Johnson outduels Kenseth for victory in Texas, has 30 point lead over Gordon
Quote selected text Published November 4th, 2007 in NASCAR News
Jimmie Johnson refused to settle for second place and on the fourth try he got past Matt Kenseth to win Sunday’s Dickies 500 Nextel Cup race, the eighth of 10 events which make up the “Chase for the Nextel Cup.” The No.48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet crossed the finish line 0.944 seconds ahead of Kenseth’s No.17 Ford.
The victory was Johnson’s ninth of the season, first at Texas and 32nd of his “Cup” career. He will take a 30-point lead over Gordon, who finished seventh, into the final two races.
“I can’t thank these guys enough,” said Johnson. “I’m just tickled to death, these guys have been working so hard in the No.24 and No.48 shops. They give us this opportunity (to win) week in and week out.”
Pole winner Martin Truex Jr. brought the 43-car field to the green flag for 334 scheduled laps of high-speed racing. He led the first six laps before Juan Pablo Montoya charged past him for the lead. Jeff Gordon, meanwhile, who started on the outside front row, faded back to sixth.
Gordon’s crew chief Steve Letarte, thinking it might be a while before they could adjust the car to be really competitive, elected to take just two right side tires for track position. The strategy worked as Gordon got off pit lane first and the team collected five important bonus points for leading a lap.
Truex Jr., who took on four fresh tires, waited just a couple of laps before slipping past the four-time series champion to retake the lead. Another caution flag and Gordon didn’t come in for tires, so he inherited the lead from Truex Jr. again.
With the oldest tires on the track, it wasn’t long before cars began to pass Gordon. On lap 46 teammate Kyle Busch was first past his teammate. Six laps later Kevin Harvick flashed past Gordon for second place.
Busch was flying and built the gap between himself and Harvick to four seconds after 65 laps. But Dale Earnhardt Jr. started to put it together and he charged past Gordon and Harvick into second place chopping Busch’s lead to two and-a-half seconds.
Gordon, his fuel running short, had to pit under green and went down a lap to the leaders in 38th place. Now he had to hope that no caution flags came out before everyone needed to make a stop for fuel. Gordon survived the gamble as everyone pitted before lap 95 and he was back on the lead lap and in fourth place.
Busch’s lead was still about three seconds over “Junior” and six over Harvick and Gordon. On lap 105, Gordon was passed by Johnson as the two continued their “race-within-the-race” for the Nextel Cup title.
More at Lexington Herald Leader/The Sports Network
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS:
FIN, ST, CAR, DRIVER, MAKE, SPONSOR, PTS/BNS, LAPS, STATUS
1 8 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Lowe’s / Kobalt Tools 190/5 334 Running
2 18 17 Matt Kenseth Ford USG Sheetrock / DEWALT 175/5 334 Running
3 1 1 Martin Truex Jr. Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops / Tracker 170/5 334 Running
4 17 5 Kyle Busch Chevrolet CARQUEST / Kellogg’s 170/10 334 Running
5 11 12 Ryan Newman Dodge ALLTEL 160/5 334 Running
6 27 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet AT&T Mobility 150/0 334 Running
7 2 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet DuPont 151/5 334 Running
8 6 2 Kurt Busch Dodge Miller Lite 147/5 334 Running
9 24 26 Jamie McMurray Ford Crown Royal Special Reserve 138/0 334 Running
10 4 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet Shell / Pennzoil 134/0 334 Running
11 15 20 Tony Stewart Chevrolet The Home Depot 130/0 334 Running
12 19 19 Elliott Sadler Dodge Dodge Dealers Lifetime Powertrain Warranty / UAW 127/0 334 Running
13 20 10 Scott Riggs Dodge Stanley Proto Tools / Valvoline 124/0 334 Running
14 12 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet Budweiser 126/5 334 Running
15 39 88 Ricky Rudd Ford Snickers 123/5 334 Running
16 13 43 Bobby Labonte Dodge Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories 115/0 334 Running
17 38 18 J.J. Yeley Chevrolet Interstate Batteries 112/0 333 Running
18 25 9 Kasey Kahne Dodge Dodge Dealers Lifetime Powertrain Warranty / UAW 109/0 332 Running
19 29 07 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet Jack Daniel’s 111/5 332 Running
20 40 96 Tony Raines Chevrolet DLP HDTV 103/0 332 Running
