Best Buy Chevrolet Team Closes Out Season with 34th-Place Starting Spot at Homestead-Miami Speedway

HOMESTEAD, Fla. (Nov. 17) – Jeremy Mayfield and the No. 66 Best Buy Chevrolet team finish out the 2007 season with a 34th-place qualifying effort in Sunday’s 400-mile NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Mayfield’s lap time of 31.067 seconds, at an average speed of 173.818 miles per hour during qualifying on Friday afternoon was good enough for a 17th-row starting spot.

“The car felt pretty good,” Mayfield said. “It was little loose, but nothing we can’t deal with. We’ll be fine.”

The pole position for the season finale went to points leader Jimmie Johnson, who managed a lap of 30.545 seconds, at an average speed of 176.788 miles per hour. The rest of the top-five includes Ryan Newman (No. 12 Alltel Dodge), Kasey Kahne (No. 9 UAW / Dodge Dealers Dodge), Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DeWalt Ford) and Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge).

The only driver who can possibly catch Johnson in the points is his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet), who will roll off from the 11th position.

Sunday’s race will air live on ABC and MRN Radio affiliates, beginning at 3 p.m. EST.