Jimmie Johnson celebrates in victory lane after winning the Daytona 500 on February 24, 2013. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service

A cursory glance at Jimmie Johnson’s racing resume will tell you that the driver of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet is a lock to make the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

But Johnson is still writing history, and in Saturday night’s Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, he added another gaudy tile to his mosaic of accomplishment.

Johnson now owns the record for most All-Star Race wins with four, breaking a tie with Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Jeff Gordon.

Johnson is the only driver in the history of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series to win five-straight championships, the last one coming in 2010. In fact, no other driver had ever won more than three straight, and only one driver—Cale Yarborough—had accomplished that trifecta before Johnson came along.

A winner of 62 Cup points races in 410 starts, Johnson already is eighth on the all-time list. Remember, this is a man who got a relatively late start, by modern standards, to his career at NASCAR’s highest level.

He was 26 when he finished his first full season of Cup racing in fifth place in the standings. In the 10 seasons since then, he has won the title five times, finished second twice, third once, fifth once and sixth once.

This year, he tops the standings again through 11 races, with a massive 44-point lead over second-place Carl Edwards. And where four-time champion Gordon, the man who lobbied for Johnson’s hiring at Hendrick, is talking about losing a step at age 41, Johnson, who is just four years younger, is still exploring the depth of his talent.

Yet we don’t appreciate Johnson as much as we should, in part because he makes what he does seem so effortless—and in part because he’s a legitimate threat to the iconic records of drivers who are revered throughout the NASCAR fan base, specifically the record seven championships of Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt.

Self-effacing, non-controversial and businesslike, Johnson doesn’t have the larger-than-life presence that Petty and Earnhardt exuded in their heydays. Nevertheless, there’s an enormity to Johnson’s accomplishments.

There are those who discount Johnson’s record, citing the importance of crew chief Chad Knaus to the equation. It’s true that Knaus is essential to Johnson’s success, but the same could be said of the driver/crew chief relationships of other icons of the sport, relationships that were necessary to form the critical mass that produced greatness.

Petty had his Dale Inman. Earnhardt had his Kirk Shelmerdine. David Pearson had his Leonard Wood. Gordon had his Ray Evernham.

There’s justifiable pride, but no braggadocio, in Johnson. He’d prefer to let his record do the talking, and it will. Asked about his legacy after Saturday’s race, Johnson’s reply was predictably modest.

“Truthfully I don’t think it’s a question that I’m to answer,” he said. “I still have a lot of years left in my career, and that’s something that the public, the mass… that’s what other people come up with. I don’t think it’s right for me to sit here and say, ‘Hey, I’m this guy, I’m the guy or anything in-between.

“Very proud of what I’ve accomplished, but I still feel like there’s a lot left I can do in this sport, and I’ll work hard to do that. When I’m old, sitting in a rocking chair, hopefully people think highly of what I’ve done and give me a tip of the hat.”

In all probability, Johnson won’t have to wait that long. If the major story of 2013 is the introduction NASCAR’s new Gen-6 race car, the focus of 2014 is likely to be Johnson’s quest for a record-tying seventh Sprint Cup title.

The King and the Intimidator may have to make room for Jimmie.

CONCORD, N.C.—The Brothers Busch won the first four segments of Saturday night’s Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, but Jimmie Johnson took the one the counted—the 10-lap dash to the finish—and continued to build his legacy, not to mentioned his bank account.

Speeding away from Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kasey Kahne after a restart on Lap 81 of 90, Johnson won the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series all-star exhibition race for a record fourth time, beating charging Joey Logano to the stripe by 1.722 seconds.

Kyle Busch, who won the second and third segments of 20-laps each, ran third, followed by Kahne and Kurt Busch. The elder Busch brother won the first and fourth segments and was first onto pit road before the final dash but exited fifth with a less-than-stellar pit stop.

Despite changes to his pit crew this week, Johnson’s over-the-wall gang performed an 11-second pit stop that got him out of the pits on the front row, beside Kahne, for the final restart. Ultimately, that made all the difference.

With the victory, Johnson broke a tie with teammate Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Sr. for most wins in the non-points race, won his second straight All-Star Race and collected $1 million for his efforts.

“To beat Jeff and Earnhardt, two guys I’ve looked up to my whole life—two massive icons of our sport—this means the world to me,” said Johnson, who started 18th after sliding through his pit box and drawing a penalty for a loose lug nut during Friday’s qualifying session.

“I really didn’t think we had a shot at winning tonight, starting (18th), but we had a great race car and worked our way through there and got the job done. Over time, honestly, it’s just dedication and drive from every member at Hendrick Motorsports, every member on this No. 48 team. We’re very proud of what we’ve accomplished, but we know we’ve got to keep pushing harder and pushing one another.”

Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe’s Patriotic Chevrolet, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 18, 2013 in Concord, North Carolina. Credit: 286146Geoff Burke/NASCAR via Getty Images

Kyle Busch thought he had the fastest car, but a slower-than-usual four-tire stop put his No. 18 Toyota on the second row for the final restart.

“We just didn’t get the best pit stop there at the end to get us out on the front row, and when you’re back behind cars, you’re getting beat up on,” Busch said. “It is what it is. We’ll just take this as a good learning day and hopefully bring back some speed like this to the (Coca-Cola) 600 (May 26).”

NASCAR’s luck with weather held Saturday night, with a large enough window to complete the race with just one delay.

With Kurt Busch leading from the outset, NASCAR called a caution because of rain after Lap 8 and red-flagged the race after 13 laps when the shower intensified. The drivers came to pit road, parked in their stalls and waited.

The rain didn’t come soon enough, however, to save reigning Cup champion Brad Keselowski. On the second lap, transmission troubles sent his No. 2 Penske Racing Ford to the garage.

“Something just broke in the back half of the drive train, either the transmission or drive shaft gear – I’m not sure which one – but it’s one of those deals, unfortunately,” Keselowski said. “We’ll try to learn from it and move on.”

