Hard Fought Finishes All Around

Yesterday’s 500k race at Phoenix International Raceway looked like a group of short track racers trying to race at Talladega. Drivers were beating and banging on each other, and when a wreck happened, many cars became involved. At just after mid-race, a Talladega style “big one” happened due to a spin by Brian Vickers which may or may not have been caused by Matt Kenseth. I don’t want to take sides.

The race finished with a long-overdue win by Jeff Gordon who snapped the longest winless streak of his career (66 races). Gordon cemented his win with a late race pass on Kyle Busch in which he “loosened up” the hard nosed driver who himself was trying for his second 3 series weekend sweep.

Both of these drivers, and a few others, had top ten finishes on a day that some would have settled for less. Kyle Busch was involved in a wreck with Carl Edwards earlier in the race which sent Edwards airborne off the inside concrete curb. Busch battled most of the race with an ill-handling racecar.

Finishing third, Jimmie Johnson battled his way to the front throughout the race from a 28th starting spot. Much of Johnson’s race was spent dodging the carnage of other cars. Although he led briefly, Johnson did not have the car to challenge for the win, but in true Johnson form, he always finds his way into the top five by the end of the race.

Kevin Harvick, who was not so “Happy”, finished fourth after clawing his way forward after pit stop miscues sent him to the back, steaming all the way. Two thirds of the way through the race, Harvick seemed to settle in and began making his way to the front. Harvick did lead one lap and received the ever important bonus point.

Further back, A.J. Allmendinger and Dale Earnhardt Jr. both finished out with much needed top ten finishes. For Allmendinger, a ninth place finish at Phoenix could give he and his RPM teammate, Marcos Ambrose, a little footing to begin the 2011 season. After all of the off season changes with RPM being shut down, bought, and reopened, those teams need all of the momentum they can get. Both Allmendinger and Ambrose were competitive and around the top ten all race.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. stayed toward the back of the top twenty for most of the race, after starting a dismal 35th. Junior quickly moved up to the top twenty, but due to wrecks and a loose wheel with less than 100 laps to go, he became a lap down and hoping for no cautions. With the luck he has not had in a couple years, the field cycled through green flag pit stops, and with a late race caution, Junior restarted in the top 15. Junior battled with Denny Hamlin in the final few laps and came away with his first top ten of 2011.


Read more by Joseph Davis at the Spotter Stand and follow him on Twitter @the_Bumpdrafter

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