Jimmie Johnson didn’t qualify well or start strong in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 in Atlanta. However, he got his car right in time to win NASCAR’s second race of the year.
Jimmie started the race from the 37th position while Joey Logano who won the first race of the year in Daytona grabbed the pole for the start of the race. Joey looked as though he could be the car to beat again dominating the first third of the 325 lap race. In that beginning segment of the race Joey was out front for 84 laps.
The track conditions began to change as rubber began to build up on the track that had been washed clean by rain that also delayed the start of the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500. Joey began fading back in the field and other cars were able to race to the front.
Through the middle portion of the race Kevin Harvick found his way to the front more than any of the 12 NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers that exchanged the lead 28 times in the race. Kevin ultimately became the driver with the most laps led being out front for 116 circuits around the mile-and-a-half track.
However, it was Jimmie that was coming on strong through the middle and into the final portion of the race. Jimmie was able to take the lead for the first time on lap 198. He began pulling away from the field most of the time from that number one position.
When the 10th and final caution period came out on lap 306 of the race the other drivers appeared to know that they had to get out in front of Jimmie on the restart if they were to have a chance at winning the race.
When the green flag waived on lap 312 both Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. did all they could to get around Jimmie for the race lead. Down the backstretch it was obvious that Jimmie would not be denied as he not only held on to the lead, but he pulled away from the other cars once again.
Jimmie led the final 13 laps with really no challenge as he won his first race of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Defending Sprint Cup Champion Kevin Harvick was able to grab his second consecutive runner-up finish of the year. Dale Jr. also followed his third place finish in Daytona with the same finish in Atlanta. Joey Logano was able to rally back to finish in fourth place with Matt Kenseth rounding out the top five. See the complete race results for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 here.
The win all but clinches a spot on the 2015 Chase Grid for Jimmie. Joey was able to remain the points leader by just a single point over Jimmie who moves up to second place. Kevin Harvick is pushed back a spot to third and Dale Jr. gets nudged back to fourth place. Martin Truex Jr. moved up three spots in the standings to round out the top five. See the complete NASCAR Sprint Cup point standings here.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup series heads to “Sin City” this week. The drivers will race for the win and a place on the Chase Grid at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Sunday, March 8th in the Kobalt Tools 400.
By: Buck Stevens
(Feature photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/305921Matt Sullivan/NASCAR via Getty Images)