With Keselowski in the garage, the race resumed after a stoppage of 41 minutes 28 seconds. Kurt Busch pulled away from brother Kyle Busch to win the first 20-lap segment by .751 seconds.

Kyle Busch kept the second segment in the family, pulling away from Clint Bowyer after a restart on Lap 29—after Ricky Stenhouse Jr. bounced off the Turn 4 wall and knocked Mark Martin for a loop through the grass in the quad-oval.

Jamie McMurray led wire-to-wire to win the Sprint Showdown and transfer into the main event. McMurray, who started second, took two tires during the halfway competition caution after 20 laps and pulled away to beat Cup rookie Stenhouse to the finish line by 1.226 seconds.

Stenhouse transferred into the All-Star Race as the second-place finisher. Danica Patrick finished ninth in the Showdown but punched her ticket into the All-Star Race as the winner of the Sprint Fan vote.

“Obviously being out front is massive,” McMurray said during the break between the Showdown and the main event. “When I got by (polesitter) Martin (Truex Jr.) at the start of the race… I was trying to take it easy because I didn’t know with the track being green how quickly the tires would fall off, and even running at like 80 percent it was amazing what a difference just being in clean air was.

“I had a really good car in practice (Friday). I thought honestly the 56 (Truex) and I had the two best cars looking at times yesterday, and then the two tire stop was the right call for us. It got us up front.”

McMurray’s words proved prophetic. Being out front for the final 10-lap run was crucial to Johnson’s record run.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race – NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race

1. (18) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 90, $1039175.
2. (5) Joey Logano, Ford, 90, $244175.
3. (4) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 90, $144175.
4. (9) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 90, $114150.
5. (2) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 90, $109150.
6. (7) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 90, $103150.
7. (15) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 90, $96975.
8. (20) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 90, $95975.
9. (16) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 90, $94975.
10. (1) Carl Edwards, Ford, 90, $93975.
11. (19) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 90, $92950.
12. (10) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 90, $91950.
13. (11) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 90, $90950.
14. (13) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 90, $90450.
15. (3) Greg Biffle, Ford, 90, $89850.
16. (21) Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #, Ford, 90, $89575.
17. (17) Marcos Ambrose, Ford, 90, $89450.
18. (6) Clint Bowyer, Toyota, 90, $89350.
19. (14) David Ragan, Ford, 90, $89250.
20. (22) Danica Patrick #, Chevrolet, 90, $89150.
21. (8) Mark Martin, Toyota, Accident, 87, $88412.
22. (12) Brad Keselowski, Ford, Transmission, 2, $87000.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 90.672 mph.
Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 29 Mins, 20 Secs. Margin of Victory: 1.722 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 7 for 13 laps.
Lead Changes: 8 among 5 drivers.
Lap Leaders: 0; Kurt Busch 1-20; C. Bowyer 21-28; Kyle Busch 29-40; C. Bowyer 41-43; Kyle Busch 44-60; K. Kahne 61-71; Kurt Busch 72-80; J. Johnson 81-90.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Kyle Busch 2 times for 29 laps; Kurt Busch 2 times for 29 laps; C. Bowyer 2 times for 11 laps; K. Kahne 1 time for 11 laps; J. Johnson 1 time for 10 laps.

CONCORD, N.C.— Winless in his last seven starts in NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series, Kyle Busch broke what was for him a major drought with a victory in Friday night’s North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Busch, who owns his own truck, charged from the back of the field after a pit road penalty to win in the series for the first time since Sept. 24, 2011 at New Hampshire. The victory was Busch’s fifth at Charlotte and the 31st of his career in 107 starts.

Brendan Gaughan ran second, .468 seconds behind Busch, with the race decided in an eight-lap green-flag run to the finish after the eighth caution of the night. Max Gresham finished a career-best third, followed by series leader Matt Crafton and Ty Dillon.

“It was an eternity—the starts were spread over a year and half,” Busch said of his seven-race winless streak. “It certainly was frustrating last year that (crew chief) Eric (Phillips) and I weren’t able to get to Victory Lane. We only ran three starts, and in all of those three starts, we were a really good truck and had a shot to win in all three of those…

“We’ve been fast. These guys do a good job, (crew chief) Rudy (Fugle) here, taking over for my stuff on the No. 51with a smaller team—it’s only him and a couple of other guys that are full-time for it… These guys do a lot of work for being so small and just coming out here trying to knock out some wins.”

Busch had led 66 laps by the time Tyler Young’s spin caused the fourth caution of the race on Lap 82. On a fuel-only pit stop under yellow on Lap 84, Busch drew a penalty for dragging his gas can out of the pit stall and restarted on Lap 88 at the rear of the field.

Undeterred—and using the penalty as an opportunity to take four fresh tires–Busch carved his way through the field and had just taken over the seventh position when hard contact between the trucks of Ron Hornaday Jr. and Jake Crum—after Hornaday cut his right front tire–brought out the fifth caution on Lap 94.

After a spate of cautions, Busch finally regained the lead, passing Miguel Paludo for the top spot a lap before a pair of simultaneous wrecks caused caution No. 8 on Lap 122. A crash near the front of the field eliminated Darrell Wallace Jr. and damaged the truck of Brad Keselowski.

Note: The victory was the first as a crew chief for Fugle…Busch now has 113 wins in NASCAR’s top three series combined…Gaughan scored his third straight top-five finish and climbed three spots to fourth in points… Crafton leads in the series standings by 22 points over polesitter Jeb Burton, who finished 13th.

