The 2007 Kobalt Tools 500 was the fourth stock car race of the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series and the 48th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, March 18th, 2007, before an audience of 105,000 in Hampton, Georgia at Atlanta Motor Speedway, a 1.54 miles (2.48 km) permanent asphalt quad-oval intermediate speedway. The race took the scheduled 325 laps to complete. In the final laps of the race, Hendrick Motorsports driver Jimmie Johnson would make a late-race charge for the lead, completing a final pass for the lead with three laps left in the race to take his 25th career NASCAR Nextel Cup Series victory, his second victory of the season, and his second consecutive victory.[1][2] To fill out the top three, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Tony Stewart and Roush Racing driver Matt Kenseth would finish second and third, respectively. This is also the final race to run the generation 4 NASCARs.

2007 Kobalt Tools 500
Race details
Race 4 of 36 in the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series
The 2007 Kobalt Tools 500 program cover.
The 2007 Kobalt Tools 500 program cover.
Date March 18, 2007
Official name 48th Annual Kobalt Tools 500
Location Hampton, Georgia, Atlanta Motor Speedway
Course Permanent racing facility
1.54 mi (2.48 km)
Distance 325 laps, 500.5 mi (805.476 km)
Scheduled Distance 325 laps, 500.5 mi (805.476 km)
Average speed 152.915 miles per hour (246.093 km/h)
Attendance 105,000
Pole position
Driver Penske Racing South
Time 28.707
Most laps led
Driver Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports
Laps 135
Winner
No. 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network FOX
Announcers Mike Joy, Larry McReynolds, Darrell Waltrip
Radio in the United States
Radio Performance Racing Network

Background

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The layout of Atlanta Motor Speedway, the venue where the race was held.

Atlanta Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta International Raceway) is a track in Hampton, Georgia, 20 miles (32 km) south of Atlanta. It is a 1.54-mile (2.48 km) quad-oval track with a seating capacity of 111,000. It opened in 1960 as a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) standard oval. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track. In 1997, to standardize the track with Speedway Motorsports' other two 1.5-mile (2.4 km) ovals, the entire track was almost completely rebuilt. The frontstretch and backstretch were swapped, and the configuration of the track was changed from oval to quad-oval. The project made the track one of the fastest on the NASCAR circuit.

Entry list

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
00 David Reutimann (R) Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota Domino's
1 Martin Truex Jr. Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops, Tracker Boats
01 Mark Martin Ginn Racing Chevrolet U.S. Army
2 Kurt Busch Penske Racing South Dodge Miller Lite
4 Ward Burton Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet State Water Heaters
5 Kyle Busch Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kellogg's, Carquest
6 David Ragan (R) Roush Racing Ford AAA
7 Robby Gordon Robby Gordon Motorsports Ford Motorola
07 Clint Bowyer Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Jack Daniel's
8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet Budweiser
9 Kasey Kahne Evernham Motorsports Dodge Dodge
10 Scott Riggs Evernham Motorsports Dodge Stanley Tools
11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet FedEx Ground
12 Ryan Newman Penske Racing South Dodge Alltel
13 Joe Nemechek Ginn Racing Chevrolet Ginn Resorts
14 Sterling Marlin Ginn Racing Chevrolet Panasonic
15 Paul Menard (R) Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet Menards, Quaker State
16 Greg Biffle Roush Racing Ford Jackson Hewitt
17 Matt Kenseth Roush Racing Ford DeWalt
18 J. J. Yeley Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet Interstate Batteries
19 Elliott Sadler Evernham Motorsports Dodge Dodge
20 Tony Stewart Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet The Home Depot
21 Ken Schrader Wood Brothers Racing Ford Little Debbie
22 Dave Blaney Bill Davis Racing Toyota Caterpillar
24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet DuPont
25 Casey Mears Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet National Guard, GMAC
26 Jamie McMurray Roush Racing Ford Crown Royal
29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Shell, Pennzoil
31 Jeff Burton Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Cingular Wireless
33 Scott Wimmer Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Camping World
34 Kevin Lepage Front Row Motorsports Dodge Front Row Motorsports
36 Jeremy Mayfield Bill Davis Racing Toyota 360 OTC
37 John Andretti Front Row Motorsports Dodge Huddle House
38 David Gilliland Robert Yates Racing Ford M&M's
40 David Stremme Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge Coors Light
41 Reed Sorenson Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge Target
42 Juan Pablo Montoya (R) Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge Texaco, Havoline
43 Bobby Labonte Petty Enterprises Dodge Cheerios
44 Dale Jarrett Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota UPS
45 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Dodge National Tire and Battery
48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Lowe's
49 Mike Bliss BAM Racing Dodge Zone Loans
55 Michael Waltrip Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota NAPA Auto Parts
66 Jeff Green Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet Yellow Transportation
70 Johnny Sauter Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet Best Buy
78 Kenny Wallace Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet Furniture Row
83 Brian Vickers Red Bull Racing Team Toyota Red Bull
84 A. J. Allmendinger (R) Red Bull Racing Team Toyota Red Bull
88 Ricky Rudd Robert Yates Racing Ford Snickers
96 Tony Raines Hall of Fame Racing Chevrolet DLP HDTV, Texas Instruments
99 Carl Edwards Roush Racing Ford Office Depot
Official entry list

