2007 USG Sheetrock 400


The 2007 USG Sheetrock 400 was the 19th race of the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season. It took place during daytime on July 15, 2007, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois with the broadcast airing on TNT.

Background

#DriverTeamMake
00David Reutimann 'Michael Waltrip RacingToyota
1Martin Truex Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet
01Mark MartinGinn RacingChevrolet
2Kurt BuschPenske RacingDodge
4Ward BurtonMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet
5Kyle BuschHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
6David Ragan 'Roush Fenway RacingFord
7Robby GordonRobby Gordon MotorsportsFord
07Clint BowyerRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
8Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet
9Kasey KahneEvernham MotorsportsDodge
10Scott RiggsEvernham MotorsportsDodge
11Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet
12Ryan NewmanPenske RacingDodge
13Joe NemechekGinn RacingChevrolet
14Sterling MarlinGinn RacingChevrolet
15Paul Menard 'Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet
16Greg BiffleRoush Fenway RacingFord
17Matt KensethRoush Fenway RacingFord
18J.J. YeleyJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet
19Elliott SadlerEvernham MotorsportsDodge
20Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet
21Bill ElliottWood Brothers RacingFord
22Dave BlaneyBill Davis RacingToyota
24Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
25Casey MearsHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
26Jamie McMurrayRoush Fenway RacingFord
29Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
31Jeff BurtonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
36Jeremy MayfieldBill Davis RacingToyota
37Kevin LepageFront Row MotorsportsDodge
38David Gilliland 'Robert Yates RacingFord
40David StremmeChip Ganassi RacingDodge
41Reed SorensonChip Ganassi RacingDodge
42Juan Pablo Montoya 'Chip Ganassi RacingDodge
43Bobby LabontePetty EnterprisesDodge
44Dale JarrettMichael Waltrip RacingToyota
45John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesDodge
48Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
49Chad ChaffinBAM RacingDodge
55Michael WaltripMichael Waltrip RacingToyota
66Jeff GreenHaas CNC RacingChevrolet
70Johnny SauterHaas CNC RacingChevrolet
78Kenny WallaceFurniture Row RacingChevrolet
83Brian VickersRed Bull Racing TeamToyota
84A.J. Allmendinger Red Bull Racing TeamToyota
88Ricky RuddRobert Yates RacingFord
96Tony RainesHall of Fame RacingChevrolet
99Carl EdwardsRoush Fenway RacingFord

Qualifying

Unlike the previous week at Daytona, qualifying was complete for this race. Casey Mears won the pole position with a lap of 182.556 miles per hour. Michael Waltrip qualified for only his fourth race of the season. Chad Chaffin once again filled in at BAM Racing and again qualified for the race.

Race

Tony Stewart won for the first time in 2007 and for the 30th time in his career. He also led the most laps in the competition, 108 out of 267. His margin of victory over 2nd-place Matt Kenseth was 1.727 seconds. The rest of the Top 5 drivers, in order, were Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, and Clint Bowyer.
Jimmie Johnson led the second-most laps, but encountered tire trouble toward the end and wound up in 37th-place.
Jeff Gordon extended his points lead over Denny Hamlin to 303 points. Dale Earnhardt Jr. led Ryan Newman by 39 points for 12th-place and the final spot in the 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup. After this race, seven races remained until the "playoff" field was set.