Kyle Busch, driver of the #51 Toyota Care Toyota, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 17, 2013 in Concord, North Carolina. Credit: 286113Drew Hallowell/Getty Images

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race – North Carolina Education Lottery 200
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Concord, North Carolina
Friday, May 17, 2013

1. (4) Kyle Busch(i), Toyota, 134, $39660.
2. (23) Brendan Gaughan, Chevrolet, 134, $27875.
3. (21) Max Gresham, Chevrolet, 134, $22420.
4. (14) Matt Crafton, Toyota, 134, $16860.
5. (2) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 134, $15035.
6. (12) James Buescher, Chevrolet, 134, $13335.
7. (5) Miguel Paludo, Chevrolet, 134, $11825.
8. (18) John Wes Townley, Toyota, 134, $11725.
9. (7) Ross Chastain, Ford, 134, $11600.
10. (6) Justin Lofton, Chevrolet, 134, $12775.
11. (24) Scott Riggs(i), Chevrolet, 134, $8825.
12. (8) Dakoda Armstrong, Chevrolet, 134, $10900.
13. (1) Jeb Burton #, Chevrolet, 134, $14075.
14. (19) Brad Keselowski(i), Ford, 134, $8425.
15. (20) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 134, $11650.
16. (11) Tim George Jr., Chevrolet, 134, $10475.
17. (32) Todd Bodine, Toyota, 134, $10425.
18. (15) Brennan Newberry #, Chevrolet, 134, $8125.
19. (35) Blake Koch(i), Chevrolet, 133, $8075.
20. (34) Danny Efland(i), Chevrolet, 133, $8650.
21. (28) Jeff Agnew, Chevrolet, 133, $10205.
22. (33) Chris Cockrum, Chevrolet, 133, $10150.
23. (30) David Starr, Toyota, 132, $10125.
24. (36) Mike Harmon(i), Chevrolet, 132, $7850.
25. (9) Ryan Blaney #, Ford, 131, $10200.
26. (3) Timothy Peters, Toyota, 122, $8775.
27. (13) Darrell Wallace Jr. #, Toyota, Accident, 121, $8750.
28. (16) Johnny Sauter, Toyota, Accident, 115, $7725.
29. (26) Tyler Young, Chevrolet, Accident, 104, $7675.
30. (22) Ron Hornaday Jr., Chevrolet, Accident, 104, $7650.
31. (25) Jake Crum, Chevrolet, Accident, 93, $8125.
32. (17) Joey Coulter, Toyota, 90, $7575.
33. (27) Caleb Holman, Chevrolet, Accident, 20, $7550.
34. (31) Bryan Silas, Ford, Accident, 13, $7525.
35. (10) German Quiroga #, Toyota, Accident, 9, $7495.
36. (29) Chris Jones, Chevrolet, Clutch, 4, $7473.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 105.882 mph.
Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 53 Mins, 54 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.468 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 8 for 40 laps.
Lead Changes: 7 among 5 drivers.
Lap Leaders: 0; T. Dillon 1-3; K. Busch(i) 4-17; B. Gaughan 18-32; K. Busch(i) 33-84; M. Gresham 85-87; M. Paludo 88-120; K. Busch(i) 121-134.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): K. Busch(i) 3 times for 80 laps; M. Paludo 1 time for 33 laps; B. Gaughan 1 time for 15 laps; M. Gresham 1 time for 3 laps; T. Dillon 1 time for 3 laps.
Top 10 in Points: M. Crafton – 202; J. Burton # – 180; T. Dillon – 175; B. Gaughan – 171; J. Buescher – 171; J. Sauter – 165; R. Blaney # – 160; D. Armstrong – 153; M. Paludo – 150; D. Wallace Jr. # – 144.

CONCORD, N.C.—Needless to say, Carl Edwards loved the new qualifying format for Saturday night’s Sprint All-Star Race.

Benefiting from a high-speed trip down pit road and a quick pit stop during the unique three-lap regimen in Friday’s time trials, Edwards won the pole for the 29th running of NASCAR’s non-points all-star event.

With the pit road speed limit waived for the qualifying session, Edwards ran three laps—including a mandatory four-tire pit stop—in one minute 51.297 seconds, averaging 145.556 mph.

Carl Edwards, driver of the #99 Fastenal Ford, celebrates after winning the pole position during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 17, 2013 in Concord, North Carolina.Credit: 286108Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Greg Biffle will start third, followed by Kyle Busch and Joey Logano, in an event that pays $1 million to the winner—and another potential $1 million to a driver who can win all five segments. The event will be contested in segments of 20, 20, 20, 20 and 10 laps.

“This is so unbelievable, because we tried so hard,” Edwards said. “This is such an exciting qualifying format. There’s so much pressure, and to get the pole—it’s spectacular. Our car was fast. Our pit crew was fast. It was awesome.

“This is the way we want to start this weekend. We want to win this thing. We want to win all $2 million, all the segments. It’s part of our plan… I vote we did this at every race track. It’s so cool. It’s a lot of fun.”

Defending race winner Jimmie Johnson was fourth out and first to blow the pit stop. Johnson screamed down pit road, but his No. 48 Chevrolet slid through his pit stall, forcing Johnson to back up before his crew could begin its work.

With a stop of more than 20 seconds, Johnson averaged 135.608 mph. A penalty for a loose lug nut added five seconds to his time and cut his average speed to 130.160 mph. Johnson will start 18th on Saturday night.

Kevin Harvick also slid through his pit stall, and had his time disallowed because his crew started service before the No. 29 Chevy was back in the box. But the miscue didn’t matter, given that an engine change after Friday’s practice will send Harvick to the rear of the field for the start of the race.

In a conventional two-lap qualifying session that preceded the Sprint All-Star Race time trials, Martin Truex Jr. won the pole for Saturday’s Sprint Showdown at 193.424 mph (27.918 seconds), edging Jamie McMurray (192.699 mph) for the top starting spot.

The top two finishers in the Showdown, which features a field of 23 cars this year, will transfer into the main event. Winless since 2007, Truex is a veteran of the Showdown, and he confessed to being envious of those who were exempt into the All-Star Race.

“I’m definitely jealous that I’m not out there tonight,” Truex said after winning the pole. “For an event like this, it’s neat to see them mix it up and do something different because it’s an all-star race. There’s not points here. You don’t have to go by the book.

