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3M Performance 400 Preview

Aug 19, 2007 - 10:40 AM

August 19, 2007 
Michigan International Speedway 
Brooklyn, Michigan 
Race 25 of 37 on Nextel Cup circuit (24th points race)

TV: ESPN, 1 p.m. EDT

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

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


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

Jeff Burton 
Team: Richard Childress Racing 
Car: No. 31 Chevrolet Monte Carlo 
2007 Earnings: $4,178,120

Ran 40th last week at Watkins Glen and dropped two spots in the
standings to sixth; has registered four top-10 finishes over the
previous six races, with the other blip a 16th at Daytona in
addition to his troubles at Watkins Glen; ran seventh at New
Hampshire and third at Sonoma to end a stretch of four
consecutive finishes outside the top 10; trails series points
leader Jeff Gordon by 578 points; has six top-five finishes and
12 top-10s this season; has only three finishes of 34th or worse
this season; captured his first victory of the season at Texas;
ran 42nd in this event last season.


Dale Earnhardt Jr. 
Team: Dale Earnhardt Inc. 
Car: No. 8 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
2007 Earnings: $3,357,041

Followed up a season-best second-place finish at Pocono with a
42nd at Watkins Glen to fall to 14th in the standings - 100
points out of the final spot in the "Chase for the
Championship"; finished 19th or worse over the previous three
races prior to Pocono, including a 34th at the Brickyard and a
36th at Daytona; leaving the company his father founded to run
for Hendrick Motorsports in 2008; has yet to win a race and has
just one pole (Pocono) this season, but has four top-five
finishes and eight top-10s; also has six finishes of 30th or
lower; placed sixth in this event last season.


Jeff Gordon 
Team: Hendrick Motorsports 
Car: No. 24 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
2007 Earnings: $4,763,318

Spun with less than two laps remaining at Watkins Glen while
leading, costing him a potential fifth win this season; still
managed to finish ninth for his 10th straight top-10 finish;
still owns a comfortable 344-point cushion atop the series
standings despite being docked 100 points for failing
post-qualifying inspections at Sonoma, where he ran seventh; has
four checkered flags this season and 79 career, just four shy
of tying Cale Yarborough for fifth place all-time; 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 (8),
top-five finishes (14) and top-10s (20); ran second in this
race last year.


Denny Hamlin 
Team: Joe Gibbs Racing 
Car: No. 11 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
2007 Earnings: $3,392,496

Rebounded from a 22nd-place finish at the Brickyard by placing
second last week at Watkins Glen following a third at Pocono;
remains second in the standings, 344 points behind Gordon;
followed up his first win of the season at New Hampshire by
finishing dead last at Daytona after wrecking early in the race
with teammate Tony Stewart; has avoided the sophomore slump by
finishing out of the top-10 just six times in the past 18 races;
has nine top-five finishes and 13 top-10s this season; finished
second at Darlington and has five third-place finishes at Las
Vegas, Martinsville, Phoenix, Richmond and Pocono; finished
ninth in this event last year.


Kevin Harvick 
Team: Richard Childress Racing 
Car: No. 29 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
2007 Earnings: $5,625,514

Continued recent struggles with a 36th at Watkins Glen on the
heels of a 17th at Pocono, dropping a spot to 10th in the
standings; finished seventh at the Brickyard and has five top-10
finishes over his past eight races; won the season-opening
Daytona 500 by nipping Mark Martin at the finish line; has four
top-fives and 10 top-10s this season; finished second to Juan
Pablo Montoya on the road course at Sonoma; has finished lower
than 30th only three times this season; finished 11th in this
event last season.


Jimmie Johnson 
Team: Hendrick Motorsports 
Car: No. 48 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
2007 Earnings: $4,470,017

Seems to be back on track with a third at Watkins Glen following
a fifth at Pocono; 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 posted victories this season at Las
Vegas, Atlanta, Martinsville and Richmond; despite collecting 11
top-five finishes, has been hurt by five finishes outside the
top 35; finished 13th in this event last season.


