NASCAR SCNS (CHARLOTTE) - SERIES NOTES

Johnson, Gordon Apparent Favorites In Week 5 Of Chase 7 Chase Drivers Have Yet To Win At LMS Time Growing Short For Some In Chase Field Kahne Looks To Fill Spoiler Role Blaney Effort Moves BDR Team Into Top 35 Of Owner Points

Prime-Time Race Presents Prime Breakthrough Opportunity

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 9, 2007) – On paper, the favorites seem apparent going into Saturday night’s Bank of America 500, as do the longshots. A have/have-not line of demarcation is drawn statistically.

• Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet) and Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet) have combined for nine victories at Lowe’s Motor Speedway;

• The other 10 drivers in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup have accumulated only four wins at the Concord, N.C. oval.

• Seven of the 12 drivers in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup have never won a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at LMS.

Of course, for those seven, this week can also be seen as a glass-half-full scenario, a prime-time race and a prime chance for a breakthrough at the most opportune of times.

And thus far in the 2007 Chase, the word breakthrough has been synonymous with Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet). Bowyer, still riding the momentum of his career-first victory at New Hampshire, an event that opened the Chase, comes to LMS third in the points, only 63 points behind Gordon, who took over the Chase points lead via his victory this past Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway. Johnson, second at Talladega, likewise has dropped to second in the standings, nine points behind.

Bowyer is one of those seven “Chasers” seeking an initial Lowe’s Motor Speedway win. He has only three NASCAR NEXTEL Cup starts at the track, with his best finish a 19th.

“Lowe’s Motor Speedway’s not a race track where I’ve been particularly successful,” Bowyer acknowledged. “We’ve always run well there – been up front and run in the top 10; we’ve just never finished like we’ve run. We’ve wrecked a lot there and gotten caught up in stuff.

“We just have to do better. If we can do what we’ve done everywhere else and improve on our finishes, we’ll be just fine.”

Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford), also winless at LMS, has some encouraging history there. In five starts, he has four top-10 finishes, including two third-place efforts.

Less-than encouraging are the LMS records of Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet) and Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge), who are fifth and seventh respectively in the Chase standings. Harvick is 0-for-13 at the track while Busch is 0-for-14. Harvick has led a total of two laps in those 13 races.

But in Harvick’s case, it might be worth noting, again, that all of these statistics are gleaned from points-paying series races at LMS. The annual NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge is excluded.

Here’s your footnote: Harvick won this year’s all-star race, in May.

Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Notebook, Week 5

Jimmie Johnson At LMS Defines Success/ Sponsor Synergy … Jimmie Johnson has built a remarkable record of success at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, a record that is obviously pleasing to his sponsor – Lowe’s.

In 12 starts, Johnson has five victories at LMS, 11 top 10s, eight top fives and a series-best average finish of 6.2. Johnson got the first of his five wins in the 2003 Coca-Cola 600; he then swept four consecutive series races at LMS in 2004 and 2005. And don’t forget the fact that in 2003 and 2006 he won the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge there.

“Leading into [an LMS race] we're typically excited about it and I am this year,” Johnson said. “I think it's a good opportunity for us to possibility get a win and score some more points in the Chase."

An intriguing battle has developed between Johnson and his teammate Jeff Gordon. Adding to the intrigue: Gordon is a part-owner of Johnson’s team. There are all sorts of dynamics swirling around the battle at the top of the Chase points.

“We put a lot of pressure, in a good way, on both of our teams in the friendly rivalry we have between the shops,” Johnson said. “I don’t see that changing. When I see Jeff go by me I know that he is driving the same stuff. If he is driving by me then I think I had better get up on the wheel and do something better. I think I do the same thing to him.

“There are still a lot of races left. But, as things unfold it could be a situation where we are racing one another. In some ways that is what we would hope for and in other ways it’s going to be difficult. If it does come down to the two of us, it would be a good and bad problem all at the same time.”