“This is the weekend where you want to throw out the rules and make new stuff up, which generally they like to do.”

Is winning Bruton Smith’s $1-million bonus a realistic possibility?
CONCORD, N.C.— Kyle Busch calls it a 300-to-1 shot.

Jimmie Johnson, on the other hand, doesn’t discount the prospect of winning Bruton’s Big Bonus nearly that much.

Track owner Bruton Smith, chairman of Speedway Motorsports Inc., has offered a $1-million bonus to any driver who can win all five segments of Saturday night’s Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. That’s in addition to the $1-million top prize already on the line for the winner of the non-points NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

“I think there’s a chance, (but) I think it’s a long shot,” said Johnson, who won last year’s exhibition event. “With the competition that exists in the All-Star Race, it’s going to be a long shot, but it’s worth it, and it will bring some excitement.

“If somebody does ring that bell, it will be a hell of a party.”

Busch facetiously took credit for a rule change that should motivate drivers to race hard in each of the four 20-lap segments leading up to the final 10-lap shootout. Last year, Johnson won the first segment and, knowing he would be first to pit road before the final 10 laps, ran in the back during segments 2, 3 and 4.

This year, drivers will enter pit road for a mandatory four-tire stop based on best average finish in the four segments combined.

“I don’t know if you have my transcript from last year, but I said the rules were stupid and they need to change it to this year’s rules, so I take full credit and responsibility for them changing the rules,” Busch said. “I think the rules are right this year.

“(This year), you have to run each segment as hard as you can. You have to stay up front to keep your average finish as good as you can. There’s going to be a lot of things playing out in between the segments with pit stops, tire strategy–do you take two (tires), do you stay out, do you come in and get four if there’s a yellow in the middle of a segment? Do you pit then and get yourself ready for the next segment?

“There’s a whole bunch of different things that could certainly lie in the race, and I think it’s going to make it a lot more fun not only for the fans, but for the crew chiefs as well. I say fun, but I’m sure they will have some headaches after it, too. I think this year is going to be a heck of a lot better.”

Though the prospect of winning Bruton’s Big Bonus will enliven the action, too, Busch thinks it will be extremely difficult for one driver to win all five segments.

“Realistically, winning all the segments, if I were a sports bookie, I would put a 300-to-1 on it.”

NO PAYBACK FOR KAHNE?

Characterizing last week’s on-track fracas with Kasey Kahne at Darlington as a racing incident, Kyle Busch says he doesn’t expect Kahne to exact revenge.

That doesn’t mean Busch will be surprised if payback comes his way.

Busch and Kahne we racing hard side by side after a restart with 30 laps left in last Saturday’s Bojangles’ Southern 500. Neither driver gave ground as the cars entered Turn 1 at breakneck pace, battling for the lead. Busch’s Toyota, which was on the inside, slipped up toward Kahne’s Chevrolet.

Though there was no apparent contact between the cars, Kahne slapped the outside wall and lost his chance to win the race. Busch later cut a tire and faded to sixth at the finish.

That was the third incident of the year involving Kahne and Busch, the first two coming at Daytona and Talladega. Kahne got the short end of the stick on all three occasions.

“The first two instances were a mistake, just misjudgment,” Busch said Friday before Sprint All-Star Race practice at Charlotte. “Kasey admitted it, he had to get on the brakes in Daytona and checked up a little bit and I ran over him… (Talladega) I just misjudged. I wanted to pull out and thought last second that I was going to stay in line and push Kasey. I turned him sideways when I was coming back in line.

“Last week was just hard racing. You’re in the last (30) laps, and you’re past the last pit stop, and it’s all about track position. For us, we were racing as hard as we could. He pulled a huge slide job on me in Turn 3, and I got back to his inside, and I had been running down there on the flat all night and had been passing lapped cars down there, and some of my restarts were even that low on the race track.

“I didn’t think there was going to be a problem, and when I got down there I just got tight and pushed up a little bit. Whether or not we touched, I think that’s insignificant because I’m not racing to wreck Kasey Kahne, but Kasey Kahne did crash because of me so it’s a part of hard racing at the end of the race. I hate that it keeps being the same guy, but if it were a Matt Kenseth on a Tony Stewart we probably wouldn’t see a story.”

Busch has his fingers crossed that Kahne won’t take out his frustration on the track.

“I just told Kasey, I said, ‘Just don’t make it hurt too bad,’” Busch joked. “I don’t think Kasey is that kind of guy, but if it happens, I’ll understand.”

REMEMBERING DICK TRICKLE
Mark Martin says he and other Sprint Cup stars likely wouldn’t have achieved the success they have, if it weren’t for the guidance of Dick Trickle.

Trickle died Thursday at age 71 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, but Martin prefers to remember the talented, ebullient driver who was a prolific winner at short tracks in the Midwest before embarking on his NASCAR career.

“Dick made himself a mentor to many–Rusty (Wallace), myself, Alan Kulwicki,” Martin said Friday at Charlotte Motor Speedway. “We wouldn’t have been the racers that we were when we got here had we not come under his influence. Of course, you have to change; after a while you have to adapt to circumstances as well. I was proud of who we were and the racers we were.

“For the influence that he had on us and the etiquette and the way he raced–he raced us real hard on the race track, but off the race track, he was very free with parts or advice–he gave freely. Really, really good dude. I’m confused and brokenhearted about what happened.”

Former short-track ace Dick Trickle died Thursday at age 71 from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the Lincoln County (N.C.) Sheriff’s Department.

Trickle was active in NASCAR racing for more than 30 years. He was winless in 303 Sprint Cup Series starts but collected two victories in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, the first coming on Easter weekend in 1997 at Hickory Motor Speedway, where the Wisconsin native took the lead from Randy LaJoie with 22 laps left and held on for the win.

When Trickle won his second and final race on September 5, 1998, at Darlington Raceway, he was 56 years, 10 months and eight days old, the oldest race winner in NASCAR’s three national series.

