# 2008 Subway Fresh Fit 500

The 2008 Subway Fresh Fit 500 was the eighth race for the NASCAR Sprint Cup season and ran on Saturday, April 12 at Phoenix International Raceway for 312 laps in Avondale, Arizona. The race was broadcast on television by Fox starting at 8:53 PM US EDT, and broadcast via radio and Sirius Satellite Radio on the Motor Racing Network beginning at 7:45 PM US EDT.

## Pre-Race News

* Jeremy Mayfield was dropped as the driver of the Haas CNC Racing #70 Chevrolet and replaced by the former driver of the #70 car they own, Johnny Sauter.

## Qualifying

Daytona 500 champion Ryan Newman won the pole position, the 34th of his career. Elliott Sadler started on the outside. Kyle Petty and John Andretti failed to qualify.

### Full qualifying results

| RANK | DRIVER | NBR | CAR | TIME | SPEED | |
| 1 | Ryan Newman | 12 | Dodge | 26.975 | 133.457 | |
| 2 | Elliott Sadler | 19 | Dodge | 26.984 | 133.412 | |
| 3 | Carl Edwards | 99 | Ford | 26.991 | 133.378 | |
| 4 | Mark Martin | 8 | Chevrolet | 26.993 | 133.368 | |
| 5 | Kasey Kahne | 9 | Dodge | 27.006 | 133.304 | |
| 6 | Kyle Busch | 18 | Toyota | 27.012 | 133.274 | |
| 7 | Jimmie Johnson | 48 | Chevrolet | 27.019 | 133.240 | |
| 8 | Jamie McMurray | 26 | Ford | 27.029 | 133.190 | |
| 9 | Martin Truex Jr. | 1 | Chevrolet | 27.093 | 132.876 | |
| 10 | Scott Riggs | 66 | Chevrolet | 27.094 | 132.871 | |
| 11 | Jeff Gordon | 24 | Chevrolet | 27.098 | 132.851 | |
| 12 | Tony Stewart | 20 | Toyota | 27.101 | 132.836 | |
| 13 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 88 | Chevrolet | 27.126 | 132.714 | |
| 14 | Paul Menard | 15 | Chevrolet | 27.128 | 132.704 | |
| 15 | Juan Pablo Montoya | 42 | Dodge | 27.159 | 132.553 | |
| 16 | Denny Hamlin | 11 | Toyota | 27.187 | 132.416 | |
| 17 | Kevin Harvick | 29 | Chevrolet | 27.191 | 132.397 | |
| 18 | Greg Biffle | 16 | Ford | 27.220 | 132.256 | |
| 19 | Dave Blaney | 22 | Toyota | 27.220 | 132.256 | * |
| 20 | Reed Sorenson | 41 | Dodge | 27.258 | 132.071 | |
| 21 | Dario Franchitti | 40 | Dodge | 27.264 | 132.042 | * |
| 22 | J.J. Yeley | 96 | Toyota | 27.279 | 131.970 | |
| 23 | David Ragan | 6 | Ford | 27.284 | 131.945 | |
| 24 | Clint Bowyer | 07 | Chevrolet | 27.289 | 131.921 | |
| 25 | Mike Skinner | 84 | Toyota | 27.296 | 131.887 | * |
| 26 | David Reutimann | 44 | Toyota | 27.314 | 131.801 | * |
| 27 | Matt Kenseth | 17 | Ford | 27.322 | 131.762 | |
| 28 | Michael Waltrip | 55 | Toyota | 27.323 | 131.757 | |
| 29 | Michael McDowell | 00 | Toyota | 27.334 | 131.704 | |
| 30 | Casey Mears | 5 | Chevrolet | 27.344 | 131.656 | |
| 31 | Sam Hornish Jr. | 77 | Dodge | 27.352 | 131.617 | |
| 32 | Travis Kvapil | 28 | Ford | 27.354 | 131.608 | |
| 33 | Brian Vickers | 83 | Toyota | 27.382 | 131.473 | |
| 34 | Bobby Labonte | 43 | Dodge | 27.394 | 131.416 | |
| 35 | Robby Gordon | 7 | Dodge | 27.423 | 131.277 | |
| 36 | David Gilliland | 38 | Ford | 27.434 | 131.224 | |
| 37 | Patrick Carpentier | 10 | Dodge | 27.446 | 131.167 | * |
| 38 | Regan Smith | 01 | Chevrolet | 27.459 | 131.105 | |
| 39 | Jeff Burton | 31 | Chevrolet | 27.496 | 130.928 | |
| 40 | Kurt Busch | 2 | Dodge | 27.496 | 130.928 | |
| 41 | Joe Nemechek | 78 | Chevrolet | 27.569 | 130.581 | * |
| 42 | Johnny Sauter | 70 | Chevrolet | 27.590 | 130.482 | * |
| 43 | Kyle Petty | 45 | Dodge | 27.697 | 129.978 | * |
| 44 | Bill Elliott | 21 | Ford | 27.793 | 129.529 | PC |
| 45 | John Andretti | 34 | Chevrolet | 27.814 | 129.431 | * |
OP: qualified via owners points
PC: qualified as past champion
PR: provisional
QR: via qualifying race
* - had to qualify on time