Time Grows Short … As the halfway point approaches in the 2007 Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup approaches, several drivers’ championship hopes are slipping away. One of those would be Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet), in 12th and last place this week, 336 points behind Jeff Gordon. A comeback is highly unlikely considering that deficit but nonetheless, Burton shouldn’t be dismissed going into Saturday night’s event. He has two LMS victories and 12 top 10s in 27 starts. Expect Burton to hang tough no matter what happens. “Obviously, last weekend’s finish wrapped up our championship hopes but we will keep fighting,” he said. “We’ll continue to go to the last few races with the same approach we have had all year. All that we can do as a team is our very best and if we do that, the points will add up. We have to focus on what we are doing and do a good job. If we do that, then we’ll be able to battle back and move up in the standings.”

Two-Time Champion Looks To Mirror 2006 Stretch Run … Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet) has dropped to 154 points back of the lead, into fourth place, but don’t forget how he did down the stretch last year when he was outside the Chase field. Two of Stewart’s five victories in 2006 came in the season’s last five weeks – at Atlanta and Texas.

Outside The Chase: Kahne, Mears Could Be Spoilers At LMS

Drivers outside the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup field are lining up to play the role of spoiler this week at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. At the head of the queue: Kasey Kahne and Casey Mears.

Kahne (No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge) will have to be confident coming into the Bank of America 500 despite a disappointing season that finds him 21st in the series point standings this week. Kahne swept last season’s two races at LMS.

Mears (No. 25 National Guard/GMAC Chevrolet), meanwhile, got his first career NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory earlier this season at LMS, in one of NASCAR’s major events, the Coca-Cola 600. And, even though he also is outside the Chase, Mears has been inside the top 10 at the finish of all four Chase races thus far – the only driver in the series to do so. Mears is 15th in the series standings this week.

Since the start of the Chase in 2004, “non-Chasers” have won 11 times. (See chart at right of page.)

Spoil-Sports

Since the Chase for the NACSAR NEXTEL Cup began, “spoilers” not in the Chase fields have won Chase races 11 times.

2004 Joe Nemechek (Kansas) Greg Biffle (Homestead)

2005 Dale Jarrett (Talladega) Jeff Gordon (Martinsville) Kyle Busch (Phoenix)

2006 Tony Stewart (Kansas) Brian Vickers (Talladega) Tony Stewart (Atlanta) Tony Stewart (Texas) Greg Biffle (Homestead)

2007 Greg Biffle (Kansas)

Locked In: Blaney Run Puts No. 22 Into The Top 35

This past weekend at Talladega Superspeedway was a good one for Toyota. Victories in both the ARCA RE/MAX Series event and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race … a Bud Pole Award for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup event ... and finally, a third-place finish in that premier event, on Sunday, by Dave Blaney. That tied Blaney’s career-best effort in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup. But it also inched the No. 22 Caterpillar Toyota team into the top 35 of the car owner point standings, ensuring the Bill Davis-owned entry a berth in this week’s race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

The top 35 teams in owner points get automatic starting spots each week. Other teams must qualify based on qualifying speeds. So for this week, the No. 22 is in. But the pressure remains; the 36th-place team, the Glen Wood-owned No. 21 Ore-Ida Ford, is only 51 points behind the No. 22 and only 54 behind the No. 45 Tire Kingdom Dodge team of owner-driver Kyle Petty.

