| Next stop on the Nextel Cup Schedule is Richmond | | | | Hendrick Teams Continue Their Domination of the |
| International Raceway | | | | 2007 Season! |
| Next Saturday is Cinco de Mayo; the celebration of | | | | Six of nine. That's the number of races won by a |
| Mexico's defeat of Napoleon's army on May 5th, | | | | Hendrick driver (6) out of nine races thus far in the |
| 1862. Expect a big celebration NASCAR style as the | | | | 2007 season. By combining resources amongst four |
| Nextel Cup and Busch teams head to Richmond | | | | Cup teams, and staffing each team with some of the |
| International Raceway to battle it out under the | | | | best personnel in NASCAR, Rick Hendrick has |
| lights. | | | | amassed more wins, 155 total between all Cup |
| Richmond has been labeled by many as the "raciest" | | | | teams, than any other owner in NASCAR's history. |
| track on the circuit. The 3/4 mile track offers up 2 | | | | Tired of losing out to DEI in restrictor plate races, |
| groves that produce great side-by-side racing while | | | | Rick Hendrick appointed a specially staffed group |
| allowing the cars to get up to speedway like speeds. | | | | within his organization to research and develop |
| Of all current drivers with 2 or more career starts at | | | | top-level restrictor plate cars for all four of his Cup |
| Richmond, Kyle Busch has had the most success. In 4 | | | | teams. The panel paid off! In the last 14 restrictor |
| starts, Busch has an average finish of 3rd. | | | | plate races, Hendrick Motorsports has combined for 8 |
| Other drivers to note: | | | | wins; a 57% winning percentage. |
| Denny Hamlin - Average finish of 8th | | | | Through ingenious organization on Rick Hendrick's |
| Dale Earnhardt Jr - Average finish of 10th | | | | part, he has built the premier team in NASCAR's |
| Clint Boyer - Average finish of 11th | | | | history. He has found that there is strength in |
| Ryan Newman - Average finish of 12th | | | | numbers by splitting the cost of running key |
| Next Week's Schedule: | | | | operations such as the engine department across all |
| Nextel Cup: @ Richmond International Raceway (all | | | | teams. That kind of business smarts makes Rick |
| times EST) | | | | Hendrick one of the top owners in all professional |
| 05/04/07 - 11:15am NASCAR Nextel Cup Practice - | | | | sports! |
| Crown Royal Presents The Jim Stewart 400 | | | | Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway Recap |
| 05/04/07 - 06:10pm NASCAR Nextel Cup Qualifying - | | | | Yesterday's Aaron's 499 at Talladega |
| Crown Royal Presents The Jim Stewart 400 | | | | Superspeedway gave fans the restrictor plate action |
| 05/05/07 - 07:30pm NASCAR Nextel Cup Aaron's | | | | they've come to love! The 2.67 mile long track is the |
| Crown Royal Presents The Jim Stewart 400 | | | | longest on the circuit and allows cars with restrictive |
| Busch Series: @ Richmond International Raceway | | | | power to run at speeds approaching 200mph while |
| 05/04/07 - 10:10am NASCAR Busch Series Practice - | | | | being bundled together like one large swarm of bees. |
| Circuit City 250 Presented by FUNAI race | | | | While the action during the race was non-stop, the |
| 05/04/07 - 04:05pm NASCAR Busch Series Qualifying | | | | finish was anti-climatic. Under the final caution of the |
| - Circuit City 250 Presented by FUNAI race | | | | day, Jeff Gordon claimed the checkered flag and his |
| 05/04/07 - 08:00pm NASCAR Busch Series Circuit | | | | 77th career victory. The final caution was waved |
| City 250 Presented by FUNAI race | | | | during the green-white checkered finish as cars were |
| Craftsman Truck Series off until May 18th at Lowe's | | | | wrecking all over the back stretch. When the caution |
| Motor Speedway | | | | dropped, Gordon was in the lead. |
| Jeff Gordon Overtakes Earnhardt in Career Wins! | | | | Loving fans adorned Gordon by showering him with |
| Watching the closing laps of yesterday's Aaron's 499, | | | | beer cans from the stands. None-the-less, Gordon |
| I would never have guessed Jeff Gordon could win. | | | | shrugged off the negativity and celebrated his historic |
| He was mired back in 16th position in a single file | | | | win. |
| pack with 10 laps to go. Finally, Gordon with the help | | | | How the top drivers faired: |
| of teammate Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart | | | | Jeff Gordon made a late race charge that only he |
| began to make his assault on the lead cars. | | | | could pull off. Coming from 16th position with 10 laps |
| After bobbing and weaving, and pushing his way to | | | | remaining, Gordon parternered with Tony Stewart |
| the front, Gordon was able to overtake the lead | | | | and Jimmie Johnson to charge to the front of the |
| position from Jamie McMurray before the second to | | | | pack. On the final caution of the day under a |
| last caution flag came out. Then on the first lap of | | | | green-white checker condition, Gordon claimed his |
| what was meant to be a green-white checkered | | | | 77th victory of all time. He now sits comfortably in |
| finish, Gordon claimed the win when mayhem broke | | | | first, 203 points ahead of second place Jeff Burton. |
| out deep in the pack. In a green-white checkered | | | | Tony Stewart had a tumultuous week that was |
| finish, NASCAR will end the race if a caution comes | | | | anything but staged. Earlier last week, Tony made |
| out. | | | | comments on his weekly Sirius radio show that some |
| For some, Gordon's victory was tough to swallow. | | | | of the debris cautions NASCAR calls are akin to |
| The win, Gordon's 77th in the Cup series, moved him | | | | WWE staged performances. Unfortunately for |
| ahead of the late Dale Earnhardt on a day that would | | | | Stewart, the 6am Friday morning meeting with Mike |
| have been Earnhardt's 56th birthday. But for many, | | | | Helton followed by the late race crash at Talladega |
| Gordon's win is further validation that we are seeing | | | | were all too real. Stewart finished the race in 27th |
| a future legend make his mark in the history books. | | | | position and now sits 6th in points. |