Though Jimmie Johnson won last year, the NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway has been dominated by Roush Racing. It looked like that would continue at today's UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 when Greg Biffle-#16 National Guard Ford won the pole.
Roush cars driven by Biffle, Mark Martin-#6 AAA Ford & Matt Kenseth-#17 DeWalt Tools Ford all took turns at the lead. Kenseth led the most laps and it certainly looked like he would win. But Jimmie Johnson-#48 Lowe's Chevy was catching him when a flat tire for Kenny Wallace-#78 Furniture Row Chevy brought out a caution and set up a green/white/checker finish. Kenseth told crew chief Robbie Reiser that there was something wrong with the engine. He switched ignition boxes but it didn't help. Kenseth was unable to hold off Johnson and Johnson won the race by a nose. He led one lap but it was the right lap.
Tony Stewart-#20 Home Depot Chevy had another altercation with Kyle Busch-#5 Ice Age 2 Chevy. It wound up with Stewart brushing the wall and getting a flat tire. Instead of a top ten finish, he finished 22nd. Busch finished 3rd. Also, Scott Riggs-#10 Stanley Tools Dodge & Dale Earnhardt Jr-#8 Budweiser Chevy had decent finishes ruined by being penalized for being too fast on pit road on the final caution.
Congratulations to Jimmie Johnson, substitute crew chief Darian Grubb & owner Rick Hendrick for the victory. Casey Mears had his third straight top ten and rookie Denny Hamlin had a top ten too. Johnson is the points leader. Here's the top ten of the race.
#/Driver/Sponsor/Make/Owner
1.#48/Jimmie Johnson/Lowe's/Chevy/Rick Hendrick
2.#17/Matt Kenseth/Dewalt Tools/Ford/Jack Roush
3.#5/Kyle Busch/Ice Age 2/Chevy/Rick Hendrick
4.#9/Kasey Kahne/UAW-Dodge/Dodge/Ray Evernham
5.#24/Jeff Giordon/Nicotrette/Chevy/Rick Hendrick
6.#6/Mark Martin/AAA/Ford/Jack Roush
7.#31/Jeff Burton/Cingular/Chevy/Richard Childress
8.#16/Greg Biffle/National Guard/Ford/Jack Roush
9.#42/Casey Mears/Texaco Havoline/Dodge/Chip Ganassi
10.#11/Denny Hamlin/FedEx/Chevy/Joe Gibbs
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