THE RACE: 2007 DOLLAR GENERAL 300 – LOWE’S MOTOR SPEEDWAY

Busch Series Race #31 of 35 for the 2007 season


  • Race: 8:00pm/et, Friday, October 12, 2007 in Concord, NC
  • Length: 200 Laps, 300 miles
  • TV: ESPN2 – 7:30pm/et
  • Radio: PRN
  • Purse: $1,268,191
  • Announcers: Jerry Punch, Rusty Wallace, Andy Petree
  • Pit Reporters: Allen Bestwick, Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Mike Massaro

    Practice Dates/Times

  • Practice: Thursday, October 11, 1:00-2:00pm/et and 6:00-7:00pm/et. Rookie practice: 2:20-2:50pm/et

    Qualifying Info

  • Qualifying Draw: Thursday, October 11, 12:00pm/et
  • Qualifying Time: Friday, October 12, 4:05pm/et
  • Qualifying: 2 laps for all positions, cars will be impounded.
  • NASCAR Online will have live lap-by-lap coverage of Busch qualifying via the web (NOTE: this is a paid subscription service). TheHotLap.com has free qualifying coverage.

    Goodyear Tire Notes

    NASCAR Busch Series — Race No. 31 — Dollar General 300
    Lowe’s Motor Speedway (1.5-mile oval) — Concord, N.C.
    Fast Facts for October 11-13, 2007
    Tire: Goodyear Eagle Speedway Radials
    Number of Tires: Busch Series: Left-side — 600, Right-side – 600
    Tire Codes: Left-side — D-4074; Right-side — D-4022
    Tire Circumference: Left-side — 87.4 in.; Right-side — 88.7 in.
    Technical Inspection Inflation: Left Front — 30 psi; Left Rear — 30 psi; Right Front — 55 psi; Right Rear — 50 psi
    Minimum Recommended Inflation: Left Front — 30 psi; Left Rear — 30 psi; Right Front — 54 psi; Right Rear — 50 psi
    Notes: This is the same specific combination of left- and right-side tires that Goodyear brought for teams in the NASCAR Nextel Cup and Busch Series to run at Charlotte in October 2006 . . . this is the fourth straight Charlotte race weekend that teams in these two series have run this right-side tire code (D-4022), dating back to May ’06 . . . in addition to Charlotte, Cup and Busch teams ran this right-side code at Las Vegas earlier this season . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required to run inner liners in all four tire positions at Charlotte . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire.


    ENTRY, PRACTICE, QUALIFYING, AND RACE INFORMATION

  • Jeff Burton wins at Lowes: The final restart saw Jeff Burton take a commanding lead to pick up the win in the Dollar General 300 at Lowes Motor Speedway. Burton led the final 61 laps of the race. It was Burton’s fourth win of the 2007 season; his third victory and 12th top-10 finish in 28 races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. #5-Kyle Busch managed to get by Dale Earnhardt Jr. late in the race to pick up the number two position. Rounding out the top ten were #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr., #18-Aric Almirola, #20-Denny Hamlin, #6-David Ragan, #55-Robby Gordon, #2-Clint Bowyer, #47-Kelly Bires, #33-Kevin Harvick. Points leader Carl Edwards lost an opportunity to sew up the Championship when he was involved in a multi-car melee on lap 133. There were 11 lead changes among five drivers; 10 caution flags for 44 laps.(10-12-2007)
    NASCAR Race Number 31
    Unofficial Race Results for the Dollar General “300” – Friday, October 12, 2007
    Lowe’s Motor Speedway – Concord, NC – 1.5 Mile Paved
    Total Race Length – 200 Laps – 300 Miles – Purse: $1,268,191

    Fin Str Car Driver Team Laps Pts Bns Total Award Status Times Laps
    1 13 29 Jeff Burton Holiday Inn Chevy 200 195 10 $74,350 Running 1 61
    2 24 5 Kyle Busch Sta-Green Winterizer/Lowe’s 200 170 $53,350 Running
    3 26 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Menards / Super Clean Chevy 200 165 $35,900 Running
    4 7 18 Aric Almirola Slim Jim Monster Chevy 200 160 $39,300 Running
    5 6 20 Denny Hamlin Rockwell Automation Chevy 200 155 $34,125 Running
    6 10 6 David Ragan # Discount Tire Ford 200 150 $25,450 Running
    7 29 55 Robby Gordon Verizon Wireless Ford 200 146 $22,485 Running
    8 16 2 Clint Bowyer BB&T Chevy 200 147 5 $21,395 Running 1 10
    9 30 47 Kelly Bires AutoZone / Armor All Ford 200 138 $30,000 Running
    10 25 33 Kevin Harvick Dollar General Chevy 200 134 $27,275 Running
