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Cross' Words: Phoenix (cont'd)
High Five
Jeff Gordon's quest for a fifth series championship isn't the only drive for five at Homestead:
Inside the Numbers
Drivers in the Modern Era who have won four consecutive races
| Year | Driver | Tracks |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Cale Yarborough * | Richmond, Dover, Martinsville, North Wilkesboro |
| 1981 | Darrell Waltrip * | Martinsville, North Wilkesboro, Charlotte, Rockingham |
| 1987 | Dale Earnhardt * | Darlington, North Wilkesboro, Bristol, Martinsville |
| 1991 | Harry Gant | Darlington, Richmond, Dover, Martinsville |
| 1992 | Bill Elliott | Rockingham, Richmond, Atlanta, Darlington |
| 1993 | Mark Martin | Watkins Glen, Michigan, Bristol, Darlington |
| 1998 | Jeff Gordon * | Pocono, Indianapolis, Watkins Glen, Michigan |
| 2007 | Jimmie Johnson | Martinsville, Atlanta, Texas, Phoenix |
* -- won the Cup Series championship
The last driver to win five in a row was Richard Petty in 1971: Malta, Islip, Trenton, Nashville and Atlanta. He won 21 races that year, and did not finish worse than fourth in his last 22 starts (12 wins, five second-place finishes, four third-place finishes and one fourth-place finish).
In 46 starts (out of 48 races) in '71, Petty's average finish was 4.2 -- including five DNFs: 13th, 17th, 20th, 20th and 38th. His worst finish in the other 41 races? Two seventh-place finishes; he had 38 top-fives. (Continued)
King's reign
Richard Petty's 1971 season stats
| Track | Start | Finish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside | 1 | 20 | engine |
| Daytona | 3 | 3 | running |
| Daytona | 5 | 1 | running |
| Ontario | 3 | 3 | running |
| Richmond | 30 | 1 | running |
| Rockingham | 2 | 1 | running |
| Hickory | 4 | 1 | running |
| Bristol | 2 | 2 | running |
| Atlanta | 3 | 2 | running |
| Columbia | 4 | 1 | running |
| Greenville | 4 | 7 | running |
| Maryville | 2 | 1 | running |
| North Wilkesboro | 3 | 1 | running |
| Martinsville | 3 | 1 | running |
| Darlington | 4 | 20 | engine |
| South Boston | 3 | 2 | running |
| Talladega | 5 | 38 | crash |
| Asheville | 1 | 1 | running |
| Kingsport | 2 | 17 | rear end |
| Charlotte | 5 | 4 | running |
| Dover | 1 | 3 | running |
| Michigan | 7 | 6 | running |
| Riverside | 2 | 13 | engine |
| Houston | 2 | 7 | running |
| Greenville | 2 | 1 | running |
| Daytona | 4 | 2 | running |
| Bristol | 1 | 3 | running |
| Malta | 1 | 1 | running |
| Islip | 1 | 1 | running |
| Trenton | 2 | 1 | running |
| Nashville | 1 | 1 | running |
| Atlanta | 3 | 1 | running |
| Winston-Salem | 1 | 2 | running |
| Ona | 2 | 1 | running |
| Michigan | 6 | 2 | running |
| Talladega | 5 | 2 | running |
| Columbia | 1 | 1 | running |
| Hickory | 4 | 3 | running |
| Darlington | 6 | 2 | running |
| Martinsville | 2 | 3 | running |
| Charlotte | 5 | 4 | running |
| Dover | 4 | 1 | running |
| Rockingham | 5 | 1 | running |
| Richmond | 11 | 1 | running |
| North Wilkesboro | 2 | 3 | running |
| College Station | 3 | 1 | running |
| Averages | 3.8 | 4.2 |
Note: Petty won the '71 Cup Series title by 364 points over James Hylton -- yes, the same James Hylton who attempted to qualify for the 2007 Daytona 500.
Checker Auto Parts 500
Official Results
| Pos. | Driver | Make |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Jimmie Johnson | Chevrolet |
| 2. | Greg Biffle | Ford |
| 3. | Matt Kenseth | Ford |
| 4. | Tony Stewart | Chevrolet |
| 5. | Ryan Newman | Dodge |
| 6. | Kevin Harvick | Chevrolet |
| 7. | Martin Truex Jr. | Chevrolet |
| 8. | Kyle Busch | Chevrolet |
| 9. | Jeff Burton | Chevrolet |
| 10. | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet |
Nextel Cup Series
Official Standings
| Pos. | +/- | Driver | Points | Behind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | -- | Jimmie Johnson | 6572 | Leader |
| 2. | -- | Jeff Gordon | 6486 | -86 |
| 3. | -- | Clint Bowyer* | 6331 | -241 |
| 4. | -- | Kyle Busch* | 6185 | -387 |
| 5. | +1 | Tony Stewart* | 6169 | -403 |
| 6. | +4 | Matt Kenseth* | 6103 | -469 |
| 7. | +1 | Kevin Harvick* | 6093 | -479 |
| 8. | -1 | Jeff Burton* | 6089 | -483 |
| 9. | -4 | Carl Edwards* | 6067 | -505 |
| 10. | -1 | Kurt Busch* | 6056 | -516 |
| 11. | +1 | Martin Truex Jr.* | 6009 | -563 |
| 12. | -1 | Denny Hamlin* | 5973 | -599 |
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