Eight '07 NASCAR champs join Johnson in New York

NEW YORK -- NASCAR's 2007 champions gathered Thursday for the 12th annual photo shoot traditionally taken at a New York City landmark. This year, the photo was shot at New York's Brooklyn Bridge Park. NASCAR's national series, developmental series and weekly series champions joined in smiling for the cameras with the 124-year-old landmark bridge as the backdrop.

The photo session was one of the major highlights of the day which included an appearance at the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Media Luncheon at Cipriani 42nd Street and a private dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on Park Avenue, where the drivers each signed mats that will be used in framing their champion's "class picture." Their evening was to be capped by attending the invitation-only Sprint Party at New York's Marquee night club.

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Betty Jane France

Dale Earnhardt Jr., who finished 16th in the Nextel Cup Series standings, won the Chex Cereals Most Popular Driver Award for the fifth consecutive year.

"I was pretty honored for my fans to back me up and win the award for me again this year," Earnhardt said. "It's a coveted award. Looking at past years, it's very hard to win. I never thought or anticipated that I would be winning this award. There are a lot of drivers who would be proud to have it and I'm proud to come hear again and pick it up."

The visionary Bill France Jr., who passed away in June, won the Myers Brothers Award. Betty Jane France accepted the award to a standing ovation on behalf of her late husband and former NASCAR chairman and CEO.

The day's events were the biggest so far for NASCAR's six 2007 regional and developmental series champions, who joined their national series peers for the Cipriani luncheon and the Brooklyn Bridge photo session.

Andrew Ranger of Quebec, champion of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series and best known as a Champ Car driver prior to 2007, met his fellow NASCAR champions for the first time.

"This is my first time to New York, and I'm really surprised at how big the city is," Ranger said. "NASCAR has given us a huge opportunity to come here and meet a lot of people. Normally, you win a championship, get a trophy and go home. To be here in the same room with Jimmie Johnson and Juan Montoya makes my first NASCAR championship even more special."

Joey Logano, 17, of Middletown, Conn., is NASCAR's Grand National Division, Busch East Series champion. A developmental driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, he's already well known to NASCAR national series drivers, but he's never seen how national series drivers receive their honors.

"It's pretty cool to see what NASCAR does with its champions in New York," Logano said. "There is so much more that goes on behind the scenes before the banquet that you don't see on television. It's been a great experience and I'm just trying to take it all in." (Continued)