NASCAR ARCHIVES

THE BIG STORY THE SPRINT CUP CHASE IS ON..............

After race #33 last week the stage is set with the final 3 races for the Sprint Cup Championship. It's looking like a 3 fer for Jimmy Johnson, unless he has a major SNAFU in the next race or 2.

If the should happen Carl Edwards will be there to take advantage of it and make a run for the Championship,

Dale Earnhardt Jr and Jeff Gordon, Johnson's running mates have not had the kind of year they wanted with Gordon dropping to 7th place and Dale Jr back to 10th.

It's been an exciting year this year. There has been some really good racing at most of the tracks, and the teams seem to be getting a handle on the new cars and adjusting to the rule changes.

There has been some major infractions to the rules and the teams that got caught paid dearly for them with money and points loss, and Crew Chiefs being side lined.

Also Nascar has sort of lightened up on the penalties for drivers venting on/off the track. They are letting them vent now with very little concequence, unless there is a safty concern. This has led to more excitement for the fans and ratings going up.

No one has been hurt and the drivers get there feeling out and done with and don't carry them over as much to the next races.

A few things visitors can do at the newly reopned Hendrick Motorsports Museum. You can see Rick's first Chevrolet,watch as a dissected Impala Sprint Cup car is put together.

You will see cars that were driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Jimmy Johnson and Casey Mears. Along with all types of memorabilla.

The facility is 15,000-square-feet, it was closed for several months for renovations. The museum pays tribute to nearly 25 seasons of Hendrick Motorsports history.

It gives fans the opportunity to purchase the latest in team-related apparel and merchandise. And the best part is the admission to the museum is free of charge.

Rick Hendrick said, "We are extremely proud of this museum, and we hope our fans will enjoy it. We've had a lot of success and a lot of special moments over the years, and it's humbling to reflect on that. But the one thing we always keep in mind is that it wouldn't be possible without our fans' support."

The museum will rotate the exibit's of famous Chevrolets throughout the year. There are the original All-Star Racing entries, multiple Daytona 500 champions and the inaugural Brickyard 400 winner.

Some of the cars currently featured are cars that were driven by Geoff Bodine, Tim Richmond, Ken Schrader and Ricky Hendrick, among many others.

When you arrive at the entrance you will see the Monte Carlo SS that Jimmy Johnson drove at Homestead-Miami Speedway to win the 2007 Sprint Cup Series title.

As a highlght to Hendrick's 11 NASCAR championships, the museum showcase's memorabilia from nearly three decades of racing competition.

Some of the unique items on display include dozens of trophies collected over the years by Hendrick's teams, a "Days of Thunder" movie manuscript and personal notes from actor Tom Cruise to Rick Hendrick.

The museum first opened in October 1995, and blends the company's past with its present in cutting-edge ways. You can check out the No. 48 "war wagon" used during the team's 2006 championship season.

Flat-panel televisions throughout the museum feature original content, and you can get up close and personal with a Chevrolet R07 engine and sit in a carbon-fiber racing seat.

To complete your experience at Hendrick Motorsports, you are able to go to the race shops. The shops are open to the public and feature the #5, #24, #48 and #88 Sprint Cup teams of Mears, Gordon, Johnson and Earnhardt.

While at the shops you will be able to the watch crew members work on this season's cars and see even more from the organization's storied past.

The Hendrick Motorsports museum is open to the public from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. You can find more information about the Museum at www.hendrickmotorsports.com

....... Drivers ......... Points ....... Behind..........

1. Jimmie Johnson ------ 6248 ------

2. Carl Edwards -------- 6065 ------ 183

3. Greg Biffle ----------- 6063 ------ 185

4. Jeff Burton ---------- 6030 ------ 218

5. Kevin Harvick -------- 5941 ------ 307

6. Jeff Gordon ---------- 5936 ------ 312

7. Clint Bowyer --------- 5934 ------ 314

8. Tony Stewart -------- 5847 ------ 401

9. Matt Kenseth -------- 5835 ------ 413

10. Dale Earnhardt Jr. --- 5929 ------ 419

11. Denny Hamlin ------- 5823 ------ 425

12. Kyle Busch ---------- 5873 ----- 465