2011 Sprint Cup race reviews and results

[Garrett Duke]

Well with the 2011 season only days away (y'all hear me yelling in excitement?! HA HA.) I figured I'd start a new thread for this year's race reviews and results. (I would love to continue to to give the race recaps, results, and point reviews if y'all would want me to? I might even start watching the Nationwide Series races this year to give reports over if y'all are interested. . .)

I am excited to report that tomorrow (Saturday, February 12) on FOX at seven PM Central time, (8:00 PM ET) the Budweiser Shoot out will start to kick off Speed Week. It is a preseason race that will not be for points or go towards the chase and will only contain 20 some drivers who have either won the championship before, won a previous Budweiser shootout in the past ten years, made rookie of the year within the past ten years, and drivers who have won either the Feb. or July Daytona race.

It will be great to hear them finally say them beloved words "Gentlemen start your engines" once more. It will also be exciting to see them race for the first time on the repaved Daytona track and see what changes it will make for the drivers.

(Y'all don't miss out on TRP Coltrane's new 2011 NASCAR discussion thread. Don't want it to be forgotten about with this one...but had to write a note about the race tomorrow. Wouldn't want y'all to miss out on it! Though I'll be more than glad to give race recaps and results either after the race or on Sunday...Don't know about you, but I'm excited!!!!!!!!!!)

[Garrett Duke]

Here is the starting lineup for tonight's Shootout race: (They don't qualify for it, but they draw their positions out of Budweiser bottles...at least that is how they use to draw 'em.)

1. Dale Earnhardt Jr (that'll make a lot of people happy )

2. Tony Stewart

3. Carl Edwards

4. Denny Hamlin

5. Kasey Kahne (Now racing the number four Red Bull Toyota)

6. Bobby Labonte

7. Clint Bowyer

8. Ryan Newman

9. Derrike Cope

10. Michael Waltrip

11. Greg Biffle

12. Jeff Gordon

13. Juan Montoya

14. Jamie McMurray (last year's Daytona 500 winner)

15. Jeff Burton

16. Kevin Conway

17. Kurt Busch

18. Kevin Harvick (has won the past two shootout races)

19. Matt Kenseth

20. Mark Martin

21. Kyle Busch

22. Joey Logano

23. Jimmie Johnson

24. Regan Smith

Have been watching their practice runs off and on this morning and it looks to be an exciting race...an exciting Daytona 500 next week. Yesterday they reached speeds up to 203 mph and looks like drafting will play a part in it. Will be great to see them racing under the lights tonight.

(8:00 ET on Fox)

[RogerDuke]

The Budweiser Shootout just ended 5 minutes ago.

Wow! What a race!

My man Kurt Busch is off to a great start this year.

This was his first career win with a restricter plate.

The ending was unbelievable......photo finish!

I can't wait to hear your review Garrett.

Jimmie who?

[Garrett Duke]

Well Roger, I thought of you when they said Kurt Busch had won. Am glad for you that your 'new' driver has won the Shootout...whaddya know, his first restrictor plate win and all. An exciting race for Kurt Busch, his crew, and his fans and a great way to start off the 2011 season.

Jimmie who? I'm hurt that with just one win, you act as if you already forgotten about poor ol' Jimmie. Well you may forget who Jimmie is, Roger, but don't forget what he's done in his short time as a sprint cup driver. . .it might not be Gordon...or your Kurt Busch, but five consecutive championships is a pretty big deal if you ask me. Just too bad it wasn't Gordon.

As for tonight's race, I think the whole race was action packed. It was apparent from the drop of the checkered flag that you needed a drafting partner in order to go anywhere fast in the race...two cars worked the best. I thought the first twenty-five laps were fast and exciting, but nothing big had happened. The accidents and cautions came during the second segment of the race starting off with Dale Jr, Carl Edwards, Lagono, and a couple other drivers getting into it. Then Mark Martin got into Kyle Busch which took both of them out. Stewart accidently spun Michael Waltrip out as well.

