News and Media Releases

Top-Five Finishes in Michigan

16/08/2009

Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin Have Strong Runs Spoiled by Fuel Mileage

The Hendrick Motorsports teams all had strong runs in Sunday's running of the Carfax 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin both ran up front for the majority of the 200-lap event before running out of fuel in the final laps. Jeff Gordon who also spent most of the day in the top-five was able to stretch his fuel to finish second while Dale Earnhardt, Jr. used pit strategy to gain track position and finish third for the day.

Johnson who led a race high 133 laps remained in the top-five for most of the event. It was with only three laps remaining that the three-time champion ran out of fuel and had to duck onto pit road for a splash of gas. Johnson ended up in the 33rd position one lap down to the leaders.

Martin had a similar day to Johnson as he started the race on the outside pole and took the lead on the first lap. The Quaker State driver led four different times for 26 laps before running out of fuel on the white-flag lap. The veteran driver ended up in the 31st position.

Jeff Gordon had a strong showing breaking into the top-five by lap 60 and remaining in the top-10 for much of the remaining laps of the race. Gordon was able to put himself in position to gain a few spots with others running out of gas in the closing stages and took the runner-up spot.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. struggled through the first half of the race but his team used pit strategy to gain their driver valuable track position. It wasn't until late in the race that the Quaker State driver made his way into the top-10 before working his way into the third spot where he took the checkered flag.

Gordon and Johnson swapped positions in the point standings and remain second and third with Gordon taking over the runner-up spot. Mark Martin dropped to the 12th position and sits 12 points ahead of the 13th spot. Earnhardt jumped up four positions with his top-five run and now sits 21st after 23 of 36 races.

Brian Vickers crossed the start-finish line first earning his second career Sprint Cup win. Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. followed finishing second and third with Carl Edwards and Sam Hornish, Jr. rounding out the top-five.

Next up for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is the Sharpie 500 at the high-banked ½-mile oval of Bristol Motor Speedway. Live Coverage of racing action will begin on Saturday, August 22, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. (ET) on ESPN along with radio coverage on MRN/Sirius-XM Satellite Radio at 7:00 p.m. (ET).