For those of you NASCAR fans that like stats and love to hate commercials, here is the breakdown from the race on Sunday evening.

This particular race marks the one-year anniversary of when I began keeping the stats for the commercials. This time last year, the race was broadcasted by NBC. Look for comparative statistics throughout the article, as well as the link to the complete breakdown from last year.

I began recording the times at the Invocation at 8:00 PM, and stopped at the waving of the checkered flag at 12:07 AM (all times are EST). I did not keep records for the pre- and post-race coverage.

Please note that in addition to all of the following, there is always a company logo visible in the upper left hand corner by the race ticker scrolling across the screen. ESPN also runs a sports ticker along the bottom of the screen.

Below the commercial breakdown, be sure to check out how often drivers were focused on during the race. Throughout the breakdown, you can find links to sponsors, or special items-of-interest such as links to contests and movie sites.

Race and Commercial Breakdown of the Sharp Aquos 500 09-02-2007

Total number of commercials: 144 (in 2006: 151)

Total number of companies or entities advertised: 73 (in 2006: 81)

Total number of brief promos of products/services during the race broadcast: 23

Total number of companies or entities advertised in brief promos or crawlers: 13 (companies: Principal Financial, Sprint, Chevy, Nationwide Insurance, ESPN.com/communications, ESPN.com/techcenter, ESPN.com/knowhow, GoodYear, Baseball on ESPN, ESPN HD on DirecTV, ESPN Sportscenter, Coors Light, Toyota, racing at Richmond on ABC, U.S. Dept. of Transportation—Over the Limit, Under Arrest Campaign, NHRA Powerade Series)

Total amount of time these brief promos take during broadcast: app. 2 min. 30 sec.

Also, there are the following race statistics during the broadcast, sponsored by companies:

AFLAC ‘Trivia Question’
McDonald’s ‘Race Rundown’
Chevy ‘On-Board Camera’
Crown Royal ‘Crowning Moment’
AT&T ‘Crew Chief Challenge’
Wrangler ‘Telemetry’
Allstate ‘Good Hands Move of the Race’
Sprint ‘Speed Lap’

Start time to record race/commercial periods 09/02/07: 8:00 PM (in 2006: 7:54 PM)
End time to record race/commercial periods 09/03/07: 12:07 AM (in 2006: 11:58)

Total minutes: 247 (in 2006: 244)

Minutes of race broadcast: 180 (in 2006: 171)
Minutes of commercials: 67 (in 2006: 73)

Number of missed restarts – 1

Click here for last year’s commercial breakdown of this race

Breakdown of what the commercials were for, by category:

_ ESPN/TV Previews/Promos_

ESPN Sportscenter – 5
Monday Night Football on ESPN.com – 4
College Football on ESPN.com – 3
ESPN Fantasy games on ESPN.com – 3
NHRA Powerade Drag Racing on ESPN – 1
College Game Day on ESPN.com – 1
‘Digging for the Truth’ on the History Channel – 1
‘The Contender’ on ESPN.com – 1
ESPN Game Plan – 1

Total: 20

Movies

‘Dale’ movie – 2
‘3:10 to Yuma’ – 1
Shoot ‘em up – 1
Delta Farce on DVD – 1

Total: 5

Local News/Sports/Points-of-Interest in Penna.

Ferri’s, Shur Save & The Lamplighter – 2
Arnold Palmer Motors – 1
Cochran Nissan – 1
Water’s Edge Aquarium at Pittsburgh Zoo – 1
Mark Arbuckle Nissan – 1

Total: 5

Restaurants/Food

McDonald’s – 3
Extra gum – 3
AppleBee’s – 2
Subway (Tony Stewart) – 2
Subway – 1
Burger King – 1
Coca-Cola Zero – 1

Total: 13

Beer

Coors Light – 4
Budweiser – 1
Miller Lite – 1
Captain Morgan – 1
Tanqueray Rangpur- 1
‘Over the Limit, Under Arrest’ Campaign – 1

Total: 9

Car/Truck/Bike

Ford – 2
Ford and Fordracetothedream.com – 2
Valvoline – 2
Chevrolet – 2
Toyota – 2
NAPA (Michael Waltrip) – 2
Pennzoil – 2
GoodYear – 1
Fram – 1
Frank’s Auto Supermarket – 1
Onstar (Jeff Gordon) – 1
Chevrolet (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) – 1

