Rain delayed the NASCAR Camping World Truck race at the Martinsville Speedway short track as it is postponed until Monday afternoon but it also cut short on the NASCAR Sprint Cup practices and qualifying sessions.
So the race started according to the Championship points. Leader Jeff Gordon (Chevy No 24) was off to a good start but he probably didn't count on his own partner Jimmie Johnson (Chevy No 48) and local racer Denny Hamlin (Camry No 11) to spoil his party.
Martinsville is a small half-mile oval and the Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 looked a lot like a real short-track race with all its bumping and passing. Denny Hamlin lead most of the 500 laps but some 15 laps to go, Johnson muscled his way pass Hamlin by pushing him out of the way to the checkered flag.
Johnson finally gives Chevy a first win for this season as his team owner, Rick Hendrick, celebrates the 25th anniversary of his first win in NASCAR's top series (Geoff Bodine was the driver in those days). Hamlin came in second followed by Tony Stewart (Chevy No 14), Jeff Gordon (Chevy No 24) and Clint Bowyer (Chevy No 33). Ryan Newman (Chevy No 39) ended up sixth after passing Mark Martin (Chevy No 5) during the very last laps.
Dale Earnhardt (Chevy No 88) ended up eighth just in front of the surprising A.J. Allmendinger (Dodge No 44) and Jamie McMurray (Ford No 26). Hamlin's teammates, Kyle Busch (Camry No 18) and Joey Logano (Camry No 20) finished 24th and 32nd in a race that saw 12 cautions thrown for 66 laps and 13 lead changes by 7 drivers.
Jeff Gordon still leads the championship followed by Clint Bowyer, Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin. Next race will be at the much bigger Texas Motor Speedway next Sunday.
photo:NASCAR - Getty Images
So the race started according to the Championship points. Leader Jeff Gordon (Chevy No 24) was off to a good start but he probably didn't count on his own partner Jimmie Johnson (Chevy No 48) and local racer Denny Hamlin (Camry No 11) to spoil his party.
Martinsville is a small half-mile oval and the Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 looked a lot like a real short-track race with all its bumping and passing. Denny Hamlin lead most of the 500 laps but some 15 laps to go, Johnson muscled his way pass Hamlin by pushing him out of the way to the checkered flag.
Johnson finally gives Chevy a first win for this season as his team owner, Rick Hendrick, celebrates the 25th anniversary of his first win in NASCAR's top series (Geoff Bodine was the driver in those days). Hamlin came in second followed by Tony Stewart (Chevy No 14), Jeff Gordon (Chevy No 24) and Clint Bowyer (Chevy No 33). Ryan Newman (Chevy No 39) ended up sixth after passing Mark Martin (Chevy No 5) during the very last laps.
Dale Earnhardt (Chevy No 88) ended up eighth just in front of the surprising A.J. Allmendinger (Dodge No 44) and Jamie McMurray (Ford No 26). Hamlin's teammates, Kyle Busch (Camry No 18) and Joey Logano (Camry No 20) finished 24th and 32nd in a race that saw 12 cautions thrown for 66 laps and 13 lead changes by 7 drivers.
Jeff Gordon still leads the championship followed by Clint Bowyer, Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin. Next race will be at the much bigger Texas Motor Speedway next Sunday.
photo:NASCAR - Getty Images