From the July, 2007 issue of Stock Car Insider

Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway Recap

This year's Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway was a lesson on how good life is when you work well with your teammates and how things can quickly fall apart when you don't. Just ask teammates Jamie McMurray and Carl Edwards who worked together at the end to finish in 1st and 4th respectively. Or, you can ask teammates Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin who worked against each other while battling for the lead early in the race and finished 38th and 43rd respectively.

While both Tony and Denny are practically locked into the Chase for the Championship (Denny currently sits in 2nd while Tony is in 7th) and were not seriously affected by their lack of cooperation, both Carl Edwards and Jamie McMurray had more to gain by cooperating. By winning the race, Jamie now sits 13th in points with only 50 points separating him from the 12th and final qualifying position for the Chase for the Championship. It only helps Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth to have one more teammate qualified for the Chase.

Other drivers to note:

Dale Earnhardt Jr suffered major setbacks in the Pepsi 400. Once considered a ringer at restrictor plate races, Jr has since fallen from glory. After getting caught up in an early race wreck, Jr was never able to fully recover and finished in 36th. Jr now sits 12th in points with only 50 points separating him from 13th.

Tony Stewart was
smoking his wheels at the Pepsi 400. Too bad it wasn't at the end of the race, however. Smoke found himself tangled up with teammate Denny Hamlin early in the race and finished in 38th position.

Jeff Gordon looked poised to gain yet another win in 2007 Saturday night. However, lacking a teammate in the end to push him to the front, Gordon finished in 5th. Jeff is still comfortably in 1st place in points.

Jimmie Johnson looked as strong as any other Hendrick car in the Pepsi 400. The reigning champ found himself mired back in the front unable to mount a charge to the front at the end of the race. Johnson finished in 10th place and now sits 4th in points.

See complete 2007 NASCAR Schedule