And to end it all off...they had a dramatic finish. Ryan Newman was leading with Denny Hamlin drafting him...besides them was Kurt Busch being drafted by Jamie McMurray. Newman left the double yellow line (can't pass drivers under the double yellow line in restrictor plate racing) open a little bit and Hamlin tried to take advantage of it. . .but in doing so went under the double yellow line and instead of winning the race, got sent to the back. Kurt Busch got pushed by McMurray to win the Budweiser shootout. (It would have been a photo finsih, if Hamlin hadn't gotten black flagged and sent to the back. Very close finish if only...LOL)

I think they said they had 25 lead changes...to make history in the 33rd running of the Shootout. Jeff Burton led the most laps...but with drafting, drivers kept going forward and backwards all night. The fastest lap they had was 207 mph...think they said it was another record. I think the 2011 Daytona 500 will be a lot different than past Daytona 500s.

It was great to see the drivers all out there in a good mood and just racing for the fun of it (and for the two grand winner's prize...LOL). Then again, it was just great to see them back out on track racing all together. Next Sunday there will be 500 laps of what we saw tonight...can already hear Bo giving his rebel call. KHEE!

Here is the top ten finishing results:

1. Kurt Busch

2. Jamie McMurray

3. Ryan Newman

4. Jimmie Johnson

5. Greg Biffle

6. Jeff Gordon

7. Kevin Harvick

8. Jeff Burton

9. Clint Bowyer

10. Bobby Labonte

Well it was great to have a small taste of what the Daytona 500 will have. Tomorrow they will have qualifying for the top two positions for the great American race before they figure out the rest of the driving field on Thursday afternoon in the Gatorade Duals...ladies and gentlmen, welcome to speed week!

[Garrett Duke]

Well they had qualifying today for the Daytona 500 next Sunday (YAY seven more days!!!!!!!!!) but it is different than it is for the rest of the races. Today's qualifying only assigned the first two starting positions...the rest of the positions will be determined in the two small races on Thursday that is called the Gatorade Duals.

So here is the top two starting positions for the Daytona 500:

1. Dale Earnhardt JR has won pole position for the Daytona 500 with a speed of 186.089.

2. Jeff Gordon will start second (but on the front row, since they start double file) and was leading for awhile there until Jr pushed him down to second. He had speeds of 185.966.

So we'll have two Hendrick cars starting on the front row at Daytona! Would much rather have Gordon get pole for Sunday's race, but second is pretty good. Hopefully he'll have just as great of a finish as he does a start...so far it looks like the new sponsor/paint scheme, cars/garage, and crew cheif/crew is working out pretty well for Gordon (and crew cheif/crew, cars/garage for Junior working well.)

I will let y'all know the rest of the starting grid...or at least the top ten or fifteen starting positions Thursday or Friday (as soon as I possibly can. My week tends to be pretty busy sometimes, but I will try my best to keep y'all updated.)

GO TEAM 24 - GO GORDON GO!!!!!

(Sorry...had to up that. Hope y'all's drivers will have a great qualifying run as well.)

[RogerDuke]

I'm happy for you Garrett. I know your life is much more enjoyable now that NASCAR is back.

GO KURT BUSCH!!!!!

[TRPColtrane95]

yeah I seen that shootout and good for Dale Jr got pole as Jeff.. nice. and so fun watching and funny about two tango car for first time to see that for while cool is it huh? so I going watching this sunday for 500 miles racing.. hope not be lot wrecks than last year to be... oh boy.

[Garrett Duke]

Well the Duels were today to see where everyone started at Daytona...Jeff Burton and Kurt Busch were the two winners. Congrats on your driver winning, Roger. Just don't get use to it too much, cause now that it's show time, Gordon will be taking home the trophies.

Here is the top ten starting positions for Sunday's race:

1. Dale Earnhardt Jr (he will be sent to the back of the due to going to another car.)

2. Jeff Gordon

3. Kurt Busch

4. Jeff Burton

5. Regan Smith

6. Clint Bowyer

7. Kevin Harvick

8. Michael Waltrip (Darrell Waltrip's brother...am glad to see him in the race!)

9. Matt Kenseth

10. Kyle Busch

11. Kasey Kahne

GO JEFF GORDON AND TEAM 24!!!!!!!!

[Garrett Duke]

Well the Daytona 500 has just gotten over a few minutes ago and I am still plagued with dread, disbelief, and surprise. Dread at the idea that both of my top two favorite guys...Gordon and Johnson...was sent to the garage on lap 29 when David Reutimann moved away and Waltrip didn't know to spin him out. Johnson was in the garage for sixteen laps and finished 27th and Gordon was in for 30 laps to end 28th all in all.

