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Cup Series Notebook... watch for updates all week long
Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indianapolis, IN (2.5-mile oval)

  • Practice: Friday, August 4 (Speed at 4:30 p.m. AT, 3:30 p.m. ET)
  • Bud Pole Qualifying: Saturday, August 5 (TNT at 11:00 a.m. AT, 10:00 a.m. ET)
  • Final Practice: Saturday, August 5 (Speed at 4:30 p.m. AT, 3:30 p.m. ET)
  • Pre-Race: Sunday, August 6 (NBC at 2:30 p.m. AT, 1:30 p.m. ET)
  • 8/2: Race: Sunday, August 6 (NBC at 3:30 p.m. AT, 2:30 p.m. ET
Fast Facts
The race: Allstate 400 at the Brickyard (Race No. 21 of the 36-race NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series season)
The place: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indianapolis, Ind.
The date/time: Sunday, Aug. 6, 2:40 p.m. (EDT)
TV: NBC, 2 p.m. (EDT).
Radio: MRN/XM Satellite
Posted awards: $9,236,620
Race length: 400 miles, 160 laps
Track layout: 2.5-mile oval
2005 winner: Tony Stewart 2005 polesitter: Elliott Sadler
NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 10: 1. Jimmie Johnson 2,939. 2. Matt Kenseth 2,842. 3. Jeff Burton 2,621. 4. Kyle Busch 2,582. 5. Kevin Harvick 2,563. 6. Mark Martin 2,557. 7. Kasey Kahne 2,515. 8. Denny Hamlin 2,514. 9. Jeff Gordon 2,512. 10. Tony Stewart 2,477.
Practice/Qualifying Schedule: Friday – Practice, 1:30-2:30 p.m. and 3:30-4:30 p.m. Saturday – Qualifying, 10:10 a.m. Practice 1:30-2:30 p.m. Final Practice 3:30-4:30 p.m.
  • Kelly Rowland, a member of the chart-topping, Grammy-winning musical group Destiny’s Child, will sing the national anthem before the start of the 13th Allstate 400 at the Brickyard on Aug. 6 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.


Event Stats - underlined when link is activated
  • Leaderboard, Points, Manufacturer & Rookie Standings Through 20 of 36 Races here
  • 1st Practice Results - click here
  • 2nd Practice Results - click here
  • Qualifying Order - click here
  • Qualifying Results - click here
  • Starting Lineup - click here
  • Race Results (unofficial) here
  • Point Standings (post-race, unofficial) here

    Johnson Battles Back to Win Allstate 400 at the Brickyard

    INDIANAPOLIS, IND. (August 6, 2006) -- Jimmie Johnson might be the new role model for "never give up."

    Jimmie Johnson's team came to the finish line
    to celebrate the win with their driver..
    The Lowe's Chevrolet driver once again pulled victory out of the jaws of defeat to win the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race in an exciting down-to-the-wire finish.

    Jamming Jimmie Johnson drove away from the field in the final laps to finish comfortably ahead of runner-up Matt Kenseth and third-place Kevin Harvick.

    The stage was set for the unpredictable finish when debris on the track in turn three brought out the day's fifth caution flag. Click here for the rest of the story.

    Visit Victory Lane - click here.

