The man they call ‘The Closer’ did the deal at the Advocare 500 at Phoenix after Carl Edwards ran out of fuel coming to the final lap, but the big winner was Jimmie Johnson who extended his points lead heading into next week’s finale at Homestead.
Johnson third place gives him a 28-point lead over Matt Kenseth who struggled with an ill-handling car back in 23rd. Harvick is the only other driver with a mathematical shot at winning the championship, but he would need a disaster from the two front-runners to overcome his 34-point deficit.
The victory was Harvick’s fourth of the season, fourth on the 1-mile Arizona track and 23rd of his career in NASCAR’s top series. He led 70 of the 312 laps with Kasey Kahne in second followed by Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kurt Busch.
Johnson started from pole but dropped to sixth place by the end of the first lap as he slid high after contact with Joey Logano. Then on lap 162 he was also forced high after a three-wide battle with Edwards and Harvick. Both Johnson and Edwards did a remarkable job from not spinning.
Kenseth’s tough day included some miscues in the pits, including getting out of sequence with Johnson and then 26-second stop after indecision had his crew with no tyres ready.
Australia’s Marcos Ambrose looked set for a top-10 result, but strategy put him a lap down at the finish in 26th.
Next week the 36-race Sprint Cup season will come to a close at the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida.
RESULTS: Advocare 500 – Phoenix
| POS | Driver | Make | Start | Laps | Laps Led | Status | Points | Bonus |
|
1 |
Kevin Harvick | Chevrolet | 9 | 312 | 70 | Running | 48 | 5 |
|
2 |
Kasey Kahne | Chevrolet | 7 | 312 | 41 | Running | 43 | 1 |
|
3 |
Jimmie Johnson | Chevrolet | 1 | 312 | 1 | Running | 42 | 1 |
|
4 |
Dale Earnhardt Jr | Chevrolet | 11 | 312 | 2 | Running | 41 | 1 |
|
5 |
Kurt Busch | Chevrolet | 8 | 312 | 0 | Running | 39 | 0 |
|
6 |
Juan Pablo Montoya | Chevrolet | 19 | 312 | 0 | Running | 38 | 0 |
|
7 |
Kyle Busch | Toyota | 4 | 312 | 0 | Running | 37 | 0 |
|
8 |
Martin Truex Jr | Toyota | 10 | 312 | 0 | Running | 36 | 0 |
|
9 |
Joey Logano | Ford | 3 | 312 | 33 | Running | 36 | 1 |
|
10 |
Ryan Newman | Chevrolet | 17 | 312 | 31 | Running | 35 | 1 |
|
11 |
Brad Keselowski | Ford | 12 | 312 | 27 | Running | 34 | 1 |
|
12 |
Ricky Stenhouse Jr | Ford | 27 | 312 | 0 | Running | 32 | 0 |
|
13 |
Greg Biffle | Ford | 18 | 312 | 1 | Running | 32 | 1 |
|
14 |
Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | 5 | 312 | 49 | Running | 31 | 1 |
|
15 |
Mark Martin | Chevrolet | 16 | 312 | 0 | Running | 29 | 0 |
|
16 |
Paul Menard | Chevrolet | 13 | 312 | 0 | Running | 28 | 0 |
|
17 |
Jeff Burton | Chevrolet | 15 | 312 | 0 | Running | 27 | 0 |
|
18 |
Jamie McMurray | Chevrolet | 36 | 312 | 1 | Running | 27 | 1 |
|
19 |
Aric Almirola | Ford | 21 | 312 | 0 | Running | 25 | 0 |
|
20 |
Clint Bowyer | Toyota | 6 | 312 | 0 | Running | 24 | 0 |
|
21 |
Carl Edwards | Ford | 23 | 312 | 36 | Running | 24 | 1 |
|
22 |
Bobby Labonte | Toyota | 26 | 311 | 0 | Running | 22 | 0 |
|
23 |
Matt Kenseth | Toyota | 14 | 311 | 0 | Running | 21 | 0 |
|
24 |
David Gilliland | Ford | 33 | 311 | 2 | Running | 21 | 1 |
|
25 |
Elliott Sadler | Toyota | 22 | 311 | 0 | Running | 0 | 0 |
|
26 |
Marcos Ambrose | Ford | 20 | 311 | 0 | Running | 18 | 0 |
|
27 |
Casey Mears | Ford | 30 | 311 | 0 | Running | 17 | 0 |
|
28 |
Denny Hamlin | Toyota | 2 | 311 | 18 | Running | 17 | 1 |
|
29 |
J.J. Yeley | Chevrolet | 35 | 311 | 0 | Running | 15 | 0 |
|
30 |
Dave Blaney | Chevrolet | 42 | 310 | 0 | Running | 14 | 0 |
|
31 |
Justin Allgaier | Chevrolet | 25 | 309 | 0 | Running | 0 | 0 |
|
32 |
Michael McDowell | Ford | 39 | 308 | 0 | Running | 12 | 0 |
|
33 |
Danica Patrick | Chevrolet | 32 | 302 | 0 | Running | 11 | 0 |
|
34 |
Timmy Hill | Ford | 38 | 285 | 0 | Running | 10 | 0 |
|
35 |
David Ragan | Ford | 34 | 282 | 0 | Running | 9 | 0 |
|
36 |
Josh Wise | Ford | 28 | 280 | 0 | Brakes | 0 | 0 |
|
37 |
Reed Sorenson | Ford | 24 | 266 | 0 | Engine | 0 | 0 |
|
38 |
Joe Nemechek | Toyota | 43 | 193 | 0 | Engine | 0 | 0 |
|
39 |
David Reutimann | Toyota | 37 | 187 | 0 | Accident | 5 | 0 |
|
40 |
Cole Whitt | Toyota | 29 | 142 | 0 | Accident | 0 | 0 |
|
41 |
Travis Kvapil | Toyota | 31 | 129 | 0 | Engine | 3 | 0 |
|
42 |
Landon Cassill | Chevrolet | 40 | 63 | 0 | Brakes | 0 | 0 |
|
43 |
Tony Raines | Chevrolet | 41 | 29 | 0 | Brakes | 0 | 0 |
STANDINGS
|
Position |
driver |
Points |
Behind |
Starts |
WINS |
Top 5 |
Top 10 |
DNF |
|
1 |
Jimmie Johnson | 2384 | Leader | 35 | 6 | 16 | 23 | 1 |
|
2 |
Matt Kenseth | 2356 | -28 | 35 | 7 | 11 | 19 | 3 |
|
3 |
Kevin Harvick | 2350 | -34 | 35 | 4 | 9 | 20 | 2 |
|
4 |
Kyle Busch | 2327 | -57 | 35 | 4 | 16 | 21 | 4 |
|
5 |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 2321 | -63 | 35 | 0 | 9 | 21 | 3 |
|
6 |
Jeff Gordon | 2304 | -80 | 35 | 1 | 8 | 17 | 5 |
|
7 |
Greg Biffle | 2301 | -83 | 35 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 0 |
|
8 |
Clint Bowyer | 2297 | -87 | 35 | 0 | 9 | 18 | 2 |
|
9 |
Joey Logano | 2287 | -97 | 35 | 1 | 11 | 18 | 3 |
|
10 |
Kurt Busch | 2285 | -99 | 35 | 0 | 11 | 16 | 2 |
|
11 |
Ryan Newman | 2259 | -125 | 35 | 1 | 6 | 18 | 5 |
|
12 |
Kasey Kahne | 2252 | -132 | 35 | 2 | 11 | 14 | 3 |
|
13 |
Carl Edwards | 2250 | -134 | 35 | 2 | 9 | 16 | 2 |
|
14 |
Brad Keselowski | 1002 | -1382 | 35 | 1 | 9 | 15 | 2 |
|
15 |
Jamie McMurray | 993 | -1391 | 35 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 0 |
