2007 Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 2007 was held at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida on February 18, 2007.
Pole qualifying
All drivers drove two rounds. However, the Pole qualifying certain only the drivers who started in the front row. All other drivers must qualify on the Gatorade Duels 500 for the Daytona.
The two cars from Robert Yates Racing (# 38), David Gilliland and (# 88) Ricky Rudd, himself collared the first two positions and thus were the Daytona 500 start from the front row.
Gatorade Duels
The Gatorade Duels are the qualifying race for the Daytona 500 in 2007, they were marked by scandals. Several teams were punished for infractions. At the car of Michael Waltrip was found a banned substance in the gasoline.
Tony Stewart won the first Gatorade Duel. The following participants in the first duel did not qualify for the Daytona 500: Ward Burton (# 4), Stanton Barrett (# 30), Jeremy Mayfield (# 36), Bill Elliott (# 37), Mike Bliss (# 49), James Hylton (# 58), Brandon Whitt (# 72), Kenny Wallace (# 78), AJ Allmendinger (# 84).
The winner of the second Gatorade Duels, Jeff Gordon, was subsequently punished because his car was too low. He had to go from place 42 in the Daytona 500. NASCAR rookie Juan Pablo Montoya led 18 laps in the second Duel, before retiring with a defect. The following participants of the second duel did not qualify for the Daytona 500: Eric McClure (# 04 ), Paul Menard (# 15), Mike Skinner (# 23), Kirk Shelmerdine (# 27), Kevin Lepage (# 34), Regan Smith (# 39 ), Frank Kimmel (# 71), Derrike Cope (# 74), Brian Vickers (# 83).
For more see: Gatorade Duel
Race
- Race time: 3 hours, 33 minutes and 54 seconds
- Average speed: 149,335 mph
- Margin of victory: 0.020 seconds
- Management change: 13 (9 drivers )
- Most laps led: Kurt Busch - 95
- Yellow flags: 6 for 24 laps
- Attendance: 185,000
The Daytona 500 was the first race of the NASCAR Nextel Cup season 2007. After the start of the race of David had started from pole position Gilliland led for 18 laps to the field. On lap 18 there was the first caution period, when Boris Said slid into the car of David Reutimann and thereby lost control. The dominant driver of the subsequent stages of the race were Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch. Both together resulted in a total of 130 of 200 laps. In round 80 Kyle Petty slide with a puncture in the wall, creating a yellow phase was triggered again. After three quarters of the race Tony Stewart got a lot of oversteer and could not stop the car. Kurt Busch could not avoid Stewart and turned it into the wall, causing the third caution period of the race.
The reigning Nextel Cup champion Jimmie Johnson broke on lap 175 of a yellow phase, after he struck with his car into the wall and the drivers Denny Hamlin, Jeff Green, Tony Raines and David Reutimann could no longer avoid. Just a few laps later, on lap 187, it came the next big accident after Carl Edwards and Reed Sorenson touched the wall and Dave Blaney had a flat tire. Blaney drove almost unabated with the flat tire through the pit lane and took Ken Schrader, Casey Mears, and Jamie McMurray out of the race because he unrestrained returned back on track. He was subsequently disqualified by NASCAR.
Just a few laps after the restart it came back at a big accident which heralded a yellow phase. Matt Kenseth touched his teammate Jamie McMurray, which slammed into the outside wall. Dale Earnhardt Jr. could not avoid him, whereby his day was over. Also Martin Truex Jr. and Ricky Rudd had to finish their race, because they too had damage to their cars. Result of the accident was a red phase. The field was stopped on the line. The fact that the accident occurred on lap 197, the race was extended.
The final restart came with two more laps to go. Mark Martin, who had fought his way to the front, leading the pack. In the last round of Leading up to that Mark Martin had no chance, as Kevin Harvick on the last corner on the top line passed him. Both rode side by side over the finish line. Harvick was 0.02 seconds ahead and won the Daytona 500 in 2007.
Just before both crossed the finish line, there was behind them a mass crash, were involved in the over ten cars. Clint Bowyer slipped sparks on the roof to the finish and was regarded to be 18 after Casey Mears met him so that the rolled over.
Kevin Harvick is 31 driver who the " Great American Race", the Daytona 500 that could decide for themselves.