2007 Chase for the Nextel Cup

February 2025 The 2007 Chase for the Nextel Cup was the ten-race playoffs which concluded the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup season. It began with the Sylvania 300 on September 16, 2007, at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and ended with the Ford 400 on November 18 of the same year at Homestead-Miami Speedway, with Jimmie Johnson winning the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Championship. The entry requirements for the Chase changed this year. Previously, the top ten drivers in the points standings and anyone else within 400 points of the leader after the Chevy Rock and Roll 400 would qualify for the Chase. This year, the top twelve drivers in the points standings after the Chevy Rock and Roll 400 automatically qualified for the Chase with each drivers' point total reset to 5,000 points, with a ten-point bonus for each race won during the first 26 races. In addition, as NASCAR makes the full-time transition to the Car of Tomorrow, half of the races used the new template, and the other half used the older template, which was officially retired from Cup competition following the Ford 400. The title "Chase for the Nextel Cup" was also retired, as the season ending playoff will be renamed the "Chase for the Sprint Cup" in 2008. Final standings Pos Seed Driver Car S P W T5 T10 DNF Winnings(USD) Pts/(Behind) 1 1 California Jimmie Johnson #48 Chevrolet 36 4 10 20 24 4 $7,646,421 6,723/2007 Champion 2 2 California Jeff Gordon #24 Chevrolet 36 7 6 21 30 1 $7,148,662 6,696 (-77) 3 12 Kansas Clint Bowyer #07 Chevrolet 36 2 1 5 17 0 $4,215,869 6,377 (-346) 4 8 Wisconsin Matt Kenseth #17 Ford 36 0 2 13 22 4 $6,485,629 6,298 (-425) 5 9 Nevada Kyle Busch #5 Chevrolet 36 0 1 11 20 2 $4,685,518 6,293 (-430) 6 3 Indiana Tony Stewart #20 Chevrolet 36 0 3 11 23 4 $6,396,751 6,242 (-481) 7 5 Nevada Kurt Busch #2 Dodge 36 1 2 6 14 3 $5,287,846 6,231 (-492) 8 10 Virginia Jeff Burton #31 Chevrolet 36 0 1 9 18 3 $6,015,667 6,231 (-492) 9 4 Missouri Carl Edwards #99 Ford 36 1 3 11 15 4 $4,611,967 6,222 (-501) 10 11 California Kevin Harvick #29 Chevrolet 36 0 1 4 15 0 $7,494,593 6,199 (-524) 11 7 New Jersey Martin Truex Jr. #1 Chevrolet 36 1 1 7 14 4 $5,003,881 6,164 (-559) 12 6 Virginia Denny Hamlin #11 Chevrolet 36 1 1 12 18 1 $4,983,814 6,143 (-580) Key: S-Starts; P-Poles; W-Wins; T5-Top 5 finishes; T10-Top 10 finishes; DNF-Did not finish; Pts-Points. NOTES:' 1. The original seedings saw Edwards placed fourth ahead of Kurt Busch based on most second-place finishes, while Denny Hamlin was seeded sixth based on the same criteria, followed by Truex, Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Jeff Burton and Harvick, with further tiebreakers based on third-place finishes, etc. 2. Kurt Busch by most wins finished in seventh place ahead of Jeff Burton. 