Jimmie Johnson Wins at Homestead to Win 7th Championship

Originally written for CLNS Radio.

Jimmie Johnson won his record-tying seventh Sprint Cup Series Championship on Sunday by winning the Ford 400 from Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Johnson had to start last after his team was sent to the back for unapproved body modifications prior to the green flag.  Johnson avoided a late-race accident to move to the front, and he held off Kyle Larson and fellow Chase driver Joey Logano to win the race and the championship.

 

Sean Gardner (Getty Images)

“I didn’t think the race was unfolding for us like we needed to be the champs,” Johnson said.  “Some luck came our way and we were able to win the race and win the championship.”

Johnson said he didn’t think he would be able to win after running behind Logano, Busch and Carl Edwards most of the day, but that he was able to stay calm all day and was strong when it counted.

“I had this crazy calmness over myself all day long and leading into this,” Johnson said.  “Even with us running fifth, and the championship not looking like it was going to be there, I just felt something.”

Johnson is now tied with NASCAR Hall of Famers Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty with seven Sprint Cup Series championships.  Johnson said the record was something special to be a part of.

“It’s big…number seven has a special place in my heart,” Johnson said.  

Rick Hendrick, Johnson’s team owner, said he was excited to see one of his drivers stand among NASCAR’s elite.

“To see him tie Richard and Dale…it’s unbelievable,” Hendrick said.  “To do it through all these different formats has been so special.”

Unofficial results:

1. Jimmie Johnson

2. Kyle Larson

3. Kevin Harvick

4. Joey Logano

5. Jamie McMurray

6. Kyle Busch

7. Matt Kenseth

8. AJ Allmendinger

9. Denny Hamlin

10. Michael McDowell

11. Chase Elliott

12. Austin Dillon

13. Kurt Busch

14. Paul Menard

15. Brian Scott

16. Alex Bowman

17. Greg Biffle

18. Casey Mears

19. Danica Patrick

20. Trevor Bayne

21. Landon Cassill

22. Tony Stewart

23. Clint Bowyer

24. Chris Buescher

25. Ryan Newman

26. Ryan Blaney

27. Matt DiBenedetto

28. Michael Annett

29. David Ragan

30. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

31. Jeffrey Earnhardt

32. Reed Sorenson

33. Ty Dillon

34. Carl Edwards

35. Brad Keselowski

36. Martin Truex Jr.

37. Kasey Kahne

38. Regan Smith

39. Dylan Lupton

40. Aric Almirola

Sean Gardner (Getty Images)

Edwards Wins Wet AAA Texas 500

Originally written for CLNS Radio

Carl Edwards won the AAA Texas 500 from Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday night after rain ended the race with 40 laps to go.

Edwards raced Martin Truex Jr. over the final 100 laps for the lead, but it wasn’t until the final pit stop that Edwards was able to get out front.  Edwards’ team got him the lead, and he ran away from Truex and Joey Logano until the rain came.

 

Sarah Crabill (Getty Images)

Edwards said his team’s fast pit stop got him the victory.

“[Crew chief] Dave Rogers and the guys, they got me off pit road first and that’s what won it for us,” Edwards said.  “I’ve got an amazing group of guys; they work so well together.  My pit crew has worked really hard this year.”

Rain delayed the start of the race by almost five hours, changing it from a day race to a night race that promised to have major Chase implications.  Edwards came into the race needing a victory after finishing 36th at Martinsville one week ago.

“This was a test; we came in and knew what we had to do, and we performed the way we needed to,” Edwards said.  “I really believe we can do that at Homestead.”

“We’ve got a shot at the championship, and that’s all we wanted this year.nnI can’t wait to go to Homestead; it’s going to be a blast.”

Logano finished second after leading 178 of 293 laps.  Logano said the handle on his car went away in the middle of the race, but his team continued to work hard to give him a shot at the victory over the final run.

“We had a good restart there at the end, and started running down the 19 [of Edwards] that last two or three laps, and I thought we could get…back out front,” Logano said.  “It’d have been interesting to see if we’d gotten another 10 to 15 laps...but it is what it is.”

Unofficial results:

1. Carl Edwards

2. Joey Logano

3. Martin Truex Jr.

4. Chase Elliott

5. Kyle Busch

6. Kevin Harvick

7. Matt Kenseth

8. Kasey Kahne

9. Denny Hamlin

10. Ryan Newman

11. Jimmie Johnson

12. Ryan Blaney

13. Alex Bowman

14. Brad Keselowski

15. Kyle Larson

16. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

17. AJ Allmendinger

18. Greg Biffle

19. Jamie McMurray

20. Kurt Busch

21. Chris Buescher

22. Aric Almirola

23. Michael McDowell

24. Danica Patrick

25. Clint Bowyer

26. Regan Smith

27. Brian Scott

28. Paul Menard

29. Landon Cassill

30. Trevor Bayne

31. Tony Stewart

32. Michael Annett

33. David Ragan

34. Jeffrey Earnhardt

35. Reed Sorenson

36. Joey Gase

37. Austin Dillon

38. Ryan Ellis

39. Casey Mears

40. Josh Wise

Jerry Markland (Getty Images)

Keselowski Stretches Fuel to Win at Kentucky

Originally written for CLNS Radio.

Brad Keselowski won the Quaker State 400 from Kentucky Speedway on Saturday night, stretching his fuel to last the final run.

Photo courtesy Brian Ohigashi/Getty Images

Keselowski led 75 laps on Saturday night, winning his second-straight race.  Keselowski stretched his fuel over the final run, and said his team did a good job calculating his fuel mileage.

“It became obvious that you were going to have to save fuel at the end, but I’d already used so much,” Keselowski said.  “It was a testament to our guys to have the fuel mileage we did to be able to get back what we burnt up at the beginning of the run.”

Keselowski won on a newly-repaved Kentucky Speedway, which also saw a smaller rear spoiler to reduce downforce.  Keselowski said the cars were tough to drive.

“These cars were tough to drive today,” Keselowski said.  “They were a good tough, and it was a hard-fought battle.”

“Usually these repaves are my Achilles heel.  I know it’s been a good track for us in the past, but this isn’t the same Kentucky.”

Keselowski also said that his team is just getting hot as the summer moves on.

“This is our best stretch, and we’re really proud of that.  We’ve just got to follow the course.”

Carl Edwards finished second to Keselowski.  Edwards caught and almost passed Keselowski on the final lap, but said Keselowski was perfect at the end.

“I’ve got to give credit where credit is due, Brad played that perfectly,” Edwards said.  “He baited me in there…and then he just went.”

Unofficial results:

1. Brad Keselowski

2. Carl Edwards

3. Ryan Newman

4. Kurt Busch

5. Tony Stewart

6. Greg Biffle

7. Jamie McMurray

8. Matt Kenseth

9. Kevin Harvick

10. Martin Truex Jr.

11. Trevor Bayne

12. Kyle Busch

13. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

14. Kasey Kahne

15. Denny Hamlin

16. Austin Dillon

17. Danica Patrick

18. Paul Menard

19. Kyle Larson

20. Aric Almirola

21. Cole Whitt

22. David Ragan

23. Clint Bowyer

24. Josh Wise

25. Ty Dillon

26. Michael Annett

27. Reed Sorenson

28. Jeffrey Earnhardt

29. Landon Cassill

30. Casey Mears

31. Chase Elliott

32. Jimmie Johnson

33. Brian Scott

34. Regan Smith

35. Ryan Blaney

36. AJ Allmendinger

37. Chris Buescher

38. Matt DiBenedetto

39. Joey Logano

40. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Photo courtesy Matt Sullivan/Getty Images