(WOMR file photo)
Jimmie Johnson beat Tony Stewart to the finish line in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway, a thoroughly dominating performance, to record the first Sprint Cup season-sweep at the 2.5-mile tri-oval since Bobby Allison accomplished the feat in 1982. This latest victory complemented the Daytona 500 victory of just four and a half months ago!
Johnson joined Allison, Fireball Roberts, Cale Yarborough, and LeeRoy Yarbrough, as the only drivers to sweep both Sprint Cup races at Daytona in a single season.
As Johnson crossed the line in his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet at the end of a green-white-checkered-flag finish, the second of the two multicar accidents erupted behind him. Kevin Harvick of Richard Childress Racing stayed in front of it to run third. He was followed by teammates Clint Bowyer and Michael Waltrip of Michael Waltrip Racing.
Driving the Hendrick Motorsports #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet SS nicknamed “White Lightning” for its blue-on-white Lowe’s paint scheme, Johnson led 94 of 161 laps and executed key restarts flawlessly as the leader late in the race.
The victory was Johnson’s fourth of the season, tying Matt Kenseth for most in the series, and the 64th of his career. He leads second-place Bowyer by 49 points in the series standings with eight races left before the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field is set at Richmond.
Check out the unofficial results of the Coke Zero 400.
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
