SPRINT CUP SERIES 5/14/15

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

Jimmie Johnson – already virtually locked into the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and interested in nothing but a win – decided to stay on the track while the leaders pitted under caution with 10 laps left in the SpongeBob SquarePants 400 at Kansas Speedway. He led the field to green and held off defending NSCS champion Kevin Harvick for his series-best third victory of the season.

Johnson now has nine bonus points for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Challenger 16 Round (three per victory). In his last five races, he has finished first, second, third, second and first, respectively – good for an average finish of 1.8.

The six-time series champion currently occupies the third spot in the driver standings – 48 points behind Harvick – and claims Harvick is still the driver to beat.

"I still think he's the car to beat right now," Johnson said. "I mean, he qualifies better than we do. We're finding ways to win races, but I just think that they have a bit more control of their own destiny right now."

No Slowing Down: Harvick Continues Torrid Run, Ties NASCAR Hall Of Famer For Top-Two Mark

Eleven races into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, Kevin Harvick already has eight top-two finishes.

No driver has had more top twos through the first 11 races of a season. The only other driver to record eight top twos through the first 11 races was NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough in 1977.

Harvick has built up a 46-point lead over Martin Truex Jr. in the point standings. The defending NSCS champion claims two wins and leads the series in average finish (6.2), average running position (5.7) and driver rating (126.7). His 574 fastest laps run are more than double than the total of the next-best competitor (Jimmie Johnson, 201).

He’s Back: Rowdy Returns For Sprint All-Star Race

“I’m back. #Rowdy Returns,” Kyle Busch tweeted Tuesday morning, confirming he would participate in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race after missing the first 11 races of the season due to injuries suffered from a crash in the Daytona NASCAR XFINITY Series race.

The No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing driver also posted a video of himself – strapping into his firesuit and exiting a hauler – with the closing message “#RowdyReturns May 16.”

Of the drivers currently eligible for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, Busch has the most starts in the event without a win (nine). Despite never winning the all-star race, Busch’s 212 laps led in the contest are second-most among active drivers, only trailing Jimmie Johnson’s 219.  In fact, Busch leads active drivers with a 108.1 driver rating in the all-star race. His top finish in the event was a runner-up showing in 2011.

In Busch’s absence, Matt Crafton (one start), David Ragan (nine) and Erik Jones (one) have piloted his Toyota Camry. The Joe Gibbs Racing car ranks 23rd in the NSCS owner standings.

Jeff Gordon Making Final Sprint All-Star Race Start

“Star light, star bright,” Jeff Gordon hopes to win Saturday night when he makes the final NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race start of his career. The No. 24 Chevrolet driver owns three all-star race victories, tied with Dale Earnhardt for the second-most in history. Jimmie Johnson claims the all-time mark with four victories.

A four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, Gordon has captured the title in the three seasons he’s won the All-Star race (1995, 1997, 2001).

Mega Star: Johnson Tries To Increase All-Star Wins Record

Jimmie Johnson does something in NASCAR’s all-star event that athlete’s in most other sports don’t.

He shows up.

In 13 Sprint All-Star race starts, Johnson owns a record four wins. He also ranks first among active drivers in average finish (6.2), average running position (6.9), number of fastest laps led (219).

Don’t Forget To Cast Your Ballot In The Sprint Fan Vote

There are roughly 18 months left to vote in the 2016 presidential election.

There are only three days left to cast your ballot in the next-most ballyhooed election – The Sprint Fan Vote.

The winning driver gets to compete in Saturday’s night’s Sprint All-Star Race. Some notables on the ballot include: Clint Bowyer, Danica Patrick, David Ragan, Greg Biffle, Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Larson. Last year’s winner was Josh Wise. The only driver to visit Victory Lane after getting voted into the All-Star Race was Kasey Kahne in 2008.

A favorite isn’t always the winner – as the Sprint Fan Vote’s history suggests. In the last 10 seasons, fans have voted 10 different drivers into the Sprint All-Star Race.

Voting closes at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, one day before the green flag.

McMurray Attempts To Become All-Star Race’s Seventh Multi-Time Winner

As one would imagine, the list of multi-time Sprint All-Star race winners contains some of the greatest drivers to ever wheel a car around an oval: Jimmie Johnson (4), Dale Earnhardt (3), Jeff Gordon (3), Davey Allison (2), Terry Labonte (2) and Mark Martin (2).

Jamie McMurray will attempt to etch his name on that list in Saturday’s Sprint All-Star Race as the defending event winner. He led 31 laps and outdueled Carl Edwards to take the $1 million-prize in last year’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. The other drivers in the field who have won at least one all-star race are Gordon, Johnson, Edwards, Ryan Newman, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch. Johnson (2012-13) and Allison (1991-92) are the only drivers to win consecutive all-star races.    

Truex, Elliott Headline Sprint Showdown Participants

Drivers who have not qualified for the Sprint All-Star Race have one final chance to get into the drive for $1 million by winning one of two segments in Friday’s Sprint Showdown (7 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1). 

Occupying the second spot in the standings after racking up 10 top-10 finishes in the first 11 races of the season, Martin Truex Jr. is seemingly the driver to beat. Truex previously won the Sprint Showdown in 2010 and will be challenged by other past Showdown winners Clint Bowyer (2014), David Ragan (2011) and Sam Hornish Jr. (2009).

Defending NASCAR XFINITY Series champion Chase Elliott is slated to race in the Sprint Showdown as well.