Denny Hamlin Wins his Third NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race at Martinsville

Race Fast Facts Martinsville Speedway Provided by NASCAR Statistics
Mon, March 29, 2010
Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 (61st Running)
Race Winner: Denny Hamlin Age: 29
Team : No. 11 
FedEx Freight Toyota
Owner: J.D. Gibbs
Crew Chief: Mike Ford


Denny Hamlin won the Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 (61st Running), his ninth victory in 157 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. (Note: He will have surgery on his left knee -- originally scheduled for Monday-- later this week).

This is his first victory and first top-10 finish in 2010. This is his third victory and ninth top-10 finish in ten races at Martinsville Speedway. Joey Logano (second) posted his first top-10 finish in three races at Martinsville Speedway.

It is his third top-10 finish in 2010. Jeff Gordon (third) posted his 29th top-10 finish in 35 races at Martinsville Speedway. Kevin Conway (31st) was the highest finishing rookie. Jimmie Johnson leads the point standings by 14 points over Greg Biffle.

Credit: John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR

Kevin Harvick led the first 44 laps and a total of 57 in the Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway before brake trouble left him several laps down.

Credit: John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR

Jeff Burton cut a tire in the closing laps of the Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 after battling Denny Hamlin for the win. Burton finished a disappointing 20th place after leading 140 laps.

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Car chief Chris Gillin salutes Denny Hamlin for his Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 victory at Martinsville Speedway.

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Denny Hamlin celebrates winning the Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500, his second straight victory at Martinsville Speedway.

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Jimmie Johnson Wins 50th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race

Four-Time Defending Champion Moves Into Top 10 Of The All-Time Victories List

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 21, 2010) – Jimmie Johnson won his 50th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race today at Bristol Motor Speedway, a rare accomplishment that further solidifies the four-time defending champion’s place among the all-time greats.

Only 11 other drivers have reached the milestone. Three are NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees, six were Hall of Fame nominees, and the other two – Jeff Gordon and Rusty Wallace – will surely join the Hall of Fame nominee list in the future.

Johnson needed only 296 starts to hit the 50 mark. Only three drivers have reached 50 victories quicker – Gordon (232), Darrell Waltrip (278) and David Pearson (293).

 Contact between Mark Martin and Greg Biffle resulted in a 13-car accident in Turn 4 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Credit: John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR

Here is the exclusive “50 Wins Club”:
All-Time NSCS Wins
Driver Wins
Richard Petty 200
David Pearson 105
Bobby Allison 84
Darrell Waltrip 84
Cale Yarborough 83
Jeff Gordon 82
Dale Earnhardt 76
Rusty Wallace 55
Lee Petty 54
Ned Jarrett 50
Junior Johnson 50
Jimmie Johnson 50

 Jimmie Johnson does a burnout for his No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet pit crew after earning his 50th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win. Credit: Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Below are some of Johnson’s milestone and historic wins on his way to 50:
1 – Johnson did not take long to nab his first victory. In only his 13th start, at his hometown track Auto Club Speedway on April 28, 2002, Johnson led 62 laps in the win. Among those in the top 10 of all-time victories, only Lee Petty needed fewer starts for his first win (five).

4 – In what would become customary, Johnson won NASCAR’s longest race – the Coca-Cola 600. He currently has three Coke 600 wins.

10 – In his 95th start, Johnson reached double digits. He won at Pocono for the second time in 2004, his third career season track sweep. Johnson currently has 11 career track sweeps.

14 – In 2004, Johnson took home one of NASCAR’s crown jewels – the Southern 500.

19 – His biggest race win to date, Johnson became a Daytona 500 champion on Feb. 19, 2006.

20 – Johnson won at Las Vegas for his 20th victory, but led only one lap – the last one. It was the only time in his series career that Johnson had only one lap led in a race win.

22 – No big stage daunts Johnson. That, of course, includes the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He won the Indy race in 2006, the first of three Brickyard wins thus far.

25 – Johnson hit the halfway point on March 18, 2007, in his 187th start. That means, statistically, he went on a winning rampage soon after. His last 25 wins took only 109 starts.

30 – Johnson’s 30th coincided with the beginning of a streak of four consecutive wins in 2007. The first was at Martinsville, followed by Atlanta, Texas and Phoenix.

40 – Win No. 40 came at Phoenix in race No. 35 of the 2008 season. He dominated, leading 217 of the 313 laps.

 Jimmie Johnson celebrates winning the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, his 50th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory and first at the track. Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR

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News - Edwards Placed On Probation For Next Three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Events

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 9, 2010) – NASCAR has placed Carl Edwards, driver of the No. 99 car in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, on probation for the next three series events for a rule violation he committed during the race at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 7. Edwards’ probation will run until April 14 of this year.

Edwards was found to have violated Section 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing – aggressive driving) of the 2010 NASCAR rule book.

Video:  Carl Edwards retaliates from earlier contact sending Brad Keselowski flipping down the track.

