CUP: Fuel Mileage Bites Johnson, Martin

Sprint Cup

CUP: Fuel Mileage Bites Johnson, Martin

For the second time in a row at Michigan International Speedway, fuel mileage cost Jimmie Johnson a victory...

Tom Jensen | Posted August 16, 2009 Brooklyn, MI

Both Mark Martin (Left) and Jimmie Johnson (Right) ran out of gas at Michigan. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Sunday’s Carfax 400 proved to be déjà vu all over again for Jimmie Johnson, and the three-time defending NASCAR Sprint Cup champion didn’t like it one bit. No, he did not.

On Sunday, Johnson led 165 of 200 laps at Michigan International Speedway, only to run out of fuel on the race’s penultimate lap and finish 33rd in the Carfax 400. In June at MIS, Johnson led 146 circuits before running out of gas and finishing 22nd.

And the usually politically correct Johnson minced no words about how he felt. “It sucks to have stats like we do here, leading laps and not go to victory lane, but we are working hard at it,” Johnson said.

Chad Knaus, crew chief of Johnson’s No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Impala SS, wasn’t any happier to see his driver’s tank run dry yet again.

“Here's the deal: It's just like the last race here,” said Knaus. “When you lead all the laps, when you get to the end, you don't want to just fall back and settle for a fifth or a sixth-place finish. That's not what we wanted to do. Fortunately enough, we're in a position to where if it would have worked out, we would have been great. It would have a storybook ending for us, but unfortunately it didn't work out.”

Last time Johnson ran out of gas, the beneficiary was teammate Mark Martin, who inherited a victory when Johnson and Biffle both ran out of gas. But this time, Martin ran out, too, finishing 31st, despite leading four times for 26 laps.

Martin’s disappointing finish, combined with Brian Vickers’ victory, has thrown the Chase for the Sprint Cup wide open with only three races until 12-driver Chase field is set.

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Tom Jensen

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