|
16 |
Martin Truex Jr. | 958 | -1426 | 35 | 1 | 6 | 14 | 3 |
|
17 |
Paul Menard | 944 | -1440 | 35 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 1 |
|
18 |
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 887 | -1497 | 35 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
|
19 |
Aric Almirola | 885 | -1499 | 35 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 |
|
20 |
Jeff Burton | 885 | -1499 | 35 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
|
21 |
Juan Pablo Montoya | 868 | -1516 | 35 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 1 |
|
22 |
Marcos Ambrose | 854 | -1530 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 |
|
23 |
Denny Hamlin | 706 | -1678 | 31 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 8 |
|
24 |
Casey Mears | 703 | -1681 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
|
25 |
David Gilliland | 631 | -1753 | 35 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
|
26 |
Mark Martin | 624 | -1760 | 27 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
|
27 |
Danica Patrick | 622 | -1762 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
|
28 |
David Ragan | 617 | -1767 | 35 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
|
29 |
Tony Stewart | 594 | -1790 | 21 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 0 |
|
30 |
Dave Blaney | 520 | -1864 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
|
31 |
Travis Kvapil | 489 | -1895 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
|
32 |
J J Yeley | 460 | -1924 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 |
|
33 |
David Reutimann | 452 | -1932 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
|
34 |
Bobby Labonte | 412 | -1972 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
|
35 |
AJ Allmendinger | 402 | -1982 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
|
36 |
David Stremme | 362 | -2022 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
|
37 |
Michael McDowell | 209 | -2175 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 25 |
|
38 |
Timmy Hill | 190 | -2194 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
|
39 |
Michael Waltrip | 114 | -2270 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
|
40 |
Ken Schrader | 108 | -2276 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
|
41 |
Scott Speed | 99 | -2285 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
|
42 |
Terry Labonte | 87 | -2297 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
|
43 |
Boris Said | 48 | -2336 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
44 |
Ron Fellows | 31 | -2353 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
45 |
Alex Kennedy | 21 | -2363 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
|
46 |
Justin Marks | 14 | -2370 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
47 |
Scott Riggs | 11 | -2373 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
|
48 |
Victor Gonzalez Jr | 10 | -2374 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
|
49 |
Brian Keselowski | 9 | -2375 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
|
50 |
Tomy Drissi | 8 | -2376 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
|
51 |
Jacques Villeneuve | 3 | -2381 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
|
52 |
Jason Leffler | 1 | -2383 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
|
53 |
Brian Vickers | -50 | -2434 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 5 |
|
54 |
Cole Whitt | — | — | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
|
55 |
Austin Dillon | — | — | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
|
56 |
Kyle Larson | — | — | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
|
57 |
Trevor Bayne | — | — | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
|
58 |
Regan Smith | — | — | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
|
59 |
Josh Wise | — | — | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
|
60 |
Johnny Sauter | — | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
|
61 |
Parker Kligerman | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
62 |
Brendan Gaughan | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
63 |
Blake Koch | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
|
64 |
Tony Raines | — | — | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
|
65 |
Owen Kelly | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
66 |
Brian Scott | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
67 |
Justin Allgaier | — | — | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
|
68 |
Joe Nemechek | — | — | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
|
69 |
Morgan Shepherd | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
|
70 |
Paulie Harraka | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
71 |
Elliott Sadler | — | — | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
|
72 |
Ryan Truex | — | — | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
|
73 |
Kevin Swindell | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
74 |
Max Papis | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
75 |
Reed Sorenson | — | — | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
|
76 |
Landon Cassill | — | — | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
|
77 |
Sam Hornish Jr | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
|
78 |
Mike Bliss | — | — | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
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