Backstretch Motorsports

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Subway Fresh Fit 500
Phoenix International Raceway
Fast Facts

Race Winner: Jimmie Johnson
Age: 32
Team: No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet
Owner: Jeff Gordon
Crew Chief: Chad Knaus

Jimmie Johnson won the Subway Fresh Fit 500, his 34th victory in 227 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his first victory and fourth top-10 finish in 2008.
This is his second victory and eighth top-10 finish in 10 races at Phoenix International Raceway. He also won at Phoenix last fall and became the fifth driver to score repeat victories at Phoenix. All five scored back-to-back wins.
Clint Bowyer (second) posted his second top-10 and career-best finish in six races at Phoenix.
Denny Hamlin (third) posted his third top-10 finish in six races at Phoenix and tied his career-best for the second time.
Sam Hornish Jr. (20th) was the highest finishing rookie.

Fuel Mileage Gamble Pays Off as Johnson Gets Hendrick No. 1 Win for 2008

Sometimes the slowest car wins the race.

Johnson completed the final lap at a relative snail’s pace — 31.19 seconds — in full conservation mode.

Jimmie Johnson gave Hendrick Motorsports its first NASCAR Sprint Cup victory of the year, winning a fuel gamble Saturday night at Phoenix International Speedway. The two-time reigning Cup champion made it to the finish with only a few precious drops of Sunoco left in the fuel cell.

As leader after leader dove for the pits to take on gas in the waning laps, Johnson’s No. 48 Chevrolet stayed on track and , beating Clint Bowyer — also gambling on fuel– by 7.002 seconds.

“I ran out of gas on the backstretch,” Johnson said, grinning. But he still had enough left for a celebratory burnout after taking the checkered flag.

“We got out off cycle and got a little behind there and had to drive to front, and still wound up saving gas at the end,” Johnson said.

Knaus said he ‘botched it up’ at one point in the race, leaving Johnson on track when the other leaders pitted, said he knew his driver was doing a good job of saving gas.

“When the [No.] 07 [Bowyer] was behind us and he was about 10 seconds back, I knew we had it,” Knaus said.

Denny Hamlin, who did pit, finished third, followed by Carl Edwards, Mark Martin, Jeff Burton and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

NASCAR Race Number 8
Unofficial Race Results for the Subway Fresh Fit “500″ - Saturday, April 12, 2008
Phoenix International Raceway - Phoenix, AZ - 1 Mile Paved
Total Race Length - 312 Laps - 312 Miles - Purse: $5,064,433

