# 2007 Aaron's 499

The 2007 Aaron's 499 was the ninth race of the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Season, and was run on April 29, 2007, at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama. This race was the second of the four restrictor plate races on the NASCAR schedule.
Jeff Gordon won this race to pass Dale Earnhardt on the all-time NASCAR list at 77 wins. After he crossed the checkered flag, some spectators threw bottles, cans, and even toilet paper at the #24 car he drove for Hendrick Motorsports. As a result of this incident, in spite of warnings before the race by NASCAR and organizers, a total of 14 people were arrested, and Talladega management revoked their ticket-buying privileges. However, a loophole was later discovered through which these banned fans could buy tickets from third-party ticket brokers, such as StubHub. The race's other top finishers included Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch, David Gilliland, and Jamie McMurray in that order.
The race ended with an aborted green-white-checkered finish. Several cars were involved, including Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, McMurray, and Gilliland. Harvick and McMurray were later fined $25,000 and placed on probation for their actions during this accident. The finish had been triggered by an engine failure in the #00 car driven by David Reutimann.

## Entry list

| Car # | Driver | Hometown | Make | Owner/Team |
| 00 | David Reutimann (R) | Zephyrhills, FL | Toyota | Michael Waltrip |
| 01 | Regan Smith | Cato, NY | Chevrolet | Bobby Ginn |
| 1 | Martin Truex Jr | Mayetta, NJ | Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. |
| 2 | Kurt Busch | Las Vegas, NV | Dodge | Roger Penske |
| 4 | Ward Burton | South Boston, VA | Chevrolet | Larry McClure |
| 5 | Kyle Busch | Las Vegas, NV | Chevrolet | Rick Hendrick |
| 6 | David Ragan (R) | Unadilla, GA | Ford | Jack Roush |
| 07 | Clint Bowyer | Emporia, KS | Chevrolet | Richard Childress |
| 7 | Robby Gordon | Bellflower, CA | Ford | Robby Gordon |
| 8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr | Kannapolis, NC | Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. |
| 9 | Kasey Kahne | Enumclaw, WA | Dodge | Ray Evernham |
| 09 | Mike Wallace | St. Louis, MO | Chevrolet | James Finch |
| 10 | Scott Riggs | Bahama, NC | Dodge | James Rocco |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin | Chesterfield, VA | Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs |
| 12 | Ryan Newman | South Bend, IN | Dodge | Roger Penske |
| 13 | Joe Nemechek | Lakeland, FL | Chevrolet | Bobby Ginn |
| 14 | Sterling Marlin | Columbia, TN | Chevrolet | Bobby Ginn |
| 15 | Paul Menard (R) | Eau Claire, WI | Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. |
| 16 | Greg Biffle | Vancouver, WA | Ford | Jack Roush |
| 17 | Matt Kenseth | Cambridge, WI | Ford | Jack Roush |
| 18 | J.J. Yeley | Phoenix, AZ | Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs |
| 19 | Elliott Sadler | Emporia, VA | Dodge | Ray Evernham |
| 20 | Tony Stewart | Rushville, IN | Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs |
| 21 | Ken Schrader | Fenton, MO | Ford | Wood Brothers |
| 22 | Dave Blaney | Hartford, OH | Toyota | Bill Davis |
| 24 | Jeff Gordon | Vallejo, CA | Chevrolet | Rick Hendrick |
| 25 | Casey Mears | Bakersfield, CA | Chevrolet | Rick Hendrick |
| 26 | Jamie McMurray | Joplin, MO | Ford | Jack Roush |
| 29 | Kevin Harvick | Bakersfield, CA | Chevrolet | Richard Childress |
| 31 | Jeff Burton | South Boston, VA | Chevrolet | Richard Childress |
| 34 | Kevin Lepage | Shelburne, VT | Dodge | Bob Jenkins |
| 36 | Jeremy Mayfield | Owensboro, KY | Toyota | Bill Davis |
| 37 | John Andretti | Bethlehem, PA | Dodge | Bob Jenkins |
| 38 | David Gilliland (R) | Riverside, CA | Ford | Yates Racing |
| 40 | David Stremme | South Bend, IN | Dodge | Chip Ganassi |
| 41 | Reed Sorenson | Peachtree City, GA | Dodge | Chip Ganassi |
| 42 | Juan Pablo Montoya (R) | Bogota, Colombia | Dodge | Chip Ganassi |
| 43 | Bobby Labonte | Corpus Christi, TX | Dodge | Petty Enterprises |
| 44 | Dale Jarrett | Hickory, NC | Toyota | Michael Waltrip |
| 45 | Kyle Petty | Trinity, NC | Dodge | Petty Enterprises |
| 48 | Jimmie Johnson | El Cajon, CA | Chevrolet | Rick Hendrick |
| 49 | Mike Bliss | Milwaukie, OR | Dodge | Beth Ann Morgenthau |
| 55 | Michael Waltrip | Owensboro, KY | Toyota | Michael Waltrip |
| 60 | Boris Said | New York, NY | Ford | Mark Simo |
| 66 | Jeff Green | Owensboro, KY | Chevrolet | Gene Haas |
| 70 | Johnny Sauter | Necedah, WI | Chevrolet | Gene Haas |
| 78 | Kenny Wallace | St. Louis, MO | Chevrolet | Barney Visser |
| 83 | Brian Vickers | Thomasville, NC | Toyota | Dietrich Mateschitz |
| 84 | AJ Allmendinger (R) | Los Gatos, CA | Toyota | Dietrich Mateschitz |
| 88 | Ricky Rudd | Chesapeake, VA | Ford | Yates Racing |
| 96 | Tony Raines | LaPorte, IN | Chevrolet | Bill Saunders |
| 99 | Carl Edwards | Columbia, MO | Ford | Jack Roush |

