Johnson Wins Eighth Martinsville Race; Danica Races Better Than Ever

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Jimmie Johnson once again at the car to beat at Martinsville Speedway, and he knew what to do with it.

Johnson held off Clint Bowyer on a late restart for his eighth career victory at the half-mile short track.

Johnson closed as the 5-to-2 favorite at Las Vegas sports books  

Danica Patrick, meanwhile, had her best race since the Daytona 500, rallying from a lap down to finish 12th.

Bowyer finished second followed by Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski.

Johnson also regained the points lead after Dale Earnhardt Jr. struggled and finished 24th.

Johnson was leading Bowyer when the race was red-flagged with 13 laps to go when Kurt Busch lost his brakes and his car burst into flames as he crashed into the Turn 1 wall.

Johnson, who started on the pole, dominated the early stages of the race, leading 207 of the first 250 laps. Kenseth passed him for the lead on Lap 222 and then led 96 laps, swapping the lead with teammate Kyle Busch.

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Race Facts
* Jimmie Johnson won the 64th Annual STP Gas Booster 500, his 62nd victory in 405 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
* This is his second victory and fourth top-10 finish in 2013.
* This is his eighth victory and 20th top-10 finish in 23 races at Martinsville Speedway.
* Clint Bowyer (second) posted his ninth top-10 finish in 15 races at Martinsville Speedway. It is his third top-10 finish in 2013.
* Jeff Gordon (third) posted his 33rd top-10 finish in 41 races at Martinsville Speedway.
* Danica Patrick (12th) was the highest finishing rookie in her first trip to Martinsville Speedway.
* Jimmie Johnson leads the point standings by 6 points over Brad Keselowski and 12 over Dale Earnhardt Jr.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race - STP Gas Booster 500
Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville, Virginia
Sunday, April 07, 2013

       1. (1) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 500, $0.
       2. (15) Clint Bowyer, Toyota, 500, $0.
       3. (6) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 500, $0.
       4. (5) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 500, $0.
       5. (11) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 500, $0.
       6. (7) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 500, $0.
       7. (13) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 500, $0.
       8. (2) Marcos Ambrose, Ford, 500, $0.
       9. (22) Greg Biffle, Ford, 500, $0.
       10. (35) Mark Martin, Toyota, 500, $0.
       11. (3) Brian Vickers(i), Toyota, 500, $0.
       12. (32) Danica Patrick #, Chevrolet, 500, $0.
       13. (21) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 500, $0.
       14. (8) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 500, $0.
       15. (9) Carl Edwards, Ford, 500, $0.
       16. (41) Casey Mears, Ford, 500, $0.
       17. (26) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 500, $0.
       18. (29) Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, 500, $0.
       19. (16) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 500, $0.
       20. (34) Aric Almirola, Ford, 500, $0.
       21. (31) Bobby Labonte, Toyota, 500, $0.
       22. (18) Regan Smith(i), Chevrolet, 500, $0.
       23. (4) Joey Logano, Ford, 499, $0.
       24. (17) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 498, $0.
       25. (20) Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #, Ford, 498, $0.
       26. (14) Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevrolet, 497, $0.
       27. (37) JJ Yeley, Chevrolet, 497, $0.
       28. (30) David Gilliland, Ford, 496, $0.
       29. (39) Dave Blaney, Chevrolet, 495, $0.
       30. (23) David Ragan, Ford, 493, $0.
       31. (10) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 492, $0.
       32. (36) Ken Schrader, Ford, 492, $0.
       33. (33) Landon Cassill, Chevrolet, 492, $0.
       34. (43) Joe Nemechek(i), Toyota, 491, $0.
       35. (42) Josh Wise(i), Ford, 488, $0.
       36. (24) David Stremme, Toyota, Electrical, 485, $0.
       37. (19) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, Accident, 457, $0.
       38. (40) David Reutimann, Toyota, 457, $0.
       39. (25) Travis Kvapil, Toyota, 436, $0.
       40. (12) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 385, $0.
       41. (28) Scott Speed, Ford, Rear Gear, 64, $0.
       42. (38) Scott Riggs, Ford, Brakes, 47, $0.
       43. (27) Michael McDowell, Ford, Brakes, 26, $0.