    11 35 88 Brad Keselowski # U.S. NAVY Chevy 200 130 $29,163 Running
    12 8 99 David Reutimann Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota 200 127 $27,997 Running
    13 19 21 Scott Wimmer AutoZone Chevy 200 124 $31,872 Running
    14 20 77 Bobby Labonte Dollar General Chevy 200 121 $22,575 Running
    15 32 7 Mike Wallace GEICO Chevy 200 118 $25,647 Running
    16 23 35 Bobby Hamilton Jr. McDonald’s Ford 200 115 $23,172 Running
    17 12 9 Kasey Kahne Klondike Dodge 200 117 5 $21,925 Running 1 16
    18 9 90 Stephen Leicht citifinancial Ford 200 109 $22,797 Running
    19 27 38 Jason Leffler Great Clips / Meet the Robinsons 200 106 $22,997 Running
    20 14 41 Bryan Clauson Memorex Dodge 200 103 $18,875 Running
    21 38 14 Kyle Krisiloff # Lilly/Walgreens Ford 200 100 $22,297 Running
    22 42 27 Casey Atwood Kleenex / Breast Cancer Research 199 97 $17,650 Running
    23 34 36 Jeremy Clements Saxon Group Chevy 198 94 $22,472 Running
    24 17 30 Stanton Barrett Smith & Wesson Chevy 196 91 $15,750 Running
    25 15 66 Reed Sorenson HomeLife Communities Dodge 181 88 $22,047 Accident
    26 28 42 AJ Allmendinger Memorex Dodge 179 85 $22,775 Running
    27 21 25 Richard Johns freecreditreport.com Ford 173 82 $17,150 Running
    28 22 37 Brad Baker Kick Butt Energy Ballz Ford 168 79 $17,075 Running
    29 11 22 Mike Bliss Family Dollar / CancerCare Dodge 142 76 $20,392 Accident
    30 1 16 Greg Biffle 3M Ford 140 78 5 $28,625 Accident 6 53
    31 2 17 Matt Kenseth iLevel Structurwood Ford 133 70 $15,220 Accident
    32 31 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevy 132 67 $14,885 Accident
    33 5 60 Carl Edwards Scotts Winterguard Ford 132 69 5 $20,425 Accident 3 60
    34 36 11 Jason Keller Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbeque Sauce 130 61 $20,182 Accident
    35 40 28 Blake Bjorklund Pup-Peroni/Milkbone/9 Lives/Kibbles 122 58 $14,985 Engine
    36 4 10 Dave Blaney HASS Avocados from Mexico Toyota 121 55 $16,850 Engine
    37 41 1 J.J. Yeley Miccosukee Resorts Chevy 118 52 $14,715 Engine
    38 3 26 Jamie McMurray Dish Network Ford 106 49 $14,810 Accident
    39 33 92 Bobby Santos Bill Davis Racing Toyota 95 46 $16,610 Accident
    40 18 59 Marcos Ambrose # Kingsford Charcoal / Bush’s Baked 27 43 $16,590 Accident
    41 39 54 Carl Long Fridell-Carter Motorsports Dodge 27 40 $16,565 Ignition
    42 37 1 Kertus Davis RACEGIRL Chevy 16 37 $16,525 Transmission
    43 43 89 Morgan Shepherd Victory in Jesus Dodge 14 34 $14,492 /TD> Handling
    Race Comments: Before an estimated crowd of 95,000 – Jeff Burton won the Dollar General 300, his 26th career NASCAR Busch Series victory. Prior to the green flag the following driver(s) dropped to the rear for the reason(s) indicated: #01 Davis, #29 Burton, #92 Santos (engine change); #1 Yeley, #27 Atwood, #28 Bjorklund, #42 Allmendinger (backup); #54 Long (missed drivers meeting).
    Failed to Qualify: (3) 0 Eric McClure, 72 D.J. Kennington, 61 Travis Kittleson.
    Time of Race: 02 Hrs, 29 Mins, 40 Secs.
    Average Speed: 120.267 MPH
    Margin of Victory: 1.598 Seconds
    Caution Flags: 10 for 44 laps: Laps: 28-31 (#59 accident turn 4); 34-36 (#25 accident turn 2); 87-90 (Debris); 97-99 (#92 accident backstretch); 107-110 (#26 accident turn 2); 127-132 (Oil on track); 134-137 (#11,171,48,60 accident backstretch); 140-145 (#2,16,22,36,90 accident frontstretch); 148-150 (#38 accident turn 4); 183-189 (#66 accident turn 4).
    Lead Changes: 11 among 5 drivers: G. Biffle 1-28; K. Kahne 29-44; G. Biffle 45-58; C. Edwards 59-86; G. Biffle 87; C. Edwards 88-91; G. Biffle 92-99; C. Edwards 100-127; G. Biffle 128; C. Bowyer 129-138; G. Biffle 139; J. Burton 140-200.
    Top 10 Driver Points: (1) C. Edwards 4,276;(2) D. Reutimann 3,638;(3) K. Harvick 3,523;(4) J. Leffler 3,451;(5) D. Ragan # 3,299;(6) B. Hamilton Jr. 3,264;(7) G. Biffle 3,136;(8) S. Leicht 3,046;(9) M. Ambrose # 2,987;(10) M. Kenseth 2,981.
    Checkers/Rally’s Double Drive-Thru Challenge Kelly Bires, #47 (131.927 Seconds)
    Featherlite “Most Improved Driver Kelly Bires, #47 (31 Places)
    Raybestos “Rookie of the Race David Ragan, #6
    Sunoco Diamond Performance Jeff Burton, #29

