Race Blog: Jimmie Johnson wins fourth Las Vegas race in six years

By Case Keefer (contact)

Published Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010 | 10:30 a.m.

Updated Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010 | 3:08 p.m.

Race fans got about all they could ask for Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

The Shelby American NASCAR Sprint Cup series featured a head-to-head clash between two of the sport's greatest drivers for the majority of the day. After 267 laps, it was Jimmie Johnson who outlasted Jeff Gordon for his fourth career victory at Las Vegas.

Gordon led for almost the entire day. He set a new track record for leading laps in one race with at least 220. But Johnson came underneath him at the second turn of the 251st lap to take a lead he never reliquinshed.

It was Johnson's second consecutive victory after winning at Fontana last week. Hendrick Motorsports team simply dominated the afternoon. Both Gordon and Johnson are Hendrick teammates.

The race didn't end well for the local Busch brothers. Kurt Busch was involved in the race's only major crash early and fell behind by three laps after having to go to the garage. Kyle Busch was in contention until late when he picked up a speeding penalty in pit row to fall into the middle of the pack.

Kevin Harvick eventually caught Gordon for second place. Gordon finished third followed by Mark Martin in fourth and Matt Kenseth in fifth.

Lap 230

After 100 straight laps of racing, all of the cars in contention to win the Shelby American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race stopped at lap 216 for a pit stop.

It wasn't a successful stop for Kyle Busch, the Durango High graduate and last year's champion at this race. He received a penalty for driving over the pit row speed limit and was required to make a drive-through.

The gaffe cost Busch his place in the top five. Jeff Gordon still leads with Jimmie Johnson threatening at every moment. Matt Kenseth is still in third followed by Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart.

Kenseth and Stewart, however, will both make one more stop at pit row. Eleven racers are still on the lead lap. But at this point, it appears to be a competition between Gordon and Johnson.

Can Jeff Gordon, who won here in 2001, hang on with the sport's greatest less than a second behind? That will be the question as the race enters its final 30 laps.

Lap 200

With less than 70 laps to go, not much has changed at the front of the Shelby American race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Jeff Gordon is still in front with Jimmie Johnson close behind. Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch round out the top five.

The drivers have enjoyed a lot of racing with no cautions for the last 70 laps. Jeff Gordon has clinched five points in the Sprint Cup standings for leading the race for the most laps.

Lap 133

It can't be comforting for a driver to look back and see Jimmie Johnson right behind.

That's exactly what Jeff Gordon is experiencing right now. Gordon, who has led most of the day, holds a slight advantage over Johnson heading into second half of the race.

Johnson is said to excel on intermediate-length tracks and hot tracks. Las Vegas Motor Speedway fits both of those descriptors today and Johnson, the four-time Sprint Cup champion, is taking advantage.

Johnson has won three times in Las Vegas — 2006, 2007 and 2008. He's clearly put himself in position to capture the fourth today.

Behind Johnson is Matt Kenseth in third and Jeff Burton in fourth.

Lap 97

The first major collision of the day has taken place at Las Vegas Motor Speedway — and it was between teammates.

Juan Pablo Montoya ran into Jamie McMurray at the fourth turn on the 94th turn. Both are members of the Ganassi team. McMurray immediately took blame for the accident over the radio.

Kurt Busch was also affected by the crash as the side of his car took a hit. The caution has overshadowed the change at the front of the race.

Matt Kenseth has taken the lead from Jeff Gordon, who is not far behind. Carl Edwards is in third followed by Tony Stewart and Greg Biffle.

Lap 75

Although Jeff Gordon is still in front at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the rest of the front lineup has changed quite a bit.

Matt Kenseth, in the Crown Royal car, has closed in on Gordon and is only a little more than a second behind. A familiar foe lurks in third in Jimmie Johnson.

Despite complaining about his car's control issues around turns all day, Johnson has catapulted from 20th to 3rd. Greg Biffle, who held the lead for one lap, is in fourth. Carl Edwards is in fifth.

Grand marshal Kim Kardashian can't be happy about the race. Mike Bliss, driver of the Kardashian perfume car, crashed into the second turn wall on lap 47 to cause the second caution of the day.

Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch, who were in first and second, took their first opportunity to stop at pit row shortly after the caution. Kurt Busch, who had dropped back to sixth after starting the day with the pole, also pitted with the mass group of drivers.

Lap 35

The Busch brothers are dueling on the track.

Kyle Busch, who started in fifth but quickly worked his way up to third early, passed brother, Kurt, on the 29th lap and is currently in second place. He only trails Jeff Gordon, who has led the entire way.

Gordon has already lapped a couple of the cars at the end, including Kevin Conway, who caused the first caution of the race.

The top three are followed by Greg Biffle in fourth and Ryan Newman in fifth.

Lap 10

At the request of co-grand marshals Kim Kardashian and Carroll Shelby, the racers have started their engines and are on the track.

Jeff Gordon jumped out to an early lead, passing Kurt Busch, who had the pole, after the second turn of the first lap. On the second lap, the Shelby American experienced its first caution of the afternoon when Kevin Conway crashed into the wall on the first turn.

Racing resumed on the fifth lap where Gordon held on to his lead. As expected, the racers are still bunched together and no one has fallen too far behind the leader.

No one has taken a pit stop yet and it will be a few more laps until the first batch of racers do.

Pre-race

As exciting as yesterday’s Sam’s Town 300 race was, it was just a warm-up.

Between top drivers maneuvering at the front for the final 30 laps and the untimely crash of Danica Patrick, the NASCAR Nationwide Series race felt very much like a big-time event.

But it was simply an undercard, so to speak. Today is the title fight. The Shelby American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race will get underway a little more than an hour from now, at Noon at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

It has a lot to live up to after last year’s race, when local Kyle Busch celebrated in victory lane. But with the wealth of top drivers starting near the front, the 2010 Shelby American has potential to be one of Las Vegas’ most memorable races.

Local legend Kurt Busch, who wants nothing more than to win in his hometown, starts with the pole. But he can’t feel too comfortable.

Not with racing mainstay Jeff Gordon right behind him in second position. Fan favorite Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who hasn’t won a race since the summer of 2008, starts in row 2 with Ryan Newman.

Kurt’s brother, Kyle, is in fifth position. Four-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson starts in 20th after a subpar showing at qualifying on Friday. A couple rows behind Johnson is Jamie McMurray, reigning Daytona 500 champion.

And don’t forget about 51-year old Mark Martin in eighth. Mark Martin, pun intended, down as my pick to take this year’s Las Vegas Sprint Cup race.

Martin does have history here. He won the inaugural Sprint Cup race at the track in 1998 and also has three Nationwide titles at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Stay tuned to Las Vegas Sun all day for live updates from the track. Also, follow on Twitter for periodic thoughts.