Johnson secures third win of the season at Kansas

20150510ca23307
May 10, 2015

By Jim Pedley
NASCAR Wire Service

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Jimmie Johnson held off Kevin Harvick over the final six laps to win Saturday night’s, er, make that Sunday morning’s SpongeBob SquarePants 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway.

Johnson’s victory – which ended just after midnight local time because of a rain delay of 2 hours and 16 minutes – was his third of the season and his third at the 1.5-mile Kansas oval.

“It was a long, hard night,” Johnson said in Victory Lane.

It was the 73rd victory of the six-time champion’s career.

Harvick, who led 53 laps, finished second in his Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet.

Third was Johnson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Fourth was another Hendrick driver, Jeff Gordon, while pole-sitter Joey Logano in a Team Penske Ford finished fifth.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race – SpongeBob SquarePants 400
Kansas Speedway
Kansas City, Kansas
Saturday, May 09, 2015

1. (19) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 267, $243726.
2. (6) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 267, $239300.
3. (17) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 267, $157225.
4. (11) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 267, $173786.
5. (1) Joey Logano, Ford, 267, $168933.
6. (18) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 267, $146251.
7. (3) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 267, $144906.
8. (8) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 267, $110215.
9. (4) Martin Truex Jr., Chevrolet, 267, $122060.
10. (15) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 267, $126340.
11. (14) Aric Almirola, Ford, 267, $130401.
12. (7) Greg Biffle, Ford, 267, $123348.
13. (9) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 267, $120106.
14. (29) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 267, $120548.
15. (10) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 267, $121398.
16. (26) Sam Hornish Jr., Ford, 267, $113410.
17. (2) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 267, $100865.
18. (22) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 267, $94465.
19. (24) Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 266, $110323.
20. (5) Carl Edwards, Toyota, 266, $83265.
21. (21) Clint Bowyer, Toyota, 266, $119798.
22. (28) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 266, $122226.
23. (43) Michael Annett, Chevrolet, 266, $81590.
24. (20) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 266, $92765.
25. (35) Matt DiBenedetto, Toyota, 266, $95398.
26. (32) Ty Dillon(i), Chevrolet, 266, $95873.
27. (27) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet, 265, $91890.
28. (40) Josh Wise, Ford, 265, $83590.
29. (41) Landon Cassill(i), Chevrolet, 265, $83290.
30. (25) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 265, $102087.
31. (30) Trevor Bayne, Ford, 265, $124415.
32. (38) David Gilliland, Ford, 263, $90115.
33. (23) David Ragan, Toyota, 263, $106629.
34. (39) Brett Moffitt #, Ford, 263, $80690.
35. (34) Cole Whitt, Ford, 263, $78970.
36. (31) Michael McDowell, Ford, 262, $78765.
37. (37) JJ Yeley(i), Toyota, 262, $78561.
38. (42) Joey Gase(i), Ford, 262, $73402.
39. (16) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 258, $96544.
40. (12) Erik Jones(i), Toyota, 242, $110321.
41. (13) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, Accident, 205, $79330.
42. (33) Jeb Burton #, Toyota, Rear Gear, 153, $57330.
43. (36) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, Vibration, 125, $53830.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 125.265 mph.
Time of Race: 03 Hrs, 11 Mins, 50 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.487 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 9 for 49 laps.
Lead Changes: 16 among 10 drivers.
Lap Leaders: J. Logano 1-29; K. Busch 30-49; K. Harvick 50-56; M. Truex Jr. 57-78; B. Keselowski 79-80; M. Kenseth 81; E. Jones(i) 82; M. Truex Jr. 83-121; B. Keselowski 122-162; M. Truex Jr. 163-175; C. Edwards 176-187; M. Truex Jr. 188-199; K. Larson 200; M. Truex Jr. 201-209; K. Larson 210-211; K. Harvick 212-257; J. Johnson 258-267.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): M. Truex Jr. 5 times for 95 laps; K. Harvick 2 times for 53 laps; B. Keselowski 2 times for 43 laps; J. Logano 1 time for 29 laps; K. Busch 1 time for 20 laps; C. Edwards 1 time for 12 laps; J. Johnson 1 time for 10 laps; K. Larson 2 times for 3 laps; E. Jones(i) 1 time for 1 lap; M. Kenseth 1 time for 1 lap.
Top 16 in Points: K. Harvick – 437; M. Truex Jr. – 391; J. Johnson – 389; J. Logano – 375; D. Earnhardt Jr. – 360; B. Keselowski – 343; M. Kenseth – 331; J. Mcmurray – 328; J. Gordon – 317; K. Kahne – 313; A. Almirola – 312; P. Menard – 306; R. Newman – 305; K. Busch – 292; D. Hamlin – 284; C. Bowyer – 272.