## Qualifying

In qualifying, both Jeff Gordon and David Gilliland would tie for having the same time. The pole was given to Jeff Gordon, who had more owners points.
| Pos | Car # | Driver | Make | Team | Speed | Time | Behind |
| 1 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports | 192.069 | 49.857 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 38 | David Gilliland (R) | Ford | Robert Yates Racing | 192.069 | 49.857 | 0.000 |
| 3 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing | 191.551 | 49.992 | -0.135 |
| 4 | 14 | Sterling Marlin | Chevrolet | Ginn Racing | 191.023 | 50.130 | -0.273 |
| 5 | 88 | Ricky Rudd | Ford | Robert Yates Racing | 190.924 | 50.156 | -0.299 |
| 6 | 78 | Kenny Wallace | Chevrolet | Furniture Row Racing | 190.909 | 50.160 | -0.303 |
| 7 | 25 | Casey Mears | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports | 190.787 | 50.192 | -0.335 |
| 8 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports | 190.757 | 50.200 | -0.343 |
| 9 | 10 | Scott Riggs | Dodge | Evernham Motorsports | 190.465 | 50.277 | -0.420 |
| 10 | 6 | David Ragan (R) | Ford | Roush Racing | 190.393 | 50.296 | -0.439 |
| 11 | 60 | Boris Said | Ford | No Fear Racing | 190.393 | 50.296 | -0.439 |
| 12 | 16 | Greg Biffle | Ford | Roush Racing | 190.306 | 50.319 | -0.462 |
| 13 | 5 | Kyle Busch | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports | 190.234 | 50.338 | -0.481 |
| 14 | 00 | David Reutimann (R) | Toyota | Michael Waltrip Racing | 190.204 | 50.346 | -0.489 |
| 15 | 4 | Ward Burton | Chevrolet | Morgan McClure Motorsport | 190.177 | 50.353 | -0.496 |
| 16 | 99 | Carl Edwards | Ford | Roush Racing | 190.162 | 50.357 | -0.500 |
| 17 | 17 | Matt Kenseth | Ford | Roush Racing | 190.151 | 50.360 | -0.503 |
| 18 | 36 | Jeremy Mayfield | Toyota | Bill Davis Racing | 190.098 | 50.374 | -0.517 |
| 19 | 15 | Paul Menard (R) | Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt Inc. | 190.079 | 50.379 | -0.522 |
| 20 | 40 | David Stremme | Dodge | Chip Ganassi Racing | 189.974 | 50.407 | -0.550 |
| 21 | 70 | Johnny Sauter | Chevrolet | Haas CNC Racing | 189.940 | 50.416 | -0.559 |
| 22 | 01 | Regan Smith | Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt Inc. | 189.785 | 50.457 | -0.600 |
| 23 | 45 | Kyle Petty | Dodge | Petty Enterprises | 189.714 | 50.476 | -0.619 |
| 24 | 42 | Juan Pablo Montoya (R) | Dodge | Chip Ganassi Racing | 189.665 | 50.489 | -0.632 |