Trickle’s body was found near his pickup truck in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Boger City, N.C. The Lincoln County Communications Center received a call at around noon Wednesday, from a man — apparently Trickle — who said there would be a dead body, and it would be his.

Communications center workers tried to return the call, but no one answered, according to the sheriff’s department. The body was found by the first emergency units dispatched to the scene.

Reigning Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski heard about Trickle’s death en route to the unveiling of his “Fan Mosaic” paint scheme for Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.

“Dick Trickle’s one of those guys who was a part of the sport in a number of ways and meant a lot to the local short-track racers,” Keselowski said. “Kind of like the Midwest style of racing, which was track by track when NASCAR was more of a regional Southern sport, before it had developed to the national platform it is now.

“He was the superstar of that style, of that genre and era. It’s very sad to see him go, and obviously difficult with the way it went.”

Trickle, who won well over 1,000 short-track features in his career, ran his last NASCAR race in 2002. He had lived in Lincoln County since the early 1990s.

NASCAR’s Chairman and CEO, Brian France, issued the following statement regarding Trickle’s passing.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Dick Trickle on his passing today. Dick was a legend in the short-track racing community, particularly in his home state of Wisconsin, and he was a true fan favorite. Personalities like Dick Trickle helped shape our sport. He will be missed.”

No points, no problem: Two million reasons the All-Star Race will have a checkers-or-wreckers feel to it

No matter how you slice it, this year’s running of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (7:30 p.m. ET, SPEED) at Charlotte Motor Speedway promises plenty of action and unbridled speed as 22 drivers vie for the checkers and a payout that could have them singing a merry tune all the way to the bank.

The annual non-points race is known for its non-stop action and the mad dash to the checkered flag. Of course, that is fueled by the $1 million payout the victor receives.

However, that’s not all the winner could potentially take to the bank. This year, Bruton Smith, the CEO of Speedway Motorsports, Inc., and Charlotte Motor Speedway have added a special incentive for drivers to run at the front of the pack the entire race. If a driver wins all five segments of the all-star race, he or she will take home an additional $1 million.

Although the race doesn’t have any direct implications on the points standings, the possible $2 million payout is just one of many reasons drivers find the event enticing.

“[The race] means a lot. Now, it’s got a million more reasons if you’re able to win all the segments,” said Jimmie Johnson, last year’s race winner and one of only three drivers to win the event three times. Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt are the other two.

Though it’s probably not the primary thought going through most drivers’ minds while circling the track, the evening race should allow teams to better gauge how their car’s setup will handle the Charlotte track and evening temperatures during the Coca-Cola 600 the following week and make adjustments.

“It’s fun to race without points and that sets you up for a nice Memorial (Day) weekend and a good starting point with your race car,” said Johnson.

Johnson and Gordon, both of whom will be in the starting field, will be joined by 20 other drivers. Seventeen of their competitors have already been determined: Marcos Ambrose, Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Mark Martin, Ryan Newman, David Ragan and Tony Stewart.

In order to qualify for the race a driver must have won a NASCAR Sprint Cup points race in 2012 or 2013, have won the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race in the last 10 years, have won the championship in the last 10 years, finish in the top two in the 40-lap Sprint Showdown or receive the most Sprint Fan Votes.

The Sprint Showdown will be run immediately prior to the all-star race on Saturday night with the top-two finishers transferring over to the main event. The final entrant in the race, the winner of the Sprint Fan Vote who finished the Showdown with a car deemed “raceable,” won’t be known until he or she is announced during driver introductions. Only drivers that haven’t already qualified for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race are eligible to receive votes and participate in the Showdown.

Drivers who have yet to qualify for the all-star event include Jeff Burton, Bobby Labonte, Jamie McMurray, Paul Menard, Juan Pablo Montoya, Martin Truex Jr. and Sunoco Rookie of the Year contenders Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

In 2008, Kahne became the only driver in the event’s history to make the field via fan vote and go on to win the race. To make the story even better, Kahne and his team used the knowledge they gathered during the all-star race to put the car back in Victory Lane one week later in the Coca-Cola 600.

The meaning of being voted into the event by fans isn’t lost on the drivers.

“Obviously our sport revolves around the fans. We talk about it all the time. Without them, there would be no NASCAR,” said Truex, who was voted into the race by the fans in 2005. “To get voted in by the fans was one of the coolest things I’ve ever had happen to me in my whole career.”

Unfortunately, he wasn’t as successful in his race as Kahne was — he finished 16th out of 22.

The number of laps and breakdown of segments remain unchanged from last year, when it was changed to a 90-lap affair with five segments. The first four segments are 20 laps each, with a final 10-lap dash to the cash.

How the cars line up for the final segment, however, has changed. Last year the winners of the first four segments were guaranteed to start in the first four positions for the final 10 laps, regardless of how they finished the penultimate segment.

This year, there will a mandatory four-tire pit stop between the fourth and fifth segments. Prior to entering pit road for the stops, the cars will be repositioned based on the average finishing position in the first four segments, thus further amplifying the importance of running near the front of the pack throughout the race. The order in which the cars return to the track after their four-tire pit stops will determine how they line up for the fifth and final segment.

The new rules should provide more quality on-track action with drivers fighting throughout the race to stay at the front or near the front of the pack, as well as making pit road strategy more integral to the overall outcome of the race.

“[NASCAR] did a good job at coming up with a format this year that is going to be more conducive to better racing,” said Joey Logano, who won last June’s Pocono race to qualify for the all-star event. “This year, the big question will be pit strategy and when to come in, when you take tires and such.”

CRAFTON EXCITED FOR CHARLOTTE, REST
The last time we saw the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series was Saturday, April 20 at Kansas Speedway.

In that race, Matt Crafton passed Darrell Wallace Jr. with 30 laps to go and held on to the lead the rest of the way for the win. He celebrated with family, fans and teammates in Victory Lane, but six days later his life changed.

