Jimmie Johnson Wins at Martinsville and Qualifies for Sprint Cup Championship

Steve Helber, AP

MARTINSVILLE, VA – RIS – Jimmie Johnson got a break on Carl Edwards’ blown tire at Lap 357 and went on to a huge victory in the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway.  Edwards’ blown tire and crash caused a horrendous scoring problem that lasted 28 laps under slow speed.  When scoring got straightened out, Johnson found himself in second place.  He followed Hamlin for , then passed him and set sail. His closest competitor, Brad Keselowski, was 1.291 seconds behind.

"We really had great long run speed," Johnaon aaid.  We lost track position through a couple of different means the first half of the race. Honestly, that caution with the 19 put us in the catbird's seat.  We got going an I got by both the 18 and 11. It was tough for 20-30 laps in the beginning of a run.  Everyone was running the same speed.  Those long runs were perfect."

Finishing behind Johnson and Keselowski were Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Martin Truex, Jr, Jamie McMurray, Joey Logano, and A.J. Allmendinger.

The race was tame by Martinsville standards.  Long green runs were the rule and there were only five caution flags for 54 laps.  That was very unusual. 

With the win, Johnson is guaranteed a place in the championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway in three weeks. Johnson already has six championships and a seventh would tie him with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, Sr. as the most championships by a single driver in the history of the sanctioning body.

Edwards sits last in the Chase standings, and without a victory in the last two races in the third round (races at Texas and Phoenix), he will not have a chance to race for the championship.

"Goodyear said it was a belt failure," Edwards said.  "They said there was nothing I could to about it.  It was big of them to say that."

During the race, while Hamlin and Johnson were battling for the lead, Hamlin expressed some displeasure at how Johnson wa racing him.  Johnson disagreed.

"I'm puzzled that he had t move me like he did," Johnson said.  "I gave him the preferred line--the inside.  I had a little something working on the top.  Therewas a line of cars behind him.  I just can't roll over."

Kenseth led the most laps (176) and Truex led 147.  Johnson led the last 92 laps.  There were 15 lead changes among nine drivers.

The Chase Standings as of Martinsville:

1. 1.        Jimmy Johnson – 4044 pts.
2. 2.       Denny Hamlin – 4039
3. 3.       Matt Kenseth -  4039
4. 4.       Kyle Busch – 4037
5. 5.       Joey Logano – 4033
6. 6.       Kevin Harvick – 4021
7. 7.       Kurt Busch – 4019
8. 8.       Carl Edwards – 4005

The next race is at Texas Motor Speedway next weekend

Unofficial Race Results: 68th Annual Goody's Fast Relief 500, Martinsville Speedway

Fin, Str, Driver, Car, Lap, Pts, BPts, TLd, LLd, Status
1) 3, Jimmie Johnson (C), No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet, 500, 44, 4, 1, 92, Running
2) 19, Brad Keselowski, No. 2 Alliance Truck Parts Ford, 500, 39, , , , Running
3) 8, Denny Hamlin (C), No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota, 500, 39, 1, 2, 48, Running
4) 17, Matt Kenseth (C), No. 20 Dollar General Toyota, 500, 39, 2, 2, 176, Running
5) 9, Kyle Busch (C), No. 18 M&M's Halloween Toyota, 500, 37, 1, 1, 3, Running
6) 10, Jeff Gordon, No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet, 500, 35, , , , Running
7) 1, Martin Truex Jr, No. 78 Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota, 500, 35, 1, 6, 147, Running
8) 14, Jamie McMurray, No. 1 Credit One Chevrolet, 500, 33, , , , Running
9) 2, Joey Logano (C), No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, 500, 33, 1, 1, 21, Running
10) 4, AJ Allmendinger, No. 47 Kroger/Clorox Chevrolet, 500, 32, 1, 1, 5, Running
11) 22, Kasey Kahne, No. 5 UniFirst Chevrolet, 499, 30, , , , Running
12) 5, Chase Elliott #, No. 24 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, 499, 29, , , , Running
13) 25, Greg Biffle, No. 16 FordPass Ford, 499, 28, , , , Running
14) 11, Kyle Larson, No. 42 Target Chevrolet, 499, 28, 1, 1, 6, Running
15) 16, Aric Almirola, No. 43 Smithfield Ford, 499, 26, , , , Running
16) 13, Ryan Newman, No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet, 499, 25, , , , Running
17) 32, Austin Dillon, No. 3 Dow/Dow Corning Chevrolet, 499, 24, , , , Running
18) 30, Michael McDowell, No. 95 Malwarebytes Chevrolet, 498, 23, , , , Running
19) 15, * Ryan Blaney #, No. 21 Virginia Tech Ford, 498, 22, , , , Running
20) 20, Kevin Harvick (C), No. 4 Busch Light Chevrolet, 498, 21, , , , Running
21) 26, Casey Mears, No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet, 497, 20, , , , Running
22) 23, Kurt Busch (C), No. 41 State Water Heaters Chevrolet, 497, 19, , , , Running
23) 31, Trevor Bayne, No. 6 AdvoCare Ford, 497, 18, , , , Running
24) 24, Danica Patrick, No. 10 Nature's Bakery Chevrolet, 497, 17, , , , Running
25) 18, Paul Menard, No. 27 Dutch Boy/Menards Chevrolet, 496, 16, , , , Running
26) 6, Tony Stewart, No. 14 Haas Automation Chevrolet, 496, 15, , , , Running
27) 29, Chris Buescher #, No. 34 Love's Travel Stops/Roller Bites Ford, 495, 14, , , , Running
28) 28, Clint Bowyer, No. 15 5-hour Energy Chevrolet, 495, 13, , , , Running
29) 33, Landon Cassill, No. 38 A&W All American Food Ford, 494, 12, , , , Running
30) 21, Regan Smith, No. 7 Nikko RC/Toy State Chevrolet, 494, 12, 1, 1, 2, Running
31) 37, Dylan Lupton(i), No. 83 EJ Wade Construction Toyota, 490, 0, , , , Running
32) 27, * Matt DiBenedetto, No. 93 EJ Wade Construction Toyota, 489, 9, , , , Running
33) 38, Jeffrey Earnhardt #, No. 32 Keen Parts/Rain-X Ford, 486, 8, , , , Running
34) 35, Brian Scott #, No. 44 American Red Cross Ford, 484, 7, , , , Running
35) 40, Michael Annett, No. 46 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet, 479, 6, , , , Running
36) 7, Carl Edwards (C), No. 19 SportClips Toyota, 477, 5, , , , Running
37) 12, David Ragan, No. 23 Dr Pepper Toyota, 424, 4, , , , Running
38) 34, * Reed Sorenson, No. 55 Chevrolet, 407, 3, , , , Running
39) 36, * Gray Gaulding, No. 30 Feed the Children Chevrolet, 360, 0, , , , Rear Gear
40) 39, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, No. 17 Fastenal Ford, 21, 1, , , , Accident
# = Rookie, (i) Ineligible for driver points in this series, Non-charter team

Fin = Finish, Str = Start, Pts = Total Points, BPs = Lap Leader Bns Pts, TLd = Times Led, LLd = Laps Led.
Average Speed: 78.540 MPH
Time of Race: 03 Hrs, 20 Mins, 55 Secs.
Margin of Victory: 1.291 Seconds
Lead Changes: 15 among 9 drivers
Cautions: 5 for 54 laps