Around Iredell Sports

2007 Oct-26

Short line to make point

By Larry Sullivan
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Mooresville’s Jimmie Johnson once again followed the shortest path to get yet another key point across on the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series circuit last weekend.
Continuing to make himself right at home on the premier stock car racing circuit’s shortest of all tracks at the .526-mile oval Martinsville Speedway, Johnson claimed his third consecutive win at the site dating back to late last year and padded his season-high number of victories to seven with a first-place finish in the Subway 500.
The claiming of the pilot’s 30th career win also served to maintain his quest for a successful defense of his first series points championship he claimed last year. With the win, the Hendrick Motorsports driver solidified his multi-team garage’s bid for the right to house this year’s series champion.

One race past the midway point of the final 10-race run for this year’s Chase for the Championship, both Johnson and in-house teammate Jeff Gordon garner the two best shots at capturing this year’s crown. The two head back on the track this weekend distanced by just 53 points, with the net-best entry after that sitting another 58 points behind runner-up Johnson.

“This thing’s not over yet,” cautioned Johnson, who took the fourth and final turn as a race leader on Lap 457 of the extended 506-lap feature affair and never let it loose. “Being a competitor, I don’t want to lose a race. And I don’t want to lose the championship.”

Johnson took yet another big step towards preventing that from happening. Johnson, who garnered the fourth-place starting nod, made his first appearance riding point on Lap 109. He worked his way back to the front of the pack three times after that, the last taking place over the final 50 laps of what had to be an extended affair due to the record number of caution flags that waved in the race.

The site of the race continues to be one that holds a place near and dear to all involved with the Hendrick Motorsports organization. It was near the track where some three years ago that 10 people, including team owner Rick Hendrick’s son and his brother, were all killed in a team plane crash that was making the trip to the track.

Johnson paid his tribute on the track by placing first, cutting into his point deficit and increasing his circuit best number of wins in the process.

By placing first, Johnson was by far the most impressive of the other area-based pilots that are also among the 12 contenders for this year’s coveted championship. Two others of that bunch, in the form of Mooresville’s Kyle Busch also out of the talented Hendrick Motorsports camp and Mooresville’s Matt Kenseth with Roush Fenway Racing, clocked in with fellow top-10 finishes.
Busch started sixth, gathered in bonus points as a race leader and checked in with a fourth place finish that served to keep him in sixth-place in the updated overall championship points standings.
Kenseth, meanwhile followed up his 24th-place starting assignment by chiming in fifth overall, a much-needed effort as he remained 12th and in last place among the dozen drivers involved in this year’s championship Chase.
Other local-based entries with top-10 placements included: Lake Norman’s Ryan Newman with Mooresville’s Penske Racing South, who finished second after starting 12th and also took a turn as a race leader and moved into 14th place in points; and Mooresville’s Greg Biffle with Roush Fenway Racing, who wound up seventh after starting 37th and sits 15th in points.
In the second 10: only Martin Truex Jr., with Mooresville’s Dale Earnhardt Inc, landed 19th after starting second, his points status taking a hit as well by knocking him into 11th place in the standings
Elsewhere: Mooresville’s Dale Earnhardt Jr., with DEI, placed 23rd after starting seventh and is 13th in points; Paul Menard, ditto with DEI, wound up 24th after starting 25th; David Gilliland with Mooresville’s Yates/Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing placed 25th after starting 40th; Ricky Rudd, also with Yates & Co. Racing, wound up 27th after starting 23rd; Mooresville’s’ Kurt Busch, with Penske South Racing, chimed in 31st after starting 11th and moved into 10th in points; A.J. Allmendinger with Mooresville’s Red Bull Racing logged in 35th after starting 10 spots better in 25th; and Aric Almirola with DEI checked in 43rd after starting 27th.

Area teams and drivers now steer their attentions towards this weekend’s race, the Pep Boys Auto 500, set for Atlanta Motor Speedway Sunday afternoon.

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