Race
The start of the race was halted by a nearly two hour rain delay as the estimated green flag was set to wave at 2:20 PM. When the race finally started, it was the same routine as last year; Hamlin leading the first lap. Although it was widely expected that Hamlin would again walk away with a victory, a caution flag set up a pit cycle. While Hamlin's crew opted for four tires, everyone else took two, and Hamlin would spend the rest of the day fighting through the field. Jeff Gordon's crew chief, Steve Letarte, called his driver in earlier than the rest of the field. With another rain shower approaching Pocono, he took the chance that all the other cars would have to pit after they did, thereby giving them the lead. Letarte's intuition proved correct as the race was called at lap 106 and Jeff Gordon ended up with his third Pocono 500 win. The actual race distance was 265 miles.
The caution for rain was called at exactly the right moment for Gordon. Right as the caution was called, Newman was in position to pass Gordon for the win. In addition, it was discovered after the race that Gordon's car had suffered a mechanical failure and would have had to spend time in the garage had the race restarted.
Top ten results:
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | #24 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2. | #12 | Ryan Newman | Dodge | Penske Racing |
| 3. | #1 | Martin Truex Jr. | Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt Inc. |
| 4. | #25 | Casey Mears | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 5. | #20 | Tony Stewart | Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 6. | #11 | Denny Hamlin | Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 7. | #01 | Mark Martin | Chevrolet | Ginn Racing |
| 8. | #5 | Kyle Busch | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 9. | #17 | Matt Kenseth | Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 10. | #07 | Clint Bowyer | Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
Read more about this topic: 2007 Pocono 500
Famous quotes containing the word race:
“Like a tale of little meaning though the words are strong;
Chanted from an ill-used race of men that cleave the soil,
Sow the seed, and reap the harvest with enduring toil,
Storing yearly little dues of wheat, and wine and oil;
Till they perish and they suffer—some, ‘tis
whispered—down in hell”
—Alfred Tennyson (1809–1892)
“In the race for wealth, a neighbor tries to outdo his neighbor, but this strife is good for men. For the potter envies potter, and the carpenter the carpenter, and the beggar rivals the beggar, and the singer the singer.”
—Hesiod (c. 8th century B.C.)