The UPS Team started the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway with high hopes. Aside from a tough run during the middle part of the race where driver Dale Jarrett was placed a lap down, the team ran well during the late stages of the event. Too much lapped traffic, however, prevented Jarrett from making up the lap he lost, and he finished in 21st place.

Jarrett started the race in 22nd position and explained that the car performed well during the first 50 laps. Adjustments to the car during early pit stops sent the handling in the wrong direction, and the team spent the middle part of the race trying to correct the handling on the UPS Ford. A long green-flag run from lap 262 to lap 320 turned out to be the best of the night for Jarrett, as his was one of the best cars on the track.

As more and more cars started getting lapped during the final 100 laps, it was hard for Jarrett to make up the lost track position. Despite finishing the race in 21st position, he was pleased with some of the progress the team made during the event.

"The car was really pretty awesome there during that middle run. We just were so behind as far as track position and other cars getting lapped," Jarrett said. "It's encouraging, though, because we were pretty bad there for the stretch and we actually improved the car, so that is definitely something positive for this team."

Jarrett's teammate David Gilliland looked to be in good shape during the first 100 laps of the event. He had climbed into the top-20, but was in an accident with rookie driver Martin Truex, Jr., on lap 119 that dropped him a handful of laps down. He finished the night in 36th place.

Kevin Harvick secured his third win of the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season, as well as a position in the Chase for the Championship. Matt Kenseth will go into the Chase as the leader of the point standings, with Jimmie Johnson in second. Harvick follows in third with Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin in fourth and fifth, respectively. Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne round out the final five positions in the Chase.

The biggest drama of the night unfolded as reigning champ Stewart dropped out of the top-10, and will not be in contention to defend his 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series title.

The Chase for the Championship begins next weekend at New Hampshire International Speedway with the running of the Sylvania 300. TNT is carrying the live broadcast of the first race in the Chase beginning with the pre-race show that starts at 12:30 p.m. EDT. The green flag is scheduled to wave at 1:00 p.m. EDT.