They travelled two by two all day...and communication with the drivers was a problem. At one point Jr.'s spotter didn't replay that a caution was out and he almost wrecked due to it. Jr had a pretty good race and led several laps. Then with two laps to go he was involved in an accident when ROBBY Gordon went off the track and people tried to make room to get him back in where there was no room. (It was odd to see Steve Letarte, Gordon's old cc, in his pit!)

With the green, white, checkered drop, David Ragen was leading with Trevor Bayne second. But since he switched lanes early, he got black flagged and sent to the back. (may have been before the Jr accident. They had to drop the green, white, checkered twice today due to accidents.)

Roger - your new guy, Kurt Busch was up front all day despite being involved / caused a couple of wrecks. Top five isn't too bad considering...led several laps. At one point the most laps, but don't know if that stayed true to the end or not. Odd to see him in the yellow and red car with number 22 on it.

They had record lead changes, cautions...and the youngest driver to win the Daytona five hundred. Was a race full of record changes.

With Ragen out, Trevor Bayne, who turned twenty years old yesterday, went on to WIN the Dayton 500!!!!!!!!! With Gordon out, I was really excited to see Bayne go and win the Daytona 500 - his first win in his NASCAR career. He races in the Nationwide Series race and has had only one previous Sprint Cup race last year where he finished 18th...or something like that. Trevor looks to have a bright future ahead of him - so far, this year he is only signed to race a limited Sprint Cup schedule, but am interested and hoping to see that change after today. Gordon spotted his talent on Thursday and has been working with him and Bayne says that Gordon was his hero. All in all, of all that I have heard of him and saw of him today, he looks to be a great guy with a lot of talent. I think I found another favorite driver to follow - not just because he won today, either...though he or no one will replace Gordon or Johnson. WAY TO GO TREVOR BAYNE - NUMBER 21!!!!!!!!

Here is the top ten finishes of today's race:

1. Trevor Bayne

2. Carl Edwards

3. David Gilliland

4. Bobby Labonte

5. Kurt Busch

6. Juan Montoya

7. Regan Smith

8. Kyle Busch

9. Paul Menard

10. Mark Martin

Well I am highly disappointed with Gordon's accident...it is always disappointing and upsetting when Gordon wrecks or have a bad finish for me, but it is worse when it is the Daytona 500. But am very excited to see Trevor Bayne win his first NASCAR win at Daytona 500! He didn't even know where to go when he won - it was great!

Besides the race, they had a great pre race show with Brad Paisley. Liked his racing shirt, and his Daytona 500 guitar. Dierks Bently sang his "Sideways" song but put a NASCAR theme to it. Martina McBride sang "The National Anthem" with great talent. They also paid great tribute to Dale Sr.

Now we are off to Phoenix next Sunday at 2:30 ET on Fox...am looking forward to hearing Darrell Waltrip say "Boogity, Boogity, Boogit, let's go racing Boys!" again. Never get tired of hearing him say that!

[TRPColtrane95]

yeah congrate to Trevor Bayne for first time for youngest of Daytona 500 after Jeff Gordon's while back in 1997 I think.. wow soo long time for this time for Wood Brothers's team.. nice racing this time. sorry about Jeff #24 and #88 Dale Jr oh well.. good thing Tony Stewart is 13th place not bad because of restart bit back down... from other drivers oh well.. hope for next Phoenix racing.. to be. oh boy. good racing this time. nice see all new schemes there. And did you see new Transformers Wreckers Autobots 3 in "Dark of the Moon" vehicles look cool is it huh? Michael Bay and Rosie and Shief is in film. Rosie not bad looking for act of Carly.. in film. nice to see that on track same as they did in last Revenge of the Fallen DVD with Jeff Gordon's and Ryan Nyman's to be from last year in July they will release film in July 1st. I am fan Transformers too... does you?

So congrate to drivers who make it to 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th place in top.. nice.

did you notice that front bumper bit change than last year to be.

thanks

[Garrett Duke]

Yeah the wires are gone...can't think of the names of 'em right now, but glad to see them gone.

Not too big of a fan of transformers, but did see the Newman and Gordon theme last year and it was awesome to see Johnson, Montoya's, and Jr's car all decked out for it on the track.

Thanks about Gordon...disappointing, but at least now that the season has started, there is always next week. Jr had a good race til the end. Hopefully he can carry that out next week...I think a win for him would do a great deal to boost his confidence. As well as with Gordon.

