2007 3M Performance 400

The 2007 3M Performance 400 was the 23rd race in the 2007 NASCAR season was scheduled to be held on Sunday, August 19, 2007 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan. However, a day-long rain postponed the race until August 20, but another rainstorm postponed the race until the following day.

2007 3M Performance 400
Race details
Race 23 of 36 in the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season
2007 3M Performance 400 program cover
2007 3M Performance 400 program cover
DateAugust 21, 2007 (2007-August-21)
Official name3M Performance 400
LocationMichigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, Michigan
CoursePermanent racing facility
2.0 mi (3.218 km)
Distance203 laps, 406 mi (653.393 km)
Scheduled Distance200 laps, 400 mi (643.737 km)
WeatherHot with temperatures reaching up to 87.1 °F (30.6 °C); wind speeds up to 11.1 miles per hour (17.9 km/h)
Average speed117.012 miles per hour (188.313 km/h)
Pole position
DriverHendrick Motorsports
Time38.090
Most laps led
DriverKurt BuschPenske Racing
Laps92
Winner
No. 2Kurt BuschPenske Racing
Television in the United States
NetworkESPN2
AnnouncersJerry Punch, Andy Petree and Rusty Wallace

Pre-race News

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  • Kenny Wallace was released from the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevy team. Wimmer replaced him, but failed to qualify in a one-race deal.
  • Due to a hand injury to his hand suffered in a fit of anger when he punched out a wall in his hauler at the previous weekend's race in Watkins Glen, Kyle Petty was replaced in the No. 45 as Chad McCumbee for that race only.[1]

Practice and qualifying

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Kasey Kahne, with a speed of 187.544 mph, was fastest in practice. He was followed by Jimmie Johnson, David Stremme, Kyle Busch, and Matt Kenseth who rounded out the top five.

An early blow came in the first practice when Jeff Burton lost an engine minutes into the warmups. As a result, the No. 31 Chevrolet started in the back of the field regardless of where he qualified.

In qualifying itself, newly formed Gillett Evernham Motorsports looked to turn its season around with an all GEM front row. However, those efforts were thwarted by that of Greg Biffle, who held the pole until Jeff Gordon, the final driver to qualify, took his 62nd career Bud Pole award. Of note, Michael Waltrip Racing placed two of its cars in the top 15 although Dale Jarrett failed to make the show.

Did not qualify: No. 36 – Jeremy Mayfield, No. 44 – Dale Jarrett, No. 78 – Scott Wimmer, No. 37 – Kevin Lepage, No. 84 – A. J. Allmendinger

Race

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The two-day postponement because of weather was the first since the 1997 DieHard 500 at Talladega. In that case, the race was run on the day before Mothers' Day, which was May 10. However, this race would be started on August 21 at 10:00 a.m. With no rain scheduled until the afternoon, the race ran its full distance although NASCAR waved a competition caution for the drivers to adjust their cars.

Kurt Busch, driving a Dodge Charger, held off the Chevrolet Monte Carlos of Martin Truex Jr. and Jimmie Johnson, under a green-white-checkered finish, to take his second win in three races. As with his earlier victory at Pocono, Busch led the most laps, 96 out of 203.

Gordon and Denny Hamlin, the top two drivers in the Cup standings, clinched places in the Chase for the Nextel Cup. Busch remained in 12th place, but extended his lead over 13th place Dale Earnhardt Jr. to 163 points.

Also, Bill Davis Racing took back 35th place in the owners' standings for its No. 22 team on the strength of a sixth-place finish from Dave Blaney. This meant that BDR was guaranteed a starting spot for the next race, the Sharpie 500. Wood Brothers/JTG Racing (#21) fell back to 36th. It was the third change for 35th, between these teams, since late July.

For the first time in the brief history of Toyota in the Cup Series, two of its drivers finished in the top 10 in the same race: Blaney and Brian Vickers (8th).

The race telecast, scheduled for ESPN, was relocated to ESPN2.

