The 2007 Nextel Open and Nextel All-Star Challenge was a professional auto race held on Saturday, 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" (a.k.a. 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 chiefs—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.[2] 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.[2][3] The charities he decided to donate the race winnings to were Motor Racing Outreach and Mud Creek Baptist Church.[2]

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

  • (R) = Rookie
# Driver Team Make
00David Reutimann (R)Michael Waltrip RacingToyota
1Martin Truex Jr.Dale Earnhardt Inc.Chevrolet
4Ward BurtonMorgan-McClure MotorsportsChevrolet
6David Ragan (R)Roush Fenway RacingFord
07Clint BowyerRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
7Robby GordonRobby Gordon MotorsportsFord
10Scott RiggsGillett Evernham MotorsportsDodge
13Joe NemechekGinn RacingChevrolet
14Sterling MarlinGinn RacingChevrolet
15Paul Menard (R)Dale Earnhard Inc.Chevrolet
18J. J. YeleyJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet
19Elliott SadlerGillett Evernham MotorsportsDodge
21Jon Wood (R)Wood Brothers RacingFord
22Dave BlaneyBill Davis RacingToyota
26Jamie McMurrayRoush Fenway RacingFord
34Kevin LepageFront Row MotorsportsDodge
36Jeremy MayfieldBill Davis RacingToyota
37Boris SaidFront Row MotorsportsDodge
38David Gilliland (R)Robert Yates RacingFord
40David StremmeChip Ganassi RacingDodge
41Reed SorensonChip Ganassi RacingDodge
42Juan Pablo MontoyaChip Ganassi RacingDodge
45Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesDodge
49Mike BlissBAM RacingDodge
55Michael WaltripMichael Waltrip RacingToyota
66Jeff GreenHaas CNC RacingChevrolet
70Johnny SauterHaas CNC RacingChevrolet
78Kenny WallaceFurniture Row RacingChevrolet
84A. J. Allmendinger (R)Red Bull Racing TeamToyota
88Ricky RuddRobert Yates RacingFord
96Tony RainesHall of Fame RacingChevrolet
99Carl EdwardsRoush Fenway RacingFord

All-Star Challenge

# Driver Team Make
01Mark MartinGinn RacingChevrolet
2Kurt BuschPenske Racing SouthDodge
5Kyle BuschHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
8Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt Inc.Chevrolet
9Kasey KahneGillett Evernham MotorsportsDodge
11Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet
12Ryan NewmanPenske Racing SouthDodge
16Greg BiffleRoush Fenway RacingFord
17Matt KensethRoush Fenway RacingFord
20Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet
24Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
25Casey MearsHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
29Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
31Jeff BurtonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
43Bobby LabontePetty EnterprisesDodge
44Dale JarrettMichael Waltrip RacingToyota
48Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
83Brian VickersRed Bull RacingToyota

Qualifying

The Open

Pos. # Driver Team Make
199Carl EdwardsRoush Fenway RacingFord
26David Ragan (R)Roush Fenway RacingFord
322Dave BlaneyBill Davis RacingToyota
438David Gilliland (R)Robert Yates RacingFord
542Juan Pablo Montoya (R)Chip Ganassi RacingDodge
626Jamie McMurrayRoush Fenway RacingFord
741Reed SorensonChip Ganassi RacingDodge
884A. J. Allmendinger (R)Red Bull RacingToyota
988Ricky RuddRobert Yates RacingFord
1015Paul Menard (R)Dale Earnhardt Inc.Chevrolet
111Martin Truex Jr.Dale Earnhardt Inc.Chevrolet
1210Scott RiggsGillett Evernham MotorsportsDodge
1314Sterling MarlinGinn RacingChevrolet
1413Joe NemechekGinn RacingChevrolet
1566Jeff GreenHaas CNC RacingChevrolet
1649Mike BlissBAM RacingDodge
1796Tony RainesHall of Fame RacingChevrolet
1821Jon Wood (R)Wood Brothers RacingFord
194Ward BurtonMorgan-McClure RacingChevrolet
2070Johnny SauterHaas CNC RacingChverolet
2178Kenny WallaceFurniture Row RacingChevrolet
2207Clint BowyerRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
2319Elliott SadlerGillett Evernham MotorsportsDodge
2418J. J. YeleyJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet
257Robby GordonRobby Gordon MotorsportsFord
2636Jeremy MayfieldBill Davis RacingToyota
2745Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesDodge
2800David Reutimann (R)Michael Waltrip RacingToyota
2934Kevin LepageFront Row MotorsportsDodge
3037Boris SaidFront Row MotorsportsDodge
3140David StremmeChip Ganassi RacingDodge
3255Michael WaltripMichael Waltrip RacingToyota

