November 2009 - News

By Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
 
(November 25, 2009)
 
With a 20th-place finish in Sunday’s Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway Brian Vickers, finished the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup in 12th place, but the driver of the No. 83 Red Bull Toyota remains optimistic for next season. Before the 2010 season begins, Vickers will travel extensively, including a trip to Las Vegas for the end-of-season awards ceremonies, a Caribbean vacation for Cup champion Jimmie Johnson’s fifth wedding anniversary and a possible visit to Asia.
 

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
 
(November 22, 2009)
 
HOMESTEAD, Fla.—Done deal.
 
“How ’bout some history?!” Jimmie Johnson shouted as the crossed the finish line at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
 
No, Johnson didn’t win Sunday’s Ford 400. Denny Hamlin did. But Johnson accomplished something far more significant than a victory in a single event. His fifth-place finish was more than good enough to clinch his fourth straight NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title, breaking a tie with Cale Yarborough for most consecutive championships.

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
Photo Credit: (Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR)
 
(November 15, 2009)
 
AVONDALE, Ariz.—From his fiasco in Forth Worth, Jimmie Johnson rose like a phoenix in—where else?—Phoenix.
 
A week after teasing his Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup competitors with a 38th-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway—his worst of the season—Johnson regained control of his championship run by winning Sunday’s Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.

Throughout the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, www.texasmotorspeedway.com will be providing you with the special opportunity to watch the Chase driver press conferences as well as the post-qualifying and post-race press conferences LIVE from those respective speedways.

Now you not only can watch the Chase for the Sprint Cup races each week (ABC-TV), but find out what your favorite Chase drivers are saying as they prepare for the next event in addition to interviews from the top finishers following the conclusion of each race.

FORT WORTH, Texas (November 10, 2009) – In NASCAR’s 61 years of existence, there have been many seasons of brothers competing against each other.

There have been the Woods (Glen and Leonard), Pettys (Richard and Maurice), Bodines (Geoffrey, Brett and Todd), Wallaces (Rusty, Kenny and Mike), Burtons (Jeff and Ward), Waltrips (Darrell and Michael), Allisons (Bobby and Donnie), Flocks (Tim, Fonty and Bob) and Texas natives Terry and Bobby Labonte. In the last few seasons, a new sibling duel has emerged with Kurt and Kyle Busch, may be considered one of the most successful brother combination when they are finished.

Four-time Sprint Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon has been “streaky” at Texas Motor Speedway this year.

Gordon’s victory in April’s Samsung 500 snapped a 47-race winless streak and during his return visit for last week’s Dickies 500 he extended a streak. He captured the Dickies 500 pole Friday – his first since, you guessed it, last year’s Dickies 500 – to extend the record of 17 consecutive seasons with at least one pole.

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
 
(November 8, 2009)
 
FORT WORTH, Texas—In recent weeks, Jimmie Johnson has worn out the already threadbare phrase, “Anything can happen in our sport.”
 
On Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway, it finally did.

FORT WORTH, Texas (November 7, 2009) – Three-time defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and current Chase points leader Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet) was the fastest during Saturday’s final practice for the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.