Earnhardt Jr. Prevails in Richmond
Gambling that he could win on tires and fuel with 54 laps to go, Dale Earnhardt Jr. made it happen Saturday night, outrunning Jimmie Johnson and Bobby Labonte over the last 45 laps for his third victory of the season. Earnhardt made the move look brilliant, gradually building a lead of more than 3 seconds and finally beating Johnson by 1.481 seconds.
“It was a great race car, just had a great long-run setup on it,” Earnhardt said after his 12th career victory and second at Richmond International Raceway. “I passed (Johnson) on the outside. I don’t know where that came from. I told him I felt like my daddy for five minutes.”
Earnhardt took the lead when Tony Stewart and most of the other contenders pitted for tires and fuel during the ninth and final caution on the 344th lap.
Source: NASCAR
Finishing order - Chevy American Revolution 400
1 4 #8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet Budweiser 190/10 400 Running
2 5 #48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Lowe’s 175/5 400 Running
3 27 #18 Bobby Labonte Chevrolet Interstate Batteries 165/0 400 Running
4 28 #20 Tony Stewart Chevrolet Home Depot 165/5 400 Running
5 29 #17 Matt Kenseth Ford DeWalt Power Tools 160/5 400 Running
6 13 #24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet DuPont 155/5 400 Running
7 12 #6 Mark Martin Ford Viagra 146/0 400 Running
8 1 #25 Brian Vickers * Chevrolet GMAC Financial Services 147/5 400 Running
9 2 #12 Ryan Newman Dodge ALLTEL 143/5 400 Running
10 18 #15 Michael Waltrip Chevrolet NAPA Auto Parts 139/5 400 Running
11 30 #21 Ricky Rudd Ford Motorcraft/U.S. Air Force 135/5 400 Running
12 14 #38 Elliott Sadler Ford M&M’s 127/0 399 Running
13 31 #88 Dale Jarrett Ford UPS 129/5 399 Running
14 17 #99 Jeff Burton Ford Roundup FastAct 121/0 399 Running
15 32 #40 Sterling Marlin Dodge Coors Light 118/0 399 Running
16 7 #2 Rusty Wallace Dodge Miller Lite 115/0 399 Running
17 26 #09 Bobby Hamilton Jr. Dodge Miccosukee Gaming & Resorts 112/0 399 Running
18 19 #5 Terry Labonte Chevrolet Kellogg’s 109/0 398 Running
19 35 #30 Johnny Sauter * Chevrolet America Online 106/0 398 Running
20 15 #0 Ward Burton Chevrolet NetZero HiSpeed 103/0 398 Running
21 10 #16 Greg Biffle Ford National Guard 100/0 398 Running
22 11 #19 Jeremy Mayfield Dodge Dodge Dealers/UAW 102/5 397 Running
23 34 #49 Ken Schrader Dodge Schwan’s Home Service 94/0 397 Running
24 6 #31 Robby Gordon Chevrolet Cingular Wireless 91/0 397 Running
25 20 #29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet GM Goodwrench 88/0 397 Running
26 21 #32 Ricky Craven Chevrolet Tide 85/0 396 Running
27 22 #45 Kyle Petty Dodge Georgia Pacific/Brawny 82/0 395 Running
28 39 #9 Kasey Kahne * Dodge Dodge Dealers/UAW 79/0 394 Running
29 41 #50 Derrike Cope Dodge Arnold Development Companies 76/0 392 Running
30 25 #22 Scott Wimmer * Dodge Caterpillar 73/0 392 Running
31 23 #97 Kurt Busch Ford IRWIN Industrial Tools/Sharpie 75/5 386 Running
32 9 #41 Casey Mears Dodge Target 67/0 380 Running
33 36 #198 Todd Bodine Ford Lucas Oil Products 64/0 373 Running
34 40 #77 Brendan Gaughan * Dodge Kodak/Jasper Engines 61/0 362 Running
35 16 #10 Scott Riggs * Chevrolet Valvoline 58/0 341 Out of Race
36 8 #01 Joe Nemechek Chevrolet U.S. Army 55/0 265 Out of Race
37 3 #43 Jeff Green Dodge Cheerios/Betty Crocker 52/0 239 Out of Race
38 37 #42 Jamie McMurray Dodge Texaco/Havoline 49/0 202 Out of Race
39 42 #89 Morgan Shepherd Dodge Voyles/Carter’s Royal Dispos-all 46/0 131 Out of Race
40 24 #7 Dave Blaney Dodge Ultra Motorsports 43/0 123 Out of Race
41 38 #4 Jimmy Spencer Chevrolet Morgan-McClure 40/0 118 Out of Race
42 33 #02 Hermie Sadler Chevrolet Jenkins & Jenkins/Cellular One 37/0 114 Out of Race
43 43 #280 Randy LaJoie Ford Hover Motorsports 34/0 36 Out of Race