  • Edwards points lead now 638: Carl Edwards now holds a 638 point lead with 4276 following race #31 at Lowes Motor Speedway. Rounding out the top ten are #99-David Reutimann, #33-Kevin Harvick, #38-Jason Leffler, #35-Bobby Hamilton Jr., #16-Greg Biffle, #90-Stephen Leicht, #59-Marcos Ambrose, #17-Matt Kenseth.(10-12-2007)
    Points Report
    Lowe’s Motor Speedway at Charlotte
    Dollar General 300
    UNOFFICAL Provided by NASCAR Statistics – Friday, 10/12/2007 @ 11:39 PM Eastern UNOFFICAL

    Pos Driver BPts Points Ldr
    1  Carl Edwards 125 4276 0
    2  David Reutimann 20 3638 -638
    3  Kevin Harvick 60 3523 -753
    4  Jason Leffler 30 3451 -825
    5  David Ragan # 20 3299 -977
    6  Bobby Hamilton Jr. 5 3264 -1012
    7  Greg Biffle 55 3136 -1140
    8  Stephen Leicht 15 3046 -1230
    9  Marcos Ambrose # 15 2987 -1289
    10  Matt Kenseth 80 2981 -1295
    11  Mike Wallace 60 2959 -1317
    12  Denny Hamlin 70 2841 -1435
    13  Clint Bowyer 50 2801 -1475
    14  Scott Wimmer 25 2757 -1519
    15  Jeff Burton 75 2665 -1611
    16  Kyle Busch 105 2573 -1703
    17  J.J. Yeley 10 2522 -1754
    18  Kyle Krisiloff # 0 2515 -1761
    19  Steve Wallace 15 2487 -1789
    20  Casey Mears 20 2418 -1858
    21  Dave Blaney 15 2401 -1875
    22  Brent Sherman 20 2273 -2003
    23  Mike Bliss 10 2238 -2038
    24  Kasey Kahne 35 1956 -2320
    25  Jamie McMurray 5 1941 -2335
    26  Reed Sorenson 15 1881 -2395
    27  Bobby Labonte 10 1853 -2423
    28  Aric Almirola 20 1850 -2426
    29  Jason Keller 10 1825 -2451
    30  Regan Smith 25 1820 -2456
    31  Brad Keselowski # 5 1792 -2484
    32  Shane Huffman 5 1727 -2549
    33  Juan Pablo Montoya 20 1689 -2587
    34  Todd Kluever 15 1687 -2589
    35  Brad Coleman 10 1616 -2660
    36  David Gilliland 5 1597 -2679
    37  Tony Stewart 15 1567 -2709
    38  Ward Burton 0 1555 -2721
    39  David Stremme 10 1554 -2722
    40  Eric McClure 5 1517 -2759
    41  Kelly Bires 10 1393 -2883
    42  Paul Menard 0 1208 -3068
    43  Jon Wood 0 1154 -3122
    44  Stanton Barrett 0 1057 -3219
    45  Robert Richardson 5 954 -3322
    46  Robby Gordon 0 903 -3373
    47  Richard Johns 0 902 -3374
    48  Ryan Newman 20 851 -3425
    49  Danny O’quinn, Jr 0 834 -3442
    50  Kevin Hamlin 5 748 -3528
    51  Morgan Shepherd 0 738 -3538
    52  Brian Vickers 15 714 -3562
    53  Bobby East 5 679 -3597
    54  Dale Earnhardt Jr. 10 668 -3608
    55  Todd Bodine 5 655 -3621
    56  D J Kennington 0 651 -3625
    57  Timothy Peters 0 646 -3630
    58  Johnny Sauter 0 587 -3689
    59  Cale Gale 0 582 -3694
    60  Mark Green 0 577 -3699
    61  Mark Martin 0 573 -3703
    62  Chase Miller 0 551 -3725
    63  Kurt Busch 20 527 -3749
    64  Kevin Conway 0 523 -3753
    65  Justin Diercks 0 505 -3771
    66  Kertus Davis 0 504 -3772
    67  Tony Raines 0 500 -3776
    68  Timothy McCreadie 0 485 -3791
    69  Ron Hornaday, Jr 5 481 -3795
    70  Scott Riggs 0 460 -3816
    71  Sam Hornish, Jr 0 456 -3820
    72  Boris Said 5 452 -3824
    73  AJ Allmendinger 0 449 -3827
    74  Derrike Cope 0 440 -3836
    75  Brett Rowe 0 427 -3849
    76  Scott Pruett 10 395 -3881
    77  Jimmie Johnson 10 387 -3889
    78  Jay Sauter 0 376 -3900
    79  Martin Truex, Jr 10 370 -3906
    80  Landon Cassill 0 346 -3930
    81  Ron Fellows 10 328 -3948
    82  Casey Atwood 0 327 -3949
    83  Kevin Lepage 0 306 -3970
    84  Mike Harmon 0 301 -3975
    85  Joe Nemechek 0 300 -3976
    86  Jorge Goeters 5 297 -3979
    87  Brad Teague 0 295 -3981
    88  David Green 0 294 -3982
    89  Patrick Carpentier 5 256 -4020
    90  Bryan Clauson 0 255 -4021
    91  Jeff Green 0 255 -4021
    92  Andy Pilgrim 0 236 -4040
    93  Bobby Santos 0 235 -4041
    94  Donnie Neuenberger 5 228 -4048
    95  Andy Lally 0 210 -4066
    96  Alex Garcia 0 210 -4066
    97  Max Papis 0 205 -4071
    98  John Graham 0 204 -4072
    99  Michel Jourdain 0 203 -4073
    100  Frank Kreyer 0 189 -4087
    101  Chris Horn 0 174 -4102
    102  Travis Kvapil 0 170 -4106
    103  Brian Keselowski 0 158 -4118
    104  Jerick Johnson 0 157 -4119
    105  Marc Mitchell 0 155 -4121
    106  Kenny Wallace 0 146 -4130
    107  Ron Young 0 143 -4133
    108  Adrian Fernandez 0 138 -4138
    109  Johnny Benson 0 138 -4138
    110  Shelby Howard 0 137 -4139
    111  Justin Ashburn 0 134 -4142
    112  Trevor Boys 0 134 -4142
    113  Niclas Jonsson 5 132 -4144
    114  Danny Efland 0 132 -4144
    115  Blake Bjorklund 0 131 -4145
    116  Elliott Sadler 0 121 -4155
    117  Scott Lagasse 0 119 -4157
    118  Sterling Marlin 0 118 -4158
    119  Travis Kittleson 0 112 -4164
    120  Josh Wise 0 106 -4170
    121  Carl Long 0 104 -4172
    122  J R Fitzpatrick 0 98 -4178
    123  Brian Simo 0 97 -4179
    124  Carlos Contreras 5 97 -4179
    125  Jeremy Clements 0 94 -4182
    126  Todd Souza 0 94 -4182
    127  Dale Jarrett 0 94 -4182
    128  P J Jones 0 91 -4185
    129  Scott Gaylord 0 89 -4187
    130  Steve Grissom 0 88 -4188
    131  Kerry Earnhardt 0 88 -4188
    132  German Quiroga 5 84 -4192
    133  Brad Baker 0 79 -4197
    134  Rogelio Lopez 0 76 -4200
    135  Mike MacKenzie 0 64 -4212
    136  Deac McCaskill 5 63 -4213
    137  Michael Valiante 0 61 -4215
    138  A J Frank 0 52 -4224
    139  Ian Henderson 0 52 -4224
    140  Dange Hanniford 0 49 -4227
    141  Larry Foyt 0 49 -4227
    142  Jeff Fuller 0 49 -4227
    143  John Andretti 0 46 -4230
    144  John Young 0 46 -4230
    145  Jamie Mosley 0 43 -4233
    146  Joe Fox 0 40 -4236
    147  Eddie MacDonald 0 40 -4236
    148  Caleb Holman 0 37 -4239
    149  Mike Potter 0 37 -4239
    150  John Borneman 0 37 -4239
    151  Randy MacDonald 0 34 -4242
    152  Michael Waltrip 0 34 -4242
    153  Jason White 0 0 -4276
    154  Ruben Pardo 0 0 -4276
    155  Tono Perez 0 0 -4276

  • Owner point standings: Richard Childress [#29] retained the lead in the car owner championship, leading Joe Gibbs [#20] by 116 points and Jack Roush [#60].(Unofficial)(10-12-2007)
    Owner Points Following Race # 31
    Lowe’s Motor Speedway at Charlotte
    Dollar General 300
    UNOFFICIAL Provided by NASCAR Statistics – Friday, 10/12/2007 @ 10:52 PM Eastern UNOFFICIAL