Practice

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First practice

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The first practice session was held on Friday, March 16, at 3:30 PM EST. The session would last for one hour and 30 minutes. Kurt Busch, driving for Penske Racing South, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.165 and an average speed of 190.091 miles per hour (305.922 km/h).[3]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 2 Kurt Busch Penske Racing South Dodge 29.165 190.091
2 16 Greg Biffle Roush Racing Ford 29.310 189.150
3 5 Kyle Busch Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 29.343 188.938
Full first practice results

Second practice

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The second practice session was held on Saturday, March 17, at 10:00 AM EST. The session would last for 50 minutes. Jimmie Johnson, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.297 and an average speed of 189.234 miles per hour (304.543 km/h)

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 29.297 189.234
2 16 Greg Biffle Roush Racing Ford 29.340 188.957
3 99 Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing Ford 29.422 188.430
Full second practice results

Final practice

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The final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Saturday, March 17, at 1:20 PM EST. The session would last for one hour. Kurt Busch, driving for Penske Racing South, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.371 and an average speed of 188.758 miles per hour (303.777 km/h).[3]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 2 Kurt Busch Penske Racing South Dodge 29.371 188.758
2 99 Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing Ford 29.433 188.360
3 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 29.439 188.322
Full Happy Hour practice results

Qualifying

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Qualifying was held on Friday, March 9, at 6:10 PM EST. Each driver would have two laps to set a fastest time; the fastest of the two would count as their official qualifying lap.[3] While positions 1-42 would be determined by qualifying speed, the top 35 teams in owner's points would be assured that they would earn a spot in the field if they had managed to make an effort to qualify. The remaining seven positions from positions 36-42 would be assigned to those drivers with the fastest qualifying speeds whose car owners are not among the top 35. The final starting position, position 43, can be utilized by a car owner whose driver is a current or past NASCAR Nextel Cup champion who participated as a driver during the current of previous season and was entered in the event for that owner in that car prior to the entry deadline. In the case that iff there was more than one series champion vying for the position, it would be given to the most recent series champion. If the final provisional starting position is not filled by a current or past series champion, it will be assigned to the next eligible car owner according to qualifying results.[4]

Ryan Newman, driving for Penske Racing South, would win the pole, setting a time of 28.707 and an average speed of 193.124 miles per hour (310.803 km/h).[5]

