NEXTEL Cup

The Chase Concludes: NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Live from Miami on ABC

November 12, 2007 -- The Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup concludes this weekend with the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, and ESPN on ABC will have live coverage of the event Sunday, Nov. 18, at 3 p.m. ET beginning with NASCAR Countdown. Jimmie Johnson will be going for his fifth consecutive race win as he tries to hold off Jeff Gordon for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup title.

Brent Musburger will host ESPN’s coverage, while Dr. Jerry Punch will handle play-by-play for the race telecast. Analysts will be 1989 NASCAR Cup champion Rusty Wallace and two-time NASCAR champion crew chief Andy Petree.

November 9, 2007 -- With the final race of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season in their windshields, NASCAR drivers Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon will appear during halftime of ESPN’s Monday Night Football game between the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers. The game airs Monday, Nov. 12, at 8:30 p.m. ET.

The Hendrick Motorsports teammates will battle for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup title in the Ford 400 at Florida’s Homestead-Miami Speedway, the last race in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup. The race airs Sunday, Nov. 18, at 3 p.m. on ABC.

ESPN’s Stuart Scott will interview Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon via satellite. Jimmie Johnson is the defending NASCAR champion while Jeff Gordon is attempting to win his fifth title.

November 4, 2007 -- The Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup continued Sunday, Nov. 4, at Texas Motor Speedway. Coverage of the event began at 3 p.m. ET with NASCAR Countdown. Brent Musburger and Suzy Kolber hosted NASCAR Countdown, with 1989 NASCAR champion Rusty Wallace and Brad Daugherty, a former winning team owner in the NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Some NASCAR Countdown highlights:

The battle between teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup championship

October 30, 2007 --
Q - What are the subtle differences that teams have to change on their cars between Atlanta and Texas, even though the tracks are very similar?

“On paper they might be similar but there are still a lot of differences in the racetrack and the setup is quite a bit different. Both racetracks are very intense because they are both high speed tracks. Shock absorbers are a big part of getting through the bumps and having your car drive extremely well because of the intensity in speed.

“But, it’s really more of a difference in driver preference than car setup. It’s more of a driver’s attitude going into the race than the setup and having confidence in his abilities. Great race car drivers aren’t great at every racetrack.”

The Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup is on ABC

October 23, 2007 -- Q&A with ESPN Analyst and 1989 NASCAR Cup Champion Rusty Wallace on Racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Memphis Motorsports Park:

Q – Atlanta Motor Speedway has produced a lot of close finishes. What is it about the track that creates such close racing?

The Chase: NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Live from Atlanta on ABC

October 22, 2007 -- The Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup continues Sunday, Oct. 28, when the series visits Atlanta Motor Speedway, one of the fastest tracks in NASCAR, for 500 miles of racing action. ESPN on ABC will have live coverage of the Atlanta event as the 10-race Chase begins its final four events. The telecast begins at 1 p.m. ET with NASCAR Countdown.

The 1.54-mile Atlanta track lends itself to high-speed racing, with qualifying speeds in excess of 190 mph. Close finishes also are the norm at Atlanta, with the track’s double-bend frontstretch often leading to the winning pass being made in the last 100 yards to the finish line.

The Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup is on ABC

October 16, 2007 -- Q&A with Rusty Wallace on racing at Martinsville Speedway:

Q - Aside from the expected beating and banging how hard is Martinsville Speedway on the car itself?

“At Martinsville Speedway you’ll see a lot of brake problems, and next is the rear-end gear. You turn so many RPMs that the rear-end gear ratio heats up real fast. It’s such a short track and you have to get up to speed real fast.

“Tempers, brakes and rear-end gears, those are the three things that can fail at Martinsville. On top of that, the fenders get beat in, the sides of the doors get beat up and tire marks end up all over the car.”

Q – How hard is the 500-lap race at Martinsville on a driver?

The Chase: NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Live from Martinsville on ABC

October 15, 2007 -- The Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup continues Sunday, Oct. 21, when the series visits Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, the smallest track in NASCAR’s top series, for the Subway 500. ESPN on ABC will have live coverage of the Martinsville event and all 10 races in the Chase. The telecast begins at 1 p.m. ET with NASCAR Countdown.

Martinsville Speedway, at just more than a half-mile in length, is shaped like a paper clip with long straights and tight, mildly banked turns. The track places a premium on brakes as well as driving skill as the action is usually rough-and-tumble short track racing.

The Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup is on ABC

October 9, 2007:
Q - What has been the biggest surprise of the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup so far?

“The biggest surprise is that no one has gathered a strong rhythm. I am really perplexed why so many of the chase contenders have had problems. The only three that seem to be keeping out of trouble are Clint Bowyer, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon. Everyone else is struggling big time and that’s a surprise with the caliber of teams and drivers that made the top 12. The lack of consistency out of the top 12 players has been a real surprise.”

Q - What are the characteristics of the Charlotte track that drivers like the most?

The Chase: NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Live in Prime Time Saturday from Charlotte on ABC

October 8, 2007 -- The Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup continues Saturday, Oct. 13, with a prime-time night race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte. ESPN on ABC will have live coverage of the Bank of America 500 and all 10 races in the Chase. The Charlotte telecast begins at 7 p.m. ET with NASCAR Countdown.

Dr. Jerry Punch will handle play-by-play for the race telecast, joined in the booth for analysis by 1989 NASCAR Cup champion Rusty Wallace and two-time NASCAR champion crew chief Andy Petree. Wallace is the only national TV analyst who has competed in the Chase as a driver.