    Pos Owner Car # Points Ldr
    1 Richard Childress 29 4,456 0
    2 Joe Gibbs 20 4,340 -116
    3 Jack Roush 60 4,276 -180
    4 Richard Childress 21 4,131 -325
    5 Michael Waltrip 99 3,638 -818
    6 Ray Evernham 9 3,603 -853
    7 Delana Harvick 33 3,588 -868
    8 Armando Fitz 22 3,457 -999
    9 Todd Braun 38 3,451 -1,005
    10 Delana Harvick 77 3,364 -1,092
    11 Jack Roush 17 3,363 -1,093
    12 Gregory Pollex 10 3,319 -1,137
    13 Jack Roush 6 3,299 -1,157
    14 Jack Roush 16 3,269 -1,187
    15 Gary Weisbaum 35 3,264 -1,192
    16 Rick Hendrick 5 3,253 -1,203
    17 Chip Ganassi 41 3,186 -1,270
    18 Dale Earnhardt, Jr 88 3,137 -1,319
    19 Floyd Ganassi 42 3,065 -1,391
    20 Robert Yates 90 3,046 -1,410
    21 Tammy Brewer 27 3,041 -1,415
    22 Joe Gibbs 18 3,031 -1,425
    23 Clarence Brewer 37 3,029 -1,427
    24 James Finch 1 3,005 -1,451
    25 Tad Geschickter 59 2,987 -1,469
    26 James Finch 7 2,959 -1,497
    27 Jodi Geschickter 47 2,827 -1,629
    28 Richard Childress 2 2,707 -1,749
    29 Edward Rensi 25 2,584 -1,872
    30 Rusty Wallace 66 2,575 -1,881
    31 Rick Hendrick 24 2,544 -1,912
    32 Gregory Pollex 14 2,515 -1,941
    33 John McGill 36 2,367 -2,089
    34 Joe Custer 28 2,317 -2,139
    35 Bobby Ginn 4 1,820 -2,636
    36 Keith Duesenberg 0 1,815 -2,641
    37 Roger Penske 12 1,664 -2,792
    38 Jack Roush 26 1,461 -2,995
    39 Bryan Mullet 11 1,291 -3,165
    40 Teresa Earnhardt 15 1,208 -3,248
    41 Mary Louise Miller 170 1,107 -3,349
    42 Stanton Barrett 30 1,084 -3,372
    43 Jimmy Means 252 890 -3,566
    44 John McNelly 156 800 -3,656
    45 Johnny Davis 1 798 -3,658
    46 Pat MacDonald 72 793 -3,663
    47 Keith Coleman 23 758 -3,698
    48 Teresa Earnhardt 8 722 -3,734
    49 Robby Gordon 55 695 -3,761
    50 Cindy Shepherd 89 692 -3,764
    51 Frank Cicci 34 592 -3,864
    52 Steve Germain 103 505 -3,951
    53 Wayne Day 105 434 -4,022
    54 Bill Riley 91 431 -4,025
    55 Donnie Richardson 244 397 -4,059
    56 Rick Hendrick 48 387 -4,069
    57 Todd Braun 32 353 -4,103
    58 Andrea Nemechek 87 300 -4,156
    59 Jack Roush 106 282 -4,174
    60 Alex Garcia 298 235 -4,221
    61 Fred Horn 158 205 -4,251
    62 Teresa Earnhardt 111 195 -4,261
    63 James Rowe 273 186 -4,270
    64 Jerry Young 171 174 -4,282
    65 Gina MacDonald 271 174 -4,282
    66 Roger Penske 139 170 -4,286
    67 Dusty Whitney 249 158 -4,298
    68 Jack Johnson 176 157 -4,299
    69 Susan Spraker 163 152 -4,304
    70 Jay Robinson 149 139 -4,317
    71 Charles Fridell, Jr 54 104 -4,352
    72 Eddie D’hondt 92 98 -4,358
    73 Kelly Souza 113 94 -4,362
    74 Michael Waltrip 344 94 -4,362
    75 Armando Fitz 144 80 -4,376
    76 Tom Eriksen 167 76 -4,380
    77 Chris Lencheski 130 70 -4,386
    78 Lori Morgan 200 68 -4,388
    79 Stanton Barrett 231 49 -4,407
    80 John Young 146 46 -4,410
    81 Charles Henderson 175 37 -4,419
    82 Robert Richardson 180 31 -4,425
    83 Jeff Barrister 250 31 -4,425
    84 Jim Braddock 254 31 -4,425
    85 J L Pennington 208 25 -4,431
    86 Brian Carter 61 25 -4,431
    87 Earl Sadler 195 22 -4,434

  • Biffle on pole at Lowes: Greg Biffle will start from the pole for the Dollar General 300 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway after posting a top speed of 183.511. Rounding out the top ten were #17-Matt Kenseth, #26-Jamie McMurray, #10-Dave Blaney, #60-Carl Edwards, #20-Denny Hamlin, #18-Aric Almirola, #99-David Reutimann, #90-Stephen Leicht, #6-David Ragan. Four incidents during qualifying; all got loose coming off turn four making contact with the wall; #42-AJ Allmendinger; #28-Blake Bjorklund, #1-J.J. Yeley; #28-Casey Atwood. DNQ; #0-Eric McClure#72-D.J. Kennington, #61-Travis Kittleson.(10-12-2007)
    Starting Line Up by Row UPDATED
    Lowe’s Motor Speedway at Charlotte
    Dollar General 300
    Provided by NASCAR Statistics – Fri, October 12, 2007 @ 06:12 PM Eastern

    Pos Car Driver Team Time Speed
    1 16 Greg Biffle 3M Ford 29.426 183.511
    2 17 Matt Kenseth iLevel Structurwood Ford 29.519 182.933
    3 26 Jamie McMurray Dish Network Ford 29.535 182.834
    4 10 Dave Blaney HASS Avocados from Mexico Toyota 29.558 182.692
    5 60 Carl Edwards Scotts Winterguard Ford 29.603 182.414
    6 20 Denny Hamlin Rockwell Automation Chevy 29.631 182.242
    7 18 Aric Almirola Slim Jim Monster Chevy 29.674 181.977
    8 99 David Reutimann Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota 29.679 181.947
    9 90 Stephen Leicht citifinancial Ford 29.712 181.745
    10 6 David Ragan # Discount Tire Ford 29.752 181.500
    11 22 Mike Bliss Family Dollar / CancerCare Dodge 29.766 181.415
    12 9 Kasey Kahne Klondike Dodge 29.784 181.305
    13 29 Jeff Burton Holiday Inn Chevy 29.795 181.238
    14 41 Bryan Clauson Memorex Dodge 29.796 181.232
    15 66 Reed Sorenson HomeLife Communities Dodge 29.823 181.068
    16 2 Clint Bowyer BB&T Chevy 29.827 181.044
    17 30 Stanton Barrett Smith & Wesson Chevy 29.837 180.983
    18 59 Marcos Ambrose # Kingsford Charcoal / Bush’s Baked Beans 29.853 180.886
    19 21 Scott Wimmer AutoZone Chevy 29.913 180.524
    20 77 Bobby Labonte Dollar General Chevy 29.920 180.481
    21 25 Richard Johns freecreditreport.com Ford 29.938 180.373
    22 37 Brad Baker Kick Butt Energy Ballz Ford 29.945 180.331
    23 35 Bobby Hamilton Jr. McDonald’s Ford 29.964 180.216
    24 5 Kyle Busch Sta-Green Winterizer/Lowe’s Chevy 29.982 180.108
    25 33 Kevin Harvick Dollar General Chevy 30.021 179.874
    26 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Menards / Super Clean Chevy 30.039 179.766
    27 38 Jason Leffler Great Clips / Meet the Robinsons Toyota 30.085 179.491
    28 42 AJ Allmendinger Memorex Dodge 30.139 179.170
    29 55 Robby Gordon Verizon Wireless Ford 30.143 179.146
    30 47 Kelly Bires AutoZone / Armor All Ford 30.146 179.128
    31 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevy 30.187 178.885
    32 7 Mike Wallace GEICO Chevy 30.195 178.838
    33 92 Bobby Santos Bill Davis Racing Toyota 30.248 178.524
    34 36 Jeremy Clements Saxon Group Chevy 30.336 178.006
    35 88 Brad Keselowski # U.S. NAVY Chevy 30.372 177.795
    36 11 Jason Keller Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbeque Sauce 30.614 176.390
    37 1 Kertus Davis RACEGIRL Chevy 30.676 176.033
    38 14 Kyle Krisiloff # Lilly/Walgreens Ford 30.756 175.575
    39 54 Carl Long Fridell-Carter Motorsports Dodge 31.139 173.416
    40 28 Blake Bjorklund Puperoni/Milkbone/9 Lives/Kibbles & Bits Owner Points
    41 1 J.J. Yeley Miccosukee Resorts Chevy Owner Points
    42 27 Casey Atwood Kleenex / Breast Cancer Research Owner Points
    43 89 Morgan Shepherd Victory in Jesus Dodge 31.140 173.410
    DNQ;#0-Eric McClure; #72-D.J. Kennington; #61-Travis Kittleson
    UPDATED

