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Top-10 Runs In Atlanta

06/09/2009

Martin And Gordon Earn Top-10 Runs In Atlanta - Johnson has Strong Run Spoiled by Broken Axle, Finishes 36th

Mark Martin ran in the top-10 for all 325 laps in Sunday night's running of the Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. His consistent run earned him a top-five finish while Hendrick teammate Jeff Gordon fought handling issues to finish eighth. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. started deep in the field but worked his way into the top 10 before finishing 17th with Jimmie Johnson having a solid run going before breaking an axle that sent him behind the wall relegating him to a 36th-place finish.

After starting in the seventh position, Martin remained just outside the top-five running positions for the first half of the race. It was later in the 500-mile event that the veteran driver broke into the top-five where he remained for the duration of the event before finishing fifth.

HMS teammate Jeff Gordon qualified in the fourth position but a loose handling condition dropped him in the field early in the race. The No. 24 team was able to rebound as Gordon regained his position in the top-10 and remained there for the duration of the event. The four-time Sprint Cup champion took the checkered flag in the eighth position.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. started deep in the field in the 31st position working his way into the top-10 by lap 160. Earnhardt remained in the front of the field until the closing laps of the race when his car fell off dropping him out of the top-15. NASCAR's "Most Popular Driver" wound up 17th for the night.

With a second-row starting position, Jimmie Johnson took the lead early in the event leading twice for a total of 17 laps. It was late in the race when the No. 48 suffered a broken axle sending Johnson behind the wall for repairs. With the repairs Johnson fell off the pace loosing many laps and finishing in the 36th position.

With Johnson's trouble he fell one position in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver championship standings switching places with teammate Jeff Gordon. Gordon now sits second with Johnson third as both drivers secured positions in the Chase for the Sprint Cup with one race remaining before the start of the 10-race run to the championship. Mark Martin remains 10th in the point standings and will go into Richmond next week battling for a spot in the top-12.  Earnhardt also maintained his points position in the 21st spot after Sunday night's run.

Kasey Kahne took the win in Atlanta and was followed by Kevin Harvick and Juan Pablo Montoya. David Reutimann along with Mark Martin rounded out the top-five.

Next up for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is the final race before the Chase for the Sprint Cup starts. Live television coverage of the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 from Richmond International Raceway begins on Saturday, September 12 on ABC at 7:00 p.m. (ET) with radio coverage beginning at 6:45 p.m. (ET) on MRN and Sirius-XM Satellite radio.