Johnson ties Yarborough’s wins
After Dover victory, both have 83 wins, tied for 6th all time.
Hooked on NASCAR as a kid, there was something about Cale Yarborough that made a fan out of Jimmie Johnson. Johnson was glued to the set as he sat on a dirty old couch at home in El Cajon, Calif. He loved Yarborough’s fearlessness and the way the Hall of Fame driver kind of reminded Johnson of his grandfather.
Johnson even stopped at a Hardee’s on a road trip because he believed the fastfood joint and Yarborough’s sponsor was the race shop. There was one more part of Yarborough that Johnson admired:
“His winning,” Johnson said.
Oh, Yarborough won — 83 times. The same number in the record book as that California kid who grew up to become even better than his idol.
Johnson sped off on the final restart Sunday and earned another slice of NASCAR history, winning in overtime at Dover (Del.) International Speedway for the 11th time and moving into a tie for sixth on the career victories list.
Johnson and Yarborough, 78, are tied for sixth on the career wins list.
Johnson may have had a sense history was ahead in the No. 48 Chevrolet as he wore a helmet painted in tribute to Yarborough.
Johnson, the seven-time NASCAR champion, has racked up a Hall of Fame resume all with team owner Rick Hendrick and crew chief Chad Knaus.
Johnson again made an impact at his favorite track — and he worked hard to take this checkered flag. He was forced to start from the rear of the field because of a gear change, then zipped past Kyle Larson in overtime on the restart.
Larson was second, followed by Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Newman and Chase Elliott.
IndyCar: Graham Rahal completed a doubleheader sweep in the Detroit Grand Prix to become the series’ first two-time winner this season.
Rahal’s Honda-powered car finished 1.17 seconds ahead of Josef Newgarden’s Chevrolet, a day after getting to the checkered flag six-plus seconds ahead of the competition.
The Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver pulled away for the victory after a single-file final restart with two laps to go in the 70-lap race on Belle Isle course.
Rahal became the first to sweep in Detroit since it began hosting doubleheaders in 2013. He became the first to win two IndyCar races in a weekend since Scott Dixon pulled off the feat four years ago in Toronto.
NHRA: Brittany Force won the NHRA New England Nationals in Epping, N.H., her first Top Fuel victory of the season and fourth overall.
She beat Antron Brown in the final with a 3.716-second pass at 328.62 mph. Brown had a 3.728 at 327.98.
Matt Hagan won in Funny Car and Erica Enders topped the Pro Stock field.