Credit: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
Jimmie Johnson celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series TUMS Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway on October 28, 2012 in Ridgeway, Virginia.
He’s back!
On Sunday, Jimmie Johnson held off Kyle Busch with five laps to go to win his seventh grandfather clock, a prize given to the winner at Martinsville Speedway, and take the season points lead by two points with three races to go.
“I’m ecstatic about the win today. I’m ecstatic about the points lead,” Johnson said. “But this is no cakewalk.”
The win on Sunday was Johnson’s fourth of the season.
Johnson’s teammate, Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished 21st in his return to racing after suffering a concussion at Talladega Superspeedway earlier this month.
While the race for the championship got interesting, it also took out another competitor. Denny Hamlin seemed to be poised to challenge for the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship but had an electrical problem that sent him to a 33rd finish.
With Jimmie Johnson’s win today Chevrolet has clinched the Manufacturers’ Championship for this season.
The next race for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is Sunday, November 4th, at Texas Motor Speedway.
Race Results: (Bold is Chase drivers):
- Jimmie Johnson
- Kyle Busch
- Kasey Kahne
- Aric Almirola
- Clint Bowyer
- Brad Keselowski
- Jeff Gordon
- Brian Vickers
- Bobby Labonte
- Greg Biffle
- Ryan Newman
- Paul Menard
- Sam Hornish Jr.
- Matt Kenseth
- Kurt Busch
- Joey Logano
- Jamie McMurray
- Carl Edwards
- Landon Cassill
- Juan Pablo Montoya
- Dale Earnhardt Jr.
- Jeff Burton
- Martin Truex Jr.
- Marcos Ambrose
- Casey Mears
- David Ragan
- Tony Stewart
- AJ Allmendinger
- Ken Schrader
- David Gilliland
- Travis Kvapil
- Kevin Harvick
- Denny Hamlin
- Stephen Leicht
- Dave Blaney
- David Reutimann
- Scott Speed
- Josh Wise
- Michael McDowell
- David Stremme
- Joe Nemechek
- Scott Riggs
- Reed Sorenson