    Post-Race Notes
    • Jimmy Johnson won the 2006 Allstate 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, scoring his 22nd NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory in his 168th career start.
    • Johnson moved to 26th on NASCAR’s all-time winners list, tying Terry Labonte.
    • This was Johnson’s fourth victory in 2006, tying Kasey Kahne for the most this season. Johnson also won at Daytona in February, Las Vegas and Talladega.
    • Johnson became just the second driver to win the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 in the same year, joining Dale Jarrett (1996).
    • Johnson won the race from the fifth-place starting position. He ran as low as 39th on lap 40.
    • Johnson scored his 17th top-10 finish in 21 races this season. He has top-15 finishes in 19 of the 21 races this season.
    • Johnson has been ranked among the top 10 for 90 consecutive races.
    • Johnson remained first in the point standings, extending his point lead to 107 over second-place Matt Kenseth.
    • Race winner Johnson led three times for 33 laps, including the final 10, in the Allstate 400.
    • This was team owner Rick Hendrick’s 147th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory. Hendrick has scored seven victories in 2006. It marked Hendrick’s fifth victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the most of all car owners.
    • Hendrick Motorsports has won at least one race each season 1986-2006, 21 consecutive years.
    • The 35 cars to finish on the lead lap sets the all-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup record for a completed 400- or 500-mile race.
    • Jeff Burton led 87 laps, leading the most laps for the first time since Phoenix in October 2001, 169 races ago. That race was also his last victory.
    • Matt Kenseth (second) scored his 12th top-10 finish in 2006 and his fourth top-10 finish (all top fives) in seven races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
    • Kevin Harvick (third) scored his 12th top-10 finish in 2006. It was his fourth top-10 finish in six races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Harvick moved to fourth in the point standings but is only 158 points ahead of 11th-place Kasey Kahne.
    • Harvick extended a 33-race streak of running at the finish that began at California last September, the longest current streak.
    • Raybestos Rookie-of-the Year contender Clint Bowyer (fourth) scored his career-best finish and sixth top-10 finish in 2006. This was his first race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
    • Mark Martin (fifth) scored his 10th top-10 finish 21 races in 2006. It was his eighth top-10 finish in 13 races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
    • Kyle Busch (seventh) extended a streak of seven straight top-15 finishes that began at Michigan in June.
    • Jeff Burton (12th) scored his 15th straight top-15 finish extending a streak that began at Texas in April.
    • At least one of the 2006 Raybestos Rookie-of-the Year contenders has scored a top-15 finish in all 21 races this season. Clint Bowyer (fourth) has been the highest finishing rookie in four races in 2006.
    • Robby Gordon finished 35th in the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. This marked his 100th consecutive start without a victory. Gordon last won at Watkins Glen in August 2003.
    • Ken Schrader finished 14th in the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. This marked his 500th consecutive start without a victory. Schrader last won at Dover in June 1991.
    • Michael Waltrip failed to qualify for the 2006 Allstate 400 ending a 940-race streak of a Waltrip in the starting lineup. The streak began at Riverside in January 1976.
    Qualifying Notes
    • Jeff Burton won the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Bud Pole for the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, lapping Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 49.240 seconds at 182.778 mph. Casey Mears holds the trackqualifying record of 48.311 seconds, 186.293 mph - set Aug. 7, 2004.
    • This is Burton’s fifth career Bud Pole in 424 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races.
    • This is his third Bud Pole and ninth top-10 start in 2006. He became the just the second driver to post more than two Bud Poles in 2006, joining Kasey Kahne (four). Greg Biffle (two), Kurt Busch (two), Denny Hamlin (two) and Ryan Newman (two) are the other multiple Bud Pole winners this season.
    • This is Burton’s first Bud Pole and first start better than 16th in 13 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. His previous best start here was 16th in 1999.
    • Burton became the 10th different Bud Pole winner in 13 races at Indianapolis. Jeff Gordon (1995, 1996 and 1999 and Ernie Irvan (1997 and 1998) are the only repeat Brickyard Bud Pole winners.
    • Clint Bowyer posted the second-quickest qualifying lap of 49.242 seconds, 182.771 mph – and will join Burton on the front row for the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. Bowyer posted his fourth top-10 start of 2006 in setting his career-best starting position in his 23rd NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race. This is the best-ever start by a Raybestos Rookie-of-the-Year contender at Indianapolis.
    • Burton and Bowyer gave car-owner Richard Childress the first front-row sweep since Scott Riggs and Jeremy Mayfield started on the front row for Evernham Motorsports at Charlotte in May of this season. It is the only car-owner front-row sweep at Indianapolis and just the second time that a manufacturer has won the top-two starting positions here. Ricky Rudd and Darrell Waltrip started 1-2 in Fords.
    • This is the seventh Bud Pole for Chevrolet in 2006. Dodge has nine Bud Poles and Ford has four. Qualifying was canceled at Bristol.
    • Kurt Busch (third) posted his second top-10 start at Indianapolis and eclipsed his previous best start of sixth, set in 2003. It is his 15th top-10 start in 2006. He is tied with Greg Biffle (seventh today) for the most top-10 starts this season.
    • Kasey Kahne (fourth) tied his best Indianapolis qualifying effort set in 2005. His other Brickyard start was 12th in 2004.
    • Jimmie Johnson (fifth) posted his third top-10 start in five Indianapolis races. His other two starts here were 37th (2000) and 42nd (2005).
    • Ken Schrader (11th) posted his best start since he qualified seventh at Bristol in August 2005.
    • Mike Skinner (17th) was the fastest of the drivers that had to make the field on time and qualified for his second race this season.
    • Chad Chaffin (25th) posted his career-best qualifying effort. His best start in his previous seven NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races was 31st at Martinsville in April.
    • Seven drivers failed to qualify for the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard: Paul Menard, Michael Waltrip, Johnny Sauter, Stephen Leicht, Kevin Lepage, Bobby Hamilton Jr., and Derrike Cope.
    • Six drivers qualified for their first race at Indianapolis: Bowyer, J.J. Yeley (sixth), Denny Hamlin (14th), David Stremme (24th), Chaffin, and Reed Sorenson (41st). The last time there was not a Waltrip in the field was the final race of the 1975 season at Ontario (Nov. 23, 1975).
    • The third-place starting position is the only position to produce more than one race winner at Indianapolis: Jeff Gordon (1994 and ’98) and Bobby Labonte (2000).
    • The Brickyard 400 has been won from a top-10 starting position seven of 12 times.
    • The furthest back a race winner has started at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was 27th by Jeff Gordon in 2001.
    Who's Hot Heading to Indianapolis
    • Jimmie Johnson has scored a top-15 finish in 18 of the 20 races in 2006. His other two finishes were 30th or worse. Johnson has scored nine top-10 finishes in the last 10 races.
    • Jeff Burton has posted 14 straight top-15 finishes, a streak that began at Texas in April. He also scored top-10 finishes in his last three races.
    • Jeff Burton (1,464) has scored more points in the last 10 races than any other driver.
    • Kasey Kahne has won four races in 2006, the most of all drivers.
    • Matt Kenseth is the only driver to score 10 top-five finishes in the 20 races this season.
    • Kevin Harvick has scored four straight top-10 finishes.
    • Jimmie Johnson is the only driver to score 16 top-10 finishes in the first 20 races of 2006, three more than the closest driver.
    • Greg Biffle is the only driver to lead at least one lap in 15 of the 20 races this season.
    • Denny Hamlin has scored top-15 finishes in 10 of the last 11 races.
    • Matt Kenseth ranks second in the point standings. After 20 races one year ago, he ranked 17th.
    • Kyle Busch has scored six straight top-15 finishes.
    Indianapolis Nuggets