2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Owner Points – After 30 Races

Pos. Points Team Owner Driver

30th 2,534 No. 15 Chevrolet Bobby Ginn Paul Menard 31st 2,486 No. 38 Ford Robert Yates David Gilliland 32nd 2,417 No. 70 Chevrolet Joe Custer Johnny Sauter 33rd 2,400 No. 88 Ford Robert Yates Ricky Rudd 34th 2,297 No. 45 Dodge Kyle Petty Kyle Petty

35th 2,295 No. 22 Toyota Bill Davis Dave Blaney

36th 2,244 No. 21 Ford Glen Wood Ken Schrader 37th 2,020 No. 10 Dodge James Rocco Scott Riggs 38th 1,936 No. 83 Toyota Dietrich Mateschitz Brian Vickers 39th 1,930 No. 00 Toyota Cal Wells David Reutimann 40th 1,547 No. 13 Chevrolet Jay Frye Joe Nemechek

Keys To Victory

Lowe’s Motor Speedway

• A good handling car is crucial. The team that can keep their car fine-tuned throughout the race will have a good opportunity to come out on top.

• Thursday and Friday’s practice sessions will be very important. Crew chiefs will need to develop their strategy based upon tire wear and other adjustments they’ll need to make and adapt accordingly during the course of the race. Making the right adjustments at the right time can mean less stress over pit-stop variables.

In The Loop: Data Tells The Tale Of Johnson’s Recent Dominance At LMS

The see-saw battle at the top of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup standings will almost assuredly continue – according to NASCAR’s pre-race Loop Data statistics.

Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson have engaged in a tug-of-war for the points lead since the start of the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup. Johnson held the lead after weeks one and three of the Chase; Gordon after weeks two and four. Gordon currently sits in first, nine points ahead of Johnson.

But if past history is any indication, that slim lead will evaporate after Saturday night’s race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

With five wins in total – including season sweeps in both 2004 and 2005 – Johnson sits atop practically every key Loop Data category over the last five LMS races.

He’s first in:

• Driver Rating (121.0) • Average Running Position (7.5) • Closers (36 spots picked up in the last 10% of LMS races) • Fastest Laps Run (174) • Laps in the Top 15 (1,676 – 89.6% of the total laps run) • Quality Passes, (291 passes of cars in the top 15 under green)

Gordon, meanwhile, has faltered during that span. He suffered five DNFs in those five races, notching a top finish of 24th in this race last season. His average finish over the last five races is 33.8.

Gordon has an LMS Driver Rating of 76.3 (20th-best) and an Average Running Position of 22.0 (27th-best). Another oddity for Gordon: he has run only 41.9% of the total laps run at LMS over the past five races in the top 15.

He does have four wins there, but none since the 1999 season.

Gordon is in good company, however – most of the other Chase competitors also struggle at LMS, according to Loop Data. Only four of the 12 Chase drivers rank in the top 10 in Driver Rating, and only two have Driver Ratings above 90.0 (Johnson and Kyle Busch). Additionally, five Chase drivers rank outside the top 20 in Driver Rating (Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer and Martin Truex Jr.).

NNCS, Etc.

On The Line: Hamlin On Weekly NASCAR Teleconference

Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup competitor Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Kinko’s Chevrolet) was the guest on Tuesday’s weekly NASCAR Teleconference. Hamlin comes into this week’s Bank of America 500 in ninth place, in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup standings – a difficult spot to be in, with six races remaining in the season.

Hamlin did rebound slightly this past Sunday, with a fourth-place run at Talladega.

Following are some highlights from the teleconference:

Q: “What is your strategy this week to continue climbing up those standings and keeping the momentum going?”

Hamlin: “That is going to be the most important thing for us. We have had a really tough last couple of months, even the month leading up to the Chase. Just a string of bad luck … it seemed like we couldn’t go one week without having a pit road incident or bad luck with flat tires or something on the race track or blown motors.

“Talladega was still eventful. We had an incident. We didn’t get a ton of damage but we did get enough to the rear to really kind of effect the car when it was by itself. We battled back from that to get a fourth-place finish. That was a huge accomplishment for this team even for being on a superspeedway because we have a tough time finishing those races.

“So, we will definitely try to take this one and try to carry that momentum on to Charlotte.”

Q: At Lowe's this weekend, would you say that this is one of the most important races of your career?

