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Jimmie Johnson Wins At The Brickyard
26/07/2009
Fellow Hendrick Teammates Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon Score Top-10 Finishes
I can't say enough about this race team and all of Hendrick Motorsports.
Hendrick Motorsports driver Jimmie Johnson scored his third win at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Sunday's running of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. Johnson also became the first back-to-back winner in NASCAR competition at the historic track. Fellow HMS driver Mark Martin finished second with Jeff Gordon taking the checkered flag in the ninth position. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was credited with a 36th-place finish after losing an engine at lap 127.
After starting in the 16th position Johnson quickly made his way into the top-10 taking over the eighth position by lap 10. Breaking into the top-five just a few laps leader, the three-time and defending champion took the lead with 24 laps remaining in the 400-mile event. Johnson remained on the point after a close battle with fellow teammate Mark Martin earning his third victory of the 2009 season.
"That was unbelievable," said Johnson. "I hope the fans enjoyed that race. I can't say enough about this race team and all of Hendrick Motorsports. It was a fun battle with my teammate Mark Martin. It's great to work with him and work with Alan (Gustafson) and work with all my teammates at Hendrick Motorsports."
"Those last 15-20 laps we had to drive it so hard to stay ahead of the five," continued Johnson. "I was better in (turns) three and four than he was and he had me beat in (turns) one and two and it was kind of a give and take thing that was going on. Luckily we held him off."
Martin, who earned his fourth pole of the season, led the first four laps of the 160-lap event. He remained in the second spot for virtually the rest of the race before retaking the lead on lap 127. Falling to his teammate on a late-race restart, the veteran battled for the No. 1 spot in the closing laps but had to settle for the runner-up finish. Fellow Quaker State driver Jeff Gordon battled from deep in the field to earn a top-10 finish bringing his DuPont Chevrolet home to a ninth-place finish.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. had a strong qualifying effort starting Sunday's race from the third position and running in the top-10 until his engine expired on lap 127 sending him to the garage and out of the race.
With his win, Johnson took over the second position in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship point standings with Gordon falling to third. Martin gained two spots with his second-place finish with Dale Earnhardt, Jr. losing one position falling to the 21st spot.
Next up for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is the running of the Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway. Coverage of live racing action will begin on Sunday, August 2, 2009 at 1:00 p.m. (ET) on ESPN with radio coverage on MRN/XM-Sirius Satellite radio at 1:15 p.m.