2007 UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400

2007 Nextel Cup Series
Chase for the Cup

The 2007 UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 was the third race in the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup season, which took place on March 11, 2007 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The race was the first at the newly-refurbished track, which now has a progressive banking in the turns on the 1.5 mile D-shaped oval, a new garage area which is fan friendly known as "The Neon Garage" named for the lighted signs through the city's gambling areas, and a new pit road that was built closer to the grandstands.

Race summary

Jimmie Johnson won his third straight Nextel Cup race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, defeating teammate Jeff Gordon by 2.795 seconds. Gordon finished in second place for the second straight time. Denny Hamlin was third, Matt Kenseth fourth and Mark Martin fifth.[1]

Martin retained his points lead after three races with 495 points, six ahead of Gordon.[2]

Because of the new asphalt concerns, NASCAR cut the size of fuel cells from 18 gallons to 13 gallons, similar to what had been used on restrictor plate tracks from October 2002 until October 2006, and also for the two 2006 races at Lowe's Motor Speedway to force more pit stops to change tires.

Results

Pos. No. Driver Car Team Laps Status
1. #48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Hendrick Motorsports 267 Running
2. #24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet Hendrick Motorsports 267 Running
3. #11 Denny Hamlin Chevrolet Joe Gibbs Racing 267 Running
4. #17 Matt Kenseth Ford Roush Fenway Racing 267 Running
5. #01 Mark Martin Chevrolet Ginn Racing 267 Running
6. #99 Carl Edwards Ford Roush Fenway Racing 267 Running
7. #20 Tony Stewart Chevrolet Joe Gibbs Racing 267 Running
8. #12 Ryan Newman Dodge Penske Racing South 267 Running
9. #5 Kyle Busch Chevrolet Hendrick Motorsports 267 Running
10. #26 Jamie McMurray Ford Roush Fenway Racing 267 Running
11. #8 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Chevrolet Dale Earnhardt, Inc. 267 Running
12. #1 Martin Truex Jr. Chevrolet Dale Earnhardt, Inc. 267 Running
13. #43 Bobby Labonte Dodge Petty Enterprises 267 Running
14. #19 Elliott Sadler Dodge Evernham Motorsports 267 Running
15. #31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet Richard Childress Racing 267 Running
16. #16 Greg Biffle Ford Roush Fenway Racing 266 Running
17. #7 Robby Gordon Ford Robby Gordon Motorsports 266 Running
18. #18 J.J. Yeley Chevrolet Joe Gibbs Racing 266 Running
19. #96 Tony Raines Chevrolet Hall of Fame Racing 266 Running
20. #40 David Stremme Dodge Chip Ganassi Racing 266 Running
21. #38 David Gilliland Ford Robert Yates Racing 265 Running
22. #42 Juan Pablo Montoya Dodge Chip Ganassi Racing 265 Running
23. #10 Scott Riggs Dodge Evernham Motorsports 265 Running
24. #78 Kenny Wallace Chevrolet Furniture Row Racing 265 Running
25. #66 Jeff Green Chevrolet Haas CNC Racing 265 Running
26. #2 Kurt Busch Dodge Penske Racing South 265 Running
27. #29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet Richard Childress Racing 265 Running
28. #45 Kyle Petty Dodge Petty Enterprises 265 Running
29. #21 Jon Wood Ford Wood Brothers/JTG Racing 264 Running
30. #88 Ricky Rudd Ford Robert Yates Racing 264 Running
31. #41 Reed Sorenson Dodge Chip Ganassi Racing 263 Running
32. #15 Paul Menard Chevrolet Dale Earnhardt, Inc. 263 Running
33. #44 Dale Jarrett Toyota Michael Waltrip Racing 263 Running
34. #14 Sterling Marlin Chevrolet Ginn Racing 251 Engine
35. #9 Kasey Kahne Dodge Evernham Motorsports 251 Accident
36. #07 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet Richard Childress Racing 239 Running
37. #6 David Ragan Ford Roush Fenway Racing 236 Running
38. #13 Joe Nemechek Chevrolet Ginn Racing 156 Accident
39. #70 Johnny Sauter Chevrolet Hass CNC Racing 147 Running
40. #25 Casey Mears Chevrolet Hendrick Motorsports 141 Running
41. #80 Aric Almirola Chevrolet Joe Gibbs Racing 46 Accident
42. #22 Dave Blaney Toyota Bill Davis Racing 17 Accident
43. #4 Ward Burton Chevrolet Morgan-McClure Motorsports 15 Accident

†-Rookie of the Year candidate

Failed to qualify

The following 10 drivers failed to qualify for the race: A.J. Allmendinger‡ (#84), Mike Bliss (#49), John Andretti (#37), Brian Vickers (#83), David Reutimann‡ (#00), Jeremy Mayfield (#36), Brandon Whitt‡ (#72), Kevin Lepage (#34), Michael Waltrip (#55), and Ken Schrader (#47).

Allmendinger, Bliss, Mayfield, and Whitt have missed all three races for which they have attempted to qualify. Waltrip has missed the last two. Reutimann had made both previous races. Vickers had missed the Daytona 500 and made the Auto Club 500. Schrader missed making a field for the first time since the November 2003 Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Also of note: Regan Smith‡ was to have qualified in the #39 car, but the car was withdrawn and Smith did not make an attempt.