Johnson Wins at Texas

Originally written for CLNS Radio.

Jimmie Johnson won the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 on Sunday for his record seventh victory at Texas Motor Speedway.

Johnson came into the race on Sunday with only one top 10 in the first six races of the season.  Johnson said he was able to prove to his critics that he and his team weren’t worried about their slow start.

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“Really in our wheelhouse and we were able to execute all day,” Johnson said.  “Guess I remembered how to drive and this team remembered how to do it.”

The win also came in the first race at the newly-repaved and reconfigured Texas Motor Speedway.  Johnson said the track surface was starting to come in at the end of the race.

“The way it finished now…I think we could run a race and put on a good show,” Johnson said.  “It’ll just take a little time for this track to age; nothing out of the ordinary.”

Kyle Larson had one of the fastest cars of the race, but he finished second after getting held up by Joey Logano in the closing laps.  Larson said his car was good enough to challenge Johnson for the victory.

“I wish I could have gotten by Joey a couple laps sooner, I think I could have had a shot at Jimmie,” Larson said.  “I had a better car than most…I could really stay low off of Turn 2 and could pass people in traffic.”

“Another second-place for us; extended our points lead a little.”

Unofficial results:

1. Jimmie Johnson

2. Kyle Larson

3. Joey Logano

4. Kevin Harvick

5. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

6. Brad Keselowski

7. Jamie McMurray

8. Martin Truex Jr.

9. Chase Elliott

10. Kurt Busch

11. Clint Bowyer

12. Ryan Blaney

13. Trevor Bayne

14. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

15. Kyle Busch

16. Matt Kenseth

17. Ty Dillon

18. Aric Almirola

19. Daniel Suarez

20. AJ Allmendinger

21. Chris Buescher

22. Erik Jones

23. Michael McDowell

24. Danica Patrick

25. Denny Hamlin

26. Ryan Newman

27. JJ Yeley

28. David Ragan

29. Landon Cassill

30. Cole Whitt

31. Matt DiBenedetto

32. Corey Lajoie

33. Austin Dillon

34. Gray Gaulding

35. Reed Sorenson

36. Paul Menard

37. Derrike Cope

38. Kasey Kahne

39. Timmy Hill

40. Jeffrey Earnhardt

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