| 25 | 26 | Jamie McMurray | Ford | Roush Racing | 189.639 | 50.496 | -0.639 |
| 26 | 2 | Kurt Busch | Dodge | Penske Racing | 189.635 | 50.497 | -0.640 |
| 27 | 96 | Tony Raines | Chevrolet | Hall of Fame Racing | 189.598 | 50.507 | -0.650 |
| 28 | 12 | Ryan Newman | Dodge | Penske Racing | 189.429 | 50.552 | -0.695 |
| 29 | 41 | Reed Sorenson | Dodge | Chip Ganassi Racing | 189.223 | 50.607 | -0.750 |
| 30 | 9 | Kasey Kahne | Dodge | Evernham Motorsports | 188.935 | 50.684 | -0.827 |
| 31 | 18 | JJ Yeley | Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing | 188.872 | 50.701 | -0.844 |
| 32 | 20 | Tony Stewart | Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing | 188.675 | 50.754 | -0.897 |
| 33 | 13 | Joe Nemechek | Chevrolet | Ginn Racing | 188.493 | 50.803 | -0.946 |
| 34 | 66 | Jeff Green | Chevrolet | Haas CNC Racing | 188.448 | 50.815 | -0.958 |
| 35 | 43 | Bobby Labonte | Dodge | Petty Enterprises | 188.422 | 50.822 | -0.965 |
| 36 | 8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr | Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt Inc. | 188.389 | 50.831 | -0.974 |
| 37 | 1 | Martin Truex Jr | Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt Inc. | 188.370 | 50.836 | -0.979 |
| 38 | 7 | Robby Gordon | Ford | Robby Gordon Motorsport | 188.304 | 50.854 | -0.997 |
| 39 | 19 | Elliott Sadler | Dodge | Evernham Motorsports | 187.313 | 51.123 | -1.266 |
| 40 | 07 | Clint Bowyer | Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing | 187.101 | 51.181 | -1.324 |
| 41 | 29 | Kevin Harvick | Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing | 186.882 | 51.241 | -1.384 |
| 42 | 31 | Jeff Burton | Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing | 186.579 | 51.324 | -1.467 |
| 43 | 44 | Dale Jarrett | Toyota | Michael Waltrip Racing | | 51.581 | |
| Failed to qualify ||||||||
| 44 | 55 | Michael Waltrip | Toyota | Michael Waltrip Racing | | 50.388 | |
| 45 | 83 | Brian Vickers | Toyota | Red Bull Racing | | 50.406 | |
| 46 | 22 | Dave Blaney | Toyota | Bill Davis Racing | | 50.526 | |
| 47 | 84 | A.J. Allmendinger (R) | Toyota | Red Bull Racing | | 50.527 | |
| 48 | 21 | Ken Schrader | Ford | Wood Brothers Racing | | 50.636 | |
| 49 | 09 | Mike Wallace | Chevrolet | Phoenix Racing | | 50.667 | |
| 50 | 34 | Kevin Lepage | Dodge | Front Row Motorsprots | | 50.834 | |
| 51 | 37 | John Andretti | Dodge | Front Row Motorsprots | | 50.860 | |
| 52 | 49 | Mike Bliss | Dodge | BAM Racing | | 50.942 | |

