Johnson gambles for win
Sprint Cup star holds o≠ Harvick at Kansas track
kansas city, kan. » Jimmie Johnson pulled into Victory Lane after his laterace gamble paid off to win the rain-delayed NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Kansas Speedway, then pulled out his cellphone and tried to dial his wife in the first few minutes of Mother’s Day.
“Then I caught her on FaceTime,” Johnson said, “and she was not so happy to be on FaceTime with all those people around. I think the signal went out — or she hung up on me.”
Johnson, historically so dominant on 1½-mile racetracks, held off Kevin Harvick as the clock struck midnight heading into Sunday. They were chased across the finish line by Johnson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammates, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon.
Most of the leaders had been conserving fuel after pitting with 58 to go, right on the upper end of the pit window, when Ricky Stenhouse Jr. got into the wall with 12 laps left. Johnson was among those who pressed their luck by staying on the track, while Harvick went in for right-side tires and fuel, and Martin Truex Jr. got a splash of gas.
“It just dawned on me: We’ve won two races, we’re locked in the Chase, points don’t matter. We’re going for the win,” Johnson said. “It was just sort of a gut feeling, split-second.”
Johnson built a lead on the restart with six laps left, but Harvick sped around Earnhardt on his fresh tires down the front stretch, setting his sights on the lead.
Harvick won for the third time this season and his third race at Kansas Speedway.
Harvick extended his points lead over Truex of Denver-based Furniture Row Racing heading into the AllStar race at Charlotte. Johnson is third in the standings as he chases another title.
How Martin Truex Jr. fared Saturday night
• Truex led a race-high 95 laps at Kansas Speedway, but his pit decision proved costly. Without fresh tires, one of the strongest cars in the field faded on the final restart. Truex finished ninth. “Really hate when it comes down to fuel mileage. It seems like I’m always at the wrong end of that deal,” said the driver for Denver-based Furniture Row Racing. • With another top-10 finish, Truex maintained a two-point lead over Jimmie Johnson for second place in the standings for Sprint Cup driver points.