2007 Kobalt Tools 500 @ Atlanta NEXTEL Cup Event Thread *SPOILERS*

rustyfan · 13 Mar 2007, 09:33 (Ref:1865425)

Leaving the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas behind it's time to look towards the fastest track on the schedule, Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Track Specs: 1.54 mile quad-oval, 24 degrees of banking in the turns, 5 degrees of banking on the straightaways. 124,000 grandstand seats.

NEXTEL Cup purse: $4,957,097

NEXTEL Cup Qualifying Record: 197.478 mph (28.074 seconds), by Geoffrey Bodine on November 15th, 1997.

NEXTEL Cup 500-mile Race Record: 159.904 mph (3 hours, 7 minutes, 48 seconds) set by Bobby Labonte on November 16th, 1997.

The entry list is up, with 51 teams entered.

Bill Elliott, Scott Wimmer, Jeremy Mayfield and Mike Bliss are hoping to make their first start of the season, while A.J. Allmendinger continues his quest to make his first career NASCAR NEXTEL Cup start.

TV: Pre-race show on FOX starts at 1:30pm ET. Green flag is scheduled for 2:10pm ET.

In Scandinavia the TV broadcast gets underway at 18:30 CET on Viasat Sport 3.

Australian Fans, Behold! Cricket has stolen our beloved sport!
Because of Fox's commitment to the ICC Cricket World Cup, both races are not live, but this does work well to a degree.

Nextel Cup: 1PM - 4:30PM Monday.
Busch Series: 10:30Am - 12:30 AM Sunday. (Just in time for Albert park too.)

I reckon additional TV-details might be added by the mods later on.

My Pick for the Win: Tony Stewart

Dudley · 15 Mar 2007, 19:57 (Ref:1867577)

Bill Elliot has been replaced by John Andretti.

Knowlesy · 15 Mar 2007, 22:38 (Ref:1867737)

Have to agree with your pick for the win there rustyfan!

Hazza · 16 Mar 2007, 01:37 (Ref:1867871)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dudley

Bill Elliot has been replaced by John Andretti.

One slow, aging drive in for annother.

Just kidding Bill, John, you've both still got it.

jimmer · 16 Mar 2007, 17:09 (Ref:1868403)

Rcr 1,2,3

rustyfan · 16 Mar 2007, 18:15 (Ref:1868434)

Seems Robby Gordon has picked up a sponsor - Motorola - for the Busch and Cup races at Atlanta. There is supposedly an announcement coming later today.

rustyfan · 16 Mar 2007, 18:38 (Ref:1868454)

I suspected this would happen, but in any case, That's Racin' now reports that NASCAR won't allow Gordon to display the Motorola logos on the #7 Ford due to the deal with NEXTEL/Sprint, much like they stopped AT&T from coming in to sponsor a car last year.

Motorola does have a business relationship with NEXTEL/Sprint, but since the deal to sponsor Gordon's car was made through Verizon - which Motorola also has a business relationship with but at the same time is a competitior of NEXTEL/Sprint as well - it wasn't allowed.

**FIRE** · 16 Mar 2007, 19:34 (Ref:1868494)

Quote:

Originally Posted by rustyfan

I suspected this would happen, but in any case, That's Racin' now reports that NASCAR won't allow Gordon to display the Motorola logos on the #7 Ford due to the deal with NEXTEL/Sprint, much like they stopped AT&T from coming in to sponsor a car last year.

And Sunoco vs Shell.

I don't like these politics.

rustyfan · 16 Mar 2007, 19:43 (Ref:1868500)

Yep, the Sunoco vs Shell deal was a similar thing, albeit not as severe since Shell wasn't forced to drop its sponsorship of the #29 Chevy - if I remember correctly they just had to make the logos a bit smaller, especially the ones on Harvick's driving suit.

muggle not · 16 Mar 2007, 20:46 (Ref:1868534)

The exclusion of Motorola should be fought by the powers to be. It isn't right to exclude Motorola. They are not a wireless provider like verizon, sprint, nextel, AT&T, etc. Motorola provides the telephones for these services.

**FIRE** · 16 Mar 2007, 21:02 (Ref:1868546)

BTW For anybody who's interested in NASCAR practice and qualifying: Speed channel is back on TVU Player.

Practice:
1. Ku Busch
2. Biffle
3. Ky Busch
4. Montoya
5. Newman

StuiE · 17 Mar 2007, 08:06 (Ref:1868926)

Qualifying resuts: http://www.motorsport.com/news/artic...&FS=NASCAR-CUP

Newman takes pole, Bliss makes his first race of the season, Vickers and Reutimann get back in after missing Vegas, Kenny Wallace and Ward Burton miss out again after their first starts in Vegas. oh and Kenny Schrader is back

rustyfan · 17 Mar 2007, 12:44 (Ref:1869089)

Quote:

Originally Posted by muggle not

The exclusion of Motorola should be fought by the powers to be. It isn't right to exclude Motorola. They are not a wireless provider like verizon, sprint, nextel, AT&T, etc. Motorola provides the telephones for these services.

Yeah, and Motorola isn't the only company being angry at NASCAR - That's Racin' reports that AT&T now has filed a suit against NASCAR because they aren't allowed to change the Cingular logos on the #31 RCR Chevy to AT&T ones despite AT&T having bought Cingular, which will be phased out as a brand.

rustyfan · 17 Mar 2007, 21:23 (Ref:1869498)

Bad luck for pole sitter Ryan Newman who will have to start from the back after his engine blew up during final practice.

Then again, better it blew up before the race than during the race.

Jacko44 · 18 Mar 2007, 07:17 (Ref:1869921)

... And surprisingly for once Dale Jarrett wasn't the slowest in practice!!! Was 26th in happy hour!

rustyfan · 18 Mar 2007, 17:33 (Ref:1870404)

The pre-race show has now started.

**FIRE** · 18 Mar 2007, 17:36 (Ref:1870407)

yep

rustyfan · 18 Mar 2007, 17:46 (Ref:1870414)

Some late news: NASCAR and Robby Gordon has reached an agreement that allows Gordon to use Motorola as his sponsor. NASCAR.com reports:

Quote:

NASCAR vice president of corporate communications Jim Hunter announced Saturday a compromise that will allow Robby Gordon to run a Motorola paint scheme in Sunday's Kobalt Tools 500 and throughout the year.

A paint scheme carrying a digital audio player Motorola design will be allowed on the car, thus ensuring the company's primary sponsorship of the No. 7 Ford.

(Full article)

Knowlesy · 18 Mar 2007, 17:56 (Ref:1870423)

Fantastic Pop Idol style driver rating there.

rustyfan · 18 Mar 2007, 18:01 (Ref:1870427)

lol yeah they weren't too kind to Jarrett and Mikey

On a different subject, pretty gutsy performance by Hammond hanging under the helicopter there.

Knowlesy · 18 Mar 2007, 18:07 (Ref:1870429)

DW is singing. Ugh.

**FIRE** · 18 Mar 2007, 18:14 (Ref:1870435)

I would like the race start always at this time.

Knowlesy · 18 Mar 2007, 18:16 (Ref:1870436)

Yes, it's an ideal time and means I don't go to bed too late for work.

Although sods law, I am off work tomorrow!

rustyfan · 18 Mar 2007, 18:16 (Ref:1870437)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIRE

I would like the race start always at this time.

Totally agree, and most races will as long as it isn't a night race or a race on the west coast

rustyfan · 18 Mar 2007, 18:18 (Ref:1870439)

So, any takers on when we'll see the first yellow? I'm thinking around lap 20.

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