2007 Subway Fresh Fit 500

2007 Subway Fresh Fit 500

Race details
Race 8 of 36 in the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season
Map of the Phoenix International Raceway
Date	April 21, 2007 (2007-04-21)
Location	Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Arizona
Course	Permanent racing facility 1 mi (1.6 km)
Distance	312 laps, 312 mi (502.115 km)
Weather	Temperatures reaching up to 78.1 °F (25.6 °C); wind speeds up to 14 miles per hour (23 km/h)[1]
Average speed	107.71 miles per hour (173.34 km/h)
Pole position
Driver	Jeff Gordon	Hendrick Motorsports
Time	27.040
Most laps led
Driver	Tony Stewart	Joe Gibbs Racing
Laps	132
Winner
No. 24	Jeff Gordon	Hendrick Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network	Fox
Announcers	Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip and Larry McReynolds

The 2007 Subway Fresh Fit 500 was the eighth race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Season, and it ran on April 21, 2007 at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Arizona.

Summary

This race was 500 kilometers (310 mi), one of a handful of NASCAR events that use kilometers instead of laps or miles. The race also served as the first night race of the season, and the third race to use the Car of Tomorrow template. In the end, Jeff Gordon scored a historic victory.

Race

Pit stops taking place during the race.

The third CoT race of the season would be the first test of the new car's aerodynamics. Previously, the CoT definitely kept the racing closer as evidenced by the two half car length finishes. Joe Gibbs Racing's Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin would be seeking out the team's first victory with the new car. From the drop of the green, Gordon, Stewart, and Hamlin established themselves as the dominant cars of the race. Stewart, despite leading 132 of the 312 laps, would not find victory circle on Saturday night. Hamlin would not fare as well as his teammate as a speeding penalty put him on the tail end of the lead lap. Luck and pit strategy would eventually play a factor in the race. All of that came together during a series of green-flag pit stops on lap 283. Gordon was on pit road when the caution came out. However, quick work by Gordon's pit crew enabled him to stay on the lead lap before a dominant Tony Stewart lapped him. On the lap 298 restart, Tony Stewart made an incredible pass for the lead going 3-wide between Gordon and the tail end car of Martin Truex Jr. However, Gordon would pass Stewart again on lap 300 and would hold on for the win.

The weekend was historic for Jeff Gordon, as the win not only was his first at Phoenix, but it would also be his 76th career victory, tying Dale Earnhardt for 6th on the all-time win list. After the race, Gordon carried a flag with Earnhardt's car number, 3, emblazoned on it during the victory lap.^[2]

Gordon was also the first NEXTEL Cup race winner at Phoenix from the pole position.^[2]

Qualifying

Gordon won his third pole of the year, and 59th of his career, tying Darrell Waltrip on the all-time list. His winning lap was 133.136 miles per hour. Michael Waltrip, Darrell's brother, missed his seventh straight race after making the Daytona 500 to start the year.

Tribute

All teams carried decal stickers in memory of the 32 people killed in the Virginia Tech massacre the previous Monday; the stickers consisted of the athletic department's logo. In addition, Morgan-McClure Motorsports altered the look of the #4 car driven by Ward Burton to include the logo on the hood of the car. (Burton is from nearby South Boston, Virginia and Morgan-McClure is based in Abingdon.) Many drivers, including Gordon, Stewart, and Hamlin, wore VT hats throughout the weekend, and PIR displayed the school flag.

In addition, many mechanics are from the school; most notable of these is Darian Grubb of the #25 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Impala.

Race results

References

External links

• Race results
• Standings after race
• Starting lineup