On April 26, his life was turned upside down and yet it was probably one of the best days of his life. He and his wife Ashley celebrated the arrival of their first child Elladee.

Sleep has evaded him since.

Aside from the normal adrenaline rush drivers get when heading to the race track for a race, when the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series arrives at Charlotte Motor Speedway for Friday night’s North Carolina Education Lottery 200 (8:00 p.m. ET, SPEED), Crafton will be looking forward to more than just getting back on the track.

“I need to get back to racing, so I can get some rest,” said Crafton, who took over first place in points from Johnny Sauter after his Kansas win. “I’m always excited to go to the race track — but usually you go to the race track and you don’t get much sleep because you’re worried about everything, the night before the race — you think about everything. This week, I’m excited to get to the race track so I can get some sleep.”

In his ninth year with ThorSport Racing, Crafton is one of only two drivers this season to finish in the top 10 in each of the first four races. The other driver is Sauter. Aside from his win in the last race, he has a runner-up finish (Martinsville) and sixth- and ninth-place finishes.

Crafton has won three times, finished in the top five 58 times and in the top 10 160 times in 298 races. His best season was 2009, when he finished a career-best second in the points to Ron Hornaday Jr. Although he didn’t find Victory Lane that year, he set career highs in top fives (11) and top 10s (21).

He’s experienced success at Charlotte, where he won at in 2008. In 10 visits to the track, he’s landed in the top 10 seven times and in the top 15 nine times. His only finish outside the top 15 was in 2011 when a three-car accident left him 26th at the end of the race.

His success at the 1.5-mile track is just one other reason why he’s looking forward to getting back to racing.

“I’m super-excited about this Charlotte race — even more than I usually am,” said Crafton. “With all the momentum that the team’s carrying into this race, I know the guys are still on cloud nine from the Kansas win and I’m up there with them, from the win and having our child. So I’m super-stoked about it.”

This Saturday night, the most thrilling all-star exhibition in all of sports roars under the lights at the historic Charlotte Motor Speedway, with the 29th running of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. There are no points in this one, but one major prize – a $1 million payout to the victor courtesy of Sprint.

In 1985, NASCAR held its inaugural all-star clash, with Darrell Waltrip coming home first among a field of 12. This year, 22 cars will take the green on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET, live on SPEED, Motor Racing Network Radio and SiriusXM Satellite Radio. Nineteen of those drivers have already locked up a spot; three more will earn entry moments before driver introductions.

A primer on the all-star eligibility…

-       Drivers who have won NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points races in 2012 and 2013

-       Drivers who are past NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race winners in the last 10 years

-       Drivers who are past NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions in the previous 10 years

-       The top-two finishers in the Sprint Showdown, the 40-lap race that precedes the NASCAR Sprint

-       All-Star Race

-       The top Sprint Fan Vote driver who finishes the Showdown and whose car is in “raceable” condition as determined by the series director per the 2013 entry blank. Fans may vote for their favorite driver by using the NASCAR Mobile ’13 application or online at www.NASCAR.com/SprintFanVote. Votes cast from the NASCAR Mobile ’13 application count double.

Format changes will greet the world’s best drivers this weekend, all with one central theme: speed.

The need for speed begins Friday night with Coors Light Pole qualifying at 6 p.m. ET on SPEED. Qualifying will consist of three laps and a mandatory four-tire pit stop. Pit road speed, entering and exiting, will not be enforced. The team with the quickest time wins the Coors Light Pole and will lead the field to green on Saturday night.

Like last year, the 2013 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race will consist of five segments – four 20-lap segments and a 10-lap shootout. The winner earns a $1 million pay day from Sprint.

But unlike last year, the running order at the completion of the fourth segment (Lap 80) will be repositioned based on the average finish for the first four segments – putting a premium on strong finishes throughout the entire event. The new lineup will be placed directly behind the caution car prior to the opening of pit road for a mandatory four-tire pit stop, placing a spotlight firmly on the unsung heroes of NASCAR – the pit crews. The order of the cars returning to the track will determine the starting order of the fifth segment. Running order ties will be broken by the finish of the fourth segment. In the fifth and final segment, only green flag laps will count.

This year there is even an added incentive: if a driver wins all five segments, he or she will take home “Bruton’s Big Bonus” – an extra $1 million paid by Charlotte Motor Speedway and Bruton Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Speedway Motorsports, Inc.

All of this action takes place this Saturday evening, the grand finale of a week packed with fan-friendly activities on and off the race track.

See below for a full schedule of events for the upcoming week. All on-track activity will take place at Charlotte Motor Speedway:

Friday, May 17, NASCAR Day – The NASCAR Foundation and NASCAR industry will come together on Friday at Charlotte Motor Speedway (CMS) to celebrate the 10th Annual NASCAR Day. This special day is an unprecedented celebration of drivers, corporate partners, media and fans uniting with The NASCAR Foundation to support a range of charitable causes that are relevant and meaningful to those within the NASCAR family. Fans can get the commemorative NASCAR Day pin and make a donation at www.NASCAR.com/foundation.

Friday, May 17, 6 p.m. ET – NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race Coors Light Pole Qualifying. For tickets, call 1-800-455-FANS or log onto www.charlottemotorspeedway.com. SPEED will televise the event.

Friday, May 17, 8 p.m. ET – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series North Carolina Education Lottery 200. For tickets, go to www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or call 1-800-455-FANS. SPEED, Motor Racing Network Radio and SiriusXM Satellite Radio will broadcast the event.

Saturday, May 18, 7:30 p.m. ET – Sprint Showdown (top-two finishers qualify for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race). For tickets, go to www.charlottemotorspeedway.comc or call 1-800-455-FANS. SPEED, Motor Racing Network Radio and SiriusXM Satellite Radio will broadcast the event.

