2007 Allstate 400 at The Brickyard - Pre-Race

Pre-Race

Two NEXTEL Cup teams announced changes in their ownership just before this race:

• Dale Earnhardt Inc. merged with Ginn Racing, taking over the #01 team of Mark Martin and Aric Almirola, and closing the #13 and #14 teams after Ginn had released Joe Nemechek and Sterling Marlin because of sponsorship difficulties. The #14 and #15 teams switched positions in the standings, guaranteeing Paul Menard, the driver of the #15, a starting spot. Regan Smith, who had shared driving duties with Martin, was re-assigned to the Craftsman Truck Series.
• It was also announced that actor - and supporter of the Victory Junction Gang Camp - Paul Newman would return to NASCAR after a prolonged absence last running the #37 Kmart sponsored Ford in the mid-1990s by purchasing the Robert Yates Racing franchise and running the teams under the newly established Yates/Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing banner, which has been successful in the open-wheel Champ Car World Series.

Two other rumored announcements - one in which Hendrick Motorsports would finalize a deal with PepsiCo, with the Mountain Dew and AMP Energy Drink brand sharing a race schedule on the #5 with new driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and that Budweiser, Earnhardt Jr.'s current sponsor, would switch its money over to the #9 team, owner Evernham Motorsports and driver Kasey Kahne - did not materialize.

Terry Labonte filled in for Michael Waltrip in the #55 Toyota which originally made Bill Elliott, winner of the 2002 race, and his #21 Wood Brothers/JTG Racing team ineligible for the past champion's provisional since Labonte's championship is more recent than Elliott's. However, with the closing of the #13 and #14 teams from Ginn, Elliott was assured of racing in this event.

Originally, there were a total of 51 cars with an entry including the #13 listed driverless and sponsorless as well as the #14 with Smith driving, but with the DEI/Ginn merger, the final total was 49 cars.