Information Provided by NASCAR Statistical Services Today’s Winner: Matt Kenseth Team: No. 17 DeWalt Ford • Matt Kenseth won the 2006 Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, scoring his 14th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory in his 244th career start. • This was his fourth victory in 2006 joining Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne who also have four victories in 2006. Kenseth won at California, Dover and Michigan one race ago. • Kenseth is the first driver to post back-to-back victories in 2006. • Kenseth became the first driver to post back-to-back Bristol night race victories since Dale Earnhardt in 1987-1988. • Kenseth became the third driver to score weekend sweeps at Bristol joining Dale Earnhardt Jr. (August 2004) and Kevin Harvick (April 2005). • Kenseth moved into 44th on NASCAR’s all-time winners list tied with LeeRoy Yarbrough and Dick Hutcherson. • Kenseth scored his second victory in 14 races at Bristol and third victory in 40 races on a short track. • Kenseth won the race from the fourth-place starting position. • Kenseth scored his 13th top-five finish in 24 races this season, the most of all drivers. • Kenseth remained second in the point standings, now just seven points behind first-place Jimmie Johnson. • Jeff Burton led the most laps for the second time in 2006. Burton also led the most at Indianapolis. • Race winner Kenseth led four times for 117 laps including the final 51 laps in the 2006 Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. • This was team owner Jack Roush’s 94th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory. Roush has scored eight NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victories at Bristol. • Jack Roush Racing has won at least one race each season 1997-2006, 10 consecutive years. Notebook Items • Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth have each clinched a spot in the 2006 Chase. • Kyle Busch (second) scored his 13th top-10 finish in 2006. It was his second top-10 finish in four races at Bristol. Busch climbed from seventh to fourth in the point standings, 138 points ahead of 11th place Kasey Kahne. • Dale Earnhardt Jr. (third) scored his 11th top-10 finish in 2006. It marked his seventh top-10 finish in 14 races at Bristol. Earnhardt Jr. climbed from 10th to ninth in the point standings, 92 points ahead of 11th place Kasey Kahne. • Scott Riggs (fourth) scored his sixth top-10 finish in 2006. It was his first top-five finish in six races at Bristol and first top-five finish since he finished second at Michigan in August 2005. • Jeff Gordon (fifth) scored his 11th top-10 finish in 2006. It was his 17th top-10 finish in 28 races at Bristol Motor Speedway. Gordon climbed from sixth to fifth in the point standings, 132 points ahead of 11th place Kasey Kahne. • Denny Hamlin (sixth) scored his 12th top-10 finish in 2006, the most among the rookie contenders. He extended a streak of six straight top-10 finishes that began at New Hampshire in July. • Point leader Jimmie Johnson (10th today) has been ranked among the top 10 for 93 consecutive races. • Jeff Burton (ninth) posted his 17th top-15 finish in the last 18 races dating to Texas in April. Burton climbed from ninth to seventh in the point standings and is just 105 points ahead of 11th-place Kasey Kahne. • Kevin Harvick (11th) extended a 36-race streak of running at the finish that began at California last September, the longest current streak. Harvick has posted eight straight top-15 finishes. • Tony Stewart (22nd) ended a streak of four straight top-10 finishes. He dropped from fifth to eighth in the point standings now just 97 points ahead of 11th place Kasey Kahne. • Brian Vickers (33rd) ended a streak of 10 straight top-20 finishes that began at Pocono in June. • At least one of the Raybestos Rookie-of-the Year contenders has scored a top-15 finish in all 24 races this season. Information Provided by NASCAR Statistical Services HEADING TO CALIFORNIA • Two races remaining in the “Race to the Chase.” Any driver leading the 11th-place driver by 191 points following California is guaranteed a spot in the 2006 Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup. • Eleventh-place Kasey Kahne trails 10th place Mark Martin in the point standings by 90 points. • Fourth to 10th in the point standings are separated by 48 points.. • Seven drivers in the top-10 changed point’s positions at Bristol Motor Speedway. • There have been eleven different Bud Pole winners in 12 races at California Speedway. Qualifying was rained out in 1999. • Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers scoring three victories at California Speedway. • Jeff Gordon leads all drivers scoring five top-five finishes in 12 races at California • Mark Martin leads all drivers scoring six top-10 finishes in 12 races at California Speedway. Rusty Wallace also scored six top-10s in 11 races at California before his retirement at the end of 2005. • A Dodge has never won at California Speedway. • Greg Biffle has posted four straight top-10 starts at California, the longest current streak. • Carl Edwards and Jamie McMurray have each posted four straight top-10 finishes at California Speedway. Edwards has competed in only four races at California. McMurray has competed in six races, posting top-15 finishes in each race. • Kasey Kahne leads all drivers with five or more starts with an 8.6 starting average in five races at California. • Carl Edwards has a 4.5 finishing average in his four races at California, leading all active drivers. • The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Leader bonus will be worth $40,000 at California Speedway. © 2006 NASCAR All rights reserved..