  • Biffle paces Happy Hour at Lowes: #16-Greg Biffle was the fastest in the final practice session with a speed of 183.623 followed by #21-Scott Wimmer second, #99-David Reutimann third, #5-Kyle Bush fourth, #2-Clint Bowyer fifth, #17-Matt Kenseth sixth, #22-Mike Bliss seventh, #6-David Ragan eighth, #59-Marcos Ambrose ninth, #38-Jason Leffler tenth; two slowest cars; #0-Eric McClure; #46-Travis Kittleson. Two incidents brought out the red-flag; #20-Denny Hamlin brushed the wall in Turn 1; #72-D.J. Kennington got into the wall coming off Turn 4. There were 46 cars on track for the final practice session.(10-11-2007)
    NBS Final Practice (HAPPY HOUR)
    Lowe’s Motor Speedway at Charlotte
    Dollar General 300
    Provided by NASCAR Statistics – Thu, October 11, 2007 @ 07:01 PM Eastern

    Pos Car Driver Team Time Speed # Laps
    1 16 Greg Biffle 3M Ford 29.408 183.624 29
    2 21 Scott Wimmer AutoZone Chevy 29.455 183.331 27
    3 99 David Reutimann Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota 29.467 183.256 18
    4 *5 Kyle Busch Sta-Green Winterizer/Lowe’s Chevy 29.480 183.175 21
    5 *2 Clint Bowyer BB&T Chevy 29.504 183.026 27
    6 *17 Matt Kenseth iLevel Structurwood Ford 29.511 182.983 25
    7 22 Mike Bliss Family Dollar / CancerCare Dodge 29.565 182.648 28
    8 6 David Ragan # Discount Tire Ford 29.592 182.482 22
    9 59 Marcos Ambrose # Kingsford Charcoal / Bush’s Baked Beans 29.627 182.266 28
    10 38 Jason Leffler Great Clips / Meet the Robinsons Toyota 29.643 182.168 26
    11 1 J.J. Yeley Miccosukee Resorts Chevy 29.648 182.137 28
    12 10 Dave Blaney HASS Avocados from Mexico Toyota 29.698 181.830 31
    13 42 AJ Allmendinger Memorex Dodge 29.715 181.726 27
    14 *55 Robby Gordon Verizon Wireless Ford 29.782 181.318 26
    15 90 Stephen Leicht citifinancial Ford 29.791 181.263 29
    16 60 Carl Edwards Scotts Winterguard Ford 29.819 181.093 19
    17 27 Casey Atwood Kleenex / Breast Cancer Research 29.820 181.087 31
    18 35 Bobby Hamilton Jr. McDonald’s Ford 29.856 180.868 30
    19 *48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevy 29.857 180.862 24
    20 37 Brad Baker Kick Butt Energy Ballz Ford 29.865 180.814 30
    21 18 Aric Almirola Slim Jim Monster Chevy 29.876 180.747 20
    22 41 Bryan Clauson Memorex Dodge 29.887 180.681 39
    23 9 Kasey Kahne Klondike Dodge 29.914 180.517 34
    24 47 Kelly Bires AutoZone / Armor All Ford 29.931 180.415 39
    25 29 Jeff Burton Holiday Inn Chevy 29.987 180.078 26
    26 77 Bobby Labonte Dollar General Chevy 29.995 180.030 24
    27 *8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Menards / Super Clean Chevy 30.007 179.958 28
    28 33 Kevin Harvick Dollar General Chevy 30.035 179.790 24
    29 *26 Jamie McMurray Dish Network Ford 30.070 179.581 13
    30 20 Denny Hamlin Rockwell Automation Chevy 30.154 179.081 19
    31 36 Jeremy Clements Saxon Group Chevy 30.270 178.394 26
    32 *30 Stanton Barrett Smith & Wesson Chevy 30.280 178.336 24
    33 *11 Jason Keller Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbeque Sauce 30.327 178.059 21
    34 25 Richard Johns freecreditreport.com Ford 30.363 177.848 34
    35 *54 Carl Long Fridell-Carter Motorsports Dodge 30.365 177.836 9
    36 28 Blake Bjorklund Pup-Peroni/Milkbone/9 Lives/Kibbles & Bits 30.379 177.754 23
    37 66 Reed Sorenson HomeLife Communities Dodge 30.479 177.171 24
    38 7 Mike Wallace GEICO Chevy 30.507 177.009 23
    39 88 Brad Keselowski # U.S. NAVY Chevy 30.595 176.499 20
    40 *92 Bobby Santos Bill Davis Racing Toyota 30.621 176.350 23
    41 14 Kyle Krisiloff # Lilly/Walgreens Ford 30.627 176.315 24
    42 *01 Kertus Davis RACEGIRL Chevy 31.231 172.905 12
    43 *89 Morgan Shepherd Victory in Jesus Dodge 31.256 172.767 10
    44 *72 D.J. Kennington Vector Security Dodge 31.395 172.002 8
    45 *0 Eric McClure Hefty Chevy 31.797 169.827 15
    46 *61 Travis Kittleson Red Clay Industries/Concrete Supply 31.833 169.635 22
    *Required to qualify on time

    NBS Rookie Practice
    Lowe’s Motor Speedway at Charlotte
    Dollar General 300
    Provided by NASCAR Statistics – Thu, October 11, 2007 @ 02:31 PM Central

    Pos Car Driver Team Time Speed # Laps
    1 41 Bryan Clauson Memorex Dodge 30.282 178.324 12
    2 59 Marcos Ambrose # Kingsford Charcoal/Bush’s Baked Beans 30.334 178.018 8
    3 36 Jeremy Clements Saxon Group Chevy 30.414 177.55 5
    4 6 David Ragan # Discount Tire Ford 30.431 177.451 16
    5 88 Brad Keselowski # U.S. NAVY Chevy 30.437 177.416 13
    6 47 Kelly Bires AutoZone / Armor All Ford 30.488 177.119 17
    7 25 Richard Johns freecreditreport.com Ford 30.547 176.777 14
    8 *92 Bobby Santos Bill Davis Racing Toyota 30.674 176.045 17
    9 28 Blake Bjorklund Puperoni/Milkbone/9 Lives/Kibbles & Bits 30.824 175.188 9
    10 14 Kyle Krisiloff # Lilly/Walgreens Ford 30.848 175.052 17
    11 *72 D.J. Kennington Vector Security Dodge 31.437 171.772 11
    12 *0 Eric McClure Hefty Chevy 32.009 168.703 6
    *Required to qualify on time

