Lowe’s Chevrolet driver Jimmie Johnson and the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series travel to Watkins Glen International Raceway for Sunday’s second and final road course race of the 2007 season. The 2006 champion broke his recent string of bad luck last weekend at Pocono where he finished fifth. Sunday’s race marks the first running of the Impala SS “Car of Tomorrow” on the 2.45 mile track.

With five races until the start of the “Chase for the Championship” Johnson is seventh in points. But under the new scoring system that equalizes the points for all 12 “Chase” drivers then adds ten points for each victory, Johnson would start the “Chase” tied for first with teammate Jeff Gordon – both own four victories. Johnson is looking for his first road course race victory of his career. He’s prioritized road course racing by testing at Road Atlanta in July as well as racing in Grand Am events at Daytona earlier this year. Johnson qualified a Daytona Prototype second in the July Rolex Series race at Daytona.

DRIVER JIMMIE JOHNSON QUOTES:

WATKINS GLEN AND ITS DIFFERENCES COMPARED TO INFINEON: "I love road course racing. I have been working hard to get better and better. One of my goals is to get a win on a road course. There’s history everywhere at Watkins Glen. The race will be tough as it always is. The number one goal is to stay on track. Any off track trip here and your day is just about ruined. The technical difference between Watkins Glen and (Infineon) is the aero platform you are trying to run in the car. At the Glen you have a lot higher speeds and the track is less abrasive so it seems to have more grip. You can get away with a lot stronger rear springs and keep a better aero platform in the car and help the splitter stay down on the ground and performing. At (Infineon) the corner speed is so slow and you have to accelerate so hard that you have to run a much softer rear spring package and you don’t have as good of an aero platform. It’s more mechanical grip.

“I think the key this weekend will be the guys that save their brakes for the shootout at the end are the ones who are going to do well. I’m going to try to manage my brakes the first half of the race and avoid running out of brakes at the end.”

NEW CHASE SCORING SYSTEM: "The ‘Chase’ format certainly is forgiving. I've been on both sides of it now where I've had a nice points lead and hated the fact that the Chase was coming. And then now being in the situation that if it worked to my advantage, I'd be right back in the middle of it. So, it’s an interesting range of emotions to go through. But the rules are the rules, and we're going to do everything we can to try to be the champion come the end of the season."

NOTES

Chassis

· Johnson will drive chassis 442 at Watkins Glen. This car finished 17th at Infineon this season in its only race. Chassis 419 will serve as the backup and has never raced.

Watkins Glen International Raceway

· In five starts, Johnson has completed 385 of 452 at Watkins Glen. He owns an average starting spot of 8.0 and average finish of 16.4.

2007 Season

· Johnson and teammate Jeff Gordon are the only drivers with four victories.

· Chevrolet has won 16 of the season’s 21 races.

· Hendrick Motorsports has won 10 of the season’s 21 races.

· Hendrick Motorsports has won 5 of the 8 “Car of Tomorrow “races.

· Johnson has led in 12 of 21 races for 763 laps in 2007.

Career

Johnson has won at least three races a season since he posted his first victory in 2002. He is the only driver in the modern era to win at least three races in each of his first six full-time seasons. Johnson’s victory at Richmond on May 6 was the 27th of his Nextel Cup career. This win gives him sole possession of 22nd place on the list for most victories since 1949. Johnson’s owns nine poles in his career. He has won a pole in each of his first five seasons – the longest streak among active drivers.

History

In 204 starts, Johnson has posted 76 top-5 finishes and 122 top-10 finishes. He has a top-10 finish at every track on the NASCAR Nextel Cup series circuit. Kansas is the only track where he has not posted a top-five finish. Johnson has led 4,958 laps and driven 58,246 laps in his Nextel Cup career covering over 78,264 miles. He has finished on the lead lap 154 times. He owns a career average start of 12.3 and an average finish of 12.4.

JOHNSON’S 2007 NEXTEL CUP SEASON RECORD

Race Site St Fin Laps Status Led

1 Daytona 21 39 173/202 crash 0

2 Fontana 23 3 250/250 running 31

3 Las Vegas 23 1 267/267 running 89

4 Atlanta 3 1 267/267 running 135

5 Bristol 6 16 503/504 running 0

6 Martinsville 20 1 500/500 running 113

7 Texas 3 38 260/334 running 0

8 Phoenix 5 4 312/312 running 0

9 Talladega 8 2 192/192 running 12

10 Richmond 4 1 400/400 running 105

11 Darlington 12 3 367/367 running 44

12 Lowe’s 21 10 400/400 running 83

13 Dover 27 15 399/400 running 0

14 Pocono 7 42 97/106 running 0

15 Michigan 2 19 199/200 running 56

16 Infineon 42 17 110/110 running 1

17 New Hampshire 10 5 300/300 running 12

18 Daytona 4 10 160/160 running 0

19 Chicagoland 8 37 222/267 crash 82

20 Indianapolis 19 39 59/160 crash 0

21 Pocono 7 5 200/200 running 0

JOHNSON’S WATKINS GLEN RECORD

Race St Fin Laps Money Status Led

2002-22 12 16 90/90 44,000 running 0

2003-22 20 4 90/90 86,850 running 0

2004-22 1 40 23/90 72,640 engine 1

2005-22 2 5 92/92 136,596 running 2

2006-22 5 17 90/90 110,111 running 1

No. 48 AT-TRACK CREW LIST

Name Shop Job Track Job Original Hometown

Knaus, Chad Crew Chief 48 Crew Chief 48 Rockford, Ill.

Anderson, Chris Asst. Parts Manager Jackman 48 Brooksville, Fla.

Anderson, Pamela N/A Scorer 48 Chilhowie, Va.

Bosserman, Todd Shock Specialist 48 Shock Specialist 48 Waynesboro, Va.

Claridge, Joe Mechanic Mechanic Barrington, N.H.

Clark, Matt Pit Crew Coach Pit Crew Coach North Haven, Ct.

Emerick, Danny Engine Tuner Engine Tuner 48 Bryn Mawr, Pa.

Evans, Brandon Engineer Engineer South Hill, Va.

Gray, Jason Truck Driver 48 Truck Driver 48 Concord, N.C.

Gutierrez, Rich Mechanic Gas Man 48 Yorba Linda, Ca.

Ives, Greg Race Engineer Race Engineer 48 Bark River, Mich.

Kerlin, Sean Mechanic Tire Specialist 48 Marysville, Pa.

Knauer, Mike Mechanic Catch Can 48 Cambridge, Md.

Ladyga, Tim Mechanic Rear Tire Changer 48 Norwich, Ct.

Liptrap, Rick Truck Driver Truck Driver 48 Baltimore, Md.

Malec, Ron Mechanic Car Chief 48/Rear Tire Carrier 48 Franklin, Wis.

Puchalski, Marc Mechanic 48 Mechanic 48 San Jose, Ca.

Reeves, Stevie Machinist Spotter 48 Speedway, Ind.

Rowe, Tony N/A Spotter/2nd Gas Man Wood River, Ill.

Simmons, Art Chassis Set Up Tire Carrier Kirksville, Mo.

Trower, Mike N/A Front Tire Changer