The Final Lap – NASCAR News, Radio, Podcast

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race – NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Concord, North Carolina
Saturday, May 19, 2012

1. (6) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 90, $1071340.
2. (19) Brad Keselowski, Dodge, 90, $276340.
3. (15) Matt Kenseth, Ford, 90, $176340.
4. (1) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 90, $121315.
5. (21) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 90, $141315.
6. (5) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 90, $86315.
7. (18) Marcos Ambrose, Ford, 90, $81165.
8. (17) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 90, $80165.
9. (20) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 90, $79165.
10. (2) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 90, $88165.

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By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service

May 19, 2012

CONCORD, N.C.—-Jimmie Johnson joined an elite club on Saturday night.

In beating Brad Keselowski to the finish of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway by .841 seconds, Johnson won the exhibition event for the third time, tying Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon for most all-time.

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PHOTO CREDIT: NASCARMEDIA (USED WITH PERMISSION)

No. 48 My Lowe’s Chevrolet Victorious at Eighth Annual NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge^TM

 CHARLOTTE, N.C. (May 17, 2012) – The No. 48 My Lowe’s Chevrolet captured the championship title for the eighth annual NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge^TM held at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mirroring the 2011 final round, the No. 48 pit crew defeated the back-to-back reigning champions, the No. 11 FedEx Toyota, with a time of 22.239 seconds.

            The My Lowe’s Chevrolet pit crew consists of jack man TJ Ford from Charlotte, N.C.; gas man Brandon Harder from Oak Harbor, Ohio; front-tire changer Dave Collins from Riverside, Calif.; front-tire carrier RJ Barnette from Pinson, Ala.; rear-tire changer Calvin Teague from Taylorsville, N.C.; and rear-tire carrier Matt Tyrrell from Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

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1 2 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s / Kobalt Tools Chevrolet
2 8 11 Denny Hamlin Sport Clips Toyota
3 17 14 Tony Stewart Office Depot / MOBIL 1 Chevrolet
4 5 18 Kyle Busch Wrigley Doublemint Toyota
5 6 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
6 19 17 Matt Kenseth Zest Ford
7 7 99 Carl Edwards Ford EcoBoost Fusion Ford
8 3 5 Kasey Kahne Rockwell Tools Chevrolet
9 28 9 Marcos Ambrose DeWalt Ford
10 21 20 Joey Logano The Home Depot Toyota
11 26 15 Clint Bowyer 5-hour Energy Toyota
12 1 16 Greg Biffle 3M / OH / ES Ford
13 14 27 Paul Menard Menards / Pittsburgh Paints Chevrolet
14 9 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row / CSX Play it Safe Chevrolet
15 15 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Dodge

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RACE RECAP | DARLINGTON
10 Joey Logano
9 Marcos Ambrose
8 Kasey Kahne
7 Carl Edwards
6 Matt Kenseth
5 Martin Truex Jr.
4 Kyle Busch
3 Tony Stewart
2 Denny Hamlin

VICTORY LANE

1 Jimmie Johnson hangs on to grab Hendrick Motorsports 200th Cup Series win, Jimmie’s first of the season, breaking a 16 race winless streak

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Photo Credit: Tyler Barrick/Getty Images for NASCAR

By: Toby Christie – Follow on Twitter @Tobalical

Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career has caught a second-wind after horrid seasons in 2009 and 2010 where he finished outside the top-20 in the point standings. Last season Earnhardt began building a foundation with his new crew chief Steve Letarte. The two gelled nearly to perfection, and Earnhardt returned to the Chase for the first time since 2008.

This season Earnhardt is on fire. Through the first seven races he has racked up five top-ten finishes, and he has yet to finish outside of the top-15 in any event. Coincidentally now that Earnhardt has things turned around, the rest of Hendrick Motorsports seems to be struggling to find their way as the organization sits at 199 wins in the Sprint Cup Series.

Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne can’t seem to buy good luck, while Jimmie Johnson was mired in a cheating scandal during the early stages of the season.

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