Leader
Fin Str Car Driver Team Laps Pts Bns Total Award Status Times Laps
1 7 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s Chevrolet 312 195 10 $262,111 Running 4 120
2 24 07 Clint Bowyer DirecTV Chevrolet 312 170 $170,350 Running
3 16 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Kinko’s/March of Dimes Toyota 312 165 $164,516 Running
4 3 99 Carl Edwards Aflac Ford 312 160 $158,585 Running
5 4 8 Mark Martin U.S. Army Chevrolet 312 160 5 $150,258 Running 2 68
6 39 31 Jeff Burton AT&T Mobility Chevrolet 312 150 $140,008 Running
7 13 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. National Guard/AMP Energy 312 151 5 $99,125 Running 3 87
8 9 1 Martin Truex Jr. Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats 312 142 $113,008 Running
9 18 16 Greg Biffle 3M Ford 312 138 $89,475 Running
10 6 18 Kyle Busch Snickers Toyota 312 134 $95,925 Running
11 30 5 Casey Mears Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolet 311 130 $90,875 Running
12 34 43 Bobby Labonte Cheerios Racing/Betty Crocker Dodge 311 127 $112,511 Running
13 11 24 Jeff Gordon DuPont/Nicorette Chevrolet 311 124 $119,961 Running
14 12 20 Tony Stewart Subway Toyota 311 121 $117,611 Running
15 36 38 David Gilliland Yates Racing Ford 311 118 $91,658 Running
16 15 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Wrigley’s Big Red Dodge 311 115 $98,933 Running
17 8 26 Jamie McMurray Crown Royal Ford 311 112 $79,125 Running
18 26 44 David Reutimann UPS Toyota 311 109 $75,300 Running
19 17 29 Kevin Harvick Reese’s Chevrolet 311 106 $113,336 Running
20 31 77 Sam Hornish Jr. # Mobil 1 Dodge 311 103 $114,250 Running
21 14 15 Paul Menard Menards/Johns Manville Chevrolet 311 100 $78,225 Running
22 32 28 Travis Kvapil Ford Drive one Ford 310 97 $98,314 Running
23 40 2 Kurt Busch Miller Lite Dodge 310 94 $65,875 Running
24 28 55 Michael Waltrip NAPA Auto Parts Toyota 310 91 $82,833 Running
25 33 83 Brian Vickers Red Bull Toyota 310 88 $69,000 Running
26 10 66 Scott Riggs Haas Automation Chevrolet 310 85 $83,433 Running
27 23 6 David Ragan AAA Insurance Ford 310 82 $76,550 Running
28 25 84 Mike Skinner Red Bull Toyota 310 79 $65,225 Running
29 35 7 Robby Gordon Menards/MAPEI Dodge 310 76 $87,858 Running
30 19 22 Dave Blaney Caterpillar Toyota 309 73 $77,997 Running
31 43 21 Bill Elliott Motorcraft Ford 309 70 $86,155 Running
32 21 40 Dario Franchitti # Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit Dodge 309 67 $75,125 Running
33 37 10 Patrick Carpentier # LifeLock Dodge 308 64 $65,450 Running
34 29 00 Michael McDowell # Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota 307 61 $64,375 Running
35 38 01 Regan Smith # Dale Earnhardt, Inc./Principal 298 58 $72,250 Running
36 5 9 Kasey Kahne Budweiser Dodge 273 55 $94,091 Running
37 42 70 Johnny Sauter Haas Automation Chevrolet 271 52 $63,975 Running
38 27 17 Matt Kenseth DeWalt/Nano Ford 269 49 $111,466 Running
39 22 96 JJ Yeley DLP HDTV Toyota 224 46 $71,700 Running
40 41 78 Joe Nemechek Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet 208 43 $63,550 Running
41 2 19 Elliott Sadler Stanley Tools Dodge 161 40 $90,250 Engine
42 20 41 Reed Sorenson Target/Glad Dodge 144 37 $90,494 Accident
43 1 12 Ryan Newman alltel Dodge 134 39 5 $110,718 Engine 2 37
Race Comments: Before an estimated crowd of 100,000 - Jimmie Johnson won the Subway Fresh Fit 500 - his 34th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory. Prior to the green flag the following driver dropped to the rear for the reason indicated: #96 Yeley (engine change).
Failed to Qualify: (2) 45 Kyle Petty, 34 John Andretti.
Time of Race: 03 Hrs, 01 Mins, 14 Secs. Average Speed: 103.292 MPH Margin of Victory: 7.002 Seconds
Caution Flags: 8 for 42 laps: Laps: 12-16 (Debris); 42-46 (#17 accident turn 4); 115-121 (#78 accident turn 2); 134-140 (Oil on track [Red Flag-9:47-Lap135]); 149-153 (#41 accident turn 4); 163-167 (Oil on track); 201-204 (#6 spun backstretch); 230-233 (#9 accident turn 4).
Lead Changes: 10 among 4 drivers: R. Newman 1-30; J. Johnson 31-42; R. Newman 43-49; J. Johnson 50-123; D. Earnhardt Jr. 124-126; J. Johnson 127-149; D. Earnhardt Jr. 150-163; M. Martin 164-201; D. Earnhardt Jr. 202-271; M. Martin 272-301; J. Johnson 302-312.
Top 12 Driver Points: (1) J. Burton 1,215;(2) Ky. Busch 1,135;(3) D. Earnhardt Jr. 1,129;(4) J. Johnson 1,116;(5) K. Harvick 1,112;(6) D. Hamlin 1,078;(7) T. Stewart 1,078;(8) C. Bowyer 1,044;(9) C. Edwards 1,041;(10) G. Biffle 1,039;(11) K. Kahne 929;(12) R. Newman 915.
Coors Light Pole Award : Ryan Newman, #12 (133.457 mph) DIRECTV Crew Chief of the Race : Mark Martin, #8
DOW Automotive Strategic Call of the Race : Jimmie Johnson, #48 EA Sports Move of the Race : Jimmie Johnson, #48
Goodyear Gatorback Fastest Lap : Dale Earnhardt, Jr, #88 (129.851 mph, Lap 235) Mahle Clevite Engine Builder : Jimmie Johnson, #48
Mobil 1 Command Performance Driver of the Race : David Reutimann, #44 Moog Chassis Parts Problem Solver of the Race : Mark Martin, #8 (.273 sec Average Improvement)
Raybestos Rookie of the Race : Sam Hornish, #77 Sunoco Diamond Performance : Jimmie Johnson, #48
USG Improving the Finish : Jeff Burton, #31 (33 Places) WIX Lap Leader : Jimmie Johnson, #48 (120 Laps)
Next Race: Apr. 27, 2008 - Talladega Superspeedway