NASCAR Daily News Headlines * December 8, 2007

GM Earns 21 Championships In 2007

Chevrolet breaking its single season win record in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series with 26 victories in 36 races and scoring its 600th victory in the series The bowtie brand winning its 16th NHRA manufacturers championship, marking the 25th-consecutive year a GM nameplate has earned this prestigious honor Pontiac sweeping the Daytona Prototype driver, team and manufacturer titles in the Grand-Am Rolex Series Rod Hall in his HUMMER H3 capturing his 19th victory of the Baja 1000 after competing in the event every year since its inception 40 years ago Corvette Racing sweeping GT1 drivers', team and manufacturers' titles in the American Le Mans Series with victories at significant events including Sebring and Petit Le Mans Cadillac netting the SPEED GT World Challenge manufacturers championship GM-powered vehicles also collected victories at several prestigious events this year including the Daytona 500, Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, NHRA U.S. Nationals, Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, Petit Le Mans (GT1 class) and the Baja 1000.

"Our entire GM racing family has gone above and beyond to make 2007 an exceptional race season," said Mark Kent, director of GM Racing. "I want to thank all of our GM Racing engineers, teams and drivers for their dedication, commitment and hard work that made this race season an unforgettable one for GM. Our strong performance on the race track helps to generate the same strong performance in the marketplace and we look forward to continuing that success as we prepare for 2008."

Chevrolet Celebrates Unprecedented NASCAR Season

This year was a remarkable one for Team Chevy in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. Chevrolet experienced its best season ever scoring 26 victories in 36 races - breaking its all-time season win record set in 1958 - while also scoring driver's and manufacturers' titles. The victorious season was especially noteworthy as Chevy's achievements took place during a year with many significant changes including the debut of the Impala SS new-generation race car and the new Chevrolet R07 engine.

A total of 10 Chevy drivers contributed victories to the bowtie brand's record-setting season. Jimmie Johnson netted 10 of Chevy's wins in his No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet en route to his second consecutive Nextel Cup title, the 24th drivers championship for Chevrolet. In addition to Johnson, other Team Chevy drivers scoring victories include Jeff Gordon (six), Tony Stewart (three), Jeff Burton (one), Denny Hamlin (one), Casey Mears (one), Martin Truex, Jr. (one), Kevin Harvick (one), Kyle Busch (one) and Clint Bowyer (one). Chevy race cars helped power Bowyer, Mears and Truex to their first-ever Nextel Cup wins while Busch's victory was the 600th win for Chevrolet and the first victory for the Impala SS race car. These contributions were all critical in helping the bowtie brand win the Manufacturers Cup for the fifth-straight year and 31st time overall.

Not to be outdone, Chevy also had successful seasons in the Craftsman Truck and Busch Series. In the final race of the season, Ron Hornaday clinched his third drivers championship in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Hornaday's title is the ninth for Silverado in the 13-year history of the series and first-ever NASCAR national championship for team owners Kevin and DeLana Harvick. Chevy Silverado finished second in the manufacturer standings with seven victories - four from Hornaday, two from Chevy Nextel Cup regular Kyle Busch and one from Dennis Setzer - while Willie Allen took Raybestos Rookie of the Year honors for Chevrolet. In NASCAR's Busch Series, Team Chevy drivers scored 22 wins this season to clinch the Bill France Performance Cup. It is the 14th of 17 possible manufacturers' titles for Chevrolet in the series. Kevin Harvick finished the season as the highest-ranking Chevrolet driver - even while running a partial schedule - with six series wins including the inaugural Busch Series race in Montreal. Harvick was fourth in the standings after competing in 26 of the 35 Busch Series events.

Roush Fan Of The Year Contest

Once the voting ends, the winner will be announced on (www.RoushFenway.com) on Monday, December 17, 2007. Fan club member online votes will be the only determining factor in the selection of the winner.

The 2007 Roush Fenway Racing Fan of the Year will be the team's VIP guest at the 2008 Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 25, 2008. Schedule and details will be provided to the winning fan at a later date.

The winner will also receive apparel and merchandise designating them as the 2007 Roush Fenway Racing Fan of the Year. S/he will be recognized in a display at the Roush Fenway Racing museum in Concord, North Carolina and will be featured on RoushFenway.com in a designated 2007 Fan of the Year area. The 2007 Roush Fenway Racing Fan of the Year will serve as an "unofficial spokesperson" of the Roush Fenway Racing Online Fan Clubs on (www.RoushFenway.com) and will be used in various press releases and online materials throughout the year.

Sam Bass Holiday Collection To Be Auctioned For Charity

The 2007 Sam Bass Holiday Collection is comprised of 12 of NASCAR’s top drivers and a Sam Bass Gallery 2007 holiday die cast. For each driver’s car, Bass created original illustrations related to individual personalities and hobbies both at and away from the track. The 6-day online auction will run December 6-12 on NASCAR.com.

“I am very proud and honored to donate my original holiday car artwork to The NASCAR Foundation. I love the holidays and sincerely hope that these works will end up benefiting so many people who are in need, making their holiday season brighter in some way,” said Bass.

The NASCAR Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that embodies the compassion of the NASCAR Family. The NASCAR Foundation assists over 33 driver, team and track charities that support a variety of causes including children, animal welfare and wildlife conservation. Earlier this year, The Foundation made a $500,000 donation to the Victory Junction Gang Camp from funds raised during their annual NASCAR Day celebration. Bass was the designer of the 2007 NASCAR Day pin.

“This is a great holiday program we are proud to offer our fans,” said Sandy Marshall, executive director of The NASCAR Foundation. “Not only do fans get the chance to own a one-of-a-kind piece of Sam Bass original artwork of their favorite driver, but they are also helping support a very worthy cause.” For more information on the auction and other foundation activities visit (www.nascar.com/foundation).

Edwards Collects $2.4 Million

The series’ $8.4 million point fund this season included a record $4.5 million contribution from outgoing sponsor Anheuser-Busch. In its 26 years as series sponsor A-B contributed over $18.4 million to the NASCAR Busch Series point fund, growing from $50,000 in its inaugural season in 1982.

The 2007 season marked the second consecutive year that every race purse exceeded $1 million. Fifteen drivers earned $1 million or more in total winnings including series regulars Jason Leffler, Bobby Hamilton Jr., Stephen Leicht, Marcos Ambrose and Mike Wallace.

In 105 career starts, Edwards – the 19th and final champion under the Busch brand sponsor banner – has totaled $6,139,648. His 2007 total marks the first time he has surpassed $2 million in series earnings. Edwards garnered $25,000 in contingency money by claiming the Sunoco Diamond Performance Award. He was also named the series’ Most Popular Driver for the first time.

Other contingency award winners were David Ragan (Raybestos Rookie of the Year), Denny Hamlin (Busch Pole Award), David Reutimann (Mobil One Command Performance Award), Bobby Hamilton Jr. (Featherlite Most Improved Driver Award), Scott Wimmer (Checkers/Rally’s Double Drive-Thru Challenge Award) and Mike Wallace (WIX Filters Lap Leader Award).