Mark Martin’s atypical fuel mileage driving paid off big time in Las Vegas after Brad Keselowski, then the race leader, had a tire go down on the white flag lap of the Sam’s Club 300.
Justin Allgaier finished second, followed by Keselowski.
Danica Patrick recorded her best NASCAR finish, in fourth, which was the best finish for a woman in NASCAR eclipsing the fifth place recorded by Sara Christian in 1949.
After her crew chief, Tony Eury Jr. told her he was expecting a top-10 finish in the race Danica thought it was possible: “I was hoping for a top-10, secretly, because I didn’t want to tell the media, but I got a top-5.”
"We just had a good car, that's all I can say. That's what makes a difference in these things," Patrick added. "I know I haven't had the best results, especially in NASCAR, but we're getting them now."
Martin extended his lifetime mark of most Nationwide Series victories to 49. It was the first win for his Turner Motorsports Team which started operations this year.
"I just decided I wasn't going to run out of gas, and then with two to go, I went ahead and stepped on it (because) I figured I was close enough to the finish," explained Martin. "Golly, that's a storybook ending for me.”
Another driver, besides Keselowski, who might have been robbed of a win was Kyle Busch. Although he led a race-high 84 laps, he eliminated himself on lap 131 when he dropped a wheel off the track.
“I just got a really big run off the top side and switched down to the bottom and thought I had a clear track down there and then the 22 (Brad Keselowski) came down a little bit to block,” said Busch. “I didn’t want to run into him so I gave him a little more room and got into the grass.
“I knew you’re not supposed to get in the grass, I’m not that stupid. I thought I could hold on to it at least and then once we got sliding through the grass there, I tried to lock it down and get it back straight and got into the inside fence. Another tough day in Vegas.”
Justin Allgaier finished second, followed by Keselowski.
Danica Patrick recorded her best NASCAR finish, in fourth, which was the best finish for a woman in NASCAR eclipsing the fifth place recorded by Sara Christian in 1949.
After her crew chief, Tony Eury Jr. told her he was expecting a top-10 finish in the race Danica thought it was possible: “I was hoping for a top-10, secretly, because I didn’t want to tell the media, but I got a top-5.”
"We just had a good car, that's all I can say. That's what makes a difference in these things," Patrick added. "I know I haven't had the best results, especially in NASCAR, but we're getting them now."
Martin extended his lifetime mark of most Nationwide Series victories to 49. It was the first win for his Turner Motorsports Team which started operations this year.
"I just decided I wasn't going to run out of gas, and then with two to go, I went ahead and stepped on it (because) I figured I was close enough to the finish," explained Martin. "Golly, that's a storybook ending for me.”
Another driver, besides Keselowski, who might have been robbed of a win was Kyle Busch. Although he led a race-high 84 laps, he eliminated himself on lap 131 when he dropped a wheel off the track.
“I just got a really big run off the top side and switched down to the bottom and thought I had a clear track down there and then the 22 (Brad Keselowski) came down a little bit to block,” said Busch. “I didn’t want to run into him so I gave him a little more room and got into the grass.
“I knew you’re not supposed to get in the grass, I’m not that stupid. I thought I could hold on to it at least and then once we got sliding through the grass there, I tried to lock it down and get it back straight and got into the inside fence. Another tough day in Vegas.”