## The race

The outcome of this race was determined largely on fuel mileage strategy. Based on crew chief Chad Knaus' calculations, Jimmie Johnson stayed out late in the race while leaders Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin entered their pits. Johnson held on for the win while Clint Bowyer finished second.
Jeff Burton climbed from 39th starting position to a sixth-place finish and retained his lead in points.

## Results

| POS | ST | # | DRIVER | SPONSOR / OWNER | CAR | LAPS | MONEY | STATUS | LED | PTS |
| 1 | 2 | 99 | Carl Edwards | Aflac (Jack Roush) | Ford | 339 | 541150 | running | 123 | 195 |
| 2 | 5 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Lowe's (Rick Hendrick) | Chevrolet | 339 | 364286 | running | 65 | 175 |
| 3 | 3 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Interstate Batteries (Joe Gibbs) | Toyota | 339 | 250750 | running | 50 | 170 |
| 4 | 4 | 12 | Ryan Newman | Alltel / Samsung (Roger Penske) | Dodge | 339 | 236725 | running | 0 | 135 |
| 5 | 14 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | FedEx Ground (Joe Gibbs) | Toyota | 339 | 206841 | running | 0 | 155 |
| 6 | 35 | 31 | Jeff Burton | Prilosec OTC (Richard Childress) | Chevrolet | 339 | 197033 | running | 0 | 150 |
| 7 | 24 | 20 | Tony Stewart | Home Depot (Joe Gibbs) | Toyota | 339 | 184236 | running | 0 | 146 |
| 8 | 31 | 8 | Mark Martin | U.S. Army (Dale Earnhardt, Inc.) | Chevrolet | 339 | 174358 | running | 0 | 142 |
| 9 | 8 | 17 | Matt Kenseth | DeWalt (Jack Roush) | Ford | 339 | 173891 | running | 68 | 143 |
| 10 | 25 | 07 | Clint Bowyer | Jack Daniel's (Richard Childress) | Chevrolet | 339 | 145025 | running | 0 | 134 |
| 11 | 21 | 29 | Kevin Harvick | Shell / Pennzoil (Richard Childress) | Chevrolet | 338 | 167411 | running | 0 | 130 |
| 12 | 1 | 88 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | National Guard / AMP Energy (Rick Hendrick) | Chevrolet | 338 | 151275 | running | 31 | 132 |
| 13 | 7 | 6 | David Ragan | AAA Insurance (Jack Roush) | Ford | 338 | 131125 | running | 0 | 124 |
| 14 | 32 | 26 | Jamie McMurray | Crown Royal Cask No. 16 (Jack Roush) | Ford | 338 | 128375 | running | 0 | 121 |
| 15 | 41 | 38 | David Gilliland | Yates Racing (Yates Racing) | Ford | 338 | 138083 | running | 0 | 118 |
| 16 | 36 | 83 | Brian Vickers | Red Bull (Dietrich Mateschitz) | Toyota | 338 | 116725 | running | 0 | 115 |
| 17 | 19 | 15 | Paul Menard | Menards / Quaker State (Dale Earnhardt, Inc.) | Chevrolet | 338 | 123125 | running | 0 | 112 |
| 18 | 38 | 28 | Travis Kvapil | Yates Racing (Yates Racing) | Ford | 338 | 140639 | running | 0 | 109 |
| 19 | 11 | 42 | Juan Pablo Montoya | Texaco / Havoline (Chip Ganassi) | Dodge | 337 | 139733 | running | 0 | 106 |
| 20 | 30 | 43 | Bobby Labonte | Cheerios / Sam's Club (Petty Enterprises) | Dodge | 337 | 149511 | running | 0 | 103 |
| 21 | 29 | 22 | Dave Blaney | Caterpillar (Bill Davis) | Toyota | 337 | 124783 | running | 0 | 100 |
| 22 | 22 | 5 | Casey Mears | Cheez-It / Carquest (Rick Hendrick) | Chevrolet | 337 | 121625 | running | 0 | 97 |
| 23 | 23 | 2 | Kurt Busch | Miller Lite (Roger Penske) | Dodge | 337 | 102125 | running | 0 | 94 |
| 24 | 42 | 41 | Reed Sorenson | Target (Chip Ganassi) | Dodge | 337 | 132189 | running | 0 | 91 |
| 25 | 10 | 9 | Kasey Kahne | Budweiser (Gillett Evernham Motorsports) | Dodge | 336 | 132916 | running | 0 | 88 |
| 26 | 26 | 19 | Elliott Sadler | Best Buy (Gillett Evernham Motorsports) | Dodge | 336 | 127170 | running | 0 | 85 |
| 27 | 13 | 66 | Scott Riggs | State Water Heaters (Gene Haas) | Chevrolet | 336 | 113383 | running | 0 | 82 |