Glad Stewart did well for you...thought he was going to have a good finish there for a while...or a better one. But right now, 13th doesn't look so bad. Today's race was very unpredictable and was hard to knwo where to go and what to do it looked like.

[TRPColtrane95]

oh ok I see ok and I just curious..and yeah I like better than that last year to be. on Phoenix will same 2 tango cars or normal because each tracks had different for this year with new car. hope who will win next sunday to be. oh well.

[Garrett Duke]

Here is the top ten starting positions for today's Sprint Cup race at Phoenix:

1. Carl Edwards

2. Kurt Busch

3. Kasey Kahne

4. Kyle Busch

5. Regan Smith

6. Joey Lagano

7. Martin Truex Jr

8. Jamie McMurray

9. Brad Keselowski

10. Greg Biffle

Coverage of the race will start at 3:00 ET on Fox today...2:00 central (my time ). Sadly I will miss the last part of the race, but will try recording it and give y'all my report either late tonight or tomorrow afternoon sometime. I am sad to miss the last half...but maybe Gordon will do better without me jinxing him. HA HA. Gordon, Johnson, and Jr all start in the last half of the lineup - they must not have had very fast qualifying runs or something. Too bad, but at least they have all race to work towards the front.

I don't predict the two by two racing as they were at Daytona...I think they were doing that due to the new repaved track. I think racing should be back to normal today. At least I can hope at least.

[Garrett Duke]

During a caution right now so my post will be short...

We are on lap 67 and already 23 cars have been involved in an accident! Started with last week's Daytona winner, Bayne going in where there was no room. Then Kyle Busch got into pole sitter Carl Edwards who later got into Gordon...and now we just go over a huge wreck that involved 13 drivers when Kenseth got into Vickers just enough to blow his left rear tire and everyone just collected. The way it is going, you'd think they are at Daytona not Phoenix.

They have just ended the red flag and now we are back under yellow for a couple of laps.. For them to be racing like this just into 67 laps is crazy to see all these accidents...a lot of top names in the garage. Luckily Gordon, Johnson, Jr, Busch are all out on track. But McMurray, Burton, Edwards, and so forth are now in the garage due to these few accidents.

I will post later, just wanted to give a brief update.

[Garrett Duke]

This year Phoenix was held earlier in the year than normal...normally they'd be racing in California this weekend. But they shook up and changed the schedule a bit and today they were racing under the dessert sun. And boy am I glad that they did!

The first half of the race was plagued by accidents. From last week's Daytona winner, Trevor Bayne, slamming the wall, to Robbie Gordon spinning out, to Kyle Busch running into Carl Edwards who later ran into JEFF Gordon when he was sent up the track. Then after all those...the big one struck when Matt Kenseth hit Brian Vickers just hard enough to give him a flat tire that caused the twelve or thirteen car pile up that sent most of them to the garage area. Drivers like Jeff Burton, Clint Bowyer, Vickers, McMurray...the list went on and on. Looked more like they were racing at Daytona still the way it was looking.

But the last half of the race was pretty exciting of what I saw. I had to meet family at Pizza Hut and I was sure to make sure they put the race on as well as listen to it in the car. Y'all can imagine just how excited I was that Gordon, after his incident with Edwards, was not only still in the race after it happened, but had made it to the front! He and Tony Stewart swapped positions for the lead a few times, Johnson attempted to steal it from Gordon...and after the last pit stop, Kyle Busch came out the leader. Kyle Busch is a dominant driver who normally drives away for the win, so was kinda nervous when Busch increased his distance in front of Gordon. But Gordon raced hard to pass Kyle Busch with 14 or so laps to go! (Boy was it hard for me to sit still while all that was happening...finally had to stand up with six laps to go and he was still leading...LOL).

JEFF GORDON WINS AT PHOENIX!!!!!!!!!!!!! To end his 66 winless drought (his last win came at Texas in April of '09). It is his 83rd win to his career to tie him with Cale Yarborough. One win away from tying with Donnie Allison and Darrell Waltrip.

Here is the top ten finishes of Phoenix:

1. JEFF GORDON

2. Kyle Busch

3. Jimmie Johnson

4. Kevin Harvick

5. Ryan Newman

6. Kasey Kahne

7. Tony Stewart

8. Kurt Busch

9. AJ Allmindinger

10. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Great finish for him after just missing the big one today - he drove right through it only to get caught in pits speeding right afterwards.)

