Johnson Finishes 13th in Sprint All-Star Challenge
CONCORD, N.C. (May 16, 2009) – Jimmie Johnson started from the pole and led every lap of Segment 1 in Saturday night’s Sprint All-Star race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. But what looked to be a dominant car in the early stages of the event eventually crossed the finish line 13th.
See the Sprint All-Star photo gallery here.
After coming in for four tires and adjustments to a slightly-tight race car between the first and second segments, Johnson returned to the track to restart fifth. The two-time All-Star race winner quickly moved to third when the green-flag waved and remained there for the entire 20-lap run, despite reporting the 48 Chevrolet had become very tight.
A yellow flag for an optional pit stop was presented to teams between Segments 2 and 3. While many cars remained on the track, Johnson came down pit road for four tires and adjustments. He returned to the track 14th to begin Segment 3.
Johnson had driven to ninth place when the first caution of the night came at Lap 73. By the end of the third installment, he had moved to fifth, where he would restart for Segment 4, a 10-lap shootout to the finish.
But on the first lap of the final chapter, Johnson was tapped from behind by Denny Hamlin in Turn 4, and went spinning wildly across the track. Johnson made an incredible save and didn’t hit anything, but had to bring the Kobalt Tools Chevy down pit lane for four fresh tires.
"Fortunately I didn't hit anything and nobody ran into us,” said Johnson. “But we lost so much track position and at that point we just kept coming to pit road and making changes to the car to try to get some more data for next weekend's race. If you weren't in those first two or three rows, you really didn't have a shot. And I was there, but unfortunately got spun around on the back and lost all that track position and was just kind of riding from there.”
Johnson slowly and patiently worked his way through the field for the remaining laps, including two more caution periods, and finished 13th.
"We led a bunch at the beginning and we had a car that was really good for 10 laps,” explained Johnson. “With the final segment being a 10-lap shootout, I thought we were in great shape. I just wish I was on the front stretch partying after the race.’
Tony Stewart won the non-points event, collecting the $1 million dollar prize. Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards rounded out the top five.
Mark Martin finished sixth and Dale Earnhardt Jr. crossed the line 10th. Jeff Gordon was involved in a wreck and was credited with a 19th-place result.
The Sprint Cup series will return to Lowe’s Motor Speedway next weekend for the longest race of the season. That event will be broadcast live on FOX beginning with a pre-race show at 5 p.m. ET.