". ▁ ▁This ▁is ▁the ▁second ▁race ▁of ▁the ▁season ▁at ▁California , ▁the ▁ 1 5 th ▁since ▁the ▁track ▁was ▁added ▁to ▁the ▁schedule ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁and ▁the ▁fourth ▁race ▁to ▁be ▁run ▁here ▁as ▁the ▁replacement ▁for ▁the ▁Southern ▁ 5 0 0 . ▁ ▁The ▁new ▁race ▁spons or ▁was ▁announced ▁on ▁August ▁ 8 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁replacing ▁Sony ▁HD . ▁ ▁Like ▁its ▁prede cess or , ▁Sh arp ▁Aqu os ▁is ▁a ▁brand ▁of ▁high - definition ▁television ▁set . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁also ▁announced ▁that ▁Ste vie ▁Wonder ▁would ▁be ▁the ▁grand ▁mar shal , ▁command ing ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁engines ▁of ▁the ▁ 4 3 ▁cars ▁to ▁start ▁the ▁race . ▁ ▁Pre - R ace ▁For ▁the ▁third ▁straight ▁race , ▁the ▁# 7 8 ▁F urn iture ▁Row ▁Racing ▁Che v ro let ▁had ▁a ▁different ▁driver ▁since ▁the ▁team ▁released ▁Ken ny ▁Wal lace . ▁ ▁This ▁time , ▁Joe ▁N eme che k ▁qualified ▁the ▁car ▁( 3 0 th ▁position ) ▁after ▁Scott ▁W immer ▁and ▁Ster ling ▁Mar lin ▁had ▁failed ▁the ▁previous ▁two ▁weeks . ▁K yle ▁Pet ty ▁returned ▁for ▁this ▁race ▁in ▁the ▁Pet ty ▁Enter pr ises ▁# 4 5 ▁D odge ▁after ▁missing ▁two ▁weeks ▁due ▁to ▁his ▁broken ▁hand . ▁The ▁entry ▁list ▁for ▁this ▁race ▁consisted ▁of ▁ 4 6 ▁cars , ▁the ▁lowest ▁number ▁for ▁any ▁N EX TE L