For fans watching the Subway Fresh Fit 600 last night, was there not a point at which it all seemed so futile, Jimmie Johnson was cranking away leading one lap after another and appeared poised to dominate the race and take home yet another win and widen his lead in the points standings further making championship five seem so inevitable?
From lap 149 to 262, the #48 car surely looked poised to take total control of the field, but from that point forward, it was open competition. Kyle Busch would take charge looking strong into the later stages of the race while there was much racing for position among several competitors behind him. A late caution on lap 372, six laps before the end of the race, saw the leaders hit the pits with Johnson and Busch taking four tires, while Jeff Gordon, Ryan Newman, Mark Martin, and Matt Kenseth took only two tires. Then things got to be lots of fun when the green flag waved for a green/white/checkers finish.
Gordon led Newman, Martin, Kenseth, and poll sitter, A.J. Allmendinger as Ryan Newman took the lead on lap 377 taking the white flag and rocketing to the win. Jeff Gordon didn’t have enough to catch him.
The spectacular win was Newman’s first since his Daytona 500 win in 2008, his first for Stewart-Haas racing, and Stewart-Haas’s first win for 2010. Once again, Jeff Gordon was in the thick of competition at the end but not strong enough for the win. Chevrolet totally dominated the race.
1. Ryan Newman, Chevy
2. Jeff Gordon, Chevy
3. Jimmie Johnson, Chevy
4. Mark Martin, Chevy
5. Juan Montoya, Chevy
Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards would finish 6th and 7th for Roush Fords while Kyle Busch’s 8th place finish was Toyota’s top ride. It’s noteworthy that the top four cars were all Hendricks engineered vehicles, first place for Stewart-Haas and the next three for Hendricks team. Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished just outside the top 10 in 12th.
Jimmie Johnson solidified his lock on first place in the standings. This is what consistent top five finishes accomplishes over the long haul toward winning championships. He leads Matt Kenseth by 36 points, a small margin. The big winners in the points chase were Carl Edwards who picked up six positions moving into the top 12 into 8th place. Kyle Busch gained four positions to squeak into the top 12. Clint Bowyer moved up three spots while Jeff Gordon and Joey Logano gained two in the rankings. Just outside the top 12, Mark Martin gained four positions, and Ryan Newman’s victory thrust him ahead six positions to 16th place. Considering this team’s horrendous start almost not making the top 35 by closing date after Bristol, the #39 team in on a roll. On the reverse, Kurt Busch, the top Dodge contender, dropped eight positions falling out of the top ten down to 14th with a poor 35th finish, down further in 39th, Kasey Kahne’s season continues to stumble dropping six positions down to 26th place.
Current Standings:
1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Matt Kenseth (-36)
3. Greg Biffle (-92)
4. Kevin Harvick (-112)
5. Jeff Gordon (-125)
6. Clint Bowyer (-188)
7. Jeff Burton (-200)
8. Carl Edwards (-200)
9. Tony Stewart (-204)
10. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (-207)
11. Joey Logano (-211)
12. Kyle Busch (-218)
It’s noteworthy that despite being winless and having difficulty qualify, three of the four Roush teams are in the Chase race. All three Richard Childress teams are in the top seven having generally been consistent and competitive in every race. Denny Hamlin, fresh off of knee surgery to correct an off-season basketball injury finished in 30th, not a good finish but quite an accomplishment given his condition.
Two more races will mark the end of the first quarter for the 2010 Sprint Cup season. What are the key themes and stories to keep an eye on as the season develops?
We’ll look at how can Jimmie Johnson be stopped? Is that even possible? How much progress are Childress, Roush, and Gibbs making after an off season in 2009? How are fledgling operations such as the new Front Row with Yates operation fare? Has the switch to Ford and Roush/Yates power benefitted Richard Petty Racing? Will NASCAR and its fans finally decide that the park and ride entrants can no longer be tolerated? It will also be interesting to note how Roger Penske’s operation succeeds as the only competitive Dodge entries in the series. What drivers are having potential breakthrough seasons, Paul Menard, A.J. Allmendinger, Sam Hornish, Scott Speed, Marcos Ambrose or somebody else?
The top of the points standings not withstanding, the quality of racing in 2010 has been exceptional with so many races being decided by fender-to-fender racing in the final laps. The “let them race” attitude and some mechanical tweaks are leading to what could prove to be a most enjoyable summer.
Next week it’s on to Texas, a faster track, and the first attempt to run a regular spoiler on the “car of tomorrow.” Team engineers and garage crews are challenged to attempt to identify the correct setup that will put their drivers in a position to win in the final laps. As if Texas won’t be enough of a challenge, the specter of Talladega is just two weeks away. Something about the first trip to the great Native American burial ground seems particularly ominous for 2010.
