Team Lowe’s Leaves Vegas with Second-Consecutive Win

Posted by admin on Sunday, February 28, 2010 · Leave a Comment

Jimmie Johnson earned his second-consecutive Sprint Cup Series win of 2010 with a victory in today’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

In scoring his 49th career win, the four-time defending Sprint Cup Series champion became the all-time winning driver on 1.5-mile tracks with 15 victories. (Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty and Jeff Gordon have 14.) The win moved Johnson to 12th on the all-time wins list, one race behind NASCAR greats Ned Jarrett and Junior Johnson.

“Really proud of the car we brought to the track,” offered Johnson, who jumped seven spots in the standings to fifth in driver points. “We had to work on it some through the race. But, you know, it was so fast on the long haul that we could make up ground from the 20th place starting position we had. Worked up into the top 10. Worked up into the top five… Great day. Pit road, our guys had awesome stops. One issue with the lug nut falling off, and they still recovered from that issue very well. I think we’re pretty solid from a team standpoint from across the board.”

Johnson started the 267-lap event from the 20th position but steadily worked his way through the field when the green flag waved, moving into the top five on Lap 64. He remained in top five positions throughout the race, but spent most of his time chasing teammate Jeff Gordon, who led 219 total laps.

Johnson led only one lap during the first 250 circuits. But when he finally caught and passed Gordon on Lap 251, he never looked back, leading the final 17 laps and collecting the win.

“Everybody at Hendrick Motorsports did a great job on this car,” said Chad Knaus. “People back at the shop had to get this car prepared, turned over. We were back in California when they were building this car. To send that car out from the shop, it run as well as what it did, they did a great job.”

“We’re excited. It’s early in the year,” said Johnson, who now has four wins in Las Vegas. “It is a relief to know that we worked in the right areas over the off‑season. But, you know, Richmond is a long way away from right now. We need to keep collecting points, winning races, make the Chase, then get to work for what we’re really here for.”

The Sprint Cup Series will head back to the East Coast for next weekend’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The event will be broadcast live on FOX beginning at 1 p.m. ET.