  • Edwards quickest in first practice: #60-Carl Edwards was the fastest on track at Lowes Motor Speedway with a speed of 179.790 followed by #21-Scott Wimmer second, #16-Greg Biffle third, #2-Clint Bowyer fourth, #10-Dave Blaney fifth, #99-David Reutimann sixth, #27-Casey Atwood seventh, #18-Aric Almirola eighth, #33-Kevin Harvick ninth, #77-Bobby Labonte tenth. Two slowest on track; #89-Morgan Shepherd; #61-Travis Kittleson. Practice red-flagged for a spin across the grass by #61-Travis Kittleson; no damage of note. There were 46 cars on track for the first practice session.(10-11-2007)
    NBS Practice 1
    Lowe’s Motor Speedway at Charlotte
    Dollar General 300
    Provided by NASCAR Statistics – Thu, October 11, 2007 @ 02:30 PM Central

    Pos Car Driver Team Time Speed # Laps
    1 60 Carl Edwards Scotts Winterguard Ford 30.035 179.790 15
    2 21 Scott Wimmer AutoZone Chevy 30.151 179.099 24
    3 16 Greg Biffle 3M Ford 30.168 178.998 21
    4 *2 Clint Bowyer BB&T Chevy 30.199 178.814 30
    5 10 Dave Blaney HASS Avocados from Mexico Toyota 30.204 178.784 15
    6 99 David Reutimann Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota 30.256 178.477 17
    7 27 Casey Atwood Kleenex / Breast Cancer Research 30.285 178.306 19
    8 18 Aric Almirola Slim Jim Monster Chevy 30.309 178.165 29
    9 33 Kevin Harvick Dollar General Chevy 30.309 178.165 15
    10 77 Bobby Labonte Dollar General Chevy 30.316 178.124 20
    11 *26 Jamie McMurray Dish Network Ford 30.338 177.995 25
    12 9 Kasey Kahne Klondike Dodge 30.343 177.965 11
    13 29 Jeff Burton Holiday Inn Chevy 30.379 177.754 21
    14 42 AJ Allmendinger Memorex Dodge 30.388 177.702 26
    15 90 Stephen Leicht citifinancial Ford 30.396 177.655 31
    16 *55 Robby Gordon Verzion Wireless Ford 30.396 177.655 17
    17 59 Marcos Ambrose # Kingsford Charcoal / Bush’s Baked Beans 30.415 177.544 33
    18 38 Jason Leffler Great Clips / Meet the Robinsons Toyota 30.426 177.480 21
    19 35 Bobby Hamilton Jr. McDonald’s Ford 30.432 177.445 39
    20 22 Mike Bliss Family Dollar / CancerCare Dodge 30.443 177.381 30
    21 *8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Menards / Super Clean Chevy 30.444 177.375 19
    22 *5 Kyle Busch Sta-Green Winterizer/Lowe’s Chevy 30.458 177.293 21
    23 *48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevy 30.475 177.194 22
    24 *17 Matt Kenseth iLevel Structurwood Ford 30.479 177.171 8
    25 1 J.J. Yeley Miccosukee Resorts Chevy 30.519 176.939 32
    26 41 Bryan Clauson Memorex Dodge 30.554 176.736 28
    27 66 Reed Sorenson HomeLife Communities Dodge 30.576 176.609 24
    28 20 Denny Hamlin Rockwell Automation Chevy 30.623 176.338 21
    29 6 David Ragan # Discount Tire Ford 30.629 176.304 22
    30 37 Brad Baker Kick Butt Energy Ballz Ford 30.634 176.275 39
    31 88 Brad Keselowski # U.S. NAVY Chevy 30.650 176.183 23
    32 47 Kelly Bires AutoZone / Armor All Ford 30.651 176.177 19
    33 25 Richard Johns freecreditreport.com Ford 30.689 175.959 41
    34 36 Jeremy Clements Saxon Group Chevy 30.700 175.896 28
    35 *11 Jason Keller Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbeque Sauce 30.734 175.701 23
    36 *30 Stanton Barrett Smith & Wesson Chevy 30.751 175.604 23
    37 28 Blake Bjorklund Puperoni/Milkbone/9 Lives/Kibbles & Bits 30.86 174.984 22
    38 7 Mike Wallace GEICO Chevy 30.885 174.842 27
    39 14 Kyle Krisiloff # Lilly/Walgreens Ford 30.923 174.627 31
    40 *92 Bobby Santos Bill Davis Racing Toyota 31.064 173.835 34
    41 *54 Carl Long Fridell-Carter Motorsports Dodge 31.250 172.800 8
    42 *89 Morgan Shepherd Victory in Jesus Dodge 31.395 172.002 5
    43 *72 D.J. Kennington Vector Security Dodge 31.607 170.848 26
    44 *01 Kertus Davis RACEGIRL Chevy 31.806 169.779 6
    45 *0 Eric McClure Hefty Chevy 32.033 168.576 17
    46 *61 Travis Kittleson Red Clay Industries/Concrete Supply 0 0 0
    *Required to qualify on time

  • Charlotte Entry List: There are 46 drivers on the preliminary entry list for Friday’s Dollar General 300. Casey Atwood is back in the #27 and Brad Baker is in the #37.(10-9-2007)
    Entry List
    Lowe’s Motor Speedway at Charlotte
    Dollar General 300
    Provided by NASCAR Statistics – Thu, October 11, 2007 @ 02:27 PM Central

    Ent Car Driver Team Name Owner
    1. 0 Eric McClure Hefty Chevy Keith Duesenberg
    2. 1 J.J. Yeley Miccosukee Resort Chevy James Finch
    3. 01 Kertus Davis TBA Chevy Johnny Davis
    4. 2 Clint Bowyer BB&T Chevy Richard Childress
    5. 5 Kyle Busch Sta-Green Winterizer/Lowe’s Chevy Rick Hendrick
    6. 6 David Ragan Discount Tire Ford Jack Roush
    7. 7 Mike Wallace GEICO Chevy James Finch
    8. 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr Menards Chevy Teresa Earnhardt
    9. 9 Kasey Kahne Klondike Dodge Ray Evernham
    10. 10 Dave Blaney Hass Avocados from Mexico Toyota Greg Pollex
    11. 11 Jason Keller Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce Bryan Mullet
    12. 14 Kyle Krisiloff Lilly/Walgreens Ford Greg Pollex
    13. 16 Greg Biffle 3M Ford Jack Roush
    14. 17 Matt Kenseth I Level Ford Jack Roush
    15. 18 Aric Almirola Slim Jim Chevy Joe Gibbs
    16. 20 Denny Hamlin Rockwell Automation Chevy Joe Gibbs
    17. 21 Scott Wimmer Auto Zone Chevy Richard Childress
    18. 22 Mike Bliss Family Dollar Dodge Armando Fitz
    19. 25 Richard Johns FreeCreditReport.com Ford Ed Rensi
    20. 26 Jamie McMurray Dish Network Ford Jack Roush
    21. 27 Casey Atwood Kleenex Ford Tammy Brewer
    22. 28 Blake Bjorklund Puperoni/Mikbone/9 Lives/Kibbles & Bits Joe Custer
    23. 29 Jeff Burton Holiday Inn Chevy Richard Childress
    24. 30 Stanton Barrett Smith & Wesson Chevy Stanton Barrett
    25. 33 Kevin Harvick Dollar General Chevy Delana Harvick
    26. 35 Bobby Hamilton Jr McDonald’s Ford Gary Weisbaum
    27. 36 Jeremy Clements TBA Chevy John McGill
    28. 37 Brad Baker Kick Buttz Energy Drink Ford Clarence Brewer
    29. 38 Jason Leffler Great Clips Toyota Todd Braun
    30. 41 Bryan Clauson Memorex Dodge Chip Ganassi
    31. 42 AJ Allmendinger Memorex Dodge Floyd Ganassi
    32. 47 Kelly Bires Clorox / American Red Cross Ford Jodi Geschickter
    33. 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s / Kobalt Tools Chevy Rick Hendrick
    34. 54 Carl Long TBA Dodge Charles Fridell
    35. 55 Robby Gordon Verizon Wireless Ford Robby Gordon
    36. 59 Marcos Ambrose Kingsford Charcoal Ford Tad Geschickter
    37. 60 Carl Edwards Scotts Winterguard Ford Jack Roush
    38. 61 Travis Kittleson Red Clay Ind/Concrete Supply Chevy Brian Carter
    39. 66 Reed Sorenson Homelife Communities Dodge Rusty Wallace
    40. 72 D.J. Kennington Vector Security Dodge Pat MacDonald
    41. 77 Bobby Labonte Dollar General Chevy Delana Harvick
    42. 88 Brad Keselowski U.S. Navy Chevy Dale Earnhardt Jr.
    43. 89 Morgan Shepherd Victory In Jesus Dodge Cindy Shepherd
    44. 90 Stephen Leicht Citifinancial Ford Robert Yates
    45. 92 Bobby Santos Bill Davis Racing Toyota Eddie D’Hondt
    46. 99 David Reutimann Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Michael Waltrip

