The Twelve Days of NASCAR Christmas

The Twelve Days of Christmas are upon us, and to celebrate I have taken some liberties to give the time-honored carol a NASCAR flavor. Feel free to sing along as you read:

On the first day of Christmas
NASCAR gave to me ...
a single-chassis racing COT.

Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images

The body of the COT is designed to fit one template and has such characteristics as a front-end splitter and rear wing.

On the second day of Christmas
NASCAR gave to me ...
Two Jimmie Johnson titles,
and a single-chassis racing COT.

Autostock

Jimmie Johnson followed his first championship in 2006 with a another one in 2007.

On the third day of Christmas
NASCAR gave to me ...
Three series' wins for Rowdy,
Two Jimmie Johnson titles,
and a single-chassis racing COT.

Rusty Jarrett & John Harrelson/ Getty Images

Kyle Busch was the only driver to win in each of NASCAR's top three series in 2007: Cup (1), Busch (4) and Truck (2).

On the fourth day of Christmas
NASCAR gave to me ...
Four first-time Cup winners,
Three series' wins for Rowdy,
Two Jimmie Johnson titles,
and a single-chassis racing COT.

Autostock

Casey Mears, Martin Truex Jr., Juan Montoya and Clint Bowyer each scored their first career Cup Series victories in 2007.

On the fifth day of Christmas
NASCAR gave to me ...
Five open-wheelers with rings,
Four first-time Cup winners,
Three series' wins for Rowdy,
Two Jimmie Johnson titles,
and a single-chassis racing COT.

Autostock

Open-wheel champions Juan Montoya, Sam Hornish Jr., Dario Franchitti and Jacques Villeneuve will attempt to do what Tony Stewart already has -- win a title in NASCAR.

On the sixth day of Christmas
NASCAR gave to me ...
Six Junior engine failures,
Five open-wheelers with rings,
Four first-time Cup winners,
Three series' wins for Rowdy,
Two Jimmie Johnson titles,
and a single-chassis racing COT.

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Blown motors accounted for six of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s nine DNFs in 2007.

On the seventh day of Christmas
NASCAR gave to me ...
Seven Jeff Gordon poles,
Six Junior engine failures,
Five open-wheelers with rings,
Four first-time Cup winners,
Three series' wins for Rowdy,
Two Jimmie Johnson titles,
and a single-chassis racing COT.

Harry How/Getty Images

Jeff Gordon was out front for the green flag seven times in 2007.

On the eighth day of Christmas
NASCAR gave to me ...
Eight Cup Series debuts,
Seven Jeff Gordon poles,
Six Junior engine failures,
Five open-wheelers with rings,
Four first-time Cup winners,
Three series' wins for Rowdy,
Two Jimmie Johnson titles,
and a single-chassis racing COT.

Autostock

A.J. Allmendinger, Aric Almirola, Patrick Carpentier, Sam Hornish Jr., Chad McCumbee, Regan Smith, Jacques Villeneuve and Jon Wood made their Cup debuts in 2007.

On the ninth day of Christmas
NASCAR gave to me ...
Nine Hendrick COT wins,
Eight Cup Series debuts,
Seven Jeff Gordon poles,
Six Junior engine failures,
Five open-wheelers with rings,
Four first-time Cup winners,
Three series' wins for Rowdy,
Two Jimmie Johnson titles,
and a single-chassis racing COT.

Autostock

Hendrick Motorsports led the way in the COT, winning nine of 16 races. Kyle Busch won the first one at Bristol; Jimmie Johnson won five times in the new car and Jeff Gordon had three victories.

On the tenth day of Christmas
NASCAR gave to me ...
Ten wins for Jimmie,
Nine Hendrick COT wins,
Eight Cup Series debuts,
Seven Jeff Gordon poles,
Six Junior engine failures,
Five open-wheelers with rings,
Four first-time Cup winners,
Three series' wins for Rowdy,
Two Jimmie Johnson titles,
and a single-chassis racing COT.

Autostock

Jimmie Johnson led the Cup Series with 10 victories in 2007.

On the eleventh day of Christmas
NASCAR gave to me ...
Eleven Toyota top-10s,
Ten wins for Jimmie,
Nine Hendrick COT wins,
Eight Cup Series debuts,
Seven Jeff Gordon poles,
Six Junior engine failures,
Five open-wheelers with rings,
Four first-time Cup winners,
Three series' wins for Rowdy,
Two Jimmie Johnson titles,
and a single-chassis racing COT.

Autostock

Only three drivers posted top-10s for Toyota in 2007: Brian Vickers (5), Dave Blaney (4) and Michael Waltrip (2).

On the twelfth day of Christmas
NASCAR gave to me ...
Twelve Chasers chasing,
Eleven Toyota top-10s,
Ten wins for Jimmie,
Nine Hendrick COT wins,
Eight Cup Series debuts,
Seven Jeff Gordon poles,
Six Junior engine failures,
Five open-wheelers with rings,
Four first-time Cup winners,
Three series' wins for Rowdy,
Two Jimmie Johnson titles,
and a single-chassis racing COT.

Autostock

NASCAR increased the Chase for the Cup from 10 drivers to 12 in 2007.