Results

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POS[2]ST#DRIVERSPONSOR / OWNERCARLAPSMONEYSTATUSLEDPTS
1152  Kurt BuschMiller Lite   (Roger Penske)Dodge203190108running92195
2141  Martin Truex, Jr.Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats / 57 Chevy   (Dale Earnhardt, Inc.)Chevrolet203151245running0170
3748  Jimmie JohnsonLowe's / 57 Chevy   (Rick Hendrick)Chevrolet203175761running15170
42117  Matt KensethDeWalt   (Jack Roush)Ford203152491running31165
5811  Denny HamlinFedEx Kinko's   (Joe Gibbs)Chevrolet203109650running0155
61722  Dave BlaneyCaterpillar   (Bill Davis)Toyota203114433running0150
71399  Carl EdwardsOffice Depot   (Jack Roush)Ford20393150running0146
81883  Brian VickersRed Bull   (Dietrich Mateschitz)Toyota20382925running11147
9443  Bobby LabonteCheerios / Betty Crocker   (Petty Enterprises)Dodge203120036running0138
103520  Tony StewartHome Depot   (Joe Gibbs)Chevrolet203135411running0134
112925  Casey MearsNational Guard / GMAC / 57 Chevy   (Rick Hendrick)Chevrolet20394625running0130
12398  Dale Earnhardt, Jr.Budweiser / 57 Chevy   (Dale Earnhardt, Inc.)Chevrolet203121508running1132
1365  Kyle BuschKellogg's / Carquest   (Rick Hendrick)Chevrolet20394350running0124
141931  Jeff BurtonAT&T Mobility   (Richard Childress)Chevrolet203114891running0121
152829  Kevin HarvickShell / Pennzoil   (Richard Childress)Chevrolet203124336running0118
163412  Ryan NewmanAlltel   (Roger Penske)Dodge203110150running2120
17907  Clint BowyerJack Daniel's   (Richard Childress)Chevrolet20385625running0112
18256  David RaganAAA Insurance   (Jack Roush)Ford203117200running0109
19216  Greg Biffle3M   (Jack Roush)Ford20397225running20111
20274  Ward BurtonState Water Heaters / Lucas Oil / 57 Chevy   (Larry McClure)Chevrolet20376500running4108
212040  David StremmeTums   (Chip Ganassi)Dodge20276125running0100
224066  Jeff GreenBest Buy   (Gene Haas)Chevrolet20299983running097
231200  David ReutimannDominos.com   (Michael Waltrip)Toyota20287108running094
24307  Robby GordonJim Beam   (Robby Gordon)Ford20275300running296
253118  J.J. YeleyInterstate Batteries / 57 Chevy   (Joe Gibbs)Chevrolet202103333running088
262642  Juan Pablo MontoyaTexaco / Havoline   (Chip Ganassi)Dodge202109100running085
27124  Jeff GordonDuPont / 57 Chevy   (Rick Hendrick)Chevrolet202135236running2587
282438  David GillilandM&M's   (Yates Racing)Ford202101264running079
294170  Johnny SauterYellow Transportation   (Gene Haas)Chevrolet20273775running076
303626  Jamie McMurrayIrwin Industrial Tools   (Jack Roush)Ford20282400running073
3139  Kasey KahneDodge Dealers / UAW   (Gillett Evernham Motorsports)Dodge201117841running070
32519  Elliott SadlerDodge Dealers / UAW   (Gillett Evernham Motorsports)Dodge20191745running067
332288  Ricky RuddSnickers   (Yates Racing)Ford201104808running064
343796  Tony RainesDLP HDTV / 57 Chevy   (Bill Saunders)Chevrolet20178225running061
352321  Bill ElliottLittle Debbie   (Wood Brothers)Ford20189289running058
364310  Scott RiggsAuto Value / Bumper to Bumper   (James Rocco)Dodge20178025running055
371649  John AndrettiParalyzed Veterans of America   (Beth Ann Morgenthau)Dodge20181633running052
383341  Reed SorensonTarget   (Chip Ganassi)Dodge20087422running049
393815  Paul MenardMenards / Sylvania / 57 Chevy   (Dale Earnhardt, Inc.)Chevrolet16769825running046
401155  Michael WaltripNAPA Auto Parts   (Michael Waltrip)Toyota13569775running043
414245  Chad McCumbeeMarathon American Spirit Motor Oil   (Petty Enterprises)Dodge13469725running040
421001  Mark MartinU.S. Army / 57 Chevy   (Dale Earnhardt, Inc.)Chevrolet10177665oil leak037
433208  Joe NemechekE&M Motorsports   (John Carter)Dodge9268724crash034
Failed to qualify
POSNAMENBRSPONSOROWNERCAR
44Jeremy Mayfield36360 OTCBill DavisToyota
45Dale Jarrett44UPSMichael WaltripToyota
46Scott Wimmer78Furniture Row / 57 ChevyBarney VisserChevrolet
47Kevin Lepage37Front Row MotorsportsBob JenkinsDodge
48A.J. Allmendinger84Red BullDietrich MateschitzToyota

References

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  1. ^ "THE RACE: The 3M Performance 400". Jayski's Silly Season Site. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  2. ^ "Race Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved 2021-05-28.
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Previous race:
2007 Centurion Boats at the Glen
Nextel Cup Series
2007 season
Next race:
2007 Sharpie 500