Backstretch Motorsports

Johnson moves into top starting position for Sunday

Jimmie Johnson will start from the pole in Sunday’s Camping World RV 400 at Kansas Speedway after Montoya’s qualifying speed was disallowed.

Montoya turned a lap in 31.368 seconds (172.150 mph) Friday to knock Jimmie Johnson (172.007 mph) out of the top starting spot for Sunday’s race — only to see his time disallowed because the nitrogen gas pressure in the rear shock absorbers of his No. 42 Dodge exceeded the 75 pounds per square inch allowed under NASCAR rules.

As a consequence, Montoya will start 42nd Sunday on an owner points provisional. The pole is the 18th of Johnson’s career, his fifth of the season and his third at the 1.5-mile speedway.

Qualifying Fast Facts
Kansas Speedway
Camping World RV 400 presented by Coleman

Coors Light Pole Winner: Juan Pablo Montoya
Age: 33
Team : No. 42 - Texaco/Havoline Dodge
Owner: Floyd Ganassi
Crew Chief: Brian Pattie

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It’s been a year since your memorable victory in Sonoma. Can you reflect on that win and this year’s race?

JPM: Last year was a very special moment for us. It was a tough race because we were really good in every practice, but went out in qualifying and really struggled. We couldn’t really understand why. We came from the back of the race and we knew from where we started that we really needed to play the strategy of fuel. Fuel would be the key for the race. We played it, and it came out perfectly.

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s win Sunday at Michigan was a long time coming, but not only because there was a 76-race gap between wins. If ever a driver was “due,” it was Earnhardt. He had been on the verge of victory all season long.
Coming into Michigan, Earnhardt twice failed to earn at least 100 points in a given race this season. He led laps in all but four races. Once he moved into third place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings after race No. 8 (Phoenix), he never relinquished it.
This weekend, Earnhardt will head to a track – Infineon Raceway – where his success rate is nowhere near that impressive.
In eight starts, Earnhardt has yet to crack the top 10, he has led just once for nine laps and he has a Driver Rating of 66.1, which is 24th-best in the series.

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Kyle Busch of 2008 is the Jeff Gordon of 2007, at least in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
Their numbers are very similar:
Wins: After 13 races last season, Gordon won three races. Busch has won four this year.
Points Lead: Last season, Gordon was 152 points ahead of second-place Jimmie Johnson after 13 races. Right now, Kyle Busch is 142 points ahead of second-place Jeff Burton.

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TALLADEGA, ALA. – Kyle Busch won racing’s biggest crapshoot Sunday after a knuckle-cracking, tension-filled NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway.

After a multi-car wreck with 25 laps to go ruined Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart’s chances, Busch battled his way to the front with some bold moves in the closing laps of a thrilling race.

Juan Pablo Montoya, the former Indy 500 winner and Formula One star, crossed the finish line in second, glued to the bumper of the winner.

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