Total: 19

Insurance

Allstate – 3
AFLAC – 2
Allstate (Kasey Kahne) – 2
Nationwide Insurance – 2

Total: 9

Real Estate

Prudential- 1

Total: 1

Wireless Phone

AT&T – 2
SprintSpeed.com (Denny Hamlin) – 2
SprintSpeed.com – 1

Total: 5

Home Improvement

Home Depot (Tony Stewart) – 3
Craftsman Tools – 3
Kobalt Tools at Lowes (Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus) – 2

Total: 8

Technology

Radio Shack – 3
DLP (Tony Raines) – 2
Comcast – 2
Toshiba – 2
Dish Network (Carl Edwards) – 2
Dish Network (Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle) – 1
NFL Sunday Ticket on DirecTV – 1
Panasonic Toughbook – 1

Total: 16

Financial

Principal Financial – 5

Total: 5

Products/Services for the Home and Personal Use

Wrangler jeans – 3
Lotrimin Ultra – 3
Gillette Fusion – 2
Flomax – 2
Consol Energy – 2
Old Spice and TonyStewartArmpits.com – 1
Tylenol and Stopteamtylenol.com – 1

Total: 14

Shipping

UPS (Dale Jarrett) – 1

Total: 1

Business Resources

Office Depot (Carl Edwards) – 1
Yellow Book – 1

Total: 2

Racing Related

nascar.com superstore – 4
nascar.com – 3
nascar.com/performance – 1
Talladega and racetickets.com – 1
Toyota All Star Showdown- 1
NASCAR Foundation – 1
Martinsville Speedway – 1

Total: 12

Breakdown of specific times, broken into two categories (race broadcast times, and commercial broadcast times)

Race brdcast times: Total min: Comm. brdcast times: Total min:

8:00 PM – 8:05 PM – 5 // 8:05 PM – 8:08 PM – 3

8:08 PM – 8:12 PM – 4 // 8:12 PM – 8:15 PM – 3

8:15 PM – 8:29 PM – 14 // 8:29 PM – 8:31 PM – 2

8:31 PM – 8:35 PM – 4 // 8:35 PM – 8:38 PM – 3

8:38 PM – 8:52 PM – 14 // 8:52 PM – 8:54 PM – 2

8:54 PM – 9:01 PM – 7 // 9:01 PM – 9:04 PM – 3

9:04 PM – 9:13 PM – 9 // 9:13 PM – 9:16 PM – 3

9:16 PM – 9:22 PM – 6 // 9:22 PM – 9:25 PM – 3

9:25 PM – 9:29 PM – 4 // 9:29 PM – 9:32 PM – 3

9:32 PM – 9:44 PM – 12 // 9:44 PM – 9:47 PM – 3

9:47 PM – 9:53 PM – 6 // 9:53 PM – 9:55 PM – 2

9:55 PM – 10:02 PM – 7 // 10:02 PM – 10:05 PM – 3

10:05 PM – 10:11 PM – 6 // 10:11 PM – 10:13 PM – 2

10:13 PM – 10:22 PM – 9 // 10:22 PM – 10:25 PM – 3

10:25 PM – 10:31 PM – 6 // 10:31 PM – 10:35 PM – 4

10:35 PM – 10:46 PM – 11 // 10:46 PM – 10:49 PM – 3

10:49 PM – 10:53 PM – 4 // 10:53 PM – 10:56 PM – 3

10:56 PM – 11:04 PM – 8 // 11:04 PM – 11:07 PM – 3

11:07 PM – 11:12 PM – 5 // 11:12 PM – 11:15 PM – 3

11:15 PM – 11:17 PM – 2 // 11:17 PM – 11:20 PM – 3

11:20 PM – 11:28 PM – 8 // 11:28 PM – 11:31 PM – 3

11:31 PM – 11:35 PM – 4 // 11:35 PM – 11:37 PM – 2

11:37 PM – 11:44 PM – 7 // 11:44 PM – 11:47 PM – 3

11:47 PM – 11:53 PM – 6 // 11:53 PM – 11:55 PM – 2

11:55 PM – 12:07 AM – 12 // 12:07 AM – checkered flag flies

Total race brdcst time: 180 Total comm. brdcst time: 67

How often were different drivers focused on during the Sharp Aquos 500?