Average Speed of Race Winner:  72.066 mph.
Time of Race:  3 Hrs, 38 Mins, 58 Secs. Margin of Victory:  0.627 Seconds.
Caution Flags:  12 for 85 laps.
Lead Changes:  12 among 5 drivers.
Lap Leaders:   J. Johnson 0; M. Ambrose 1; J. Johnson 2-72; T. Kvapil 73; J. Johnson 74-90; Kyle Busch 91-102; J. Johnson 103-221; M. Kenseth 222-242; J. Johnson 243; M. Kenseth 244-264; Kyle Busch 265-308; M. Kenseth 309-362; J. Johnson 363-500.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  J. Johnson 5 times for 346 laps; M. Kenseth 3 times for 96 laps; Kyle Busch 2 times for 56 laps; M. Ambrose 1 time for 1 lap; T. Kvapil 1 time for 1 lap.
Top 12 in Points: J. Johnson - 231; Brad Keselowski - 225; D. Earnhardt Jr. - 219; Kyle Busch - 203; K. Kahne - 199; G. Biffle - 199; C. Edwards - 193; C. Bowyer - 179; P. Menard - 179; M. Kenseth - 172; J. Logano - 167; J. Gordon - 164.

Updated LVH Super Book STP 500 Martinsville Odds

Johnson dropped to 5/2 favorite

STP GAS BOOSTER 500
MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY
SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 2013

JIMMIE JOHNSON 5-2
KYLE BUSCH 6
BRAD KESELOWSKI 9
MATT KENSETH 20
KASEY KAHNE 9
TONY STEWART 30
JEFF GORDON 6
DALE EARNHARDT JR 15
GREG BIFFLE 50
CARL EDWARDS 20
KEVIN HARVICK 15
CLINT BOWYER 9
MARTIN TRUEX JR 25
MARK MARTIN 40
BRIAN VICKERS 20
JOEY LOGANO 20
RYAN NEWMAN 35
RICKY STENHOUSE JR 100
KURT BUSCH 50
PAUL MENARD 75
MARCOS AMBROSE 75
JUAN MONTOYA 100
JAMIE McMURRAY 50
ARIC ALMIROLA 100
JEFF BURTON 100
REGAN SMITH 200
DANICA PATRICK 500
FIELD 300

2013 Martinsville STP 500 Practice Notes: Johnson Fastest in First Session

Harvick and Junior raced hard for win in 2010 at Martinsville  

Jimmie Johnson was the fastest during the first STP Gas Booster 500 practice session at Martinsville Speedway with a fast lap of 98.553 mph. Johnson is a seven-time winner on the track, including last fall, with a 5.5 average finish in 22 career starts.

Second fastest was Juan Pablo Montoya (98.502), followed by Clint Bowyer (98.359), Jeff Gordon (98.257), and Brad Keselowski (98.236). Gordon is a seven-time winner at Martinsville and is tied with Johnson for the most active wins on the tracks. Richard Petty is the all-time leader with 15 wins. His last win came in 2005 when he swept the season, but in 11 of his last 15 races he has finished in the top-5

Ricky Stenhouse Jr ran the most laps of the session (52) with his best lap being 23rd fastest. Kasey Kahne was next with 51 laps.

There were 19 drivers that ran at least 10 consecutive laps showing quite a few race runs during the 90 minute session. Bowyer led the way with the best average, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr., 2010 winner Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch. Earnhardt Jr. has never won at Martinsville but has been close several times, including runner-up to Harvick in 2010.

In his last 20 starts at Martinsville, Earnhardt Jr. has averaged an 11th-place finish, fourth only to Johnson, Gordon and Hamlin over the same span -- the three drivers that have won 15 of the last 20 Martinsville races. He could be a nice choice this week at 12-to-1.

The teams will return to the track later this afternoon for their 3:40 pm (ET) qualifying session to determine the starting lineup for Sunday’s race. They'll return Saturday for two more practice sessions (10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. & 11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. ET).

STP 500 Practice 1 Speeds

Johnson Looking for His Eighth Martinsville Grandfather Clock

Johnson won the fall race last season, his seventh overall.

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (April 2, 2011) – The Rolling Stones couldn’t have had Jimmie Johnson in mind when they wrote their 1964 hit, “Time Is On My Side,” as Johnson wouldn’t be born for another 11 years. However, the five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion could be the poster boy for the song these days. He is quickly amassing one of the largest collections of time pieces known to man, thanks to his success in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, where the victory lane trophy is a grandfather clock.