3. Those in boldface were invited to the 2007 Nextel Cup Banquet November 30 in New York. Standings Plus/Minus Through The Chase Driver Seed 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final Chg Std Chg Std Chg Std Chg Std Chg Std Chg Std Chg Std Chg Std Chg Std Chg Std Std ChgJimmie Johnson red 1 n/c red 1 -2 3 +2 red 1 -1 2 n/c 2 n/c 2 n/c 2 +1red 1 n/cred 1 n/c red 1 red 1 n/c Jeff Gordon 2 n/c 2 +1 red 1 -1 2 +1 red 1 n/c red 1 n/c red 1 n/c red 1 -1 2 n/c 2 n/c 2 2 n/c Tony Stewart 3 n/c 3 +1 2 -2 4 n/c 4 n/c 4 n/c 4 -1 5 -1 6 +1 5 -1 6 6 -3 Carl Edwards 4 -4 8 +2It was discovered in post-race inspection that the right rear of the #99 Office Depot Ford driven by Carl Edwards was too low. Edwards was subsequently penalized 25 owner and driver points, and his crew chief was fined $25,000 (US), after the appeal filed was denied by NASCAR. 6 -1 7 +1 6 +1 5 n/c 5 +1 4 -1 5 -4 9 n/c 9 9 -5 Kurt Busch 5 -7 12 +1 11 +2 9 +2 7 n/c 7 -3 10 +1 9 n/c 9 -1 10 +3 7 7 -2 Denny Hamlin 6 -3 9 -3 12 n/c 12 +3 9 n/c 9 +1 8 -2 10 -1 11 -1 12 n/c 12 12 -6 Martin Truex Jr. 7 +1 6 -1 7 -1 8 -2 10 -1 11 n/c 11 -1 12 n/c 12 +1 11 n/c 11 11 -4 Matt Kenseth 8 +1 7 -3 10 -1 11 n/c 11 -1 12 n/c 12 +1 11 +1 10 +4 6 +2 4 4 +4 Kyle Busch 9 +4 5 +1 4 -2 6 -2 8 +2 6 n/c 6 n/c 6 +2 4 n/c 4 -1 5 5 -4 Jeff Burton 10 -1 11 +3 8 -2 10 -2 12 +2 10 +1 9 +1 8 +1 7 -1 8 n/c 8 8 +2 Kevin Harvick 11 +1 10 +1 9 +4 5 n/c 5 -3 8 +1 7 n/c 7 -1 8 +1 7 -3 10 10 +1 Clint Bowyer 12 +8 4 -1 5 +2 3 n/c 3 n/c 3 n/c 3 n/c 3 n/c 3 n/c 3 n/c 3 3 +9 Chg = Change in position. n/c = No change in position. Std = Standing After Race Standings at beginning of Chase Jimmie Johnson, 5,060 points, leader Jeff Gordon, 5,040, -20 Tony Stewart, 5,030, -30 Carl Edwards, 5,020, -40 Kurt Busch, 5,020, -40 Denny Hamlin, 5,010, -50 Martin Truex, Jr., 5,010, -50 Matt Kenseth, 5,010, -50 Kyle Busch, 5,010, -50 Jeff Burton, 5,010, -50 Kevin Harvick, 5,010, -50 Clint Bowyer, 5,000, -60 Standings at end of the "regular season" At the conclusion of the "regular season" (the 2007 Chevy Rock & Roll 400), these were the point standings before the Chase adjustments were made. Also indicated are how far up or down in the standings a driver went when the Chase points were awarded: Jeff Gordon, 3,849 pts., leader, down one spot. Tony Stewart, -312 pts, down one spot. Denny Hamlin, -359, down three spots. Jimmie Johnson, -410 pts., up three spots. Matt Kenseth, -419 pts., down three spots. Carl Edwards, -427 pts., up two spots. Jeff Burton, -521 pts., down three spots. Kyle Busch, -547 pts., down one spot. Clint Bowyer, -670 pts., down three spots. Kurt Busch, -689 pts. and two wins, up five spots. Martin Truex, Jr., -689 pts. and one win, up four spots. Kevin Harvick, -694 pts., up one spot. Races Drivers in italics did not qualify for the 2007 Chase. DateRaceTrack2006 winner2007 winnerCarSeptember 16Sylvania 300New Hampshire Motor SpeedwayLoudon, New HampshireKevin HarvickClint