8:08 PM – 8:12 PM
Featured drivers: Kurt Busch; Clint Bowyer (audio with Rusty Wallace); Gil Martin (No. 07 crew chief, audio with Andy Petree)

8:15 PM – 8:29 PM
Featured drivers: Jimmie Johnson; Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Kyle Busch; Greg Biffle, Martin Truex Jr.; Kyle Busch; Greg Biffle, Martin Truex Jr., Elliott Sadler; Jeff Burton; Dave Blaney, Michael Waltrip, J.J. Yeley; Jeff Green, Ricky Rudd, Joe Nemechek; Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch; Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin; Joe Nemechek (engine); Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth (pit stops); Juan Montoya, Carl Edwards (collide on pit road)

8:31 PM – 8:35 PM
Featured drivers: Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch; Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, John Andretti; Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin; Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kasey Kahne; Ryan Newman; Dale Earnhardt Jr.

8:38 PM – 8:52 PM
Featured drivers: Greg Biffle; Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch; Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Kasey Kahne, Denny Hamlin, Dave Gilliland; Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin; Tony Stewart; Elliott Sadler (spins); Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch (pit stop); Stevie Wonder (in the booth with Dale Jarrett, Brent Musberger & Brad Daugherty); Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Carl Edwards; Ryan Newman; Casey Mears; Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth; Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin; Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth

8:54 PM – 9:01 PM
Featured drivers: Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Michael Waltrip, Paul Menard; Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth; Ricky Rudd (900th start for this race); Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch; Michael Waltrip (car on fire); Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Greg Biffle, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Clint Bowyer

9:04 PM – 9:13 PM
Featured drivers: Clint Bowyer (audio with Rusty Wallace); Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Johnny Sauter, Kyle Busch; Dale Earnhardt Jr., Martin Truex Jr., Kurt Busch; Kurt Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Michael Waltrip (post-wreck interview); Michael Waltrip (replay of blow up); Jimmie Johnson; Jeff Gordon, Ryan Newman, Jimmie Johnson

9:16 PM – 9:22 PM
Featured drivers: Juan Montoya, Carl Edwards (replay of pit collision); Michael Waltrip (replay of blow up); Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Martin Truex Jr., Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Kyle Busch; Martin Truex Jr., Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Matt Kenseth; Kurt Busch; Jimmie Johnson; Casey Mears; Jeff Burton; Jeff Gordon; Kevin Harvick; Jamie McMurray, Kevin Harvick; Elliott Sadler (tire)

9:25 PM – 9:29 PM
Featured drivers: John Andretti (wreck); Juan Montoya; Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Martin Truex Jr., Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson (race off pit road)

9:32 PM – 9:44 PM
Featured drivers: Johnny Sauter, Martin Truex Jr., Paul Menard, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch; Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, Martin Truex Jr.; Jeff Burton; Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch; Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, Kyle Busch; Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Burton; Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch; Robby Gordon, Clint Bowyer (wreck); Clint Bowyer, Carl Edwards, Jeff Burton, Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch; Brian Vickers

9:47 PM – 9:53 PM
Featured drivers: Tony Eury Jr. (No. 8 crew chief); Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Kyle Busch, Brian Vickers; Ryan Newman, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch; Ryan Newman; Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson; Jeff Burton, Ryan Newman (spins)

9:55 PM – 10:02 PM
Featured drivers: Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Burton; Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson; Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, Jimmie Johnson; Jeff Burton, Jimmie Johnson

10:05 PM – 10:11 PM
Featured drivers: Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson; Kyle Busch; J.J. Yeley (wreck); Jimmie Johnson; Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. (pit stops)

10:13 PM – 10:22 PM
Featured drivers: David Stremme, Dale Jarrett; Jeff Gordon; Tony Stewart; Jeff Burton; Jeff Burton, Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards; Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson; Greg Biffle, Tony Stewart; Greg Biffle; Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch; Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon; Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Jimmie Johnson

