News and Media Releases

Solid Runs In Martinsville

25/10/2009

Quaker State Drivers Continue to Hold Down Top Three Positions in Point Standings with Four Races Remaining

Hendrick Motorsports continued its dominance at Martinsville Speedway in Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race. Series points leader Jimmie Johnson finished in the runner-up spot with fellow HMS teammates Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin scoring top-10 finishes as well. Johnson maintains the points lead with Martin and Gordon rounding out the top-three positions.

Johnson struggled a little in qualifying putting his No. 48 Chevrolet in the 15th starting position. However it did not take long for the three-time and defending champion to break into the top-five and take over the lead. Johnson held the lead five times for a total of 164 laps before having to settle for the second position late in the race.

Four-time Champion Jeff Gordon earned the outside pole and held a top-five position early in the 500-lap event. However the driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet fell further back in the field during the mid portion of the race before working his way back into the top-10 to finish fifth while Mark Martin turned in a solid run by remaining in the top-10 for the entire race before settling for an eighth-place finish.

Fellow HMS teammate Dale Earnhardt, Jr. had a rough day fighting tire problems that dropped him laps behind early in the race. However, NASCAR's Most Popular Driver was able to gain his laps back with the Lucky Dog pass only to fall victim to another blown tire that relegated him back into the field once again. Earnhardt finished 29th two laps down to the leaders.

Johnson extended his points lead to 118 over second-place Mark Martin with Gordon remaining third in the point standings with just four races left in the season.

Denny Hamlin took the checkered flag for the win in the Tums Fast Relief 500 with Johnson and Juan Pablo Montoya in second and third. Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon rounded out the top-five.

Next up for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is race number seven of the 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup. Flag-to-flag coverage of the AMP Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama will take the green flag Sunday, November 1 beginning at 12:00 p.m. (EDT) on ABC.  The race will also be broadcast on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius Satellite Radio beginning at 12:15 p.m. (EDT).