From lap 149 to 262, the #48 car surely looked poised to take total control of the field, but from that point forward, it was open competition. Kyle Busch would take charge looking strong into the later stages of the race while there was much racing for position among several competitors behind him. A late caution on lap 372, six laps before the end of the race, saw the leaders hit the pits with Johnson and Busch taking four tires, while Jeff Gordon, Ryan Newman, Mark Martin, and Matt Kenseth took only two tires. Then things got to be lots of fun when the green flag waved for a green/white/checkers finish.
Gordon led Newman, Martin, Kenseth, and poll sitter, A.J. Allmendinger as Ryan Newman took the lead on lap 377 taking the white flag and rocketing to the win. Jeff Gordon didn’t have enough to catch him.
The spectacular win was Newman’s first since his Daytona 500 win in 2008, his first for Stewart-Haas racing, and Stewart-Haas’s first win for 2010. Once again, Jeff Gordon was in the thick of competition at the end but not strong enough for the win. Chevrolet totally dominated the race.
1. Ryan Newman, Chevy
2. Jeff Gordon, Chevy
3. Jimmie Johnson, Chevy
4. Mark Martin, Chevy
5. Juan Montoya, Chevy
Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards would finish 6th and 7th for Roush Fords while Kyle Busch’s 8th place finish was Toyota’s top ride. It’s noteworthy that the top four cars were all Hendricks engineered vehicles, first place for Stewart-Haas and the next three for Hendricks team. Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished just outside the top 10 in 12th.
Jimmie Johnson solidified his lock on first place in the standings. This is what consistent top five finishes accomplishes over the long haul toward winning championships. He leads Matt Kenseth by 36 points, a small margin. The big winners in the points chase were Carl Edwards who picked up six positions moving into the top 12 into 8th place. Kyle Busch gained four positions to squeak into the top 12. Clint Bowyer moved up three spots while Jeff Gordon and Joey Logano gained two in the rankings. Just outside the top 12, Mark Martin gained four positions, and Ryan Newman’s victory thrust him ahead six positions to 16th place. Considering this team’s horrendous start almost not making the top 35 by closing date after Bristol, the #39 team in on a roll. On the reverse, Kurt Busch, the top Dodge contender, dropped eight positions falling out of the top ten down to 14th with a poor 35th finish, down further in 39th, Kasey Kahne’s season continues to stumble dropping six positions down to 26th place.
Current Standings:
1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Matt Kenseth (-36)
3. Greg Biffle (-92)
4. Kevin Harvick (-112)
5. Jeff Gordon (-125)
6. Clint Bowyer (-188)
7. Jeff Burton (-200)
8. Carl Edwards (-200)
9. Tony Stewart (-204)
10. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (-207)
11. Joey Logano (-211)
12. Kyle Busch (-218)
It’s noteworthy that despite being winless and having difficulty qualify, three of the four Roush teams are in the Chase race. All three Richard Childress teams are in the top seven having generally been consistent and competitive in every race. Denny Hamlin, fresh off of knee surgery to correct an off-season basketball injury finished in 30th, not a good finish but quite an accomplishment given his condition.
Two more races will mark the end of the first quarter for the 2010 Sprint Cup season. What are the key themes and stories to keep an eye on as the season develops?
We’ll look at how can Jimmie Johnson be stopped? Is that even possible? How much progress are Childress, Roush, and Gibbs making after an off season in 2009? How are fledgling operations such as the new Front Row with Yates operation fare? Has the switch to Ford and Roush/Yates power benefitted Richard Petty Racing? Will NASCAR and its fans finally decide that the park and ride entrants can no longer be tolerated? It will also be interesting to note how Roger Penske’s operation succeeds as the only competitive Dodge entries in the series. What drivers are having potential breakthrough seasons, Paul Menard, A.J. Allmendinger, Sam Hornish, Scott Speed, Marcos Ambrose or somebody else?
The top of the points standings not withstanding, the quality of racing in 2010 has been exceptional with so many races being decided by fender-to-fender racing in the final laps. The “let them race” attitude and some mechanical tweaks are leading to what could prove to be a most enjoyable summer.
Next week it’s on to Texas, a faster track, and the first attempt to run a regular spoiler on the “car of tomorrow.” Team engineers and garage crews are challenged to attempt to identify the correct setup that will put their drivers in a position to win in the final laps. As if Texas won’t be enough of a challenge, the specter of Talladega is just two weeks away. Something about the first trip to the great Native American burial ground seems particularly ominous for 2010.
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