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Citizens Bank 400 Preview

Jun 17, 2007 - 10:36 AM

June 17, 2007
Michigan International Speedway
Brooklyn, Michigan
Race 15 of 36 on Nextel Cup circuit

TV: TNT, 12:30 p.m. EDT

Laps: 200 laps
Track length: 2 miles
Race length: 400 miles

Qualifying record: Ryan Newman, Dodge, 194.232 mph, 2005
Race record: Dale Jarrett, Ford, 173.997 mph, 1999


DRIVERS TO WATCH
----------------

Jeff Burton
Team: Richard Childress Racing
Car: No. 31 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
2007 Earnings: $3,044,567

Finished 13th last Sunday at Pocono but remained fifth in the
standings, 421 points behind leader Jeff Gordon; has struggled
over his last seven races, failing to place higher than 10th
after finishing sixth or better in six of the first seven events
this season; ran 12th at Dover and has five top-five finishes
and seven top-10s this season; captured his first victory of the
season at Texas; ran 11th in this event last season and has
just eight top-10 finishes in 26 career starts at this track.

Clint Bowyer
Team: Richard Childress Racing
Car: No. 07 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
2007 Earnings: $1,567,619

Has methodically made his way up the standings with four top-10
finishes over his last five races, including a 10th-place finish
at Pocono; is eighth in the standings thanks to seven top-10
finishes overall this season; recorded his two best performances
of the campaign with a pair of sixth-place finishes at
California and Atlanta; struggled to 39th in this event last
season and ran 33rd in the August race at this track.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Team: Dale Earnhardt Inc.
Car: No. 8 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
2007 Earnings: $2,149,522

Ran 12th last weekend at Pocono but remained 14th in the
standings; has fared well since announcing his intention to
leave DEI after this season, placing inside the top 12 in three
of his last four races while dealing with constant speculation
regarding his future; has not won a race since Richmond in May
2006, a drought of 40 consecutive events without a checkered
flag; recorded his best performance this season at Martinsville,
where he ran fifth; ran third in this race last year, his only
top-five finish in 15 career starts at this track.

Jeff Gordon
Team: Hendrick Motorsports
Car: No. 24 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
2007 Earnings: $3,372,005

Won the rain-shortened race at Pocono last weekend to increase
his already overwhelming lead in the series standings; has four
checkered flags this season and 79 career, just four shy of
tying Cale Yarborough for fifth place all-time; endured a crash
three weeks ago at Charlotte en route to finishing 41st, his
worst showing of the year; reached a landmark milestone at
Talladega, recording his 77th career victory to pass the late
Dale Earnhardt for sixth all-time; has completely dominated the
circuit this season and is on pace to capture his fifth career
title, leading the series in poles (6), top-five finishes (10)
and top-10s (12); owns a 242-point cushion in the standings; ran
eighth in this race last season and has won twice at this
track, including a victory in this event in 2001.

Denny Hamlin
Team: Joe Gibbs Racing
Car: No. 11 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
2007 Earnings: $2,251,460

Finished sixth at Pocono to climb to third in the standings, 247
points behind Gordon; ran fourth at Dover, one of five top-five
finishes over a span of eight races; rebounded from a
21st-place showing at Darlington to finish ninth at Charlotte;
has six top-five finishes and nine top-10s this season; clearly
has avoided a sophomore slump, placing inside the top 15 in 11
of the last 13 events; ran 12th in this event last season.

Jimmie Johnson
Team: Hendrick Motorsports
Car: No. 48 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
2007 Earnings: $3,231,879

Took the biggest hit of any driver from the rain at Pocono last
week, pitting just two laps before the race was called en route
to a season-worst 42nd-place finish; fell two spots to fourth in
the standings, 305 points behind teammate Gordon; was slowed by
a late flat tire at Dover and finished 15th, his worst
performance since running 38th at Texas on April 15; captured
his fourth victory of the season at Richmond and finished second
at Talladega to continue his fast start to the season; despite
collecting eight top-five finishes, has been hurt by three
finishes outside the top 35; also has captured checkered flags
at Las Vegas, Atlanta and Martinsville; ran sixth in this event
last season.