      Indianapolis Milestones
    • Dale Jarrett is expected to make his 400th consecutive NASCAR NEXTEL Cup start at Indy.
      Starting Up Front Is Not Important at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
    • Three of the last five races at Indy have been won from outside the top-10 starting positions. Only two of the 12 previous races at Indy have been won from the front row.
      Indy Bud Pole Winner
    • Jeff Gordon leads all drivers with three Bud Poles at Indy. Gordon has not had a top-five start in his last six races at Indy. His last Bud Pole came there in August 1999. Indy Streaks
    • Jeff Burton has competed in all 12 races at Indy and has never started a race there from the top-15.
    • Ryan Newman has posted five straight top-10 starts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the longest current streak.
    • Kasey Kahne has posted two top-five finishes in two races Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
    • Jeff Gordon has posted five straight top-10 finishes at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the longest current streak.
      Owner Dominance at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
    • Rick Hendrick has four victories in 12 races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the most of all car owners. Those four victories were all scored by Jeff Gordon.
      Leading The Way
    • Jeff Gordon has competed in all 12 races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He has led 433 laps in those races, the most of all drivers. Indy Starters
    • Eleven drivers have competed in all 12 races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Those 11 drivers won nine of the 12 races there. Dale Earnhardt, Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick are the other race winners.
      Bud Pole Winners Galore
    • There have been eight different Bud Pole winners in the last eight races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, since August 1998.
      Would You Believe?
    • Rusty Wallace finished second at Indy three times in his 12 races there, but never visited victory lane at the famous Indiana superspeedway.
      Indianapolis Motor Speedway Standouts
    • Jeff Gordon is clearly the standout at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, leading all drivers with three Bud Poles, four victories, seven top-fives and 10 top-10 finishes in 12 races there. He has led in nine of the 12 races leading 433 laps. All records are the most among drivers at Indy.
    • Ryan Newman has a 5.0 starting average posting top-10 starts in all five of his races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
    • Kasey Kahne has a 3.0 finishing average in his two races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the best of all drivers with more than one start there.
      Season Nuggets
    • Current point leader Jimmie Johnson was the point leader at the mid-point of the season. He was also the point leader at the mid-point in 2004 and 2005 and also was the point leader after Race No. 20 in 2004 and 2005.
    • All 20 victories in 2006 have been scored by drivers ranked in the top-14 in the point standings.
    • Greg Biffle is the only driver who has led at least one lap in 15 of the 20 races in 2006. Biffle has earned 95 lap leader bonus points, 60 more than point leader Jimmie Johnson who has 35.
    • Jeff Burton, currently third in the point standings, has earned 1,464 points in the last 10 races, more than any other driver. Greg Biffle is currently second in points earned in the last 10 races earning 1,434 points, 30 less than Burton. Point leader Jimmie Johnson ranks fifth during the last 10 races earning 1,418 points, 46 less than Biffle. Burton posted eight top-10 finishes during the 10-race period while Johnson outscored the other four drivers with nine. Despite Johnson's nine top-10s, the difference is better finishes by the other drivers coupled with the fact that Johnson led in just three of those 10 races while Burton led in six and Bifffle led in seven of the 10 proving the value of the lap-leader bonus points.
    • Two drivers that ranked in the top-10 after Race No. 20 in 2005 failed to make the Chase. Elliott Sadler was ninth and finished 13th and Dale Jarrett was 10th and finished 15th. They were overtaken by Kenseth and Edwards. Kenseth finished seventh while Edwards finished third.
    • After 20 races in 2006, six drivers are within the 400-point window. One year ago there were seven drivers within the 400-point window.
    • In 2005 six of the top-13 drivers were separated by 21 points or less with twelfth to 11th and ninth to eighth each separated by just three points.
    • After 20 races in 2006, five of the top-11 drivers are separated by 19 points or less while nine of the top-12 are separated by 42 points or less.
    • Just 82 points separate 12th to seventh in the point standings.
    • Tony Stewart, currently 10th in the point standings, is 15 points ahead of 11th-place Dale Earnhardt Jr. and just 44 ahead of 12th-place Greg Biffle.
    • Just 105 points separate 10th-place Tony Stewart and fourth-place Kyle Busch. That is the difference between a first to a 30th-place finish (lap leader points not considered).
    • After winning only three races in all of 2005, Dodge has won five of the 20 races in 2006. Chevrolet has 12 victories while Ford has just three. One year ago Ford had nine victories at this point of the season.
    • A Ford has failed to qualify among the top-10 in the last two races. A Ford also failed to finish among the top 10 in two of the last three races.
    • Ken Schrader became the 43rd driver to lead in 2006. The 34 drivers that have competed in all 20 races have each led at least one lap this season.
    • Four of the top-six drivers have been running at the finish in every race in 2006: Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Burton Kevin Harvick and Mark Martin.
    • Jeff Gordon leads all drivers in the top 10 with four DNFs. That is the most DNFs of any driver ranked in among the top 23.
    • At least one rookie has scored a top-15 finish in every race this season.
    • Nine of the top-14 drivers changed point positions at Pocono.
    Pre-Race Notes & Quotes (as provided by the teams)

