bigbadbrother
10-30-2016, 09:57 PM
Daniel McFadin
Jimmie Johnson led the final 92 laps of the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 to capture his ninth-career win at Martinsville Speedway, his 79th Sprint Cup win and clinched his one of the four spots in the championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Johnson took the lead on Lap 409 from Denny Hamlin and after getting away from the No. 11, never received a challenge for the lead.
The No. 48 was followed by Brad Keselowski, Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Martin Truex Jr., Jamie McMurray, Joey Logano and AJ Allmendinger.
“Anything you want in life you have to work for it,” Johnson told NBCSN. “It isn’t going to come easy and we knew that coming into this race and there’s so many challenges at this race track.”
Johnson’s victory, his fourth of the year, came after he ran out of gas during the final caution period, which lasted 29 laps amid confusion over the restart order after the caution came out during green-flag stops.
“This is the right time to start winning races.,” said Johnson, who last won at Martinsville in 2013. “I’ve been trying to ignore this conversation about seven (championships), and now I can’t. We’re locked in.”
This is the first time that Johnson, who has six Sprint Cup titles, has advanced to the championship race in the elimination format.
“I’m honored to be in this position and I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the belief that Lowes all of its employees had in me way back when I was winning about 10th or 13th in the (Xfinity Series,” Johnson said.
Johnson’s win ensures that Joe Gibbs Racing won’t put all four of its cars in the Chase championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Matt Kenseth led a race high 176 laps before finishing fourth.
WHO HAD A GOOD DAY: Jeff Gordon finished sixth in likely his last Sprint Cup start. Gordon earned top 10s in his last two start at Martinsville and Dover … Brad Keselowski earned his first top five in five races (Dover) … Pole-sitter Martin Truex Jr. led 147 laps before finishing seventh … Kyle Busch earned his fourth top five in the last six races … AJ Allmendinger finished 10th for his third-straight top 10 and his eighth of the season.
WHO HAD A BAD DAY: Carl Edwards brought out a caution during green flag stops on Lap 356 after losing a tire and hitting the Turn 1 wall. Edwards finished 36th … NASCAR timing and scoring had a bad at the office. The Edwards’ caution came during green-flag stops and confusion over the restart order and free passes caused the caution to last 29 laps … Ricky Stenhouse Jr finished last after wrecking on his own in Turn 3 on Lap 21 … Stewart-Haas Racing had an uncommon race with all four of its cars finish off the lead lap. Kevin Harvick was the highest finisher in 20th, two laps down.
NOTABLE: Gray Gaulding finished 39th, 140 laps down in his first Sprint Cup start.
Quote of the Day: “We worked so good together we gave the win to the 48 today. That’s how good JGR is.” – Kyle Busch after Joe Gibbs Racing placed three of its cars in the top five.
Next: AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway at 2 p.m. ET on Nov. 6 on NBC.
http://a.fssta.com/content/dam/fsdigital/fscom/nascar/images/2016/10/30/103016-nascar-race-results.vadapt.664.high.1.jpg
Jimmie Johnson led the final 92 laps of the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 to capture his ninth-career win at Martinsville Speedway, his 79th Sprint Cup win and clinched his one of the four spots in the championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Johnson took the lead on Lap 409 from Denny Hamlin and after getting away from the No. 11, never received a challenge for the lead.
The No. 48 was followed by Brad Keselowski, Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Martin Truex Jr., Jamie McMurray, Joey Logano and AJ Allmendinger.
“Anything you want in life you have to work for it,” Johnson told NBCSN. “It isn’t going to come easy and we knew that coming into this race and there’s so many challenges at this race track.”
Johnson’s victory, his fourth of the year, came after he ran out of gas during the final caution period, which lasted 29 laps amid confusion over the restart order after the caution came out during green-flag stops.
“This is the right time to start winning races.,” said Johnson, who last won at Martinsville in 2013. “I’ve been trying to ignore this conversation about seven (championships), and now I can’t. We’re locked in.”
This is the first time that Johnson, who has six Sprint Cup titles, has advanced to the championship race in the elimination format.
“I’m honored to be in this position and I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the belief that Lowes all of its employees had in me way back when I was winning about 10th or 13th in the (Xfinity Series,” Johnson said.
Johnson’s win ensures that Joe Gibbs Racing won’t put all four of its cars in the Chase championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Matt Kenseth led a race high 176 laps before finishing fourth.
WHO HAD A GOOD DAY: Jeff Gordon finished sixth in likely his last Sprint Cup start. Gordon earned top 10s in his last two start at Martinsville and Dover … Brad Keselowski earned his first top five in five races (Dover) … Pole-sitter Martin Truex Jr. led 147 laps before finishing seventh … Kyle Busch earned his fourth top five in the last six races … AJ Allmendinger finished 10th for his third-straight top 10 and his eighth of the season.
WHO HAD A BAD DAY: Carl Edwards brought out a caution during green flag stops on Lap 356 after losing a tire and hitting the Turn 1 wall. Edwards finished 36th … NASCAR timing and scoring had a bad at the office. The Edwards’ caution came during green-flag stops and confusion over the restart order and free passes caused the caution to last 29 laps … Ricky Stenhouse Jr finished last after wrecking on his own in Turn 3 on Lap 21 … Stewart-Haas Racing had an uncommon race with all four of its cars finish off the lead lap. Kevin Harvick was the highest finisher in 20th, two laps down.
NOTABLE: Gray Gaulding finished 39th, 140 laps down in his first Sprint Cup start.
Quote of the Day: “We worked so good together we gave the win to the 48 today. That’s how good JGR is.” – Kyle Busch after Joe Gibbs Racing placed three of its cars in the top five.
Next: AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway at 2 p.m. ET on Nov. 6 on NBC.
http://a.fssta.com/content/dam/fsdigital/fscom/nascar/images/2016/10/30/103016-nascar-race-results.vadapt.664.high.1.jpg