Race 2 Win: NEXTEL Cup Series Race Notes

Nextel Cup Series

WIX FILTERS LAP LEADER NOTES FOR THE DODGE DEALERS 400 NASCAR NEXTEL CUP SERIES RACE AT NEW HAMPSHIRE INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2007.

Denny Hamlin led twice for 61 laps to earn WIX Filters Lap Leader of the Race honors in today’s Dodge Dealers 400. Hamlin claimed the honor for the third time this season and has led 798 laps in 14 races this season.

Hamlin was involved in an accident on lap 205 of today’s race and spent time in the garage area for repairs. He returned to the event and was credited with a 38th-place finish.

WIX Filters is an associate sponsor at Joe Gibbs Racing and is a member of the Affinia family of brands.

UNOFFICIALLY Hamlin is 12th in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series championship standings, 158 points behind leader Jeff Gordon.

Jeff Gordon leads Tony Stewart by two races (7-5) in the overall WIX Filters Lap Leader standings.

MIKE FORD, CREW CHIEF, No. 11 FEDEX GROUND CHEVROLET: “That’s very good to win the WIX award [smiles]. There is a championship out there but there are 10 races inside that and we’ve got to race each one ‘em smart and clean and finish ‘em and do the best we can every day. The championship run is a result of doing a good job on 10 races and we’ve got two that we haven’t done a good job with. We’ve got to pull our bootstraps up and get back to racing the way we know how to race and stay relaxed and focused and keep an eye on what these races are. You see there weren’t but a few cars on the lead lap at the end of the day here because things happened. You have to stay clean.” IS IT COMFORTING TO KNOW HOW WELL YOU RAN? “It’s always good when you know that you have a fast car. It makes it worse when you have a fast car and get a bad finish with it. I don’t know that it’s comforting. We definitely had a fast car so you’ll feel better coming back next time.

WIX FILTERS LAP LEADER AWARD STANDINGS
Jeff Gordon 7
Tony Stewart 5 
Jimmie Johnson 3
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 3
Denny Hamlin 3 
Clint Bowyer 2
Matt Kenseth 1 
Martin Truex Jr. 1
Robby Gordon 1
Kasey Kahne 1
Kyle Busch 1 

WIX FILTERS LAP LEADER AWARD WINNERS BY RACE
EVENT DRIVER
Daytona 500 Tony Stewart (35 laps) 
Auto Club 500 Matt Kenseth (133 laps)
UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 Jeff Gordon (111 laps)
Kobalt Tools 500 Jimmie Johnson (135 laps)
Food City 500 Tony Stewart (257 laps)
Goody’s Cool Orange 500 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (137 laps)
Samsung 500 Jeff Gordon (173 laps)
Subway Fresh Fit 500 Tony Stewart (132 laps)
Aaron’s 499 Jeff Gordon (71 laps) 
Crown Royal 400 Jeff Gordon (114 laps)
Dodge Avenger 500 Denny Hamlin (179 laps)
Coca-Cola 600 Jimmie Johnson (83 laps)
Autism Speaks 400 presented by Visa Martin Truex Jr. (216 laps)
Pocono 500 Denny Hamlin (49 laps) 
Citizens Bank 400 Jimmie Johnson (56 laps)
Toyota/Save Mart 350 Robby Gordon (48 laps)
LENOX Industrial Tools 300 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (64 laps)
Pepsi 400 Clint Bowyer (55 laps)
USG SHEETROCK 400 Tony Stewart (108 laps)
Allstate 400 at The Brickyard Tony Stewart (65 laps)
Pennsylvania 500 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (eight laps)
Centurion Boats at The Glen Jeff Gordon (51 laps)
3M Performance 400 Jeff Gordon (25 laps)
Sharpie 500 Kasey Kahne (305 laps)
Sharp AQUOS 500 Kyle Busch (97 laps)
Chevy Rock & Roll 400 Jeff Gordon (191 laps)
Sylvania 300 Clint Bowyer (222 laps)
Dodge Dealers 400 Denny Hamlin (61 laps)