News and Media Releases

Late-Race Melee At Talladega

01/11/2009

Hendrick Motorsports Driver Extends Points Lead with Three Races Remaining

Hendrick Motorsports driver Jimmie Johnson survived a late-race multi-car incident to finish sixth in Sunday's running of the AMP Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Fellow Hendrick driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr. finished just outside the top-10 in the 11th position while both Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin were involved in the final lap melee.

Johnson started from the pole after Saturday's qualifying session was rained out but immediately went to the rear of the field. He remained at the back of the pack for much of the day trying to avoid any trouble on the track. The three-time champion began to work his way to the front of the field in the closing laps and was sitting in the 24th position with 20 laps remaining. A violent wreck on lap 184 brought the field to a halt and upon the restart several cars hit pit road for fuel gaining Johnson several spots.  A last-lap wreck gained the points leader additional spots allowing him to finish in the top-10.

Fellow HMS driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr. also had a solid run leading the event five different times for nine laps. Earnhardt spent a large portion of the scheduled 188-lap event in the top-10 before finishing in the 11th position.

Both Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin also had decent runs going before being involved in the final lap wreck. Both took turns leading the race and were running in the top-10 before having to duck on pit road for a splash a fuel as the race neared its end. During the green-white-checker finish both were unable to avoid the "big one" with Martin's car getting airborne. Gordon finished 20th with Martin being credited with a 28th-place finish.

Johnson extended his points lead to 184 over second-place Mark Martin. Jeff Gordon remains third while Earnhardt gained a spot moving into the 23rd position.

Jamie McMurray took the checkered flag for the win and was followed by Kasey Kahne and Joey Logano. Greg Biffle and Jeff Burton rounded out the top-five.
Flag-to-flag coverage of the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway in Ft. Worth, Texas will take the green flag Sunday, November 8 beginning at 2:30 p.m. (EDT) on ABC.  The race will also be broadcast on the Performance Racing Network and Sirius Satellite Radio beginning at 2:30 p.m. (EDT).