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CUP: Johnson Edges Stewart In RIR Thriller
Written by: Tom Jensen   
09/07/2008
Richmond, Va.
 
Jimmie Johnson crosses the finish line ahead of Tony Stewart to win the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway. (John Harrelson Photography - Pool/Getty Images Photo) ยป More Photos

Jimmie Johnson won a thrilling Chevy Rock ‘N’ Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway on Sunday, edging Tony Stewart to score his fourth victory of the season and secure the No. 3 seed in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

Johnson, the two-time defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion, took the lead with 34 laps to go and held on to put his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Impala SS into victory lane for the second consecutive week.

Finishing behind Johnson was the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas of Stewart and Denny Hamlin, Johnson’s teammate, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin in a Dale Earnhardt Inc Chevy. Stewart mounted a furious charge in the closing laps, with Johnson crossing the finish line just 0.366 seconds ahead of Stewart.

All of the drivers who were in the top 12 prior to the race stayed there and will qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup, which begins next Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Because qualifying was rained out, the field was lined up by owner points, with Kyle Busch out front, ahead of Carl Edwards, Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Burton. Busch got an excellent jump at the drop of the green flag to hold the point.

Kevin Harvick used
the high line to make the first lead pass on Lap 29, getting by Busch’s Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota at the start-finish line. Three laps later, Busch fell to third, as Earnhardt put his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet into second place.

Just as Earnhardt closed on Harvick’s bumper, NASCAR threw a competition caution on Lap 37, giving teams the time to pit and assess tire wear following the heavy rains on Friday and Saturday. Busch had a slow stop, and the order out was Jeff Gordon, Harvick, Earnhardt, Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards.

The race restarted on Lap 44, Gordon out front on the basis of a two-tire stop. Harvick quickly reassumed the point, though, his Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet looking especially stout early on. Denny Hamlin, who led 381 laps here in the spring race before a flat tire cost him victory, moved into second behind Harvick.

Carl Edwards made an unscheduled pit stop on Lap 75 with a flat right-rear tire, dropping him off the lead lap. Two laps later, Hamlin took the lead for the first time, and the following lap, Earnhardt began pressuring Hamlin for the lead. Earnhardt made the pass stick on Lap 81, following a spirited dice with Hamlin’s Toyota.


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