BowyerCoTSeptember 23Dodge Dealers 400Dover International SpeedwayDover, DelawareJeff BurtonCarl EdwardsCoTSeptember 30LifeLock 400Kansas SpeedwayKansas City, KansasTony Stewart≠Greg BiffleSOctober 7UAW Ford 500Talladega SuperspeedwayTalladega, AlabamaBrian Vickers≠Jeff GordonCoTOctober 13Bank of America 500Lowe's Motor SpeedwayConcord, North CarolinaKasey KahneJeff GordonSOctober 21Subway 500Martinsville SpeedwayMartinsville, VirginiaJimmie JohnsonJimmie JohnsonCoTOctober 28Pep Boys Auto 500Atlanta Motor SpeedwayHampton, GeorgiaTony Stewart≠Jimmie JohnsonSNovember 4Dickies 500Texas Motor SpeedwayJustin, TexasTony Stewart≠Jimmie JohnsonSNovember 11Checker Auto Parts 500Phoenix International RacewayAvondale, ArizonaKevin HarvickJimmie JohnsonCoTNovember 18Ford 400Homestead-Miami SpeedwayHomestead, FloridaGreg Biffle≠Matt KensethS KEY: S — Standard. CoT — Car of Tomorrow. ≠ — Did not qualify for 2006 Chase. Race results (NOTE: Actual finish is in parentheses.) Race 1 - 2007 Sylvania 300 auto Finishing Order Clint Bowyer (1) Jeff Gordon (2) Tony Stewart (3) Kyle Busch (4) Martin Truex Jr. (5) Jimmie Johnson (6) Matt Kenseth (7) Carl Edwards (12) Denny Hamlin (15) Kevin Harvick (17) Jeff Burton (18) Kurt Busch (25) 2em Standings after race: Jimmie Johnson, 5,210, Leader via most wins tiebreaker. Jeff Gordon, 5,210 Tony Stewart, 5,200, -10 Clint Bowyer, 5,195, -15 Kyle Busch, 5,175, -35 Martin Truex Jr., 5,170, -40 Matt Kenseth, 5,156, -54 Carl Edwards, 5,147, -63 Denny Hamlin, 5,128, -82 Kevin Harvick, 5,122, -88 Jeff Burton, 5,119, -91 Kurt Busch, 5,108, -102 Race 2 - 2007 Dodge Dealers 400 auto Finishing Order Carl Edwards (1) · Kyle Busch (5) Jeff Burton (7) Tony Stewart (9) Jeff Gordon (11) Clint Bowyer (12) Martin Truex Jr. (13) Jimmie Johnson (14) Kevin Harvick (20) Kurt Busch (29) Matt Kenseth (35) Denny Hamlin (38) 2em Standings after race (before penalty): Jeff Gordon, 5,340 Tony Stewart, 5,338, -2 Carl Edwards, 5,337, -3 Jimmie Johnson, 5,336, -4 Kyle Busch, 5,330, -10 Clint Bowyer, 5,322, -18 Martin Truex Jr., 5,294, -46 Jeff Burton, 5,265, -75 Kevin Harvick, 5,225, -115 Matt Kenseth, 5,224, -116 Kurt Busch, 5,189, -151 Denny Hamlin, 5,182, -158 2em Standings after race (after penalty): Jeff Gordon, 5,340, leader Tony Stewart, 5,338, -2 Jimmie Johnson, 5,336, -4 Kyle Busch, 5,330, -10 Clint Bowyer, 5,322, -18 Carl Edwards, 5,312, -28 Martin Truex Jr., 5,294, -46 Jeff Burton, 5,265, -75 Kevin Harvick, 5,225, -115 Matt Kenseth, 5,224, -116 Kurt Busch, 5,189, -151 Denny Hamlin, 5,182, -158 Race 3 - 2007 LifeLock 400 auto Finishing order Clint Bowyer (2) Jimmie Johnson (3) Jeff Gordon (4) Kevin Harvick (6) Kurt Busch (11) Denny Hamlin (29) Matt Kenseth (35) Jeff Burton (36) Carl Edwards (37) Martin Truex Jr. (38) Tony Stewart (29) Kyle Busch (41) 2em Standings after race: Jimmie Johnson, 5,506, leader Jeff Gordon, 5,505, -1 Clint Bowyer, 5,492, -14 Tony