Eight drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 12 Ryan Newman Penske Racing South Dodge 28.707 193.124
2 19 Elliott Sadler Evernham Motorsports Dodge 28.891 191.894
3 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 28.907 191.788
4 01 Mark Martin Ginn Racing Chevrolet 28.909 191.774
5 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 28.918 191.714
6 43 Bobby Labonte Petty Enterprises Dodge 28.928 191.648
7 40 David Stremme Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge 28.949 191.509
8 5 Kyle Busch Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 28.950 191.503
9 49 Mike Bliss BAM Racing Dodge 29.011 191.100
10 10 Scott Riggs Evernham Motorsports Dodge 29.039 190.916
11 41 Reed Sorenson Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge 29.051 190.837
12 9 Kasey Kahne Evernham Motorsports Dodge 29.074 190.686
13 20 Tony Stewart Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 29.088 190.594
14 99 Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing Ford 29.118 190.398
15 07 Clint Bowyer Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 29.122 190.372
16 42 Juan Pablo Montoya (R) Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge 29.134 190.293
17 2 Kurt Busch Penske Racing South Dodge 29.150 190.189
18 1 Martin Truex Jr. Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 29.152 190.176
19 13 Joe Nemechek Ginn Racing Chevrolet 29.186 189.954
20 18 J. J. Yeley Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 29.202 189.850
21 17 Matt Kenseth Roush Fenway Racing Ford 29.204 189.837
22 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 29.204 189.837
23 15 Paul Menard (R) Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 29.207 189.818
24 00 David Reutimann (R) Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 29.225 189.701
25 16 Greg Biffle Roush Fenway Racing Ford 29.246 189.564
26 70 Johnny Sauter Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet 29.261 189.467
27 38 David Gilliland Robert Yates Racing Ford 29.274 189.383
28 14 Sterling Marlin Ginn Racing Chevrolet 29.317 189.105
29 21 Ken Schrader Wood Brothers Racing Ford 29.323 189.067
30 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 29.358 188.841
31 83 Brian Vickers Red Bull Racing Team Toyota 29.360 188.828
32 31 Jeff Burton Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 29.412 188.495
33 96 Tony Raines Hall of Fame Racing Chevrolet 29.425 188.411
34 25 Casey Mears Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 29.433 188.360
35 22 Dave Blaney Bill Davis Racing Toyota 29.442 188.302
36 29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 29.496 187.958
37 26 Jamie McMurray Roush Fenway Racing Ford 29.626 187.133
Qualified by owner's points
38 6 David Ragan (R) Roush Fenway Racing Ford 29.846 185.753
39 7 Robby Gordon Robby Gordon Motorsports Ford 29.888 185.492
40 45 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Dodge 30.049 184.499
41 66 Jeff Green Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet 30.071 184.364
42 88 Ricky Rudd Robert Yates Racing Ford 30.210 183.515
Champion's Provisional
43 44 Dale Jarrett Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 29.701 186.660
Failed to qualify
44 33 Scott Wimmer Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 29.372 188.751
45 4 Ward Burton Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 29.392 188.623
46 37 John Andretti Front Row Motorsports Dodge 29.487 188.015
47 55 Michael Waltrip Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 29.560 187.551
48 78 Kenny Wallace Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet 29.565 187.519
49 34 Kevin Lepage Front Row Motorsports Dodge 29.666 186.881
50 36 Jeremy Mayfield Bill Davis Racing Toyota 29.897 185.437
51 84 A. J. Allmendinger (R) Red Bull Racing Team Toyota - -
Official qualifying results