    Brian Vickers In his two NEXTEL Cup starts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Vickers has never started worse than sixth. In 2005, the 22-year-old qualified fifth, finished third and led 14 laps around the 2.5-mile oval. WHAT MAKES INDIANAPOLIS SO TOUGH TO GET A HANDLE ON? "It's unique and fast. It's a square with four quick, sharp turns. What I think a lot of people underestimate is how different each turn is. You just don't set up your car for one type of turn and go. It's a compromise because you're trying to get your car ready for four turns. People talk about how hard Pocono is to set up for with its three different turns, but, in my opinion, Indy can be even more of a challenge." DOES INDIANAPOLIS RIVAL THE DAYTONA 500 AS THE RACE TO WIN? "Indianapolis and Daytona are probably at the top of everyone's list. I think some people, if they could choose, would rather win at Indianapolis as opposed to winning the Daytona 500. The Daytona 500 is a huge race, always been big for our sport, and you can't discredit it, but at Daytona you can have the best car all day, be the best driver all race, and can catch the draft the wrong way or have someone not push you and lose. Indy is more of a driver's track and we all know the history that's associated with it."

    Kyle Busch Kyle Busch's No. 5 Chevrolet will carry a special paint scheme this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway featuring the red and white Delphi oval. Indy will mark the second of four appearances of the Delphi design this season. WERE YOU ABLE TO LEARN ANYTHING AT THE INDIANAPOLIS TEST? "We definitely learned something. We got going a little bit faster, then slowed down a bit, and finally got going a little bit faster again. The sun wasn't really out, so the heat wasn't what it's going to be this weekend." WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU OFFER ROOKIES RACING AT INDY FOR THE FIRST TIME? "They're in for a big surprise. I can't explain it. You just can't picture it (as a rookie). Before I went there I thought I pictured it pretty well and I wasn't even close. What you see on TV doesn't do that place justice. The Brickyard race is just about as big as the Daytona 500. It's one of the biggest races that we have on the circuit, so to be able to run there is extra special."

