Race Weekend Central

Numbers Game: 2006 Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix

0.250
Kevin Harvick‘s margin of victory over Jimmie Johnson at Phoenix (in seconds).

1
Car that fell to the back of the field at the start of the Checker Auto Parts “500.”
(No. 7 – Robby Gordon, engine change)

3rd
Denny Hamlin‘s finishing position, earning him Rookie of the Race honors for the 17th time this season.

3
Drivers that have started all 21 Cup races at Phoenix International Raceway (Dale Jarrett, Mark Martin and Ken Schrader).

3 hours, 14 minutes, 44 seconds
Time it took to complete the Checker Auto Parts “500.”

5
Chase drivers mathematically eliminated from contention with one race remaining. (Jeff Burton, Martin, Kasey Kahne and Kyle Busch are over 190 points out of the lead and therefore eliminated. Jeff Gordon will be officially eliminated when Johnson starts the race in Homestead.)

7
Penalties handed down by NASCAR Sunday during the running of the Checker Auto Parts “500.”

8
Number of cars that failed to make the starting field.
(Jason Leffler – No. 71; Todd Kluever – No. 06; Morgan Shepherd – No. 89; Brandon Ash – No. 02; Kevin Lepage – No. 34; Kenny Wallace – No. 78; Derrike Cope – No. 74; Jeremy Mayfield – No. 09)

10
Caution flags for a total of 58 laps at Phoenix.

10
Career wins for Harvick in 213 Cup starts.

12
Lead changes among seven drivers Sunday.

12th
The worst Johnson can finish at Homestead to clinch the Cup championship, regardless of any other driver’s performance.

19
Top-10 finishes in 2006 for Carl Edwards.

27
Positions gained by Johnson in the Checker Auto Parts “500” to win the USG Improving the Finish Award.

Editor’s Note: Before you leave a comment, please note that teams must be a participant in the USG program to be eligible for this contingency award.

29th
The furthest back a winner has started at Phoenix. This occurred when Ricky Rudd won the 1995 running of the Checker Auto Parts “500.”

36
Cars running at the end of the Checker Auto Parts “500,” 26 of those on the lead lap.

43rd
Brandon Whitt‘s finishing position Sunday in his first career Cup race. He completed 123 laps before retiring due to transmission failure in the No. 72 Dutch Quality Stone Chevrolet.

63
Points that Johnson leads Matt Kenseth by in the Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup.

83
Career wins for car owner Richard Childress after Harvick’s trip to victory lane on Sunday.

96.131
Average race speed at Phoenix (in mph).

115
Points that the top-five drivers in the standings are separated by heading to Homestead next week.

134.464
Jeff Gordon’s pole-winning speed at Phoenix (in mph).

252
Laps led by race winner Harvick in the Checker Auto Parts “500,” the most of any driver.

312
Laps in the Checker Auto Parts “500,” equaling 500 kilometers… or 312 miles.

106,000
Estimated crowd in attendance at Phoenix.

$216,825
Harvick’s purse for winning the Checker Auto Parts “500.”

$4,952,924
Total purse for the Checker Auto Parts “500.”

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The Frontstretch Staff is made up of a group of talented men and women spread out all over the United States and Canada. Residing in 15 states throughout the country, plus Ontario, and widely ranging in age, the staff showcases a wide variety of diverse opinions that will keep you coming back for more week in and week out.

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