Race results

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Fin St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 3 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 325 135 running 195 $233,261
2 13 20 Tony Stewart Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 325 121 running 175 $165,461
3 21 17 Matt Kenseth Roush Fenway Racing Ford 325 11 running 170 $145,016
4 32 31 Jeff Burton Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 325 2 running 165 $134,516
5 16 42 Juan Pablo Montoya (R) Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge 325 0 running 155 $126,200
6 15 07 Clint Bowyer Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 325 2 running 155 $87,925
7 14 99 Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing Ford 325 0 running 146 $86,625
8 18 1 Martin Truex Jr. Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 325 0 running 142 $109,520
9 11 41 Reed Sorenson Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge 325 1 running 143 $104,433
10 4 01 Mark Martin Ginn Racing Chevrolet 325 0 running 134 $112,183
11 17 2 Kurt Busch Penske Racing South Dodge 325 14 running 135 $110,408
12 5 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 325 30 running 132 $118,561
13 7 40 David Stremme Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge 325 0 running 124 $75,875
14 22 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 325 0 running 121 $116,133
15 37 26 Jamie McMurray Roush Fenway Racing Ford 325 0 running 118 $83,475
16 6 43 Bobby Labonte Petty Enterprises Dodge 325 1 running 120 $110,911
17 19 13 Joe Nemechek Ginn Racing Chevrolet 325 0 running 112 $70,075
18 2 19 Elliott Sadler Evernham Motorsports Dodge 325 1 running 114 $92,670
19 30 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 324 0 running 106 $88,650
20 39 7 Robby Gordon Robby Gordon Motorsports Ford 324 0 running 103 $75,725
21 9 49 Mike Bliss BAM Racing Dodge 324 0 running 100 $86,783
22 20 18 J. J. Yeley Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 324 0 running 97 $100,233
23 1 12 Ryan Newman Penske Racing South Dodge 324 0 running 94 $111,000
24 28 14 Sterling Marlin Ginn Racing Chevrolet 324 0 running 91 $84,333
25 36 29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 324 1 running 93 $117,736
26 42 88 Ricky Rudd Robert Yates Racing Ford 323 0 running 85 $102,283
27 35 22 Dave Blaney Bill Davis Racing Toyota 323 1 running 87 $88,572
28 34 25 Casey Mears Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 323 0 running 79 $78,375
29 26 70 Johnny Sauter Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet 323 0 running 76 $67,700
30 27 38 David Gilliland Robert Yates Racing Ford 323 0 running 73 $95,289
31 23 15 Paul Menard (R) Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 323 0 running 70 $67,500
32 8 5 Kyle Busch Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 322 0 running 67 $75,425
33 38 6 David Ragan (R) Roush Fenway Racing Ford 322 0 running 64 $104,125
34 40 45 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Dodge 322 0 running 61 $67,275
35 41 66 Jeff Green Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet 322 0 running 58 $75,240
36 43 44 Dale Jarrett Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 320 0 running 55 $67,205
37 29 21 Ken Schrader Wood Brothers Racing Ford 318 0 running 52 $87,384
38 33 96 Tony Raines Hall of Fame Racing Chevrolet 318 0 running 49 $75,885
39 12 9 Kasey Kahne Evernham Motorsports Dodge 306 0 running 46 $114,291
40 24 00 David Reutimann (R) Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 295 0 running 43 $67,060
41 25 16 Greg Biffle Roush Fenway Racing Ford 280 0 running 40 $85,015
42 31 83 Brian Vickers Red Bull Racing Team Toyota 227 5 crash 42 $67,270
43 10 10 Scott Riggs Evernham Motorsports Dodge 221 0 engine 34 $74,334
Failed to qualify
44 33 Scott Wimmer Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
45 4 Ward Burton Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet
46 37 John Andretti Front Row Motorsports Dodge
47 55 Michael Waltrip Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota
48 78 Kenny Wallace Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet
49 34 Kevin Lepage Front Row Motorsports Dodge
50 36 Jeremy Mayfield Bill Davis Racing Toyota
51 84 A. J. Allmendinger (R) Red Bull Racing Team Toyota
Official race results

Standings after the race

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References

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  1. ^ Aumann, Mark (March 18, 2007). "Stewart miffed, Johnson sorry for late pinch in wall". NASCAR. Archived from the original on March 22, 2007. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  2. ^ Poole, David (March 18, 2007). "Dominant run ends in victory for Johnson". That's Racin'. Archived from the original on October 14, 2007. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "Jayski's Silly Season Site - 2007 Atlanta 1 Race Info / Rundown Page". Jayski's Silly Season Site. Archived from the original on October 25, 2007. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  4. ^ "Jayski's Silly Season Site - 2007 Past Champion Provisional Info Page". Jayski's Silly Season Site. Archived from the original on October 25, 2007. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  5. ^ Harris, Mike (March 17, 2007). "Ryan Newman finally wins another pole". Washington Daily News. Retrieved March 1, 2023.


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