## Race results

W (*) denotes Rookie of the Year candidate.
| Fin | St | # | Driver | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Pts | Winnings |
| 1 | 1 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Chevy | 192 | 71 | running | 195 | $355,511 |
| 2 | 8 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Chevy | 192 | 12 | running | 175 | $251,736 |
| 3 | 26 | 2 | Kurt Busch | Dodge | 192 | 7 | running | 170 | $212,483 |
| 4 | 2 | 38 | David Gilliland (R) | Ford | 192 | 0 | running | 160 | $182,689 |
| 5 | 25 | 26 | Jamie McMurray | Ford | 192 | 2 | running | 160 | $134,675 |
| 6 | 41 | 29 | Kevin Harvick | Chevy | 192 | 0 | running | 150 | $164,536 |
| 7 | 36 | 8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Chevy | 192 | 2 | running | 151 | $149,233 |
| 8 | 20 | 40 | David Stremme | Dodge | 192 | 1 | running | 147 | $106,025 |
| 9 | 28 | 12 | Ryan Newman | Dodge | 192 | 0 | running | 138 | $133,450 |
| 10 | 37 | 1 | Martin Truex Jr. | Chevy | 192 | 0 | running | 134 | $126,495 |
| 11 | 9 | 10 | Scott Riggs | Dodge | 192 | 0 | running | 130 | $107,050 |
| 12 | 30 | 9 | Kasey Kahne | Dodge | 192 | 5 | running | 132 | $138,891 |
| 13 | 34 | 66 | Jeff Green | Chevy | 192 | 3 | running | 129 | $120,933 |
| 14 | 17 | 17 | Matt Kenseth | Ford | 192 | 3 | running | 126 | $137,641 |
| 15 | 39 | 19 | Elliott Sadler | Dodge | 192 | 1 | running | 123 | $110,770 |
| 16 | 4 | 14 | Sterling Marlin | Chevy | 192 | 16 | running | 120 | $107,983 |
| 17 | 10 | 6 | David Ragan (R) | Ford | 192 | 2 | running | 117 | $127,100 |
| 18 | 23 | 45 | Kyle Petty | Dodge | 192 | 0 | running | 109 | $103,083 |
| 19 | 31 | 18 | J.J. Yeley | Chevy | 192 | 0 | running | 106 | $116,033 |
| 20 | 35 | 43 | Bobby Labonte | Dodge | 192 | 0 | running | 103 | $127,111 |
| 21 | 3 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Chevy | 192 | 48 | running | 105 | $102,550 |
| 22 | 27 | 96 | Tony Raines | Chevy | 192 | 0 | running | 97 | $96,425 |
| 23 | 18 | 36 | Jeremy Mayfield | Toyota | 192 | 0 | running | 94 | $83,075 |
| 24 | 22 | 01 | Regan Smith | Chevy | 192 | 1 | running | 96 | $104,258 |
| 25 | 29 | 41 | Reed Sorenson | Dodge | 192 | 0 | running | 88 | $101,947 |
| 26 | 6 | 78 | Kenny Wallace | Chevy | 192 | 2 | running | 90 | $83,325 |
| 27 | 11 | 60 | Boris Said | Ford | 191 | 1 | running | 87 | $80,775 |
| 28 | 32 | 20 | Tony Stewart | Chevy | 190 | 7 | crash | 84 | $127,761 |
| 29 | 12 | 16 | Greg Biffle | Ford | 190 | 1 | crash | 81 | $97,025 |
| 30 | 21 | 70 | Johnny Sauter | Chevy | 190 | 0 | crash | 73 | $79,325 |
| 31 | 24 | 42 | Juan Pablo Montoya (R) | Dodge | 187 | 0 | running | 70 | $115,750 |
| 32 | 14 | 00 | David Reutimann (R) | Toyota | 184 | 0 | engine | 67 | $78,525 |
| 33 | 5 | 88 | Ricky Rudd | Ford | 155 | 0 | running | 64 | $110,458 |
| 34 | 42 | 31 | Jeff Burton | Chevy | 151 | 2 | running | 66 | $118,266 |
| 35 | 40 | 07 | Clint Bowyer | Chevy | 147 | 0 | running | 58 | $86,125 |
| 36 | 15 | 4 | Ward Burton | Chevy | 144 | 0 | engine | 55 | $78,725 |
| 37 | 13 | 5 | Kyle Busch | Chevy | 130 | 0 | crash | 52 | $95,800 |
| 38 | 33 | 13 | Joe Nemechek | Chevy | 130 | 0 | crash | 49 | $77,450 |
| 39 | 7 | 25 | Casey Mears | Chevy | 124 | 5 | crash | 51 | $85,250 |
| 40 | 43 | 44 | Dale Jarrett | Toyota | 38 | 0 | engine | 43 | $77,000 |
| 41 | 38 | 7 | Robby Gordon | Ford | 33 | 0 | engine | 40 | $76,800 |
| 42 | 16 | 99 | Carl Edwards | Ford | 27 | 0 | engine | 37 | $84,630 |
| 43 | 19 | 15 | Paul Menard (R) | Chevy | 22 | 0 | engine | 34 | $76,737 |
| Failed to qualify ||||||||||
| 44 | | 55 | Michael Waltrip | Toyota | | | | | |
| 45 | | 83 | Brian Vickers | Toyota | | | | | |
| 46 | | 22 | Dave Blaney | Toyota | | | | | |
| 47 | | 84 | A.J. Allmendinger (R) | Toyota | | | | | |
| 48 | | 21 | Ken Schrader | Ford | | | | | |
| 49 | | 09 | Mike Wallace | Chevrolet | | | | | |
| 50 | | 34 | Kevin Lepage | Dodge | | | | | |
| 51 | | 37 | John Andretti | Dodge | | | | | |
| 52 | | 49 | Mike Bliss | Dodge | | | | | |