Motor Sports: NASCAR Subway 500 Preview

THE ODOMETER READING
October 21, 2007
Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville, Virginia
Race 32 of 37 on Nextel Cup circuit (31st points race; 6th of 10 in "Chase for the Nextel Cup")
TV: ABC, 10 a.m.
Laps: 500
Track length: .526 miles
Race length: 263 miles
Qualifying record: Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 98.083 mph,
2005 Race record: Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 82.223 mph, 1996

DRIVERS TO WATCH ----------------
Clint Bowyer Team: Richard Childress Racing Car: No. 07 Chevrolet Impala 2007 Earnings: $3,745,944 Chase Points: 5,802 (3rd) Kept his solid run in the Chase going with a runner-up finish at Charlotte after an 11th at Talladega to remain third in the standings, 68 points behind leader Jeff Gordon; followed up his first career Nextel Cup win at New Hampshire by running 12th at Dover and second at Kansas; finished 12th at Richmond and ran 20th at California, following a third at Bristol in three races prior to the Chase; has 15 top-10 finishes in 30 races this season; has five top-five finishes, including a fourth on the road course at Sonoma to go along with his solid showing at Bristol and win at New Hampshire; has finished 30th or worse just three times - 36th at Las Vegas, 35th at Talladega and 37th at the first race in New Hampshire; finished 23rd at this race last year.

Kurt Busch Team: Penske Racing Car: No. 2 Dodge Avenger 2007 Earnings: $4,499,906 Chase Points: 5,565 (7th) Ran 26th at Lowe's and sits seventh in the Chase standings, 315 points behind Gordon; posted an 11th at Kansas after starting the Chase with a 25th at New Hampshire and 29th at Dover; did not qualify for Chase until late in the Richmond race, where he finished ninth; turned season around over last nine races before the Chase by finishing out of the top 10 just twice with 11th place finishes at the Brickyard and Watkins Glen; won at Pocono, then later at Michigan during the rain-delayed event; has a pair of third-place finishes at the first Talladega race and the second Daytona race; the 2004 Nextel Cup Champion has nine finishes of 25th or worse this season; ran 27th here last season.

Carl Edwards Team: Roush Fenway Racing Car: No. 99 Ford Fusion 2007 Earnings: $3,981,112 Chase Points: 5,640 (5th) Finished fifth at Lowe's to move up a spot to fifth in the standings, 240 points behind Gordon; ran 14th at Talladega a week after wrecking at Kansas and finishing 37th; won at Dover after finishing 12th at New Hampshire, but failed post-race inspection and was docked 25 points and fined; penalty dropped him from third to sixth in the standings; ran 42nd at Richmond, but prior to that had four consecutive top-10 finishes, including a win at Bristol and a runner-up finish at California; also won at Michigan earlier this year; has nine top-fives and 13 top-10s this year; has been consistent with only a trio of finishes lower than 30, including a 42nd at first Talladega race; ran 12th in this race last season.

Jeff Gordon Team: Hendrick Motorsports Car: No. 24 Chevrolet Impala 2007 Earnings: $6,347,892 Chase Points: 5,880 (1st) Consecutive wins at Charlotte and Talladega make him a favorite to capture fifth title; leads teammate Jimmie Johnson by 68 points with five races to go; ran fifth at Kansas; rebounded from rough stretch leading up to the Chase by finishing 11th at Dover and second to Bowyer at New Hampshire; prior to the Chase finished fourth at Richmond but was 22nd at California, 19th at Bristol and 27th at Michigan over previous three races; prior to Michigan had finished in the top 10 in 10 straight races; was the first driver to clinch a spot in the "Chase for the Championship"; spun with less than two laps remaining at Watkins Glen while leading, costing him a potential win - still managed to finish ninth; was docked 100 points for failing post-qualifying inspections at Sonoma, where he ran seventh; has six checkered flags this season and 81 career, just two shy of tying Cale Yarborough for fifth place all-time; reached a landmark milestone at the first Talladega race, recording his 77th career victory to pass the late Dale Earnhardt for sixth all-time; finished second to Johnson here in April.

Jimmie Johnson Team: Hendrick Motorsports Car: No. 48 Chevrolet Impala 2007 Earnings: $6,211,141 Chase Points: 5,812 (2nd) Dropped out of the top spot in the Chase after finishing second to Gordon at Talladega and remains there after a 14th at Lowe's; now sits 68 points behind his Hendrick teammate; ran third at Kansas prior to Talladega; opened the Chase with a 14th at Dover following a sixth at New Hampshire; earned top seed with consecutive wins at Richmond and California; was 21st at Bristol, but posted back-to-back third place finishes at Michigan and Watkins Glen; defending series champion has suffered through an up-and-down season, finishing 39th at the Brickyard after a fiery crash on the heels of a 37th at Chicago; prior to those two poor showings, finished 10th at Daytona after running fifth at New Hampshire; has also posted victories this season at Las Vegas, Atlanta, Martinsville and the first Richmond race; despite collecting 16 top-five finishes, has been hurt by five finishes outside the top 35; won the last two races at Martinsville.

Tony Stewart Team: Joe Gibbs Racing Car: No. 20 Chevrolet Impala 2007 Earnings: $5,718,671 Chase Points: 5,682 (4th) Remained fourth in the standings by running seventh at Lowe's; sits 198 points behind Gordon; finished 39th at Kansas after placing eighth at Talladega; had moved within two points of the lead with a ninth at Dover after placing third at New Hampshire; finished second at Richmond to enter the Chase on a hot streak; recent surge includes fourth at Bristol as well as running 10th at Michigan on the heels of winning at Watkins Glen - his third win; captured back-to-back victories at Chicagoland and at the Brickyard while placing sixth at Pocono; finished 38th at Daytona prior to his win at Chicago after an early-race crash with teammate Denny Hamlin; was fourth here last October.