Matt Kenseth 
Team: Roush Fenway Racing 
Car: No. 17 Ford Fusion
2007 Earnings: $4,077,720

Ran 12th at Watkins Glen and remained third in the standings,
432 points behind Gordon; posted fourth straight top-10 finish
by placing 10th at the Brickyard; ran 34th and 42nd,
respectively, prior to the four straight top-10 results;
captured his only victory of the season in the campaign's second
race at California; has seven top-five finishes and 14 top-10s
this season; won this race last season and has 10 top-10
finishes in 16 starts here.


Tony Stewart 
Team: Joe Gibbs Racing 
Car: No. 20 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
2007 Earnings: $4,357,122

Continued his recent surge by winning at Watkins Glen for his
third win over his past four races; captured back-to-back
victories at Chicagoland and at the Brickyard while placing
sixth at Pocono during that stretch; is fourth in the standings,
445 points behind Gordon; finished 38th at Daytona prior to his
win at Chicago after an early-race crash with teammate Denny
Hamlin; has turned his season around with eight finishes of
sixth or better over the last 10 races; was third at this event
last year and has


2006 Top 10
-----------
 1. Matt Kenseth (17), Ford
 2. Jeff Gordon (25), Chevrolet
 3. Tony Stewart (20), Chevrolet
 4. Kasey Kahne (9), Dodge
 5. Mark Martin (6), Ford
 6. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (8), Chevrolet
 7. Greg Biffle (16), Ford
 8. Reed Sorenson (41), Dodge
 9. Denny Hamlin (11), Chevrolet
10. Elliott Sadler (19), Dodge

Past Champions
--------------

2006  Matt Kenseth, Ford, 135.097 mph
2005  Jeremy Mayfield, Dodge, 141.551 mph
2004  Greg Biffle, Ford, 139.063 mph
2003  Ryan Newman, Dodge, 127.310 mph
2002  Dale Jarrett, Ford, 140.556 mph
2001  Sterling Marlin, Dodge, 140.513 mph
2000  Rusty Wallace, Ford, 132.586 mph
1999  Bobby Labonte, Pontiac, 144.332 mph
1998  Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 151.99 mph
1997  Mark Martin, Ford, 126.88 mph
1996  Dale Jarrett, Ford, 139.792 mph
1995  Bobby Labonte, Chevrolet, 157.739 mph
1994  Geoff Bodine, Ford, 139.914 mph
1993  Mark Martin, Ford, 144.564 mph
1992  Harry Grant, Oldsmobile, 146.056 mph
1991  Dale Jarrett, Ford, 142.972 mph
1990  Mark Martin, Ford, 138.822 mph
1989  Rusty Wallace, Pontiac, 157.704 mph
1988  Davey Allison, Ford, 156.863 mph
1987  Bill Elliott, Ford, 138.648 mph
1986  Bill Elliott, Ford, 135.376 mph
1985  Bill Elliott, Ford, 137.430 mph
1984  Darrell Waltrip, Chevrolet, 153.863 mph
1983  Cale Yarborough, Chevrolet, 147.511 mph
1982  Bobby Allison, Buick, 136.454 mph
1981  Richard Petty, Buick, 123.457 mph
1980  Cale Yarborough, Chevrolet, 145.352 mph
1979  Richard Petty, Chevrolet, 130.376 mph
1978  David Pearson, Mercury, 129.566 mph
1977  Darrell Waltrip, Chevrolet, 137.944 mph
1976  David Pearson, Mercury, 140.078 mph
1975  Richard Petty, 74 Dodge, 107.583 mph
1974  David Pearson, 73 Mercury, 133.045 mph
1972  David Pearson, 71 Mercury, 134.416 mph
1971  Bobby Allison, 69 Mercury, 149.862 mph
1970+ Charlie Glotzbach, 69 Dodge, 147.571 mph
1969  David Pearson, 69 Ford, 115.508 mph

+ Race changed from 600 to 400 miles