One final option remains for those not already locked in after the Sprint Showdown – the Sprint Fan Vote. Fans may vote for their favorite driver by using the NASCAR Mobile ’13 application or online at www.NASCAR.com/SprintFanVote. Votes cast from the NASCAR Mobile ’13 application count double.

Saturday, May 18, 9 p.m. – NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. For tickets, call 1-800-455-FANS or go to www.charlottemotorspeedway.com. SPEED, Motor Racing Network Radio and SiriusXM Satellite Radio will broadcast the event.

The drivers already locked into the main event are: Marcos Ambrose, Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Mark Martin, Ryan Newman, David Ragan and Tony Stewart.

DARLINGTON, S.C.—Want to know who’s a lock to make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup this year?

I’ll give you six names: Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Clint Bowyer and Kyle Busch.

Typically, by the time the Cup series leaves Darlington, it’s relatively easy to predict most of the Chase field. Last year, 10 of the drivers in the top 12 in the standings after the Mother’s Day eve visit to the Lady in Black went on to qualify for the Chase.

That won’t happen this year. Trust me.

The six drivers listed above are locks for two basic reasons. Number one is the point spread between Bowyer in fifth and Kasey Kahne and Brad Keselowski, who are tied for sixth. Bowyer has scored 349 points through 11 races, 23 more than the two drivers immediately behind him.

Second, five of the top six drivers (the first five listed above) have shown the sort of consistency necessary to make the Chase with relative ease. Johnson and Edwards have no DNFs this year. Kenseth has two but has run well in every race save Fontana, and his two DNFs are offset by three victories.

Earnhardt has been remarkably consistent, with seven top 10s and no DNFs in 11 races, but he and crew chief Steve Letarte have yet to find the speed they’ll certainly need to contend for a championship. Bowyer likewise has been solid, if not spectacular.

Kyle Busch, eighth in the standings, has two DNFs but he also has five top fives (tied for second most in the series), two of which are victories. If Busch should fall out of the top 10 in points, he’ll make the Chase as a wild card. You can take that to the bank.

Beyond those six, however, assumptions are impossible and predictions nothing short of precarious. For one thing, five of the 12 drivers who made the Chase last year—Jeff Gordon, Greg Biffle, Martin Truex Jr., Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin—are currently outside the top 10.

Common sense tells you that most, if not all of the drivers in that elite group will make a move in the 15 races before the Chase field is set.

To add to the intrigue, no driver in positions 11-20 in the standings has a victory so far this year. Should that remain the case, Paul Menard and Gordon (currently 11th and 12th) would win the two Wild Card Chase spots by default.

Far more likely, however, is the prospect of such drivers as Hamlin (currently tied for 26th) or Stewart (21st) winning a race or two, cracking the top 20 and grabbing a wild card spot. And if you want a good long-shot bet, try road course ace Marcos Ambrose (23rd), who could use victories at Sonoma and Watkins Glen as a springboard into his first Chase.

Aric Almirola and Paul Menard, neither of whom has ever made a Chase, are currently ninth and tied for 10th in points, respectively. The next 15 races will tell us whether they have the staying power to go with their early-season success.

Of those currently outside the Chase-eligible positions, Hamlin has the most compelling story. After missing four races with a compression fracture of his first lumbar vertebra and giving way to a relief driver in a fifth, Hamlin celebrated his return to full-time Cup racing with a second-place finish in Saturday night’s Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington.

Hamlin moved from 31st in the standings into a tie with David Ragan for 26th. Hamlin is 61 points behind Jeff Burton in 20th, the position he must reach to be eligible for a Wild Card, but he has 15 races to make the move.

Moreover, Hamlin must win at least one race, probably two. As dominant as Joe Gibbs Racing has been this season—winning five of the 11 races so far—that’s a reasonable prospect, too.

That Hamlin is even a consideration for the Chase after sitting out four events, however, tells you just how wide open and unpredictable this year’s competition will be.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

DARLINGTON, S.C. — Unsinkable.

Unsinkable Matt Kenseth capped a banner week for unsinkable Joe Gibbs Racing with a victory in Saturday night’s Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway with a substitute crew chief on his pit box—the unsinkable Wally Brown.

The past four days could hardly have been better for JGR, with Wednesday bringing a substantial reduction in penalties on appeal for an engine infraction Apr, 21 at Kansas. On Friday, Gibbs cars ran 1-2-3 in the Nationwide Series race at Darlington, and the organization followed that Saturday with a 1-2 finish from Kenseth and Denny Hamlin in the 11th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race of the season.

Kenseth took the lead from JGR teammate Kyle Busch on Lap 355 of 367 and pulled away to win by 3.155 seconds over Hamlin, as Busch faded to sixth. Hamlin also had much to celebrate in his first full race back from a compression fracture to his first lumbar vertebra, sustained during a last-lap crash at Fontana, Calif., in late March.

Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 The Home Depot / Husky Toyota, celebrates with his crew in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on May 11, 2013 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Rainier Ehrhardt/Getty Images)

It was a race of significant numbers. Jeff Gordon finished third in his 700th Cup start, all consecutive. Jimmie Johnson ran fourth and extended his series lead to a massive 44 points over seventh-place finisher Carl Edwards. In a race that saw just four drivers pace the field, Kyle Busch led 265 laps but faded to sixth at the finish, thanks to a cut tire on the final 30-lap green-flag run.

Journeyman Brown won his first race as a Cup crew chief, after serving with four different drivers before his one-week shot on the pit box with Kenseth, who will get regular crew chief Jason Ratcliff back next week at Charlotte after Ratcliff’s six-race suspension for an underweight connecting rod was reduced to one event on appeal.

But the day belonged to Kenseth, whose resilience under trying circumstances was emblematic of the organization he joined this season.

“Honestly, I’ve only dreamed about winning the Southern 500,” said Kenseth, who notched his first victory at Darlington, his third of the season and the 27th of his career. “This to me probably feels bigger than any win in my career. I really feel bad that Jason isn’t here. This is obviously his team and his effort, but Wally did a great job filling in.

