The final round of the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Championship at the 1.5-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway began on Friday morning with Gillett-Evernham Motorsports driver Kasey Kahne leading the first practice session ahead of Sunday's all-important Ford 400.

In the last race before the Car of Tomorrow era truly begins Kahne rounded the variable banked Homestead oval in a best time of 30.710secs for an average speed of 175.838mph aboard his #9 Dodge just three hundredths of a second faster than Ryan Newman's #12 Penske Racing Charger.

Jeff Burton led the all-conquering Chevrolet Monte Carlo brigade with the third fastest time although it was the two drivers directly behind Burton on the timesheets that drew the most attention.

Jimmie Johnson, who leads the Chase for the Championship standings by 86 points over his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon, was fourth fastest in his #48 Chevrolet with Gordon just six thousandths of a second slower in fifth place overall.

Brothers Kyle and Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr and Clint Bowyer completed the top ten with Kyle Busch and Earnhardt Jr both looking to end their respective careers with Hendrick and DEI on a winning note.

Mark Martin was 11th fastest in his final ride in the #01 Chevrolet while Red Bull Racing's AJ Allmendinger was the fastest of the non top 35 drivers in 12th place. Greg Biffle, who has won this race for the last three years, was 19th fastest in his #16 Roush-Fenway Ford.