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NASCAR Nextel Cup - Checker Auto Parts 500
Dates: November 9, 2006 - November 12, 2006
Location: Avondale, AZ (Phoenix)
Article:
Mike Maez
Photos:
Mike Bender, Mike Maez |
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Every year as NASCAR descends upon the "Valley of the Sun" it brings a national television audience, countless celebrities, high flying f-16's, and over 150,000 people to Phoenix International Raceway. This November's Nextel Cup Race was no exception. In what ended up as a 2006 Nextel Cup sweep for Kevin Harvick in Phoenix, the #29 Reese's Cookies Chevrolet proved to be an unstoppable force once more.
In what is always an exciting and caution-flag filled race, the 312 lap NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Checker Auto Parts 500 did not disappoint. Although Jeff Gordon earned himself the pole in qualifying, most eyes were on the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup series point leader, Jimmie Johnson. While the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet finished a close second to Harvick, Johnson can clinch the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Championship by finishing 12th or better at the season finale next weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
     
Not to Harvick's discredit, the #29 car carved through a race that saw twelve lead changes among 7 drivers and 10 cautions. When it came down to the final laps though, Harvick was worried about finishing altogether as battery problems proved to get the best of him, if only for a few minutes. A late caution brought the red flag out with just five laps remaining. This brought the entire field to a halt and forced Harvick to get a push from one of PIR's tow trucks to get moving again. Once up and running Harvick managed to keep Johnson at bay, flying past the checkered flag to secure the win.
Look forward to even more coverage of the NASCAR NEXTEL CUP series from Car and Model in 2007!
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