Stewart, 5,384, -17 Kevin Harvick, 5,380, -126 Kyle Busch, 5,370, -136 Carl Edwards, 5,346, -142 Martin Truex Jr., 5,348, -158 Kurt Busch, 5,379, -177 Jeff Burton, 5,370, -186 Matt Kenseth, 5,287, -219 Denny Hamlin, 5,258, -248 Race 4 - 2007 UAW-Ford 500 auto Finishing order Jeff Gordon (1) Jimmie Johnson (2) Denny Hamlin (4) Kurt Busch (7) Tony Stewart (8) Clint Bowyer (11) Carl Edwards (14) Kevin Harvick (20) Matt Kenseth (26) Kyle Busch (36) Martin Truex Jr. (42) Jeff Burton (43) 2em Standings after race: Jeff Gordon 5,690, leader Jimmie Johnson 5,681, -9 Clint Bowyer 5,627, -63 Tony Stewart 5,536, -154 Kevin Harvick 5,488, -202 Carl Edwards 5,485, -205 Kurt Busch 5,475, -215 Kyle Busch 5,430, -260 Denny Hamlin 5,428, -262 Martin Truex Jr. 5,390, -300 Matt Kenseth 5,372, -318 Jeff Burton 5,354, -336 Race 5 - 2007 Bank of America 500 auto Finishing order Jeff Gordon (1) Clint Bowyer (2) Kyle Busch (3) Jeff Burton (4) Carl Edwards (5) Tony Stewart (7) Jimmie Johnson (14) Martin Truex Jr. (17) Denny Hamlin (20) Kurt Busch (26) Kevin Harvick (33) Matt Kenseth (34) 2em Standings after race: Jeff Gordon 5880, leader Jimmie Johnson 5,812, -68 Clint Bowyer 5,802, -78 Tony Stewart 5,682, -198 Carl Edwards 5,640, -240 Kyle Busch 5,600, -280 Kurt Busch 5,565, -315 Kevin Harvick 5,552, -328 Denny Hamlin 5,531, -349 Jeff Burton 5,514, -366 Martin Truex Jr. 5,502, -378 Matt Kenseth 5,438, -442 Race 6 - 2007 Subway 500 auto Finishing order Jimmie Johnson (1) Jeff Gordon (3) Kyle Busch (4) Matt Kenseth (5) Denny Hamlin (6) Clint Bowyer (9) Kevin Harvick (10) Carl Edwards (11) Jeff Burton (12) Tony Stewart (13) Martin Truex Jr. (19) Kurt Busch (31) 2em Standings after race: Jeff Gordon 6055, leader Jimmie Johnson 6002, -53 Clint Bowyer 5940, -115 Tony Stewart 5806, -249 Carl Edwards 5770, -285 Kyle Busch 5764, -290 Kevin Harvick 5686, -369 Denny Hamlin 5681, -374 Jeff Burton 5646, -409 Kurt Busch 5635, -420 Martin Truex Jr. 5608, -447 Matt Kenseth 5593, -462 Race 7 - 2007 Pep Boys Auto 500 auto Finishing order Jimmie Johnson (1) Carl Edwards (2) Matt Kenseth (4) Jeff Burton (5) Clint Bowyer (6) Jeff Gordon (7) Kurt Busch (8) Kevin Harvick (15) Kyle Busch (20) Denny Hamlin (24) Tony Stewart (30) Martin Truex Jr. (31) 2em Standings after race: Jeff Gordon 6201, leader Jimmie Johnson 6192, -9 Clint Bowyer 6090, -111 Carl Edwards 5940, -261 Tony Stewart 5879, -322 Kyle Busch 5873, -328 Kevin Harvick 5809, -392 Jeff Burton 5801, -400 Kurt Busch 5782, -419 Denny Hamlin 5777, -424 Matt Kenseth 5752, -448 Martin Truex Jr. 5688, -513 NOTE: Drivers in Italics are mathematically eliminated from winning the championship. Race 8 - 2007 Dickies 500 auto Finishing order Jimmie Johnson (1) Matt Kenseth (2) Martin Truex Jr. (3) Kyle Busch (4) Jeff Burton (6) Jeff Gordon (7) Kurt Busch (8) Kevin Harvick (10) Tony Stewart (11) Clint Bowyer (19) Carl Edwards (26) Denny Hamlin (29) 2em Standings after race: Jimmie Johnson 6382, leader Jeff Gordon 6352, -30 Clint Bowyer 6201, -181 Kyle Busch 6043, -339 Carl Edwards 6025, -357 Tony Stewart 6009, -373 Jeff Burton 5951, -431 Kevin Harvick 5943, -439 Kurt Busch 5929, -453 Matt Kenseth 5928, -454 Denny Hamlin 5858, -524 Martin Truex Jr. 5858, -524 NOTES: 1. Drivers in Italics are mathematically eliminated from winning the championship. 2. Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart were mathematically eliminated when Jimmie Johnson started the 2007 Checker Auto Parts 500 Race 9 - 2007 Checker Auto Parts 500 auto Finishing order Jimmie Johnson (1) Matt Kenseth (3) Tony Stewart (4) Kevin Harvick (6) Martin Truex Jr. (7) Kyle Busch (8) Jeff Burton (9) Jeff Gordon (10) Clint Bowyer (11) Kurt Busch (12) Denny Hamlin (16) Carl Edwards (42) 2em Standings after race: Jimmie Johnson 6572, leader Jeff Gordon 6486, -86 Clint Bowyer 6331, -241 Kyle Busch 6185, -387 Tony Stewart 6169, -403 Matt Kenseth 6103, -469 Kevin Harvick 6093, -479 Jeff Burton 6089, -483 Carl Edwards 6067, -505 Kurt Busch 6056, -516 Martin Truex, Jr. 6009, -593 Denny Hamlin 5973, -599 NOTE: Drivers in italics are mathematically eliminated from winning the championship. Race 10 - 2007 Ford 400 auto Finishing order Matt Kenseth (1) Kurt Busch (2) Denny Hamlin (3) Jeff Gordon (4) Carl Edwards (5) Martin Truex Jr. (6) Jimmie Johnson (7) Jeff Burton (8) Kevin Harvick (19) Kyle Busch (20) Tony Stewart (30) Clint Bowyer (39) 2em Final standings: Jimmie Johnson, 6,723 pts, 2007 Series Champion Jeff Gordon, -77 pts Clint Bowyer, -346 pts Matt Kenseth, -425 pts Kyle Busch, -430 pts Tony Stewart, -481 pts Kurt Busch, -492 pts* Jeff Burton, -492 pts Carl Edwards, -501 pts Kevin Harvick, -524 pts Martin Truex Jr., -559 pts Denny Hamlin, -580 pts * - Kurt Busch finished one place ahead of Jeff Burton based on most wins (Two wins vs. one). Television ABC carried the entire Chase for the Nextel Cup in 2007, marking the first time that the entire Chase was carried on network television. (In previous years, it had been on a combination of NBC and TNT.) The commentators for ABC were Jerry Punch and Rusty Wallace, who are joined by newcomer Andy Petree, a former team owner and Dale Earnhardt's crew chief in 1993 and 1994. The hosts were Brent Musburger (race) and Suzy Kolber (studio). See also 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series 2007 NASCAR Busch Series 2007 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series References External links and sources Official NASCAR site RacingOne https://web.archive.org/web/20210420094143/http://www.racingone.com/ 2021-04-20 Jayski's Silly Season Site Speed Channel ThatsRacin.com RacinFreek.com hosted by Freewebs.com 2006 Chase for the Nextel Cup 2008 Chase for the Sprint Cup NASCAR seasons 2007 Chase for the Nextel Cup Chase for the Nextel Cup Chase for the Nextel Cup Chase for the Nextel Cup