With crew chief Chad Knaus beseeching driver Jimmie Johnson to save
fuel over the final seven laps of Saturday night's Subway Fresh Fit
500 at Phoenix International Raceway, the two-time defending Cup
champion nursed the No. 48 Chevrolet across the finish line 7.002
seconds ahead of Clint Bowyer, who also had gambled on fuel.
Johnson completed the final lap at a relative snail's pace -- 31.19
seconds -- in full conservation mode.
The victory returned Hendrick Motorsports to victory lane after an
eight-race hiatus and gave the two-time defending Cup champion the
34th win of his career -- and second straight at Phoenix. Denny Hamlin
ran
third, followed by Carl Edwards, who rallied from a pit road penalty
to claim the fourth spot.
Mark Martin, who surrendered the lead to Johnson when he came to the
pits for two tires and fuel on Lap 302, ran fifth, followed by points
leader Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Martin Truex Jr., Greg Biffle
and Kyle Busch.
Johnson's margin of victory was the largest since Martin Truex Jr. won
the Autism Speaks 400 at Dover by 7.355 seconds over Ryan Newman on
June 4, 2007.
After all the other contenders save Bowyer had pitted for fuel in the
closing laps, Knaus instructed Johnson on Lap 304 to "Pit this time."
After a brief discussion, they changed their strategy. "Back up your
pace half a second a lap," Knaus radioed to his driver. "Screw it.
We'll go for it."
Knaus spent the remainder of the race slowing Johnson down, ultimately
telling him to back his pace down three seconds a lap, because none of
the drivers behind had time to catch up.
"Put it in neutral!" Knaus ordered as Johnson rolled through the final
two corners.
"I'm good," Johnson answered. "I've got good fuel pressure."
As he approached the finish line, Johnson screamed, "We're going to win this."
Johnson led 120 of the 312 laps. Only three other drivers -- Earnhardt
(87), Martin (68) and polesitter Ryan Newman (37) -- led the race, the
fewest since the Siemens 300 at New Hampshire (July 25, 2004)
produced three different leaders.
Johnson conserved his fuel so effectively that he had enough left for
a celebratory burnout, but he ran out of gas on the backstretch during
his victory lap.
The victory moved Johnson from sixth to fourth in the championship
standings, 99 points behind Burton.
Notes: The start of the race was delayed for more than 16 minutes to
accommodate the rain-delayed Major League Baseball game between the
New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, which FOX also televised. . .
Engine failures wiped out both front row starters. Newman fell out
after 134 laps, and second-place starter Elliott Sadler followed with
a blown motor on Lap 161. Newman finished 43rd, Sadler 41st. . .
Comment of the race from 23rd-place finisher Kurt Busch: "My car's so
tight it wouldn't turn at Talladega."
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