    Drivers in Red are required to qualify on time. #8-Earhhardt Jr is eligible for the past champion’s provisional.


    NASCAR Busch Series News And Notes – Lowe’s
    Jason Keller (#11 Sweet Baby Ray’s Chevy) knew this day would come.

    He’s been looking forward to becoming the NASCAR Busch Series’ all-time leader in starts, a feat he can accomplish Friday night at Lowe’s Motor Speedway when it’s expected the 37-year-old native of Greenville, S.C., will make the 418th start in a career that has spanned 17 seasons.

    But his newest record – he also is the only driver to surpass $11 million in winnings – comes with a bit of melancholy.

    Keller must qualify on time in order to break the mark held by Tommy Houston, who last raced in the series in 1996. Houston had 417 starts, 24 wins, 18 poles, settimg the series standard with 123 top fives and 198 top 10s – marks that still stand.

    And that’s where the bittersweet taste comes in: Houston is one of Keller’s idols.

    “It’s definitely an honor to be part of the Busch Series as long as I have been,” Keller said.  “And to have Tommy there (at LMS) … when I first came into the series, I raced against Tommy a lot.

    “I’ve definitely respected what he did for the series, and now that it’s grown so much, it’s really because of people like him and some of the guys that originally started.

    “So I’m very honored and very proud and hope that we have a good night on Friday.” 

    Edwards Can Clinch Driver Title; Three Teams Now Vie For Owner Crown

    Let the 2007 NASCAR Busch Series championship scenarios begin.

    Driver standings leader Carl Edwards (#60 Scotts Wiinterguard Ford) has his first opportunity Friday night to reach the main goal he set for the 2007 season.

    If Edwards – who has led the standings since the third race of the season at Mexico City – leaves Charlotte with a lead of 781 or more points, he will have clinched the title.

    He currently leads second-place David Reutimann (#99 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota) by 696 points.

    Reigning series champion Kevin Harvick (#33 Dollar General Chevy) – who clinched the 2006 championship at this event last year – is in third place, 818 points behind Edwards.

    And don’t look now, but there are three teams in the running for the NASCAR Busch Series owner championship.

    The #29 Holiday Inn Chevy of Richard Childress Racing – shared this year by Jeff Burton (who will drive the car at LMS) and Scott WImmer (in the #21 AutoZone Chevy for RCR this week) – leads the owner standings by 54 points over the Roush Fenway Racing #60 Ford.

    But the #20 Rockwell Automation Chevy of Joe Gibbs Racing is in third place, only 76 points behind the #29. Denny Hamlin will be behind the wheel of the #20 Friday night at LMS.

    In The Loop: Leicht Could Shine In Charlotte; Hamlin Hopes To Leave LMS Woes Behind

    If the remainder of the season is an open audition for Stephen Leicht, Lowe’s Motor Speedway might be the perfect place to take center stage.

    Leicht, currently with Robert Yates Racing, will look for a new employer at season’s end. And in two races at LMS, Leicht has impressed. Standing out among a field peppered with double-duty drivers, Leicht has finished 14th and 10th while collecting impressive statistics in the process.

    At LMS, Leicht has a Driver Rating of 82.6 (16th-best), an Average Running Position of 13.8 (11th-best) and has spent 67.7% of the total laps run in the top 15 (seventh-best).

    Another storyline sure to take shape this week  is the three-way battle for the owner championship.

    The #29 Chevy, the #60 Ford, and the #20 Chevy are separated by 76 points. Previously, it was a two-team race between the #60 and the #29. Now the combo of Denny Hamlin (18 starts), Aric Almirola (10 starts), Travis Kittleson (one start) and Tony Stewart (one start) have joined the fray.

    Friday night, Edwards, Burton and Hamlin will be in their respective rides.

    While Edwards and Burton have solid statistics at LMS, Hamlin has struggled there. In five starts at the 1.5-mile track, he has only one top 10 and an average finish of 24.2. Hamlin’s Driver Rating at LMS is a 25th-best 75.6 and his Average Running Position is 17.3 (18th-best).

    With a win there last season, Edwards has an LMS Driver Rating of 97.2, an Average Running Position of 12.9 and 67 Fastest Laps Run.

    Burton, who finished fourth at LMS in May, has a Driver Rating of 100.4 and an Average Running Position of 14.5 in his three races at LMS since 2005.

    NBS, Etc.

    • Crew Chief Changes: Tony Eury Jr. and Bruce Cook will be new faces atop pit boxes at LMS this week. Last week Eury, the Director of Competition for JR Motorsports, was named interim crew chief for the #88 U.S. NAVY Chevy of Brad Keselowski for the remainder of the season. Meanwhile, Bruce Cook, the former car chief on Stephen Leicht’s #90 CitiFinancial Ford, will officially take over as Leicht’s crew chief at LMS. Cook will replace Cully Barraclough, who moved over to oversee the efforts of the #88 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series entry.
    • Of Note: David Reutimann has registered a series-best 1,601 points over the last 12 races. … Two-time series champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. (#8 Menards Chevy) is entered in what may be his last NASCAR Busch Series race for DEI. It will be the first time Earnhardt will race against Brad Keselowski since the youngster has been driving for JR Motorsports. … Reed Sorenson will drive the #66 HomeLife Communities Dodge in place of Steve Wallace this week. The one-time- only developmental switch has been made by team owner Rusty Wallace to afford Steve the opportunity to sit out and observe.