All-Star Challenge

Pos. # Driver Team Make
117Matt KensethRoush Fenway RacingFord
248Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
32Kurt BuschPenske Racing SouthDodge
429Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
531Jeff BurtonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
65Kyle BuschHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
724Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
812Ryan NewmanPenske Racing SouthDodge
911Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet
108Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt Inc.Chevrolet
119Kasey KahneGillet Evernham MotorsportsDodge
1216Greg BiffleRoush Fenway RacingFord
1344Dale JarrettMichael Waltrip RacingToyota
1483Brian VickersRed Bull RacingToyota
1543Bobby LabontePetty EnterprisesDodge
1625Casey MearsHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
1720Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet
1801Mark MartinGinn RacingChevrolet
191Martin Truex Jr.*Dale Earnhardt Inc.Chevrolet
2070Johnny Sauter**Haas CNC RacingChevrolet
2178Kenny Wallace***Furniture Row RacingChevrolet

* - 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, the largest amount awarded to an all-star race winner then. 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. # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status
11Marin Truex Jr.Dale Earnhardt Inc.Chevrolet403running
270Johnny SauterHaas CNC RacingChevrolet400running
399Carl EdwardsRoush Fenway RacingFord4037running
422Dave BlaneyBill Davis RacingToyota400running
588Ricky RuddRobert Yates RacingFord400running
607Clint BowyerRichard Childress RacingChevrolet400running
714Sterling MarlinGinn RacingChevrolet400running
836Jeremy MayfieldBill Davis RacingToyota400running
996Tony RainesHall of Fame RacingChevrolet400running
1026Jamie McMurrayRoush Fenway RacingFord400running
1140David StremmeChip Ganassi RacingDodge400running
1266Jeff GreenHaas CNC RacingChevrolet400running
1318J. J. YeleyJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet400running
1445Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesDodge400running
1584A. J. Allmendinger (R)Red Bull RacingToyota400running
167Robby GordonRobby Gordon MotorsportsFord400running
174Ward BurtonMorgan-McClure MotorsportsChevrolet400running
1878Kenny WallaceFurniture Row RacingChevrolet400running
1934Kevin LepageFront Row MotorsportsDodge400running
2055Michael WaltripMichael Waltrip RacingToyota380running
2100David Reutimann (R)Michael Waltrip RacingToyota330electrical
226David Ragan (R)Roush Fenway RacingFord200crash
2341Reed SorensonChip Ganassi RacingDodge200crash
2419Elliott SadlerGillett Evernham MotorsportsDodge200crash
2549Mike BlissBAM RacingDodge90crash
2637Boris SaidFront Row MotorsportsDodge90crash
2710Scott RiggsGillett Evernham MotorsportsDodge10crash
2838David Gilliland (R)Robert Yates RacingFord00crash
2942Juan Pablo Montoya (R)Chip Ganassi RacingDodge00crash
3015Paul Menard (R)Dale Earnhardt Inc.Chevrolet00crash
3113Joe NemechekGinn RacingChevrolet00crash
3221Jon Wood (R)Wood Brothers RacingFord00crash

All-Star Challenge

Pos. # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status
129Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet8020running
248Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet800running
301Mark MartinGinn RacingChevrolet800running
431Jeff BurtonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet800running
520Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet800running
670Johnny SauterHaas CNC RacingChevrolet800running
717Matt KensethRoush Fenway RacingFord8036running
812Ryan NewmanPenske Racing SouthDodge800running
98Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt Inc.Chevrolet800running
101Martin Truex Jr.Dale Earnhardt Inc.Chevrolet800running
1124Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet800running
1244Dale JarrettMichael Waltrip RacingToyota800running
1383Brian VickersRed Bull RacingToyota800running
149Kasey KahneGillett Evernham MotorsportsDodge800running
1516Greg BiffleRoush Fenway RacingFord800running
1678Kenny WallaceFurniture Row RacingChevrolet800running
1711Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet630crash
1825Casey MearsHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet630crash
192Kurt BuschPenske Racing SouthDodge620crash
205Kyle BuschHenndrick MotorsportsChevrolet620crash
2143Bobby LabontePetty EnterprisesDodge410crash

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. 1 2 3 4 "Kobalt Tools Crew Chief Race Added To All-Star Lineup". Charlotte Motor Speedway. Speedway Motorsports, Inc. May 17, 2007. Archived from the original on June 4, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
  3. "Petree Wins Crew Chief Race". Motor Racing Network. May 19, 2007. Archived from the original on May 31, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
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