KANSAS CITY, Kansas – Jimmie Johnson didn’t sweep this weekend at Kansas Speedway, but the Hendrick Motorsports driver did reap the benefits of a gutsy call late in Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.
Despite a subdued qualifying effort on Friday afternoon, Johnson was able to maneuverer from his 21st place qualifying effort, climb through the field and contend for the race win.
“It was fun racing. This was such a great racecar,” said Johnson. “I think the No. 20 had a little more pace at the start of a run and then we would slowly catch back up to them. I really felt like we had a car we could win with today. I knew we had a great car all weekend long. The silver lining of not being in the Chase is having fast cars. We have had fast cars the last two weeks, but have had some weird mechanicals bite us. I think a win is right around the corner for this Lowe’s team. I’m just thankful for my group back at Hendrick Motorsports and the hard work they are putting in at getting better and all these guys on the No. 48 team.”
And when Justin Allgaier tagged the wall in Turn 2 on Lap 243, the sixth caution of the race sent the leaders to pit road, while Johnson adhered to the request of crew chief Chad Knaus and stayed out on the track, while others around him pitted.
Many thought Johnson would be a sitting duck for the restart, as the race showed that tires were crucial in gaining positions on the track.
The six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion had other plans.
Even though Johnson was overtaken by Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano on the Lap 248 restart, Johnson was able to manage his No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet on older tires and fend off a hungry pack of warriors behind him.
When leaders Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano tackled and yielded the seventh caution of the day, Johnson, though low on fuel remained on the track hopeful for a blunder that would allow him to score his fifth win of the season.
While the door never opened on the green-white-checkered, Johnson held his own and finished third, scoring his 12th top-five of the year.
“I’m just looking for the silver lining not being in the Chase fighting for a championship,” added Johnson. “I know the two results before this weekend don’t show it but we did have speed in our cars and we are running really well. We did it again this weekend. We stayed out and gambled on old tires, it didn’t pay off, but in the position we are in it was worth the gamble and still brought it home in third. A solid performance for the Lowe’s Chevy and looking forward to the next two races.”
The finish was also a nice rebound from a two-race slump at Dover and Charlotte, where a mechanical issue late at Dover eliminated the No. 48 team from Chase competition and the chance to tie
Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Richard Petty for a record seventh Sprint Cup championship.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
