2007 Nov-02
Johnson goes from chaser to chasee
By Larry Sullivan
Though still officially listed as a Chase for the Championship chaser, Mooresville’s Jimmie Johnson strengthened his status as the chasee for this year’s most coveted prize on the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series circuit last weekend.
Johnson motored his way to a second straight win and series-high eighth this season overall by beating back the odds and overtaking the field late to finish first in the Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Johnson, who garnered a sixth-place starting nod based on earlier week qualifying, secured his one and only appearance as a race leader – thus bagging those available bonus points as well – on Lap 322 of the event and held on down the stretch over the final seven turns around the 1.54-mile oval site to creep closer still to a successful defense of his points championship.
Never finishing out of the points standings’ top five positions throughout his NASCAR Nextel Cup career, Johnson reached the pinnacle point of that all-time effort by winning his first points championship last year. He now appears well on the right track towards pulling off a second straight such feat.
Buoyed by the win, he climbed his way to within a mere nine points of the current points standing leader, a spot he looks to continue to enhance over the course of the final three races being used as part of the 10-race Chase for the Championship.
“I just think it’s going to be a fight to the end,’’ revealed Johnson after the 31st win of his career. “We took a good bite out of the lead, and it’s going to come down to a position or two in the next three.”
Johnson made sure to keep his name in the hat for this year’s top prize.
He took advantage of some late-race drama to get himself into position, taking over the lead just a few laps from its scheduled end. The race was then extended by a few laps due to some additional caution flags being waved, and the feature affair actually ended under the yellow flag with Johnson once again out in front.
“Today wasn’t the best day for our car,’’ offered Johnson, who wound up sweeping this year’s events at the Atlanta track. “Circumstances at the end really worked out for us.”
And how.
Johnson, hailing out of the crowded Hendrick Motorsports garage that accounts for the two drivers sitting first and second in points, cut all but the remaining nine points off what was a 53-point deficit in the points standings and makes practically every more being made the remainder of the season have some major bearing on how the points stack up for this season.
By winning, obviously, Johnson wound up with the most to show among all area entries still involved in the championship Chase. Only two other entries with area connections in the title chase picture posted placements in the final pecking order’s top-10 positions.
Mooresville’s Matt Kenseth, representing the Roush Fenway Racing organization that is celebrating in part the recent claiming of the World Series title in baseball by the Boston Red Sox, registered a fourth-place finish after starting 17th and used the effort to remain steadfast in 11th-place in points.
Also, Mooresville’s Kurt Busch, with local-based Penske Racing South, clocked in eighth after starting second and stayed put in ninth place in points.
Also among Chase participants:
Mooresville’s Kyle Busch with Hendrick Motorsports checked in 20th after starting 19th and sits sixth in points; and Martin Truex Jr., with Mooresville’s Dale Earnhardt Inc. wound up 31st after starting 20th and remains 12th in points.
In addition to the race winner, others with area ties banking bonus points for serving as a race leader included Greg Biffle with the area branch of Roush Fenway Racing, Kurt Busch, Truex Jr., Paul Menard also with DEI, Kyle Busch, and A.J. Allmendinger with Mooresville’s Red Bull Racing.
Elsewhere: Brian Vickers, also with Red Bull Racing, wound up 10th after starting 14th; Allmendinger finished 16th after starting 31st; Ricky Rudd with Mooresville’s Yates Racing finished 17th after starting 38th; Biffle settled for 22nd after starting on the preferred pole position; Mooresville’s Dale Earnhardt Jr. with DEI, landed 25th after starting fifth and is 13th in points; Menard also with DEI wound up 27th after starting 36th; Mooresville’s Joe Nemecheck took 36th after starting 23rd.
And: Lake Norman’s Ryan Newman with Penske Racing South chimed in 37th after starting ninth; Mooresville’s Jeremy Mayfield in his new ride with Hass Racing wound up 40th after starting 41st; David Gilliland with Yates Racing took 42nd after starting 13th; and Mark Martin also with DEI placed 43rd after starting 12th.
Area teams and drivers, particularly those involved in the Championship Chase, now turn their attentions towards this weekend’s race, the Dickies 500, set for Texas Motor Speedway Sunday afternoon.
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