Jimmie Johnson wins fourth Cup race at Brickyard; Earnhardt Jr. takes series lead
- Jimmie Johnson adds another record to Hall of Fame credentials
- Johnson wins record fourth NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race
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- Kyle Busch breaks "drought" with NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win at Charlotte
- Is winning Bruton Smith's $1-million bonus a realistic possibility?
- Quick work on pit road nets Carl Edwards pole for Sprint All-Star Race
- Former NASCAR driver Dick Trickle dead at 71 of apparent suicide
- No points, no problem: Two million reasons the All-Star Race will have a checkers-or-wreckers feel to it
- If you want to know who's going to make the Chase, spin the wheel
- Matt Kenseth surges to third 2013 victory at Darlington
By Reid Spencer
SPEEDWAY, Ind. -- Team owner Rick Hendrick may have had better days -- but not many.
Hendrick watched as Jimmie Johnson won Sunday's Crown Royal 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, taking the checkered flag 4.758 seconds ahead of runner-up Kyle Busch and tying teammate Jeff Gordon for most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series wins at the Brickyard -- four.
The victory was Johnson's third of the season -- all but assuring he will remain the only driver to have qualified for the Chase for the Sprint Cup each year since the inception of NASCAR's playoff format in 2004. Johnson won for the 58th time, leaving him eighth on the all-time list and second to Gordon among active drivers.
A fourth-place finish propelled Hendrick teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. into the lead in the series standings, after points leader Matt Kenseth wrecked out in 35th place.
Greg Biffle came home third, followed by Earnhardt and Gordon. Pole-sitter Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman, Martin Truex Jr., Brad Keselowski and Tony Stewart completed the top 10.
The last time Earnhardt led the Cup standings was October 2004 after Talladega, but he held the top spot for only two days, thanks to a 25-point NASCAR penalty for cursing during a post-race television interview.
Racing side-by-side with Trevor Bayne on Lap 132, Joey Logano spun his No. 20 Toyota, bounced off the No. 47 Camry of Bobby Labonte and wiped out the No. 17 Ford of Kenseth, who was running near the outside wall, trying to slip past the wreck.
Carl Edwards' first race with new crew chief Chad Norris went awry nearly from the outset. Edwards started second and contested the lead with Denny Hamlin for half a lap, but lost power and slowed on Lap 12 and brought his car to pit road.
By the time the No. 99 crew had the issue straightened out -- after a green-flag pit stop followed by another under yellow on Lap 42 -- Edwards was four laps down and effectively out of contention -- not the sort of effort he needed in a winless season with a Chase position on the line. Edwards finished 29th.
RACE RESULTS
1. (6) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 160, $430,461.
2. (7) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 160, $362,108.
3. (5) Greg Biffle, Ford, 160, $293,525.
4. (20) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 160, $263,750.
5. (9) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 160, $266,961.
6. (1) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 160, $250,091.
7. (11) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 160, $230,058.
8. (17) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 160, $212,539.
9. (22) Brad Keselowski, Dodge, 160, $214,470.
10. (28) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 160, $230,175.
11. (19) Mark Martin, Toyota, 160, $170,175.
12. (15) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 160, $172,850.
13. (27) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 160, $205,236.
14. (8) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 160, $167,300.
15. (33) Clint Bowyer, Toyota, 160, $186,139.
16. (24) Sam Hornish Jr., Dodge, 160, $197,475.
17. (18) Trevor Bayne, Ford, 160, $155,525.
18. (14) Regan Smith, Chevrolet, 160, $180,483.
19. (4) Aric Almirola, Ford, 160, $191,411.
20. (23) Marcos Ambrose, Ford, 160, $181,208.
21. (12) Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevrolet, 160, $180,966.
22. (16) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 160, $180,908.
23. (32) Dave Blaney, Chevrolet, 160, $148,725.
24. (26) David Stremme, Toyota, 160, $163,783.
25. (38) Landon Cassill, Toyota, 160, $173,395.
26. (29) Bobby Labonte, Toyota, 160, $167,858.
27. (31) David Gilliland, Ford, 160, $156,008.
28. (36) David Ragan, Ford, 160, $152,397.
29. (2) Carl Edwards, Ford, 156, $189,591.
30. (42) Ken Schrader, Ford, 156, $148,825.
31. (37) Stephen Leicht, Chevrolet, 154, $148,275.
32. (21) Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, 151, $180,350.
33. (3) Joey Logano, Toyota, 144, $148,525.
34. (25) Casey Mears, Ford, 137, $137,725.
35. (10) Matt Kenseth, Ford, Accident, 132, $186,011.
36. (13) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, Engine, 126, $145,375.
37. (30) Travis Kvapil, Toyota, Accident, 40, $145,300.
38. (34) Scott Speed, Ford, Brakes, 23, $137,170.
39. (41) JJ Yeley, Chevrolet, Transmission, 20, $133,325.
40. (35) Josh Wise, Chevrolet, Brakes, 19, $133,245.
41. (40) Scott Riggs, Chevrolet, Rear Gear, 14, $133,070.
42. (39) Mike Skinner, Ford, Rear Gear, 11, $132,975.
43. (43) Mike Bliss, Toyota, Engine, 5, $133,356.
RACE STATISTICS
Average Speed of Race Winner: 137.68 mph.
Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 54 Mins, 19 Secs.
Margin of Victory: 4.758 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 5 for 25 laps.
Lead Changes: 17 among 9 drivers.
Lap Leaders: D. Hamlin 1-26; Kyle Busch 27-28; J. Johnson 29-41; D. Hamlin 42; B. Keselowski 43-45; J. Johnson 46-71; J. Gordon 72; M. Kenseth 73; B. Labonte 74; L. Cassill 75; B. Keselowski 76-89; J. Johnson 90-95; B. Keselowski 96-100; J. Johnson 101-125; Kyle Busch 126; L. Cassill 127; G. Biffle 128-131; J. Johnson 132-160.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): J. Johnson 5 times for 99 laps; D. Hamlin 2 times for 27 laps; B. Keselowski 3 times for 22 laps; G. Biffle 1 time for 4 laps; Kyle Busch 2 times for 3 laps; L. Cassill 2 times for 2 laps; M. Kenseth 1 time for 1 lap; J. Gordon 1 time for 1 lap; B. Labonte 1 time for 1 lap.
Top 12 in Points: D. Earnhardt Jr. - 731; M. Kenseth - 717; G. Biffle - 709; J. Johnson - 704; D. Hamlin - 667; K. Harvick - 653; M. Truex Jr. - 653; T. Stewart - 652; B. Keselowski - 649; C. Bowyer - 643; Kyle Busch - 588; C. Edwards - 582.
Updated July 29, 2012
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