Well I apologize for my excitement over today's race...I try to stay partial to each driver while writing my reviews. But have a hard time doing so when I finally got the win I have been waiting so long for...it may not be Daytona - NASCAR's superbowl that was last week, but I am just as excited to see Gordon in Victory Lane once again. WAY TO GO JEFF GORDON!!!

[Garrett Duke]

The Kobalt Tools 400 in Las Vegas will be ran today at 2:30 ET on Fox . Jeff Gordon won his 83rd win at Phoenix last weekend to tie Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough...one more win he'll be tied with Darrell Waltrip (Fox NASCAR announcer.) Last time he won Phoenix he tied win record with Dale Earnhardt Sr...and then he won the following race to make it two in a row. And he's been pretty hot at Las Vegas the last few races here...could he make it two in a row today? (I sure hope so!!!!!!!)

The Rousch team has ran pretty good here at Las Vegas, I have been hearing. Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, David Ragen, and Carl Edwards are the Rousch drivers.

Also Kyle and Kurt Busch are from Las Vegas and are one and two in points. Will there be a brother dispute at their home track?

Oh...and a driver by the name of Jimmie Johnson is pretty good at Las Vegas as well. Perhaps he'll get his fifth Las Vegas win today...

Those are just a few things I've been hearing or reading about online the past day or so...am looking forward to seeing how things will work out today. (Am really hoping to get the tie with ol' DW today with another win from Gordon...)

Here is the top ten starting postions:

1. Matt Kenseth

2. Kyle Busch

3. Ryan Newman

4. Carl Edwards

5. Greg Biffle

6. David Reutimann

7. Martin Truex Jr

8. Tony Stewart

9. Joey Lagano

10. Denny Hamlin

Well there is my prerace preview. HA HA. GO JEFF GORDON GO!!!!!!!!!!

[Garrett Duke]

Well the Las Vegas race has just gotten over and talk about the differences one week makes. Last week I felt like I was on top of the mountain, so to speak, with Gordon's win. And well...now I feel lower than low. Gordon had a pretty good race. Top ten car. Not a winning car, but not bad either. Well right before green flag pit stops started on lap 195 his tire blew and he hit the wall hard. Main thing is, is he's OK...but boy is it disappointing going from a win last week to finishing 36th...and dropping from fifth in points down to 19th...unofficially.

Kyle Busch had his problems as well...he first cut a tire which brought out a caution. Then older brother Kurt spun around to bring out another caution. Right after that caution, Kyle Busch's engine blew and his car caught on fire. Luckily, he was OK.

There was a lot of pit road penelties...one coming from Tony Stewart who was leading at the time. Stewart had led the most laps and came home second on a track he has never won at before.

Due to pit road strategies from Stewart and Edwards, Edwards left the last pit stops first and ended up winning at Las Vegas! He's not Gordon nor does he drive for Hendrick, but I do like Edwards and it is always great to see him do his famous backflip he does off the window edge of his car after he wins.

Here is the top ten finishes at Las Vegas:

1. Carl Edwards

2. Tony Stewart

3. Juan Pablo Montoya

4. Marcos Ambrose (Great to see him get a top five finish!)

5. Ryan Newman

6. Martin Truex Jr.

7. Denny Hamlin

8. Dale Earnhardt Jr (Letarte and Gordon's old crew seems to be doing good with Jr...now is 10 in points - unofficially)

9. Kurt Busch

10. Brian Vickers

(Talk about a bad race...not only did Gordon do bad, but so did all my fantasy drivers. I am doing horrible on my fantasy team!)

Sadly there is NO race next week since they have an off week. Wish they had an off week this week...lot easier for me to live off a win for two weeks than a 36 finishing spot for poor Gordon. Guess that's life for ya. There will be an hour special about the Daytona race with commentaries by Gordon, Trevor Bayne, and others. Some footage never seen before, so they say. I think it is on at one or noon next Sunday on Fox. Then two weeks from today they are at one of my favorite tracks...Bristol! We'll be going short track racing. Now that should be fun:popcorn:.

[Garrett Duke]

Cale Yarborough and Jeff Gordon

This has nothing to do with today's race, but more with last week's race, but thought I might place it somewhere. I know not everyone here is a Jeff Gordon fan...for all I know, I may be the only one on here that is a Jeff Gordon fan. But since Cale Yarborough was on the Dukes a couple of times, I thought someone might find it interesting...I did, but then again, I'm a Gordon fan.

