THE CHAMP

Carl Edwards controlled the driver standings in the NASCAR Busch Series from the beginning of the season until the end.
The Missouri native won the championship by 618 points over David Reutimann. Driving the No. 60 Ford for Roush Fenway Racing, Edwards rolled to four victories and posted 15 top-five and 21 top-10 finishes during the 35-race campaign.
“I’m very pleased to be a champion,” Edwards said. “I can’t thank Jack Roush enough for giving me the opportunities that he has in my career. I can’t wait to do it again next year.”
While Edwards was the driving champion, the owner’s title went to the No. 29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, shared by Jeff Burton and Scott Wimmer.

MOMENTOUS OCCASIONS

NEW TITLE: After 26 years, Anheuser-Busch’s sponsorship of the series ended at the end of the 2007 season. NASCAR signed Nationwide Insurance as a new sponsor and the division will be known as the Nationwide Series beginning in 2008.
TRIUMPHANT TOYOTAS: Jason Leffler gave Toyota its first Busch Series victory at O’Reilly Raceway Park in late July. David Reutimann picked up a second triumph for the Japanese manufacturer at Memphis (Tenn.) Motorsports Park at the end of October.
RECORD HOLDER: Jason Keller became the all-time starts leader in the Busch Series, passing Tommy Houston’s mark of 416 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in October.
MILWAUKEE MIX-UP: Aric Almirola was credited with his first NASCAR Busch Series victory at The Milwaukee Mile in June. But Almirola was not even at the track when the checkered flag waved. Almirola qualified the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 on the pole but was pulled from the car with less than 60 laps completed in favor of teammate Denny Hamlin. An angry Almirola left the track, while Hamlin drove to victory.
HEADED NORTH: The Busch Series sanctioned the first NASCAR race in Canada, with Kevin Harvick winning a controversial race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal.

ON THE RECORD

“The Busch program at RCR is second to none.” — Clint Bowyer

“The last four or five laps were pretty wild. There was a lot of pushing and shoving and everybody running into each other — a lot like short-track racing.” — Kevin Harvick after winning the inaugural Busch race in Montreal

“The 7 (Mike Wallace) was pathetic today. Absolutely, outrageously stupid. He was just being a complete moron.” — Kyle Busch at Bristol in March

“I want to win on an oval. That’s where we need to be good.” — Juan Pablo Montoya after winning his first Busch race in Mexico City

“I knew this would come soon. I’m glad for the team and that it’s our names that are going in the record book.” — Jason Leffler after scoring Toyota’s first Busch Series victory

“I went to the right side and it just slowed him (teammate Tony Stewart) down. I went to the right and I’m like, ‘Dude, that was a good move.’” — Bobby Labonte on his winning pass at Talladega

“You are never sure you can get around Kyle Busch. He’s an incredible race-car driver.” — Jeff Burton

“Losing the race was big, but losing a great race car was worse.” — Busch at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March

LOOKING AHEAD

With Anheuser-Busch ending its sponsorship, the series will change its name to the Nationwide Series starting next season.

STAT PACK

1998      The last time Bobby Labonte won a Busch Series race prior to winning at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in April

2      Races won by non-Nextel Cup Series drivers (Stephen Leicht and Jason Leffler)

13      Races won by Richard Childress Racing

25      Cautions during the race at Memphis Motorsports Park in October

TOP 10

    Driver    Points    Wins    Top 5    Top 10    Poles
    1. Carl Edwards    4,805    4         4              15        21    0
    2. David Reutimann    4,187    1    5    12    1
    3. Jason Leffler    3,996    1    7    11    2
    4. Kevin Harvick    3,993    6    11    20    2
    5. David Ragan    3,739    0    4    9    2
    6. Bobby Hamilton, Jr.    3,667    0    0    3    0
    7. Stephen Leicht    3,603    1    3    7    0
    8. Marcos Ambrose    3,477    0    1    6    1
    9. Greg Biffle    3,466    0    3    13    3
    10. Matt Kenseth    3,451    2    15    18    2

WHO, WHAT, WHEN AND WHERE

    Date    Track    Winner    Car    Laps
    Feb. 17    Daytona Int’l Speedway (Fla.)    Kevin Harvick    Chevrolet    120
    Feb. 24    California Speeedway    Matt Kenseth    Ford    150
    March 4    Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez (Mexico)    Juan Pablo Montoya    Dodge    82
    March 10    Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Nev.)    Jeff Burton    Chevrolet    200
    March 17    Atlanta Motor Speedway (Ga.)    Jeff Burton    Chevrolet    195
    March 24    Bristol Motor Speedway (Tenn.)    Carl Edwards    Ford    300
    April 7    Nashville Superspeedway (Tenn.)    Carl Edwards    Ford    225
    April 14    Texas Motor Speedway    Matt Kenseth    Ford    200
    April 20    Phoenix Int’l Raceway (Ariz.)    Clint Bowyer    Chevrolet    200
    April 28    Talladega Superspeedway (Ala.)    Bobby Labonte    Chevrolet    120
    May 5    Richmond Int’l Raceway (Va.)    Clint Bowyer    Chevrolet    250
    May 11    Darlington Raceway (S.C.)    Denny Hamlin    Chevrolet    147
    May 26    Lowe’s Motor Speedway (N.C.)    Kasey Kahne    Dodge    200
    June 2    Dover Int’l Speedway (Del.)    Carl Edwards    Ford    200
    June 9    Nashville Superspeedway (Tenn.)    Carl Edwards    Ford    225
    June 16    Kentucky Speedway    Stephen Leicht    Ford    200
    June 23    The Milwaukee Mile (Wis.)    Aric Almirola    Chevrolet    250
    June 30    New Hampshire Int’l Speedway    Kevin Harvick    Chevrolet    200
    July 7    Daytona Int’l Speedway (Fla.)    Kyle Busch    Chevrolet    102
    July 14    Chicagoland Speedway (Ill.)    Kevin Harvick    Chevrolet    200
    July 21    Gateway Int’l Raceway (Ill.)    Reed Sorenson    Dodge    200
    July 28    O’Reilly Raceway Park (Ind.)    Jason Leffler    Toyota    200
    Aug. 4    Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (Quebec)    Kevin Harvick    Chevrolet    75
    Aug. 11    Watkins Glen Int’l (N.Y.)    Kevin Harvick    Chevrolet    82
    Aug. 18    Michigan Int’l Speedway    Denny Hamlin    Chevrolet    125
    Aug. 24    Bristol Motor Speedway (Tenn.)    Kasey Kahne    Dodge    250
    Sept. 1    California Speedway    Jeff Burton    Chevrolet    150
    Sept. 7    Richmond Int’l Raceway (Va.)    Kyle Busch    Chevrolet    252
    Sept. 22    Dover Int’l Speedway (Del.)    Denny Hamlin    Chevrolet    200
    Sept. 29    Kansas Speedway    Kyle Busch    Chevrolet    200
    Oct. 12    Lowe’s Motor Speedway (N.C.)    Jeff Burton    Chevrolet    200
    Oct. 27    Memphis Motorsports Park (Tenn.)    David Reutimann    Toyota    253
    Nov. 3    Texas Motor Speedway    Kevin Harvick    Chevrolet    200
    Nov. 10    Phoenix Int’l Raceway (Ariz.)    Kyle Busch    Chevrolet    203
    Nov. 17    Homestead-Miami Speedway (Fla.)    Jeff Burton     Chevrolet    200