    Kasey Kahne "I’m definitely looking forward to the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. We did a tire test there and then participated in the NASCAR-scheduled test a couple of weeks ago. I think we have a good car for the race. The No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge Charger we will race is a new car. We were eighth or ninth fastest in testing, so I think we have things sorted out. We had a good run at Indy last year, finishing second to Tony (Stewart). I know what the win meant to him. Having lived in Indy earlier in my career, I know what it would mean to me to win at the Brickyard. There are two races every driver wants to win -- the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard and the Daytona 500." Kahne has finished in the top-five in both his starts at Indy. His best finish of second came in last year’s Brickyard 400. Kahne has led 39 laps at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, all in the 2005 event. Kahne has completed 321 of the 321 laps attempted at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, giving him a 100 percent lap-completion rate at the historic 2.5-mile track.

    Jeremy Mayfield Mayfield has 11 career starts at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and posted his best-career start and finish with his Evernham Dodge in last year’s Brickyard 400. He started second and finished fourth. Mayfield will make his 402nd career NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series start in the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. During his career, he has posted five wins along with 48 top-five and 96 top-10 finishes. He has nine poles and completed 112,786 laps. He has led 2,435 laps and has posted over $30 million in winnings during his 14-year NASCAR NEXTEL Cup series career. Mayfield and wife Shana spent the off weekend moving into their new house in Catawba, N.C., a 468-acre tract that includes three ponds, two houses and a log-cabin.

    Bobby Hamilton, Jr. Bobby Hamilton Jr. will be making his second NNCS start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He started 25th and finished 39th in last year’s event. Bobby Hamilton Sr. will back in the Nextel Cup garage in an ownership role after receiving treatment for head and neck cancer. The Allstate 400 at the Brickyard will mark Bobby Hamilton Jr.’s 64th career NNCS start.

    Kevin Harvick Reese's orange will don the hood again this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Reese's is one of five special paint schemes The Hershey Company will run throughout the 2006 season. Kevin Harvick has five career NEXTEL Cup starts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Of those five starts, he has compiled three top-10 finishes including a win from the pole at the 2003 Brickyard 400.

    Clint Bowyer The Allstate 400 at the Brickyard will be Bowyer’s first start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS). While serving as team manager for Kevin Harvick’s No. 29 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet, Bowyer’s crew chief Gil Martin kissed the bricks following Harvick’s 2003 victory at IMS. Bowyer and the Jack Daniel’s Racing Team tested at IMS Monday, July 10 and Wednesday, July 12 in preparation for the NEXTEL Cup Series annual visit to the famed “yard of bricks.” Unofficially, Bowyer and company posted a fast lap of 50.829 seconds (177.064 mph) on July 12. The test was the fifth of six allowed under NASCAR’s 2006 testing policy. The remaining test available to teams in NASCAR’s top division will be conducted at Homestead-Miami Speedway October 16-18.

    Michael Waltrip NAPA AUTO PARTS driver Michael Waltrip will make his 13th start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway; Waltrip's best finish in the event was eighth (1994) and his worst 39th (1997). Waltrip and Jeff Burton are the only two active NEXTEL Cup drivers to finish every race at the Brickyard. His average starting position is 15.166 and average finish 20.833.

    J.J. Yeley The Allstate 400 at the Brickyard will mark Yeley's 27th career NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series start and his first Nextel Cup start at Indianapolis. Yeley is currently fifth in the Raybestos Rookie point standings with 149 points, just four points behind fourth-place Martin Truex Jr., 17 points behind third-place Reed Sorenson and 29 points behind second-place Clint Bowyer. Yeley's Joe Gibbs Racing teammate - Denny Hamlin - leads the Raybestos Rookie standings with a commanding 24-point advantage over Bowyer. Yeley will again pull double-duty this weekend as he competes in the Nextel Cup and NASCAR Busch Series races at Indianapolis and the nearby O'Reilly Raceway Park, respectively. Yeley is one of seven drivers who are running full-time in both Cup and Busch. The other drivers are Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Bowyer, Greg Biffle, Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards. Yeley drives the No. 18 Vigoro/Home Depot Chevrolet for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Busch Series.

    IMPORTANT: All information, schedules and/or scheduled events is/are subject to change without notice. Please check with the source to confirm.

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