The AAA 400 is over at Dover International Speedway. After a beautiful day of racing in the first state Jimmie Johnson was able to hold on Hendrick Motorsports teammate Dale Earnhardt Junior for the win. Johnson has put his name in NASCAR record books as he becomes the all-time wins leader at the tough “Monster Mile”.
After a drama building sequence when we didn’t think the leaders were good on fuel a caution flew for debris. The caution allowed the few left on the lead lap to hit pit road. Dale Junior’s team elected to take four tires rather then two like Jimmie Johnson. Joey Logano and Jeff Gordon.
The final restart featured a good ole’ 25 lap shootout. The fan favorite Dale Jr. restarted 4th and quickly shot by Jeff Gordon and Logano to take the 2nd position. Dale then faced Jimmie Johnson, one on one. Dale closed to the rear of the No. 48 Chevrolet, but a bad move when he tried to use the high side cost him the race as he fell back about half a second and never recovered.
Jimmie Johnson took the win while leading the most laps, Dale Junior was very disappointed after the race as he felt he had a chance to win.
“Junior ran a whale of a race,” Johnson said. “The track position gave me the advantage to hold him off. … It’s awfully timely in the scheme of things.”
“That’s real disappointing there, but Jimmie is just that fast,” a disappointed Earnhardt said afterward. “He’s really good at this place. I just couldn’t even get to him.”
Joey Logano was the highest finishing Ford as he captured the 3rd position. Kyle Busch finished a solid 5th after having a ill handling race car. Matt Kenseth rides out of Dove as the points leader with a all around fine day after finishing 7th.
