Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup: Week 9, Phoenix International Raceway
THE RACE: Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway
WHEN: Sunday, November 11
TV: ABC
RADIO: MRN, Sirius Satellite Radio
DRIVERS QUALIFIED FOR THE CHASE: Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer.
DEFENDING SERIES CHAMPION: Jimmie Johnson
DEFENDING CHECKER AUTO PARTS 500 CHAMPION: Kevin Harvick
CHASE FACTS:
The last 10 races of the 36-race NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series season
12 drivers in the Chase field.
The top 12 drivers in the standings after the season’s 26th race (at Richmond on Sept. 8) qualified for the Chase. Those 12 had their point totals reset at 5,000; they then got 10 bonus points for each race victory prior to the Chase. The bonus points created the Chase “seedings.”
Jimmie Johnson started the Chase as the top seed with 5,060 points, via his six pre-Chase wins. Clint Bowyer, winless starting the Chase, was the 12th and final seed.
SOME STORYLINES:
Only two races remain in the 2007 Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, with Jimmie Johnson leading his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon by 30 points (6,382-6,352), after coming into Sunday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway trailing Gordon by nine. Johnson took the lead thanks to his third consecutive victory and ninth overall this season. Gordon finished seventh, en route to losing the points lead.
Coming into next Sunday’s race at Phoenix International Raceway, Johnson has the best average finish at that track among Chase drivers – 7.250. Gordon is next, at 8.176, and won this season’s spring event at PIR.
Kevin Harvick started the year with a spectacular victory in the Daytona 500. He comes into Phoenix ninth in the Chase points, eliminated from title contention. But that detracts only slightly from a tremendous season. Harvick also is fourth in the NASCAR Busch Series point standings, with a series-high five victories. He has won twice at PIR in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup action, having swept 2006’s two events there.
THE CHASE SCHEDULE (track sizes in parentheses)
Sept. 16—New Hampshire (1.058 miles); Sept. 23—Dover (1 mile); Sept. 30—Kansas (1.5 miles);
Oct. 7—Talladega (2.66 miles); Oct. 13—Charlotte (1.5 miles); Oct. 21—Martinsville (.526 mile); Oct. 28—Atlanta (1.54 miles); Nov. 4—Texas (1.5 miles); Nov. 11—Phoenix (1 mile); Nov. 18—Homestead (1.5 miles).