Matt Kenseth
Team: Roush Fenway Racing
Car: No. 17 Ford Fusion
2007 Earnings: $2,841,442

Finished ninth at Pocono to climb to second in the standings,
242 points behind Gordon; placed fifth at Dover, his sixth
top-five finish of the season; has been outstanding since
struggling to 27th place at Daytona, running inside the top 11
in the next seven races; captured his only victory of the season
in the campaign's second race at California; ran 13th in this
event last season.

Tony Stewart
Team: Joe Gibbs Racing
Car: No. 20 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
2007 Earnings: $2,588,434

Ran fifth at Pocono to climb to sixth in the standings; placed
just 40th at Dover thanks to a wreck involving Kurt Busch; ended
a string of four consecutive top-10 finishes, including a sixth
at Charlotte; has made noise off the track but has been quiet
behind the wheel, failing to record a win and collecting just
three top-five finishes over the first 14 races; one of the
circuit's most inconsistent drivers, collecting nine top-10
finishes while placing 25th or worse in the other five events;
won this race in 2000.

2006 Top 10
-----------
 1. Kasey Kahne (9), Dodge
 2. Carl Edwards (99), Ford
 3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (8), Chevrolet
 4. Greg Biffle (16), Ford
 5. Reed Sorenson (41), Dodge
 6. Jimmie Johnson (48), Chevrolet
 7. Casey Mears (25), Dodge
 8. Jeff Gordon (24), Chevrolet
 9. Kurt Busch (2), Dodge
10. Kevin Harvick (29), Chevrolet

Past Champions
--------------
2006  Kasey Kahne, Dodge, 118.788 mph
2005  Greg Biffle, Ford, 150.596 mph
2004  Ryan Newman, Dodge, 139.292 mph
2003  Kurt Busch, Ford, 131.219 mph
2002  Matt Kenseth, Ford, 154.822 mph
2001  Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 134.197 mph
2000  Tony Stewart, Pontiac, 143.926 mph
1999  Dale Jarrett, Ford, 173.997 mph
1998  Mark Martin, Ford, 158.695 mph
1997  Ernie Irvan, Ford, 153.338 mph
1996  Rusty Wallace, Ford, 166.033 mph
1995  Bobby Labonte, Chevrolet, 134.141 mph
1994  Rusty Wallace, Ford, 125.022 mph
1993  Ricky Rudd, Chevrolet, 148.484 mph
1992  Davey Allison, Ford, 152.672 mph
1991  Davey Allison, Ford, 160.912 mph
1990  Dale Earnhardt, Chevrolet, 150.219 mph
1989  Bill Elliot, Ford, 139.023 mph
1988  Rusty Wallace, Pontiac, 153.551 mph
1987  Dale Earnhardt, Chevrolet, 148.454 mph
1986  Bill Elliot, Ford, 138.851 mph
1985  Bill Elliot, Ford, 144.724 mph
1984  Bill Elliot, Ford, 134.705 mph
1983  Cale Yarborough, Chevrolet, 138.728 mph
1982  Cale Yarborough, Buick, 118.101 mph
1981  Bobby Allison, Buick, 130.589 mph
1980  Benny Parsons, Chevrolet, 131.808 mph
1979  Buddy Baker, Chevrolet, 135.798 mph
1978# Cale Yarborough, Oldsmobile, 149.563 mph
1977  Cale Yarborough, Chevrolet, 135.033 mph
1976  David Pearson, Mercury, 141.148 mph
1975  David Pearson, Mercury, 131.398 mph
1974  Richard Petty, 74 Dodge, 127.098 mph
1973  David Pearson, 71 Mercury, 153.485 mph
1972  David Pearson, 71 Mercury, 146.639 mph
1971  Bobby Allison, 69 Mercury, 149.567 mph
1970  Cale Yarborough, 69 Mercury, 138.302 mph
1969  Cale Yarborough, 69 Mercury, 139.254 mph
 
#Race changed from 500 to 400 miles