The series visits the paper-clip-shaped track for Sunday’s STP Gas Booster 500 where Johnson has seven wins, tying Dover (Del.) International Speedway for his career-best total at a single track on the circuit. He is third on the all-time win list at Martinsville, tied with Rusty Wallace and Jeff Gordon. Only Richard Petty, with 15, and Darrell Waltrip, with 11, have more. A win Sunday, however, would make him the winningest active driver at the half-mile oval.

Not surprisingly, Johnson holds the series’ best driver rating for the track and has finished outside the top-10 only three times in 22 races. Surprisingly, two of those uncharacteristic finishes outside the top-10 occurred during the past two spring races, when Johnson finished 12th and 11th, respectively. He rebounded during his fall returns to Martinsville, winning in 2012 and finishing second in 2011. Not too shabby for someone who has said he struggled at the circuit’s smallest track early in his career.

Uncharacteristic finishes aside, Johnson knows how to get around the half-mile oval. The question is, will time be on his side Sunday? Johnson and Team Lowe’s Racing hope the answer is, “Yes it is. Yes it is.”

Johnson’s Martinsville Quick Stats:
· Seven wins (October 2012, April 2009, October 2008, April and October 2007, October 2006, October 2004) in 22 starts. The total is a career best and ties Johnson’s total at Dover (Del.) International Speedway.
· Johnson can move into sole possession of third place on the all-time Martinsville wins list with a win Sunday. He is currently tied with Rusty Wallace and Jeff Gordon with seven wins. Richard Petty is first with 15 wins, followed by Darrell Waltrip with 11.
· Five of Johnson’s Martinsville victories occurred during the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
· Two poles (October 2012 and April 2006).
· 15 top-five finishes (68.2 percent) and 19 top-10s (86.4 percent) in 22 starts.
· In 22 races, has finished outside the top-10 only three times (12th in April 2012; 11th in April 2011, 35th in April 2002).
· Average start is 11.9 and average finish is 5.5.
· One DNF (Did Not Finish) – April 2002.
· Has completed 10,980 of 11,034 laps (99.5 percent) and led 1,981.
· Sprint Cup’s best driver rating (122.3 average of a possible 150 points).
· Sprint Cup’s second-best in fastest laps run (802).
· Sprint Cup’s best in most laps in the top-15 with 7,349 (91.5 percent).
· Sprint Cup’s best green-flag speed of 91.503 mph.
· Sprint Cup’s best in quality passes with 583.

Driver, Team and Sponsor Notes
· The Jimmie Johnson Foundation and Wells Enterprises, maker of Blue Bunny Ice Cream, last week announced the 2013 Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope campaign.

JIMMIE JOHNSON QUOTES:

What is your outlook going into Martinsville? 
“Martinsville is just a quirky track. Once I figured out how to drive it – and, frankly, once Tony Stewart lapped me there in my sophomore year – it just made sense how to drive the track and I’ve had it ever since. From my first year at Martinsville, I never thought I’d have a stat to take down, let alone a stat that I’d ever have a chance to take down. (Note: a victory this week at Martinsville will give Johnson eight wins, which would be more than any other active Sprint Cup driver.) With the new racecars, I think contact is going to be a question mark for me. We have fiberglass panels and stuff, now, where it used to all be steel. I’ve seen some crash damage after just a small impact where they had to cut the nose completely off the car. So that could be the issue come race time there. Some minor contact could cause major cosmetic damage. Brakes will be the same old story. It will be the same old thing. This car has adequate cooling and has adequate flow, so I don’t see where there will be any issues with brakes.”

Since Martinsville is not a downforce track, is that a place you can take last year’s notes with this new car and make it work?
“Yeah, definitely. Martinsville, gosh, it has been the same stuff and it’s been here for a long time. It’s nice to go back to those tracks. It doesn’t matter what shape or design is on the exterior. The mechanical grip aspect is still the same.”

How important is it to get off to the quick start you are having?
“I think it’s important. I have been so fortunate to not need to worry about Richmond and making the Chase and, hopefully, it stays that way. Leaving Daytona in a hole is something we have grown accustomed to. It takes seven, eight weeks to get back up in the top-five in points. A quick start is important. It frees up the first half of the year for you. You can preserve the test sessions that we are allowed to have at real racetracks on the tire we’re going to race on. You can focus on inventory of your racecars, which we are all behind with the Gen-6 car. Just get your car allotment built up, which is very important to do at this stage. Instead of cutting up existing cars and rebuilding stuff, and on and on, it’s important to get off to a quick start. It helps lighten the work load for everybody.”

- True Speed Communication for Team Lowe’s Racing