    The Director’s Take: LMS

    “The track has now had some time to age from the new repaving. Teams will be working on getting the most amount of grip they can.

    “The two areas they will work in is mechanical grip – how the car keeps the most amount of tire contact area – and aerodynamic grip, or the use of the air pushing the car into the track.

    “Corner entry will be the area to watch to see who is mastering the grip puzzle. Drivers who can give the team the right information to keep the car right on the edge will be fast.

    “Drivers getting the car too loose trying to be fast and spinning out on corner entry may find out why Lowe’s Motor Speedway has a new nickname – “the Beast of the Southeast.”

    “All the usual factors will come into play with shocks, springs and sway bars to keep the car as low as possible (coil bind). Also holding the attitude of the car in order to keep the air flowing over the car and not under will be a factor.

    Rookie Spotlight: Slumping Ragan Attempts To Reverse Fortunes With Reverse Paint Scheme

    • Ragan Rocked, But Still Solid: Despite finishes of 39th, 32nd and 34th in his last three races, David Ragan (#6 Discount Tire Ford) continues to hold a solid 24-point lead over second-place Marcos Ambrose (#59 Kingsford Ford) in the Raybestos Rookie standings with five races to go. He’s on a quest to become the first driver to win the award in both the NASCAR Busch Series and in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. Ragan trails Juan Pablo Montoya in the premier series rookie standings by 14 points with six races remaining. To help reverse his NASCAR Busch Series slump, his team will run a reverse paint scheme at Lowe’s Motor Speedway this week. It will be the first time in the four-year sponsorship history of Discount Tire that a reverse scheme has been used. “We never leave the shop without thinking we have a legitimate chance to win,” crew chief Mike Kelley said, “(but) if this new look gives us some extra luck this weekend, I am all for it.”
    • Making Their Way: Future faces of the series will be on display in Charlotte this week. Eighteen-year-old Bryan Clauson (#41 Dodge) and a pair of 22-year-olds – Blake Bjorklund #28 Pupperoni/MilkBone/NineLives/Kibbles & Bits Chevy) and Jeremy Clements (#36 McGill Motorsports Chevy). Clauson is the “veteran” of the group with recent starts at Richmond International Raceway and Kansas Speedway while Bjorklund made his debut at California last month. Clements debuted in 2003 at age 19 at Pikes Peak International Raceway.

    ESPN2

    ESPN2 continues its season-long coverage of the NASCAR Busch Series with a live, prime time race from Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte. The telecast of the Dollar General 300 begins at 7:30 p.m. ET with NASCAR Countdown. Allen Bestwick will serve as host of the pre-race show.

    Dr. Jerry Punch will anchor ESPN2’s coverage from Charlotte, with analysis by two-time NASCAR champion crew chief Andy Petree and 1989 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion Rusty Wallace. Pit reporters will be Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Mike Massaro and Shannon Spake, while two-time champion crew chief Tim Brewer will report from the ESPN DISH Tech Center.

    In addition to coverage of the race, ESPN2 will have a live telecast of NASCAR Busch Series qualifying from Charlotte at 4 p.m. Friday. Coverage of final practice airs at 6 p.m. Thursday.

    2007 At-A-Glance: NASCAR Busch Series Leaders After 30 Of 35 Races:

    Traditional Statistics:
    Driver points – Edwards (4207)
    Victories – Harvick (5)
    Races led – Edwards (19)
    Laps led – Ky. Busch (958)
    Top-five finishes – Edwards (14)
    Top-10 finishes – Edwards (19)
    Owner points – Richard Childress Racing (#29) – (4,261)
    Money Won – Edwards ($1,092,685)
    Miles led – Ky. Busch (1286.08)
    Busch Poles – Hamlin (5)
    Closest to 10th – Kenseth 10th (2911 pts); 11th – M. Wallace -70
    Consecutive Weeks in Top 10 – Edwards, Harvick (30)

    Loop Data Statistics:
    Driver Rating – Edwards (107.0)
    Average Running Position – Edwards (9.7)
    Fastest Laps Run – Edwards (491 fastest laps)
    Quality Passes – Edwards (933)
    Laps In Top 15 – Edwards (4,470 of a possible 5,500)

    Toyota In Final-Opportunity Stretch To Surpass Dodge

    Toyota, which has had a strong second half of the season starting off with its first series win by Jason Leffler on July 28 at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, has five races left in order to catch third-place Dodge and escape the manufacturer standings cellar in its first year of series competition.

    Chevy clinched its 14th Bill France Performance Cup last month while Ford’s second-place advantage over Dodge stands at 41 points at this stage of the year.

    Although Ford (15) and Chevy (14) have the most manufacturer wins at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Dodge has won two of the last four races, including this event last year. Dave Blaney captured his first series win in that race and this season, he drives for upstart Toyota. He finished 10th in this year’s spring race at LMS while Kasey Kahne took Dodge to Victory Lane in that event.

    Manufacturers’ Championship 2007 Point Standings
    Chevy 228
    Ford       176
    Dodge    135
    Toyota    121

    Up Next: Sam’s Town 250 At Memphis Motorsports Park

    Next week is the final open week of the 2007 season for the NASCAR Busch Series which will be followed by the last stand-alone event of the year.

    The Sam’s Town 250 will run Saturday, Oct. 28 at Memphis Motorsports Park. ESPN2 will carry the race live beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET

    Reigning series champion Kevin Harvick won the race last year and clinched the owner championship for Richard Childress in the process. The victory was Harvick’s second at the .75-mile track – the last short track on the schedule. He’s the only driver with multiple wins there. Four series champions have won this race over its eight-year history: Harvick, Jeff Green, Randy LaJoie and Martin Truex Jr.

    Johnny Sauter captured the Busch Pole last year. Green and Truex are the only drivers to win more than one pole at Memphis.

    FAST FACTS

    The Race: Dollar General 300
    The Place: Lowe’s Motor Speedway
    The Date:  Oct. 12, 20071
    The Time: 7:30 p.m. (ET)
    TV: ESPN2, 8:00 p.m. (ET)
    Track Layout: 1.5-mile oval
    Race Purse: $1,268,191
    2006 Winner: Dave Blaney
    2006 Pole: Carl Edwards

    2007 Point Standings:
    Pos. Driver Pts
    1 Edwards 4,207
    2 Reutimann 3,511
    3 Harvick 3,389
    4 Leffler 3,345
    5 Ragan 3,149
    6 Hamilton Jr. 3,149
    7 Biffle 3,058
    8 Ambrose 2,944
    9 Leicht 2,937
    10 Kenseth 2,911

    Pre-Race Schedule:
    Thursday: Practice, 1-2:00 p.m.; Rookie Practice, 2:20-2:50 p.m.; Final Practice, 6-7:00 p.m. Qualifying, 4:05 p.m. (impound).


  • Additional California Busch Race Info at:
    calforniaspeedway.com
    ESPN.com Busch page
    TheHotLap.com
    Catchfence.com Busch site
    NASCAR.com