bigbadbrother
10-26-2014, 10:02 PM
Tom Jensen
Dale Earnhardt Jr. won Sunday's Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville Speedway, holding off his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon to win for the first time at the Virginia short track.
The race was not kind for several of the eight drivers still alive in this, the first race of the Eliminator Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, as Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick all finished outside the top 20.
Finishing behind the two Hendrick Chevrolets were Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman and Joey Logano.
Under beautiful fall skied in Southern Virginia, Jamie McMurray started from the pole in his Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Chevrolet, flanked by Joey Logano's Team Penske Ford. By Lap 50, Gordon had moved all the way from his 13th starting spot to second place behind McMurray. And Gordon, the defending winner of this race, took his first lead on Lap 85, going under McMurray shortly after a restart.
Gordon led 105 laps until getting busted for speeding on pit road on Lap 190, restarting 30th, one position ahead of Ryan Newman, who was also too fast under caution. That turned the lead over to his teammate, Dale Earnhardt Jr., first and then Logano.
Then, big drama. Heading into Turn 1 just after a restart on Lap 228, Matt Kenseth wheel-hopped into the back of Kevin Harvick, putting both cars into the wall. Harvick's car got the worst of it and had to go back to the garage for lengthy repairs.
After another caution, Tony Stewart stayed out and went to the point for the first time on Lap 260. But soon, fresh rubber prevailed with Logano, Hamlin, Earnhardt and McMurray all sweeping past.
After more pit stops, spring Martinsville winner Kurt Busch passed Earnhardt on Lap 314, with Gordon quickly moving into second place behind him.
Gordon dove under Busch on Lap 335 too take the lead once again, with Hamlin not far back in third. Nine laps later Hamlin was up to second and chasing Gordon.
Hamlin cleanly passed Gordon for the lead on Lap 359, using fresher tires to his advantage.
A debris caution on Lap 418 sent the field down pit road. This time, Clint Bowyer emerged in the lead, thanks to an excellent stop from his Michael Waltrip Racing crew. Under caution, Kurt Busch's car popped an oil line, soaking the track with oil and necessitating a lengthy clean up.
On the Lap 432 restart, Gordon moved to second, while a couple of laps later, Brad Keselowski broke a rear axle, slowed and the field piled up behind him on the frontstretch. Keselowski got hit by Casey Mears, who got hit by Danica Patrick, and it was on.
That brought out a red flag for track clean up.
Finally, the green flew with 58 laps left. Bowyer led, but Gordon, who restarted second got hung on the outside line and fell to fifth.
Meanwhile, up front, Earnhardt started pressuring Bowyer for the race lead, while Gordon got up to fourth behind Logano.
Earnhardt used his bumper to move Bowyer out of the way and put the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet with 47 laps to go, while two laps later, Gordon passed Logano for third.
Gordon moved past Bowyer and into second with 34 laps to go, but by then, Earnhardt was 1.569 seconds clear in the lead.
With 12 laps to go, Kyle Larson and Marcos Ambrose crashed, bringing out another red flag. Most of the leaders pitted, but Tony Stewart, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and David Ragan stayed out to lead over Bowyer Earnhardt, Hamlin and Gordon.
After the green came out, Earnhardt passed Stewart with 4 laps to go, holding off Gordon for the victory.
Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500
Oct 26, 2014 | Martinsville Speedway - Ridgeway, Virginia | 263.0 mi
Pos Driver Car # Make Started Laps Led Points Driver Rating
1 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 88 Chevrolet 23 500 79 47 127.0
2 Jeff Gordon 24 Chevrolet 13 500 130 44 135.8
3 Ryan Newman 31 Chevrolet 9 500 0 41 96.1
4 Tony Stewart 14 Chevrolet 4 500 18 41 107.6
5 Joey Logano 22 Ford 2 500 60 40 116.4
6 Matt Kenseth 20 Toyota 3 500 2 39 98.5
7 Clint Bowyer 15 Toyota 12 500 33 38 101.6
8 Denny Hamlin 11 Toyota 5 500 68 37 118.6
9 AJ Allmendinger 47 Chevrolet 15 500 0 35 89.2
10 David Ragan 34 Ford 29 500 0 34 59.7
11 Kyle Busch 18 Toyota 8 500 0 33 98.0
12 Austin Dillon 3 Chevrolet 19 500 0 32 68.6
13 Greg Biffle 16 Ford 21 500 0 31 83.8
14 Paul Menard 27 Chevrolet 14 500 0 30 79.4
15 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 17 Ford 18 500 0 29 62.7
16 Jamie McMurray 1 Chevrolet 1 500 84 29 105.5
17 Justin Allgaier 51 Chevrolet 22 500 4 28 67.9
18 Cole Whitt 26 Toyota 36 500 0 26 54.6
19 Landon Cassill 40 Chevrolet 28 500 0 0 56.3
20 Carl Edwards 99 Ford 11 500 0 24 72.9
21 Aric Almirola 43 Ford 27 500 0 23 79.0
22 David Gilliland 38 Ford 34 500 1 23 48.9
23 Marcos Ambrose 9 Ford 25 499 0 21 72.2
24 Michael Annett 7 Chevrolet 37 499 0 20 43.9
25 Josh Wise 98 Chevrolet 35 499 0 19 44.3
26 Mike Wallace 66 Toyota 43 499 0 0 40.0
27 Brian Vickers 55 Toyota 17 496 0 17 66.1
28 Kyle Fowler 32 Ford 42 491 0 0 34.2
29 Alex Bowman 23 Toyota 32 490 0 15 44.6
30 Kyle Larson 42 Chevrolet 16 487 0 14 60.0
31 Brad Keselowski 2 Ford 6 472 0 13 73.5
32 Jimmie Johnson 48 Chevrolet 7 459 0 12 77.4
33 Kevin Harvick 4 Chevrolet 33 457 0 11 65.2
34 Danica Patrick 10 Chevrolet 30 451 0 10 61.3
35 Reed Sorenson 36 Chevrolet 31 442 0 9 35.5
36 Kurt Busch 41 Chevrolet 10 438 21 9 89.1
37 Casey Mears 13 Chevrolet 20 436 0 7 53.7
38 Martin Truex Jr. 78 Chevrolet 26 436 0 6 48.6
39 J.J. Yeley 83 Toyota 40 436 0 0 30.4
40 Kasey Kahne 5 Chevrolet 24 403 0 4 53.1
41 Travis Kvapil 33 Chevrolet 39 280 0 3 30.6
42 Timmy Hill 44 Chevrolet 41 30 0 2 26.9
43 Clay Rogers 93 Toyota 38 25 0 1 24.8
2014 Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 Stats
Scheduled Laps: 500
Total Laps: 500
Distance: 263.0 miles
Lead Changes: 21
Dale Earnhardt Jr. won Sunday's Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville Speedway, holding off his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon to win for the first time at the Virginia short track.
The race was not kind for several of the eight drivers still alive in this, the first race of the Eliminator Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, as Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick all finished outside the top 20.
Finishing behind the two Hendrick Chevrolets were Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman and Joey Logano.
Under beautiful fall skied in Southern Virginia, Jamie McMurray started from the pole in his Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Chevrolet, flanked by Joey Logano's Team Penske Ford. By Lap 50, Gordon had moved all the way from his 13th starting spot to second place behind McMurray. And Gordon, the defending winner of this race, took his first lead on Lap 85, going under McMurray shortly after a restart.
Gordon led 105 laps until getting busted for speeding on pit road on Lap 190, restarting 30th, one position ahead of Ryan Newman, who was also too fast under caution. That turned the lead over to his teammate, Dale Earnhardt Jr., first and then Logano.
Then, big drama. Heading into Turn 1 just after a restart on Lap 228, Matt Kenseth wheel-hopped into the back of Kevin Harvick, putting both cars into the wall. Harvick's car got the worst of it and had to go back to the garage for lengthy repairs.
After another caution, Tony Stewart stayed out and went to the point for the first time on Lap 260. But soon, fresh rubber prevailed with Logano, Hamlin, Earnhardt and McMurray all sweeping past.
After more pit stops, spring Martinsville winner Kurt Busch passed Earnhardt on Lap 314, with Gordon quickly moving into second place behind him.
Gordon dove under Busch on Lap 335 too take the lead once again, with Hamlin not far back in third. Nine laps later Hamlin was up to second and chasing Gordon.
Hamlin cleanly passed Gordon for the lead on Lap 359, using fresher tires to his advantage.
A debris caution on Lap 418 sent the field down pit road. This time, Clint Bowyer emerged in the lead, thanks to an excellent stop from his Michael Waltrip Racing crew. Under caution, Kurt Busch's car popped an oil line, soaking the track with oil and necessitating a lengthy clean up.
On the Lap 432 restart, Gordon moved to second, while a couple of laps later, Brad Keselowski broke a rear axle, slowed and the field piled up behind him on the frontstretch. Keselowski got hit by Casey Mears, who got hit by Danica Patrick, and it was on.
