hampshire; ran 22nd here in April and finished 33rd at this race last year.
Tony Stewart Chase Points: 6,009 (6th) Titles hopes all but mathematically dashed following 11th at Texas; dropped to fifth in the standings by running 30th at Atlanta after a 13th at Martinsville, following a seventh at Lowe's; sits 373 points behind Johnson; finished 39th at Kansas after placing eighth at Talladega; had moved within two points of the lead with a ninth at Dover after placing third at New Hampshire; finished second at Richmond to enter the Chase on a hot streak; pre-Chase surge included fourth at Bristol as well as running 10th at Michigan on the heels of winning at Watkins Glen - his third win; captured back-to-back victories at Chicagoland and at the Brickyard while placing sixth at Pocono; finished 38th at Daytona prior to his win at Chicago after an early-race crash with teammate Denny Hamlin; finished 14th at this race last November but was second here to Gordon in April.
Kevin Harvick Chase Points: 5,943 (8th) Finished 10th at Texas but was eliminated from title contention; ran 15th at Atlanta and 10th at Martinsville, but title hopes took serious hit with 33rd at Lowe's; ran 20th at Talladega following a sixth at Kansas; was the final driver to clinch a berth in the Chase and opened with a 17th at New Hampshire and a 20th at Dover despite suffering through tire issues in both races; prior to the Chase finished seventh at Richmond, ending struggles which included five straight finishes out of the top-10; has finished 33rd or worse four times this season; was 36th at Watkins Glen on the heels of a 17th at Pocono; won the season-opening Daytona 500 by nipping Mark Martin at the finish line; has four top-fives and 13 top 10s this season; finished second to Juan Pablo Montoya on the road course at Sonoma; won this race last year and was 10th here in April.
Kyle Busch Chase Points: 6,043 (4th) Moved up to fourth in the standings after finishing fourth at Texas; ran 20th at Atlanta and placed fourth at Martinsville after a third at Lowe's; was 36th at Talladega and was run over by Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Kansas and finished 41st; started Chase with fourth at New Hampshire and fifth at Dover; ran 20th at Richmond following a third-place showing at California and a ninth at Bristol; has 19 top-10 finishes in 34 races this season, including 10 top-fives; lone win of the season came during the first Bristol race - the inaugural Car of Tomorrow event; will leave Hendrick Motorsports at the end of the season for Joe Gibbs Racing; ran 38th here last November and seventh in April.