“We had a fifth- or sixth-place car, fighting loose, (and) those last two adjustments (on pit road) were just awesome.”

For Hamlin, second place was the best he could have hoped for, given the strength of Kenseth’s car in the closing laps.

“For me, we kept grinding away,” Hamlin said, clearly tired from the effort of his first race back at one of NASCAR racing’s most demanding tracks. “Pit crew picked us up some spots, obviously, throughout the night.

“It was one of those days where we got our car better, pit crew picked us up positions, took us to the most optimum spot we could get to—and that was second.”

From a physical standpoint, Hamlin admitted the race took its toll.

“Really, it’s just like starting your season over,” he said. “To start it back over at Darlington for 500 miles, there’s some muscles that have gotten weak. I’ve gotten pretty sore and tired, mentally tired as well. We’ll have a couple of weeks really to rest until the next long event (Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte), and we’ll be good to go then.”

A caution for Regan Smith’s spin off Turn 2 on Lap 302 of 367—only the second yellow of the race—interrupted a cycle of green-flag pit stops. After Juan Pablo Montoya took a free pass as the highest scored lap car, and Harvick availed himself of a wave-around, there were 11 cars on the lead lap for a restart on Lap 309.

By then, Kyle Busch had led 218 laps and had dominated the race ever since he wrested the lead from his brother, polesitter Kurt Busch on Lap 74. But the pit stops on Lap 303 put the lead-lap cars on the edge of their fuel windows.

They need not have worried. On Lap 311, Casey Mears tangled with Kurt Busch and reigning series champion Brad Keselowski off Turn 4 to cause the third caution. All but the top-four cars came to pit road for fuel under the yellow, leaving Kyle Busch, Kenseth, Kasey Kahne and Gordon out front on slightly older tires.

Johnson was first off pit road with new tires and quickly moved to third. Busch fended off a challenge from Kahne right after the restart and held a lead of .850 seconds when an accident involving David Reutimann and Josh Wise brought out the fourth caution and gave the lead-lappers a chance to pit for tires.

Kahne briefly took the lead after a restart on Lap 333, but one lap later, Kahne’s Chevy slapped the wall near the apex of Turns 1 and 2 and the race went yellow for the fifth time.

The result was the same. Busch pulled away after the restart and opened a comfortable advantage, this time over Kenseth, only to have Kenseth run him down and pass him on Lap 355.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race – Bojangles’ Southern 500
Darlington Raceway
Darlington, South Carolina
Saturday, May 11, 2013

1. (7) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 367, $309666.
2. (6) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 367, $211465.
3. (8) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 367, $200026.
4. (2) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 367, $178876.
5. (10) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 367, $165976.
6. (3) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 367, $169323.
7. (17) Carl Edwards, Ford, 367, $142065.
8. (12) Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevrolet, 367, $131429.
9. (16) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 367, $115265.
10. (21) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 367, $140423.
11. (13) Clint Bowyer, Toyota, 367, $137188.
12. (5) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 367, $130205.
13. (9) Greg Biffle, Ford, 367, $111505.
14. (1) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 367, $122975.
15. (20) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 367, $139855.
16. (25) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 367, $121375.
17. (4) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 367, $108230.
18. (14) Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #, Ford, 366, $139741.
19. (15) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 366, $122871.
20. (18) Aric Almirola, Ford, 366, $130141.
21. (11) Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, 365, $99205.
22. (30) Joey Logano, Ford, 365, $118388.
23. (28) Travis Kvapil, Toyota, 364, $115863.
24. (27) Regan Smith(i), Chevrolet, 363, $113063.
25. (22) Mark Martin, Toyota, 363, $96755.
26. (23) Bobby Labonte, Toyota, 363, $109588.
27. (37) Dave Blaney, Chevrolet, 362, $98388.
28. (40) Danica Patrick #, Chevrolet, 362, $82980.
29. (29) David Gilliland, Ford, 362, $95327.
30. (32) Landon Cassill, Chevrolet, 360, $87105.
31. (43) Joe Nemechek(i), Toyota, 359, $82330.
32. (26) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 358, $135596.
33. (41) Timmy Hill #, Ford, 358, $84480.
34. (24) Marcos Ambrose, Ford, 358, $109069.
35. (42) JJ Yeley, Chevrolet, 354, $81605.
36. (33) David Reutimann, Toyota, Accident, 327, $81480.
37. (19) Casey Mears, Ford, Accident, 327, $89289.
38. (34) Josh Wise(i), Ford, Accident, 326, $75685.
39. (31) David Ragan, Ford, Engine, 318, $79685.
40. (39) David Stremme, Toyota, Engine, 230, $67685.
41. (36) Scott Speed, Ford, Brakes, 77, $63685.
42. (35) Michael McDowell, Ford, Brakes, 58, $59685.
43. (38) Mike Bliss(i), Toyota, Overheating, 18, $56185.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 141.383 mph.
Time of Race: 3 Hrs, 32 Mins, 45 Secs. Margin of Victory: 3.155 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 5 for 25 laps.
Lead Changes: 9 among 4 drivers.
Lap Leaders: Kurt Busch 1-51; Kyle Busch 52-53; M. Kenseth 54-55; Kurt Busch 56-73; Kyle Busch 74-105; M. Kenseth 106-107; Kyle Busch 108-185; J. Gordon 186-201; Kyle Busch 202-354; M. Kenseth 355-367.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Kyle Busch 4 times for 265 laps; Kurt Busch 2 times for 69 laps; M. Kenseth 3 times for 17 laps; J. Gordon 1 time for 16 laps.
Top 12 in Points: J. Johnson – 423; C. Edwards – 379; M. Kenseth – 364; D. Earnhardt Jr. – 359; C. Bowyer – 349; K. Kahne – 326; Brad Keselowski – 326; Kyle Busch – 325; A. Almirola – 317; K. Harvick – 315; P. Menard – 315; J. Gordon – 311.