With Win at Texas, Johnson Takes Chase Lead

With two races remaining in the Chase, Johnson holds a 30-point lead over Jeff Gordon.

Photo courtesy: Texas Motor Speedway

FORT WORTH, Texas - Jimmie Johnson’s momentum train continued Sunday night in the Dickies 500 as he picked up his first NASCAR Nextel Cup Series victory at Texas Motor Speedway and moved into the points lead in the Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup.

The win is Johnson’s ninth of 2007 and his third consecutive – the second time in his career he has won three straight races. Johnson won at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Martinsville Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway in the inaugural Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup in 2004.

Johnson claimed the Dickies 500 victory after crossing the finish line 0.944 seconds ahead of Matt Kenseth that featured a spirited battle between the Cup veterans in the closing laps.

Johnson’s win in the Dickies 500 is his ninth Cup victory and 22nd top-10 finish in 2007. In nine starts at “The Great American Speedway!” Johnson has posted seven top-10 finishes.

Johnson leaves Texas Motor Speedway as the point leader in the Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup. With two races remaining in the Chase, Johnson holds a 30-point lead over Jeff Gordon. Johnson took the lead in the point standings following the 2006 Dickies 500 en route to claiming the NASCAR Nextel Cup championship.

Kenseth picked up his 20th top-10 finish in 2007 and his sixth top-10 finish in 11 races at Texas Motor Speedway.

Martin Truex Jr., who started the Dickies 500 from the pole, finished third and posted his third top-10 finish in five races at “The Great American Speedway!” Kyle Busch and Ryan Newman rounded out the top five, respectively.

Six of the 12 Chase drivers mathematically remain eligible for the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup championship.

DICKIES 500 RESULTS:

Fin Str Car Driver Team Laps Pts Bns Total Award Status Times Laps

1. 8 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's/Kobalt Chevrolet 334 190 5 $486,211 Running 4 9

2. 18 17 Matt Kenseth USG Ford 334 175 5 $378,041 Running 4 44

3. 1 1 Martin Truex Jr. Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Chevrolet 334 170 5 $262,245 Running 2 16

4. 17 5 Kyle Busch CARQUEST/Kellogg's Chevrolet 334 170 10 $217,400 Running 6 153

5. 11 12 Ryan Newman alltel Dodge 334 160 5 $214,125 Running 1 4

6. 27 31 Jeff Burton AT&T Mobility Chevrolet 334 150 $192,116 Running

7. 2 24 Jeff Gordon DuPont Chevrolet 334 151 5 $184,561 Running 2 20

8. 6 2 Kurt Busch Miller Lite Dodge 334 147 5 $165,783 Running 2 10

9. 24 26 Jamie McMurray Crown Royal Special Reserve Ford 334 138 $134,925 Running

10. 4 29 Kevin Harvick Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet 334 134 $168,261 Running

11. 15 20 Tony Stewart Home Depot Chevrolet 334 130 $159,361 Running

12. 19 19 Elliott Sadler Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge 334 127 $131,620 Running

13. 20 10 Scott Riggs Proto/Stanley Tools/Valvoline Dodge 334 124 $118,325 Running

14. 12 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Budweiser Chevrolet 334 126 5 $147,058 Running 2 12

15. 39 88 Ricky Rudd Snickers Ford 334 123 5 $141,758 Running 1 10

16. 13 43 Bobby Labonte Cheerios Spoonful of Stories Dodge 334 115 $141,561 Running

17. 38 18 J.J. Yeley Interstate Batteries Chevrolet 333 112 $131,133 Running

18. 25 9 Kasey Kahne Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge 332 109 $146,266 Running

19. 29 07 Clint Bowyer Jack Daniel's Chevrolet 332 111 5 $110,425 Running 1 1

20. 40 96 Tony Raines DLP HDTV Chevrolet 332 103 $113,275 Running

21. 32 22 Dave Blaney Caterpillar Toyota 332 100 $127,908 Running

22. 36 66 Jeremy Mayfield Best Buy Chevrolet 332 97 $125,583 Running

23. 22 83 Brian Vickers Red Bull Toyota 332 94 $101,125 Running

24. 14 36 Mike Skinner 360 OTC Toyota 331 91 $98,575 Running

25. 3 42 Juan Pablo Montoya # Texaco/Havoline Dodge 331 93 5 $143,300 Running 1 10

26. 21 99 Carl Edwards Office Depot Ford 331 85 $108,625 Running

27. 42 70 Johnny Sauter FleetPride Chevrolet 330 82 $100,025 Running

28. 34 38 David Gilliland M&M's Ford 330 79 $127,039 Running

29. 7 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Kinko's Chevrolet 324 81 5 $115,625 Running 2 45

30. 16 15 Paul Menard # Menards/Moen Chevrolet 322 73 $99,425 Running

31. 9 25 Casey Mears National Guard/GMAC Chevrolet 302 70 $114,225 Running

32. 41 7 Robby Gordon Menards/MAPEI Ford 300 67 $96,025 Running

33. 23 16 Greg Biffle Jackson Hewitt Ford 295 64 $114,775 Oil Cooler

34. 10 01 Mark Martin U.S. Army Chevrolet 278 61 $103,625 Running

35. 35 78 Joe Nemechek Furniture Row Chevrolet 275 58 $95,425 Brakes

36. 30 21 Bill Elliott Delimex Ford 248 55 $114,414 Running

37. 33 6 David Ragan # AAA Insurance Ford 222 52 $130,825 Accident

38. 26 44 Dale Jarrett UPS Toyota 217 49 $94,800 Accident

39. 5 84 AJ Allmendinger # Red Bull Toyota 151 46 $94,600 Accident

40. 31 41 Reed Sorenson Target Dodge 143 43 $116,558 Accident

41. 28 40 David Stremme HomeLife Communities Dodge 136 40 $94,180 Accident

42. 37 45 Kyle Petty National Tire & Battery Dodge 129 37 $105,638 Accident

43. 43 00 David Reutimann # Burger King Toyota 90 34 $103,608 Engine

# Denotes Rookie

Adding comments to these stories has been disabled. View the current sports stories Salem-News Sports