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Two Crew Members Suspended Due To Violation Of NASCAR Substance Abuse Policy

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 9, 2010) – Matthew Huffstetler, a crew member for the No. 01 team in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and William Keith, a crew member for the No. 38 team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, have been indefinitely suspended from NASCAR for violating the sanctioning body’s substance abuse policy.

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Edwards sends Keselowski Airborne

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Race Fast Facts Atlanta Motor Speedway
Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Sun, March 07, 2010 @ 05:23 PM Eastern
KOBALT TOOLS 500 Race Winner:
Kurt Busch
Age: 31
Team : No. 2 - Miller Lite Dodge
Owner: Walter Czarnecki
Crew Chief: Steve Addington

Kurt Busch won the KOBALT TOOLS 500, his 21st victory in 332 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. This is his first victory and second top-10 finish in 2010. Busch has now won at least one race in nine consecutive seasons.

This is his third victory and seventh top-10 finish in 19 races at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Matt Kenseth (second) posted his 12th top-10 finish in 21 races at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It is his fourth top-10 finish in 2010. Juan Pablo Montoya (third) posted his third top-10 finish in seven races at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Kevin Harvick leads the point standings by 26 points over Matt Kenseth.

Polesitter Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads the field in the 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet to the green flag to start the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Credit: Brian Lawdermilk/ HHP - Pool/Getty Images for NASCAR

The field pits during a caution in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday. Credit: Chris Trotman/Getty Images

Kurt Busch performs a burnout and a “Polish Victory Lap” in honor of Alan Kulwicki, around the Atlanta Motor Speedway after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Kobalt Tools 500 on Sunday.
Credit: Chris Trotman/Getty Images


Video of Carl Edwards retaliates from earlier contact sending Brad Keselowski flipping down the track.



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Four-Time Champion Records Fastest Lap of Event, Sets Track Record For Laps Led

NASCAR NEWS
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (March 3, 2010) – Despite two disappointing finishes in the first two events of the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, Jeff Gordon rebounded in Sunday's Shelby American 400-mile race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, finishing third overall and flashing the competitive form that led him to four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series titles.

Gordon captured a Las Vegas track record for most laps led, and also posted the fastest lap time while leading (180.971 mph, Lap 236) the event securing the "Goodyear Gatorback Belts Fastest Lap" of the race award.

The award is part of the NASCAR Prize Money and Decal Program, also referred to as the contingency program, which provide teams prize money and weekly awards based on performance in several categories.

Established in 2003, the "Goodyear Gatorback Belts Fastest Lap" weekly contingency award recognizes the driver who turns the fastest lap time while leading each NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Goodyear Gatorback belts have been used by NASCAR teams since 1981 and have been an exclusive NASCAR Performance automotive partner since 1997.

Gordon dominated the race, leading 219 of the 267 laps while searching for his first victory of the year.

“Obviously it was a great day for us, dominating performance,” said Jeff Gordon during his Sunday post race interview at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. “I’m disappointed [not getting the win], but at the same time, you know, we haven't dominated like this in a very, very long time. Today we showed what we're capable of. It gives us a lot of momentum to go to Atlanta.”

Gordon, 39, is in his nineteenth year as a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. During his renowned career, Gordon has turned 167,642 laps, leading 20,970 of them,in 584NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.

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Johnson Denies Teammate Gordon A Win, Gets Back-To-Back Victories

LAS VEGAS, NV. -- Jimmie Johnson has done it again. He played possum most of the day and then turned on the afterburner to pass teammate Jeff Gordon with just 16 laps to go and win the Shelby American NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

Polesitter Kurt Busch leads the field to the green flag to start Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Shelby American at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Gordon led more than 210 laps of the 267-lap event before losing the lead to Johnson, who seems hellbent to win his fifth NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship before Gordon does.

Johnson won last week at Auto Club Speedway and told members of the media leading up to Sunday's race he could care less about the people who think he's tainting NASCAR racing with his dominance.

"You compete to win. I'm not gonna apologize for winnning," he said. "I want to win every race."

While Johnson drove away for Sunday's victory, Kevin Harvick also passed Gordon for the runnerup spot. Gordon finished third ahead of fourth-place Mark Martin. And Matt Kenseth edged Joey Logano for fifth. Logano was sixth, a very impressive finish for the young driver. Tony Stewart was seventh, Clint Bowyer eighth, Kasey Kahne ninth and Greg Biffle 10th.

Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

Jeff Gordon dominated Sunday's Shelby American race in Las Vegas -- leading 219 laps of the 267-lap race. He finished third.

Credit: John Harrelson/Getty Images

Crew members work on the car of polesitter Kurt Busch, after he was involved in a three-car accident with Jamie McMurray and Juan Pablo Montoya. Busch struggled throughout the rest of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Shelby American, finishing 35th.

Credit: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images for NASCAR

Teammate Juan Pablo Montoya and Jamie McMurray tangle to bring out the caution in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Shelby American. They also managed to collect polesitter Kurt Busch in the melee.

Watch the final laps of yesterdays race

Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR

Jimmie Johnson celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the Shelby American in Las Vegas.

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