Gas N’ Go – NASCAR News
| Published 11/03/04

Graphic by: Tim Tuley

Johnson’s victory comes one week after a Hendrick team plane crashed, killing all ten members aboard, including four family members of team-owner Rick Hendrick.

Johnson held off Mark Martin, whose car dominated most of the race. However, late pit stops and cautions gave Jimmie Johnson the track position he needed to hold off the veteran.

This win brings Johnson back into the title chase thanks to a blown engine on Kurt Busch’s Ford on lap 52. The early departure by the point’s leader left Busch with a 42nd place finish.

Jeff Gordon struggled with an ill-handling car and on lap 179 ducked into the garage to fix a gear problem in the rear of the car. Gordon wound up in 34th spot, one position ahead of Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Junior was running fairly well for most of the race, and looking to take over the points lead until he tapped the bumper of Carl Edwards, sending the Budweiser Chevy into the outside retaining wall. This is the second straight week Earnhardt has finished in 33rd position.

Title contenders Matt Kenseth, Jeremy Mayfield, Elliot Sadler, and Ryan Newman all finished poorly, failing to capitalize on Busch’s short day.

Carl Edwards earned a career-best 3rd, followed by the red-hot Joe Nemechek and rookie Kasey Kahne.

Kurt Busch still leads the points but Johnson jumps two spots up to second, 59 points back. Gordon, Martin and Earnhardt are all still alive in the championship chase; all three are less than 98 points back of the leader with only three races to go.

The Nextel Cup series heads west to Phoenix International Raceway for the Checkered Auto Parts 500 this weekend. Jimmie Johnson will look to make it four-for-four at the flat, one-mile triangular oval.

Gordon, who was put on probation by Childress following the New Hampshire race for intentionally causing a wreck, says the spilt was amicable.

Gordon will be replaced by teammate Jeff Burton who came over to RCR after spending eight years with Roush Racing. Burton and his entire AOL team will move from the number 30 car to the 31 car next season.

Dave Blaney is favored to take over driving duties for the number 30 car in 2005 but due to sponsorship problems, the official announcement has been delayed.

Robby Gordon is looking forward to moving on to the new challenge of owning and driving his own race team. His team has had some success in the Bush series this year, but has yet to make an announcement on how the team will progress into NASCAR’s highest series.

The team and Bass Pro Shops will then move up to the number 1 car owned by Dale Earnhardt Inc for the 2006 and 2007 seasons.

Truex Jr. is currently in command of the Bush Series points lead, 176 points ahead of Kyle Busch with only three races to go.

Mike Wallace replaced Spencer for this past weekend’s race at Atlanta for MMM however, the number 4 car failed to make the field in Friday’s qualifying session.

Spencer has been with the team since the Texas race this season and posted two top-twenty finishes, with his best finish coming at Dover where he placed 17th.

The title of IROC champion also entitles Kenseth to the million dollar payoff awarded by Crown Royal.

Kenseth topped Ryan Newman by five points to win the championship. The four-race series visited Daytona, Texas, Richmond and Atlanta this year.