That brought out a red flag for track clean up.
Finally, the green flew with 58 laps left. Bowyer led, but Gordon, who restarted second got hung on the outside line and fell to fifth.
Meanwhile, up front, Earnhardt started pressuring Bowyer for the race lead, while Gordon got up to fourth behind Logano.
Earnhardt used his bumper to move Bowyer out of the way and put the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet with 47 laps to go, while two laps later, Gordon passed Logano for third.
Gordon moved past Bowyer and into second with 34 laps to go, but by then, Earnhardt was 1.569 seconds clear in the lead.
With 12 laps to go, Kyle Larson and Marcos Ambrose crashed, bringing out another red flag. Most of the leaders pitted, but Tony Stewart, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and David Ragan stayed out to lead over Bowyer Earnhardt, Hamlin and Gordon.
After the green came out, Earnhardt passed Stewart with 4 laps to go, holding off Gordon for the victory.
Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500
Oct 26, 2014 | Martinsville Speedway - Ridgeway, Virginia | 263.0 mi
Pos Driver Car # Make Started Laps Led Points Driver Rating
1 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 88 Chevrolet 23 500 79 47 127.0
2 Jeff Gordon 24 Chevrolet 13 500 130 44 135.8
3 Ryan Newman 31 Chevrolet 9 500 0 41 96.1
4 Tony Stewart 14 Chevrolet 4 500 18 41 107.6
5 Joey Logano 22 Ford 2 500 60 40 116.4
6 Matt Kenseth 20 Toyota 3 500 2 39 98.5
7 Clint Bowyer 15 Toyota 12 500 33 38 101.6
8 Denny Hamlin 11 Toyota 5 500 68 37 118.6
9 AJ Allmendinger 47 Chevrolet 15 500 0 35 89.2
10 David Ragan 34 Ford 29 500 0 34 59.7
11 Kyle Busch 18 Toyota 8 500 0 33 98.0
12 Austin Dillon 3 Chevrolet 19 500 0 32 68.6
13 Greg Biffle 16 Ford 21 500 0 31 83.8
14 Paul Menard 27 Chevrolet 14 500 0 30 79.4
15 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 17 Ford 18 500 0 29 62.7
16 Jamie McMurray 1 Chevrolet 1 500 84 29 105.5
17 Justin Allgaier 51 Chevrolet 22 500 4 28 67.9
18 Cole Whitt 26 Toyota 36 500 0 26 54.6
19 Landon Cassill 40 Chevrolet 28 500 0 0 56.3
20 Carl Edwards 99 Ford 11 500 0 24 72.9
21 Aric Almirola 43 Ford 27 500 0 23 79.0
22 David Gilliland 38 Ford 34 500 1 23 48.9
23 Marcos Ambrose 9 Ford 25 499 0 21 72.2
24 Michael Annett 7 Chevrolet 37 499 0 20 43.9
25 Josh Wise 98 Chevrolet 35 499 0 19 44.3
26 Mike Wallace 66 Toyota 43 499 0 0 40.0
27 Brian Vickers 55 Toyota 17 496 0 17 66.1
28 Kyle Fowler 32 Ford 42 491 0 0 34.2
29 Alex Bowman 23 Toyota 32 490 0 15 44.6
30 Kyle Larson 42 Chevrolet 16 487 0 14 60.0
31 Brad Keselowski 2 Ford 6 472 0 13 73.5
32 Jimmie Johnson 48 Chevrolet 7 459 0 12 77.4
33 Kevin Harvick 4 Chevrolet 33 457 0 11 65.2
34 Danica Patrick 10 Chevrolet 30 451 0 10 61.3
35 Reed Sorenson 36 Chevrolet 31 442 0 9 35.5
36 Kurt Busch 41 Chevrolet 10 438 21 9 89.1
37 Casey Mears 13 Chevrolet 20 436 0 7 53.7
38 Martin Truex Jr. 78 Chevrolet 26 436 0 6 48.6
39 J.J. Yeley 83 Toyota 40 436 0 0 30.4
40 Kasey Kahne 5 Chevrolet 24 403 0 4 53.1
41 Travis Kvapil 33 Chevrolet 39 280 0 3 30.6
42 Timmy Hill 44 Chevrolet 41 30 0 2 26.9
43 Clay Rogers 93 Toyota 38 25 0 1 24.8
2014 Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 Stats
Scheduled Laps: 500
Total Laps: 500
Distance: 263.0 miles
Lead Changes: 21