Hamlin: “It’s pivotal, yeah, but I don't think it's the most important. Last year, Homestead was definitely our most important race, because we were still part of the championship picture. We were only 90 or so behind, so a good day or bad day on one other person's part was going to put us right back in the Chase or right back in the championship.

“A goal of my career is to be top five in points every single year; I don't want to be outside of it. You know, right now, we're heading back on track to get that. We know this weekend at Charlotte is going to be a huge stepping stone for us to get back in. We are only 60 behind fifth right now. So if we can have a good, strong run this weekend; we know there's going to be attrition … it's important for us, especially this weekend, to get away unscathed. “

For the complete teleconference transcript visit www.nascarmedia.com.

Montoya Maintaining Rookie Points Lead

Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge) continues to lead the Raybestos Rookie of the Year point standings over David Ragan (No. 6 AAA Ford).

Montoya’s solid 15th-place run at Talladega boosted his lead to 15 points (225-210).

Former NFL Great At LMS, Taking Break From Charity Walk

Former standout New York Giants lineman George Martin is stopping at Lowe’s Motor Speedway this week, talking a brief break from his cross-country charity walk to benefit 9/11 rescue and responder personnel now experiencing health problems.

Martin is amidst a walk from New York to San Francisco. To contribute to this cause, fans can go to www.ajourneyfor911.info.

Patrick Hickey: A Special Sort of ‘Flagman’

Patrick Hickey has been described as a cross between Florence Nightengale and Indiana Jones.

Strange, but true – and admirable.

Hickey is one of only 150 people to have scaled the tallest mountain on all seven of the world’s continents. He has done so to raise money for nursing scholarships, in response to a growing shortage in nurses.

His latest climb was to the top of Mt. Everest. When he reached the summit, Hickey planted the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series flag into the ground. Saturday, during pre-race ceremonies for the Bank of America 500, Hickey will present that flag to NASCAR President Mike Helton.

Hickey didn’t plan on taking NASCAR to the top of the world. As with so many things that go down in this sport, this one went up following a groundswell of fan reaction.

In his blog during 64 days on Everest, Hickey wrote that he could deal with the cold, isolation and constant danger. But he lamented being cut off from NASCAR. What was happening with Jeff Gordon, he wondered?

We’re talking a devoted fan here.

Soon, updates from total strangers started pouring in.

“All kinds of hits came in from so many NASCAR fans, giving race results, points updates, and news like Junior leaving DEI,” Hickey said.

“Co-workers were amazed to learn I was a NASCAR fan, when I had no idea they were fans, too. Of course, the best part was hearing Jeff was doing so well.”

Hickey noticed something else: NASCAR fans were giving generously to The Summit Scholarship he had created to support nursing students at the University of South Carolina.

The goal is to raise $29,035 – or a buck for every foot of altitude of Mt. Everest.

(Fans can make donations at www.sc-edu/nursing/summitscholarship.)

The Race: Bank of America 500 The Place: Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Concord, N.C. The Date: Saturday, Oct. 13 The Time: 7:30 p.m. (ET) TV: ABC, 7 p.m. (ET) Radio: MRN; SIRIUS Satellite Radio, Channel 128 The Track: 1.5-mile oval The Distance: 501 miles, 334 laps The Purse: $5,185,096 2006 Polesitter: Scott Riggs 2006 Winner: Kasey Kahne Series Standings Pos. Driver Pts. 1 Gordon 5,690 2 Johnson 5,681 3 Bowyer 5,627 4 Stewart 5,536 5 Harvick 5,488 6 Edwards 5,485 7 Kurt Busch 5,475 8 Kyle Busch 5,430 9 Hamlin 5,428 10 Truex 5,390 11 Kenseth 5,372 12 Burton 5,354 Pre-Race On-Track Schedule (ET): Thursday—Practice, 3-4:30 p.m. Qualifying, 7:10 p.m.; Friday—Practice, 3-3:50 p.m. and 6:20-7:20 p.m.