10:25 PM – 10:31 PM
Featured drivers: Jimmie Johnson; David Reutimann; Brian Vickers, Tony Stewart; Tony Stewart; Dave Blaney, Denny Hamlin; Jeff Gordon, Jeff Burton; Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson; Jimmie Johnson

10:35 PM – 10:46 PM
Featured drivers: Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Michael Waltrip (replay of blow up); Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, Ryan Newman; Ryan Newman (replay of spin); Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Ryan Newman; Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Greg Biffle (pit stop); Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Martin Truex Jr.; Jamie McMurray (pit stop); Kyle Busch, Kyle Petty; Kyle Busch; Kasey Kahne (pit stop); Kyle Busch; Bill Elliott (pit stop); Kyle Busch, Kasey Kahne; Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Martin Truex Jr., Jeff Burton, Denny Hamlin, Kurt Busch; David Reutimann, Reed Sorenson; Kyle Busch

10:49 PM – 10:53 PM
Featured drivers: Kevin Harvick; Kevin Harvick, Casey Mears; Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Reed Sorenson; Greg Biffle; Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr. (pit stops)

10:56 PM – 11:04 PM
Featured drivers: Greg Biffle (pit stop); Bill Elliott, Carl Edwards, Jeff Burton; Brian Vickers, Kyle Busch; Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch; Carl Edwards, Reed Sorenson; Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch; Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart; Tony Stewart, Bobby Labonte; Kevin Harvick; Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick; Reed Sorenson; Reed Sorenson (pit stop); Dale Earnhardt Jr., Reed Sorenson (replay of contact); Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Paul Menard, Kurt Busch; Kurt Busch

11:07 PM – 11:12 PM
Featured drivers: Carl Edwards, Jeff Burton; Jeff Burton, David Ragan; David Reutimann, Jeff Gordon, Ricky Rudd, Dave Gilliland, Jeremy Mayfield (wreck); Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick (pit stop); Ricky Rudd (holding wrist)

11:15 PM – 11:17 PM
Featured drivers: Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, Jeff Burton; Kevin Harvick (replay of wreck); Tony Stewart (pit stop)

11:20 PM – 11:28 PM
Featured drivers: Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson; Paul Menard; Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick; Tony Stewart, J.J. Yeley, Kevin Harvick; Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Burton; Jeff Burton, Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards; Kyle Busch (audio with Rick Hendrick, owner); Rick Hendrick, Kyle Busch; Ryan Newman (pit stop); Jeff Burton, Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards; Jimmie Johnson

11:31 PM – 11:35 PM
Featured drivers: Jimmie Johnson; Dave Blaney (engine); Ryan Newman (post-mechanical failure interview); Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth; Kyle Busch, Jeff Burton; Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin

11:37 PM – 11:44 PM
Featured drivers: Dave Blaney (post-mechanical failure interview); Jimmie Johnson; Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch; Bobby Labonte; Greg Biffle, Kevin Harvick (pit stops); Bobby Labonte; Bobby Labonte (pit stop); Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick; Tony Stewart, Paul Menard; Tony Stewart, Greg Zipadelli (No. 20 crew chief)

11:47 PM – 11:53 PM
Featured drivers: Jeff Gordon (pit stop); Tony Stewart; A.J. Allmendinger (pit stop); Tony Stewart, Carl Edwards; A.J. Allmendinger (pit stop replay); Tony Stewart; Tony Stewart, Casey Mears (pit stops); Jimmie Johnson

11:55 PM – 12:07 AM
Featured drivers: Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards; Jeff Burton; Denny Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Jimmie Johnson; Carl Edwards; Carl Edwards, A.J. Allmendinger; Jimmie Johnson; Tony Stewart, David Ragan; David Ragan; Carl Edwards; Jimmie Johnson; Jimmie Johnson, Chad Knaus (No. 48 crew chief); Jimmie Johnson

Number of times selected drivers were focused on:

Johnny Sauter – 2
A.J. Allmendinger – 3
David Ragan – 3
Ricky Rudd – 4
Dave Blaney – 4
Clint Bowyer – 5
Paul Menard – 5
Greg Biffle – 10
Jeff Gordon – 12
Carl Edwards – 17
Kurt Busch – 18
Jimmie Johnson (race winner) – 40
Kyle Busch – 52
Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 58