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PIR_NSCS_Gordon_111515Nov. 15, 2015

By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service

AVONDALE, Ariz. – A serendipitous sequence of pit stops and a drizzle that turned into a downpour made a winner of Dale Earnhardt Jr. in Sunday night’s Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 at Phoenix International Raceway, the start of which
was delayed from day to night by rain in the afternoon.

But the race that was halted by the rain 93 laps before its scheduled conclusion was hardly the satisfying ending Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch or Joey Logano had hoped for.

Those four drivers were eliminated from the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, as defending champion Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. joined Jeff Gordon in next Sunday’s Championship Round at Homestead-Miami Speedway (3 p.m. ET on NBC).

Earnhardt came to pit road for fuel and tires one lap before Joey Gase and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. crashed in Turn 3 to bring out the second caution of the race on Lap 196. While on pit road, Earnhardt crossed the scoring line at the flag stand before Harvick, who had dominated with 143 laps led, got to the stripe. And when other lead-lap cars came to pit road under the yellow, Earnhardt inherited the top spot, with Harvick second and Logano third. Before track workers could complete clean-up from the accident, rain began to fall, and NASCAR called the race after the light precipitation became a downpour.

Kyle Busch finished fourth to advance to the season finale. Gordon ran sixth, followed by Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin and Keselowski. Truex came home 14th but edged 12th-place finisher Edwards for the final spot in the Championship Round by five points.

Logano, Keselowski and Kurt Busch (who was hit with a pass-through penalty from jumping the start of the race) needed to win on Sunday to make the finals. But the rain made sure they never got a chance at another restart.

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The Final Lap Weekly Podcast LogoSHOW #384 – Guests: Erik Jones / TJ Majors – We recap Texas hear from Matt Kenseth and Joe Gibbs, drop the clinch scenarios on you, Drivers Say What, plus we preview Phoenix and more. Hosted by Kerry Murphey and Toby Christie

( Roughly 48:00 mins)

Continue reading “The Final Lap Weekly NASCAR Podcast #384 – Erik Jones / TJ Majors – Phoenix Preview”

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The Final Lap Weekly Podcast LogoSHOW #383 – Jeff Gordon Martinsville Media Center – Plus we recap Martinsville including Kenseth Vs. Logano (hint: one isn’t racing this weekend) driver reaction via Twitter, point standings shake up, and a full Texas preview. It’s a packed show, have a listen. Hosted by Kerry Murphey and Toby Christie

( Roughly 48:00 mins)

Continue reading “The Final Lap Weekly NASCAR Podcast #383 – Jeff Gordon Media Center / Texas Preview”

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MS_110115_15NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race – Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500
Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville, Virginia
Sunday, November 01, 2015

1. (5) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 500, $199836.
2. (4) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 500, $158301.
3. (10) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 500, $131335.
4. (22) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 500, $117160.
5. (6) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 500, $138391.
6. (2) Martin Truex Jr., Chevrolet, 500, $121985.
7. (7) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 500, $124615.
8. (12) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 500, $146715.
9. (24) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 500, $104790.
10. (13) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 500, $119004.
11. (3) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 500, $133298.
12. (21) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 500, $133051.
13. (23) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 500, $113973.
14. (14) Carl Edwards, Toyota, 500, $88865.
15. (26) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 500, $97065.
16. (8) Aric Almirola, Ford, 500, $125201.
17. (19) Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 500, $110023.
18. (30) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 500, $124176.
19. (9) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 500, $114423.
20. (31) Cole Whitt, Ford, 500, $98823.
21. (27) Landon Cassill(i), Chevrolet, 500, $85815.
22. (41) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 499, $95087.
23. (38) Michael Annett, Chevrolet, 498, $85265.
24. (33) David Gilliland, Ford, 498, $93015.
25. (28) David Ragan, Toyota, 498, $111954.
26. (25) Greg Biffle, Ford, 497, $115598.
27. (35) Jeb Burton #, Toyota, 496, $85365.
28. (20) Sam Hornish Jr., Ford, 493, $107560.
29. (39) JJ Yeley(i), Toyota, 492, $81090.
30. (36) Matt DiBenedetto #, Toyota, 492, $82515.
31. (32) Trevor Bayne, Ford, 491, $125465.
32. (11) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 490, $129231.
33. (43) Alex Kennedy #, Chevrolet, 489, $80665.
34. (15) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 486, $98615.
35. (34) Brett Moffitt #, Ford, 479, $80565.
36. (42) Timmy Hill(i), Chevrolet, 459, $80515.
37. (1) Joey Logano, Ford, 458, $139538.
38. (18) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, Parked, 443, $112688.
39. (29) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 423, $79680.
40. (16) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet, Accident, 391, $75680.
41. (40) Kyle Fowler, Ford, Brakes, 373, $63680.
42. (37) Ryan Preece, Ford, 365, $59680.
43. (17) Clint Bowyer, Toyota, Accident, 185, $90338.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 69.643 mph.
Time of Race: 03 Hrs, 46 Mins, 35 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.335 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 18 for 109 laps.
Lead Changes: 21 among 9 drivers.
Lap Leaders: J. Logano 1-8; M. Truex Jr. 9-35; J. Logano 36-43; J. Gordon 44-53; J. Logano 54-59; Kurt Busch 60-81; J. Logano 82-158; A. Dillon 159-164; J. Logano 165-198; K. Harvick 199-236; B. Keselowski 237-239; J. Logano 240-255; B. Keselowski 256-282; J. Logano 283-292; B. Keselowski 293-388; J. Logano 389-393; B. Keselowski 394-410; J. Logano 411-453; J. Gordon 454-456; D. Hamlin 457-459; A. Allmendinger 460-478; J. Gordon 479-500.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): J. Logano 9 times for 207 laps; B. Keselowski 4 times for 143 laps; K. Harvick 1 time for 38 laps; J. Gordon 3 times for 35 laps; M. Truex Jr. 1 time for 27 laps; Kurt Busch 1 time for 22 laps; A. Allmendinger 1 time for 19 laps; A. Dillon 1 time for 6 laps; D. Hamlin 1 time for 3 laps.
Top 16 in Points: J. Gordon – 4,047; Kyle Busch – 4,039; M. Truex Jr. – 4,039; K. Harvick – 4,037; C. Edwards – 4,030; B. Keselowski – 4,013; Kurt Busch – 4,011; J. Logano – 4,009; D. Hamlin – 2,251; R. Newman – 2,231; D. Earnhardt Jr. – 2,221; J. Mcmurray – 2,201; M. Kenseth – 2,197; J. Johnson – 2,193; P. Menard – 2,177; C. Bowyer – 2,124.

–30–

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The Final Lap Weekly Podcast LogoSHOW #382 – Guest: Michael Annett – We also recap Talladega, discuss Kevin Harvick’s actions, the 2016 NASCAR XFinity and Cup Series schedules, Justin Allgaier gets a new ride, plus a full Martinsville preview. Hosted by Kerry Murphey and Toby Christie

( Roughly 48:00 mins)

Continue reading “The Final Lap Weekly NASCAR Podcast #382 – Michael Annett – Martinsville Preview”