21 32 22 Dave Blaney Toyota Caterpillar 100/0 332 Running
22 36 66 Jeremy Mayfield Chevrolet Best Buy 97/0 332 Running
23 22 83 Brian Vickers Toyota Red Bull 94/0 332 Running
24 14 36 Mike Skinner Toyota 360 OTC 91/0 331 Running
25 3 42 Juan Montoya * Dodge Texaco / Havoline 93/5 331 Running
26 21 99 Carl Edwards Ford Office Depot 85/0 331 Running
27 42 70 Johnny Sauter Chevrolet FleetPride / Yellow 82/0 330 Running
28 34 38 David Gilliland Ford M&M’s 79/0 330 Running
29 7 11 Denny Hamlin Chevrolet FedEx Kinko’s 81/5 324 Running
30 16 15 Paul Menard * Chevrolet Moen / Menards 73/0 322 Running
31 9 25 Casey Mears Chevrolet National Guard / GMAC 70/0 302 Running
32 41 7 Robby Gordon Ford MAPEI / Menards 67/0 300 Running
33 23 16 Greg Biffle Ford Jackson Hewitt 64/0 295 Running
34 10 01 Mark Martin Chevrolet U.S. Army 61/0 278 Running
35 35 78 Joe Nemechek Chevrolet Furniture Row Racing 58/0 275 Out of Race
36 30 21 Bill Elliott Ford Delimex 55/0 248 Off Track
37 33 6 David Ragan * Ford AAA Insurance 52/0 222 Out of Race
38 26 44 Dale Jarrett Toyota UPS 49/0 217 Out of Race
39 5 84 A.J. Allmendinger * Toyota Red Bull 46/0 151 Out of Race
40 31 41 Reed Sorenson Dodge Target 43/0 143 Off Track
41 28 40 David Stremme Dodge HomeLife Communities 40/0 136 Off Track
42 37 45 Kyle Petty Dodge National Tire & Battery 37/0 129 Out of Race
43 43 00 David Reutimann * Toyota Burger King 34/0 90 Out of Race
Bookmark to:
- Jimmie Johnson Texas preview quotes
- iLevel to sponsor Kenseth in Busch Series
- Texas Friday Nextel Cup practice rained out
- Dale Earnhardt, Jr scores pole at Texas
- Burton takes the lead on last lap, wins at Texas
Jimmie Johnson is the greatest driver on the nascar circuit. period. That was some amazing driving right there.
Hmm with Pats-Colts on against NASCAR, did anyone actually watch the race? I flipped over a few times during commercials, but was pretty much tuned into the football game for the afternoon!
Kenseth was fighting more than Johnson but either way.. sick of seeing the same driver when races. Too many 1.5 mile tracks in the chase that’s all I have to say.
If Bruton puts another somehow gets another 1.5 track in the chase I’m done watching NASCAR and I’m serious about that.
Take out puts another my bad.. angry right now.
I agree Red. I’m sick of seeing the same damn driver winning week in and week out. There should be more of a variety with the track lengths so other drivers can show their talents on those type of tracks. Everyone knows JJ and Gordo are good on 1.5 Mi tracks and 2 Mi tracks. There needs to be some more variety in the circuit’s schedule.
RedDevil wrote:
sushstewart20 wrote:
If you haven’t noticed, they’re just as great at short and superspeedways.
They’re all around drivers, what are you gonna do?
If ya’ll are sick of seeing #48 win, go out there and drive better than he does. Then we can cheer for you.
Congrats Jimmie Johnson and the rest of the #48 team. You guys are true champions on and off the track
Johnson has the fastest car week end and out cause he has been using the same car from Lowes.. since there is 3 or 4(I’m not 100% sure) 1.5 mile tracks.
Jimmie Johnson and Team Lowe’s is just an awesome team…..in fact all the drivers for Hendricks are awesome, but Jimmie and Chad are the best.
GO JIMMIE!!!!!
HELL YEAH TO ALL THE JIMMIE JOHNSON FANS
HE IS AMAZING AND I MET HIM LAST YEAR AT INDIANAPOLIS
AND BECAUSE OF THAT HE WON THAT RACE AND THE CHAMP
;) HEHE
NO BUT SERIOUSLY GO JIMMIE FOR THE WIN BABBYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
Andy wrote:
Andy, try and try as you may and constantly tell people THE TRUTH…they will still come up with BS and excuses. Trust me, I have tried!!!!
But good try!!!
sushstewart20 wrote:
Ha, I bet if it was Stewart winning every week you wouldn’t be complaining.
Johnson is awesome, man… as well as Knaus and the rest of the team. This isn’t the first time they’ve had 3 wins in a row like this. That team works GREAT under extreme pressure. I can’t congratulate them enough. I hope they get the championship and at least 6 more.
hell yea jimmy is the man ………..and to all the one that watched football instead of the race….go blog on the football page because noone care what you have to say!!!!!! JIMMY IS THE MAN….FACE IT!!!!!
oh YEA REDDEVIL…1.5 MOLES TRACKS…….HOW ABOUT MARTINSVILLE???? WHO WON THAT ONE???THATS ALL I GOTTA SAY!!!
LOL you go getrdone :]