It is a four minute commentary discussing Cale's and Jeff's differences and similiarities in racing and in their background...since Gordon tied Cale's win record at 83.

Feel free to tell me what you thought of the clip...

[Garrett Duke]

Just a reminder...both Sprint Cup and the Nationwide Series has this weekend off. The Camping World Truck Series races at Darlington, I think, Saturday.

Though there is NOT a race on, other than the Truck Series, they do have a show on about this year's Daytona 500 that was ran only a few weeks ago. It will have commentary by Trevor Bayne, who won the Daytona 500, as well as Jeff Gordon and some other drivers. The program will be on at 12:00 PM, CENTRAL TIME, on FOX.

It may not be a race (meaning I'll have to live with Gordon's accident another week...and to see him at 19th in points. ) but at least it is something NASCAR and should be interesting to hear what the drivers has to say about NASCAR's Super Bowl race. (Even if both of my drivers wrecked on lap 27...LOL)

With that said, that will also give y'all a week off from my race and points updates as well as listening to my ramblings about the race. LOL.

[Garrett Duke]

Well the Spring Bristol Race was today and Kyle Busch won...for the Bristol sweep over Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson.

Bristol is usually one of my favorite tracks and it was an OK race today. Gordon didn't do anything all day and ended fourteenth, so perhaps that is why I am not too excited about it. Bristol is a track with a lot of emotion and accidents. There was a few accidents, but not a whole lot of people getting mad at each other...at least that I saw of. Which is a good thing.

I guess the big accident stuck out was when Harvick got spun around and he collected a few good cars. I always find it ironic on how the drivers who cause the accidents, are the ones that survives the accidents with the least amount of damage. Or am I the only one who sees it that way? LOL

Here is the top twelve finishes for today's Bristol race:

1. Kyle Busch

2. Carl Edwards

3. Jimmie Johnson

4. Matt Kenseth

5. Paul Menard (always great to see a name you don't normally see in the top ten in the top ten such as Paul Menard...he's having a great start to his season!)

6. Kevin Harvick

7. Kurt Busch

8. Greg Biffle

9. Kasey Kahne

10. Ryan Newman

11. Dale Earnhardt Jr

12. Mark Martin

Well at least all four of my starting drivers for my fantasy league finished in the top twelve (Kurt Busch, Dale JR, Ryan Newman, and Paul Menard). Which moved me up two spots in my team...

[RogerDuke]

Thanks for the update Garrett. I caught bits and pieces including the end.

As I recall, didn't they say Kyle has won the last 4 out of 5 races there?

[Garrett Duke]

Thanks for the update Garrett. I caught bits and pieces including the end.

As I recall, didn't they say Kyle has won the last 4 out of 5 races there?

Yes they had and he did. He seems to be good at that track...

[RogerDuke]

I haven't asked you a NASCAR trivia question for awhile Garrett.

I don't understand why some drivers excell at a short track and other good drivers don't. Is it because of the car or the driver or both?

[Garrett Duke]

Hmmm good question Roger. I would have to say it would probably have to do with the driver, but it could do with both and the set up the driver perfers. Though you are right...each driver has the different sort of track that they are better at than others (makes it easier to pick for fantasy! LOL).

[Garrett Duke]

Happy seventy-second birthday to Cale Yarborough!

Sprint Cup Fontana race has just gotten over...not only had they eliminated a Fontana race from the schedule this year, but they also shortened it from five hundred laps to four hundred laps. Though it looks like maybe it was a good thing....sadly. It was a long race with not a whole lot happening until the very end of the race. Only three cautions, two were for debris and one was at the end with fifteen or so laps to go when Bobby Labonte ran hard into the wall that had cut down a lot of laps to caution.

Kyle Busch dominated the race until four laps to go, Jimmie Johnson passed him. Kevin Harvick passed Kyle Busch and then right before the checkered flag had bumped Jimmie enough to pass him for the win.

Here is the top ten finishes of today's race:

1. Kevin Harvick

2. Jimmie Johnson

3. Kyle Busch

4. Matt Kenseht

5. Ryan Newman

6. Carl Edwards

7. Clint Bowyer

8. Brian Vickers

9. Kasey Kahne

10. Juan Pablo Montoya