AUTO RACING THIS WEEK
Daily Chronicle / Daily-Chronicle.com
Tuesday, May 27, 2014 • Page B3
Looking forward
2014 standings SPRINT CUP SERIES 1. Jeff Gordon .......................... 432 2. Matt Kenseth.......................421 3. Kyle Busch...........................408 4. Carl Edwards ......................408 5. Dale Earnhardt Jr................ 394 6. Jimmie Johnson.................. 388 7. Joey Logano ........................ 378 8. Brian Vickers....................... 365 9. Brad Keselowski..................361 10. Ryan Newman ...................361 11. Greg Biffle ...........................351 12. Kevin Harvick.................... 345 13. Kyle Larson........................ 344 14. Denny Hamlin ...................340 15. Austin Dillon...................... 334 16. Paul Menard...................... 328 17. Kasey Kahne...................... 324 18. A J Allmendinger ...............314 19. Aric Almirola ......................312 20. Clint Bowyer.....................309 21. Marcos Ambrose.............. 303 22. Tony Stewart.................... 299 23. Jamie McMurray.............. 286 24. Casey Mears..................... 282 25. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. ......... 258 26. Martin Truex Jr..................251 27. Danica Patrick ...................218 28. Kurt Busch .........................215 29. Justin Allgaier...................205 30. Michael Annett .................179 31. Cole Whitt...........................164 32. David Gilliland .................. 160 33. Alex Bowman ....................152 34. David Ragan.......................150 35. Reed Sorenson ..................145 36. Josh Wise ...........................133 37. Ryan Truex .......................... 84 38. Travis Kvapil....................... 82 39. Michael McDowell..............63 40. Parker Kligerman............... 54 41. Terry Labonte ..................... 44 42. David Reutimann ................37 43. Bobby Labonte................... 29 44. Jeff Burton ...........................27 45. Michael Waltrip ..................23 46. David Stremme...................22 47. Timmy Hill.............................11 48. Dave Blaney...........................4 SPRINT CUP WINNERS 1. Joey Logano............................. 2 1. Kevin Harvick ...........................2 3. Kyle Busch................................ 1 3. Denny Hamlin .......................... 1 3. Jeff Gordon............................... 1 3. Brad Keselowski...................... 1 3. Carl Edwards............................ 1 3. Dale Earnhardt Jr..................... 1 3. Jimmie Johnson....................... 1 3. Kurt Busch................................ 1
SPRINT CUP SERIES FedEx 400 Race time: Noon Sunday Site: Dover International Speedway, Dover, Del. TV: FOX
NATIONWIDE SERIES Buckle Up 200 Race time: 1:30 p.m. Saturday Site: Dover International Speedway, Dover, Del. TV: ABC
CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES Lucas Oil 200 Race time: 4:30 p.m. Friday Site: Dover International Speedway, Dover, Del. TV: FS1
AP photo
Jimmie Johnson celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup series Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C.
Johnson’s title defense is on
Upcoming Sprint Cup schedule Sunday: FedEx 400, Dover International Speedway, Dover, Del. June 8: Pocono 400, Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pa. June 15: Quicken Loans 400, Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, Mich. June 22: Toyota-Save Mart 350, Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma, Calif. June 28: Quaker State 400, Kentucky Speedway, Sparta, Ky. July 5: Coke Zero 400, Daytona International Speedway, Daytona, Fla. July 13: Camping World RV Sales 301, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, N.H. July 27: Crown Royal Your Hero’s Name Here 400, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indianapolis Aug. 3: GoBowling.com 400, Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pa.
By PETE IACOBELLI The Associated Press CONCORD, N.C. – Jimmie Johnson’s run at another Sprint Cup title is on and could bring him a piece of NASCAR history. Johnson’s victory in the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday night all but locked him into the new, expanded championship Chase format. If the 38-yearold Johnson pulls it off, it’ll be his seventh series crown to tie the NASCAR mark shared by Richard Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt. NASCAR leaders changed the emphasis in qualifying, putting more of a premium on wins over the steadiness of points racing. That’s led to a flurry of drivers taking the checkered flag – 10 of them through 12 races – all gleefully celebrating their near-assured spot in the 10-race
championship run at the end. Johnson had been on the outside of that until his record-breaking seventh career win at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He outlasted second-place Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth in third to pick up his fourth victory all-time in NASCAR’s longest race. “The first goal is to make the Chase,” Johnson said. “You want to win races at the end of the season.” Few had done that better when it counts than Johnson. He’s collected 14 Chase victories in his six title runs, including a pair last season that led him to title No. 6. It’s a recipe, combined with the No. 48’s typically solid performance, Johnson was certain would prevail no matter how many outside the race shop raised questions. “Of course, we want to win early and often,” John-
son said. “But we were holding steady in championship points. In my opinion, I don’t believe there will be 16 different winners. “I felt like a strong championship points position would get us into the first phase of the Chase,” he added. “Granted, tonight simplifies things.” And gives crew chief Chad Knaus the ability to take a few chances to prepare for the playoffs the rest of the season. Not that he has to as the team approaches a stretch of tracks where they know success. Next week comes Dover, where Johnson owns a record eight victories, then Pocono where Johnson’s won three times. When Johnson broke through for his first crown in 2006, he and Knaus used the formula to add four more in one of the series’ most dominant stretches. After John-
son finished sixth in 2011 and third in 2012, he was back on top last season and moved one step closer to the record with two drivers who were part of NASCAR’s first Hall of Fame class five years ago. Johnson, who had a Hall of Fame vote as Sprint Cup champion, isn’t thinking much about that yet. The 38-year-old star is eager to build on his dominant showing in Charlotte. Johnson took his first pole of the season Thursday and was strong in practice Saturday. He led 165 of the 400 laps, proving his strength at the start before settling into the rhythm of NASCAR’s long, long night. Johnson led 10 different times, including a final time with nine laps left when he swept past Kenseth in Turn 4 and was never pressured on his way to the checkered flag.
NATIONWIDE SERIES 1. Regan Smith.........................414 2. Elliott Sadler .......................409 3. Chase Elliott........................ 386 4. Trevor Bayne ...................... 379 5. Ty Dillon............................... 378
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