| 28 | 27 | 10 | Patrick Carpentier | Valvoline (Gillett Evernham Motorsports) | Dodge | 335 | 99125 | running | 0 | 79 |
| 29 | 9 | 84 | Mike Skinner | Red Bull (Dietrich Mateschitz) | Toyota | 334 | 93525 | running | 0 | 76 |
| 30 | 15 | 7 | Robby Gordon | Jim Beam (Robby Gordon) | Dodge | 334 | 115533 | running | 0 | 73 |
| 31 | 20 | 55 | Michael Waltrip | NAPA Auto Parts (Michael Waltrip) | Toyota | 333 | 99997 | running | 0 | 70 |
| 32 | 17 | 77 | Sam Hornish Jr. | Mobil 1 (Roger Penske) | Dodge | 333 | 134925 | running | 0 | 67 |
| 33 | 40 | 00 | Michael McDowell | Aaron's Dream Machine (Michael Waltrip) | Toyota | 332 | 91700 | running | 0 | 64 |
| 34 | 28 | 21 | Bill Elliott | Motorcraft (Wood Brothers) | Ford | 332 | 105495 | running | 0 | 61 |
| 35 | 34 | 01 | Regan Smith | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (Dale Earnhardt, Inc.) | Chevrolet | 331 | 94025 | running | 0 | 58 |
| 36 | 12 | 1 | Martin Truex Jr. | Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats (Dale Earnhardt, Inc.) | Chevrolet | 330 | 115908 | engine | 2 | 60 |
| 37 | 43 | 78 | Joe Nemechek | Furniture Row Racing (Barney Visser) | Chevrolet | 330 | 83775 | running | 0 | 52 |
| 38 | 39 | 70 | Jeremy Mayfield | Haas Automation (Gene Haas) | Chevrolet | 329 | 82625 | running | 0 | 49 |
| 39 | 16 | 16 | Greg Biffle | Dish Network (Jack Roush) | Ford | 312 | 90500 | running | 0 | 46 |
| 40 | 37 | 34 | John Andretti | Front Row Motorsports (Bob Jenkins) | Chevrolet | 263 | 82375 | suspension | 0 | 43 |
| 41 | 6 | 44 | David Reutimann | UPS (Michael Waltrip) | Toyota | 253 | 82260 | engine | 0 | 40 |
| 42 | 33 | 96 | J.J. Yeley | DLP HDTV (Jeff Moorad) | Toyota | 173 | 90165 | crash | 0 | 37 |
| 43 | 18 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | DuPont (Rick Hendrick) | Chevrolet | 124 | 131327 | crash | 0 | 34 |
| Failed to qualify |||||||||||
| POS | NAME | NBR | SPONSOR | OWNER | CAR | | | | | |
| 44 | Kyle Petty | 45 | Wells Fargo | Petty Enterprises | Dodge | | | | | |
| 45 | John Andretti | 34 | Front Row Motorsports | Bob Jenkins | Chevrolet | | | | | |

## Yankees / Red Sox coverage

Coverage of the pre-race was interrupted when Fox switched over to cover the remaining New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox baseball game which had been delayed due to rain. Fox then switched back to the race as the cars were on the dogleg just after the start. The final two pitches of the game were shown on the cable / satellite channel FX leaving some baseball fans confused. Fox was contractually required to show the entire race on its broadcast network.
NASCAR fans were upset that the network did not show the invocation and national anthem, especially as it was realized that the game was shown on both Fox and FX, in a simulcast, for about 10 minutes. Theoretically, the baseball game could have continued on Fox and the pre-race ceremonies would have been seen on FX, but parent company News Corporation chose not to use that option.
This is the first known occurrence in the history in American sports television that a network missed both the ending of one event (similar to the Heidi Game, except that there was an option to see the remainder of it) and the beginning of another.
On the Speed Channel rebroadcast later that week, the start of the race was shown, in real time, from Brett Bodine pulling the pace car to pit road, and Fox analyst Larry McReynolds waving the green flag, all the way through the entire first lap. It is evident in that replay that the broadcast started on the backstretch as the graphics package did not appear until the cars were on the dogleg.