2007 Aaron's 312
The 2007 Aaron's 312 was a NASCAR Busch Series race held at Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama on April 28, 2007. The race was the 16th iteration of the event. It was also the 10th race of the 2007 NASCAR Busch Series. Brad Coleman won the pole for the race becoming one of the youngest pole winners in Busch Series history while Casey Mears led the most laps. But it would be Bobby Labonte winning the race in a close finish with his former Cup Series teammate and his teammate at Kevin Harvick Inc. in Tony Stewart, beating Stewart by.052 seconds in a last lap pass. But the race was most remembered for when Kyle Busch suffered in one of the most wildest crashes in the history of the racetrack.
Background
The track, Talladega Superspeedway, is one of six superspeedways to hold NASCAR races, the others being Daytona International Speedway, Auto Club Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Pocono Raceway and Michigan International Speedway. The standard track at the speedway is a four-turn superspeedway that is long. The track's turns are banked at thirty-three degrees, while the front stretch, the location of the finish line, is banked at 16.5 degrees. The back stretch has a two-degree banking. Talladega Superspeedway can seat up to 143,231 people.Entry list
- denotes rookie driver
Qualifying
Brad Coleman won the pole with a time of 51.959 and a speed of 184.299. Coleman became the third youngest pole winner in Busch Series history at 19 years old behind a pair of 18 year olds such as Joey Logano in 2008, Trevor Bayne in 2009, Chase Elliott in 2014, Ty Gibbs in 2021, and Sammy Smith in 2023 all of whom behind 17 year old Casey Atwood in 1998.Race
Pole sitter Brad Coleman led the first lap of the race. The first caution flew on lap 4 of the race when Jason Leffler hit the backstretch wall after getting hit from behind by Casey Mears. The race would restart on lap 8 of the race. On lap 9, Clint Bowyer tried to take the lead from Coleman but coming through the tri-oval, Bowyer tried to side draft when he made contact with Ward Burton and sent Burton spinning. Burton spun back up the track sending several other cars scattering around and spinning. Martin Truex Jr., Scott Wimmer, Marcos Ambrose, and David Reutimann all spun and crashed trying to avoid Burton bringing out the second caution of the race for the 6 car accident. The race would restart on lap 15. On the restart, David Ragan took the lead and Brad Coleman would fall very far in the back of the pack after no one else drafted behind Coleman. On lap 16, Juan Pablo Montoya took the lead. On lap 18, Casey Mears attempted to take the lead but failed to do so. On lap 19, Carl Edwards took the lead from Montoya. On lap 21, Casey Mears took the lead with a big push from Kyle Busch. On lap 23, Tony Stewart took the lead. On lap 25, Mears would take the lead back.On lap 27, the biggest crash of the day would occur that involved one of the scariest crashes in the history of the track. Going down the backstretch, Kyle Busch attempted to slingshot his teammate Mears to take the lead on the outside. Tony Stewart went up to help Busch but Stewart hit Busch in the left rear causing Busch to turn left into the side of Mears which would spin his car around to the right. Busch's car had enough grip to flip his car upside down and hit the outside wall drivers side first upside down. Busch's car slid onto its roof all the way down to the turn 3 infield grass where the grass sent his car into violent sidewinder barrel rolls. Busch's car barrel rolled 7 times before it landed on its wheels. Busch would climb out of his car unharmed in a matter of seconds after it crashed. The force of the crash was so severe, it cracked Busch's HANS device in the process.
Some drivers pitted while others stayed out including Kasey Kahne and Kahne would lead the field back to the restart on lap 32. On lap 33, Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the lead from Kahne. On lap 34, Aric Almirola took the lead but was immeadietly passed by David Gilliland. On lap 35, Clint Bowyer took the lead. On lap 38, David Reutimann took the lead. On lap 40, Carl Edwards took the lead. On lap 43, Clint Bowyer took the lead. On lap 44, Regan Smith's hood all of a sudden came up and blocked his view. On lap 47, Casey Mears took the lead. On lap 48, Mike Wallace took the lead. On lap 48, Kevin Harvick and J. J. Yeley both made it 3 wide for the lead but both were unable to pass Wallace for the lead. On lap 52, Mike's nephew Steve Wallace attempted to take the lead but couldn't get in front of him. On lap 53, Casey Mears took the lead. On lap 56, the fourth caution flew when David Gilliland spun down the frontstretch after contact with Tony Stewart and ended up hitting the turn 1 outside wall. Casey Mears won the race off of pit road and he led the field to the restart on lap 61. On the restart, Aric Almirola attempted to take the lead but failed to do so. On lap 64, Steve Wallace took the lead but Mears would take it back on the next lap.