SB Nation Atlanta - NASCAR At Dover: Jimmie Johnson Dominates FedEx 400 For Seventh Dover Victory

Kurt Busch Suspended By NASCAR

2012-06-04T20:11:22Z

In response to Kurt Busch's actions after Saturday's Nationwide Series race at the Dover International Speedway, NASCAR has lowered the boom on the former Sprint Cup champion.

Busch has been suspended through June 13, meaning he will not be allowed to take part in this weekend's Pocono 400 at the Pocono Raceway. In addition, his probation has been extended through December 31st. Originally, Busch was placed on probation through July 25tth for his meltdown at last month's Southern 500.

This is Busch's first NASCAR-imposed suspension. He was suspended by then-team owner Jack Roush for the final two races of the 2005 season for a run-in with Maricopa County, AZ sheriff's deputies. Busch had already signed to leave Roush for Roger Penske after that season. He was released from Penske last December after a season of controversy culminated in him launching into a profanity laced tirade against ESPN pit reporter Dr. Jerry Punch.

Busch has driven the underfunded (compared to juggernauts like Roush and Penske) Chevrolets fielded by James Finch this season. He was 26th in the Sprint Cup standings leaving Dover, with just one top-10 finish to his credit. Busch had publicly stated prior to the season that he intended to "put the fun" back into racing and hopefully re-establish himself as a coveted talent. This latest incident no doubt deals a huge blow to that latter goal.

2012 NASCAR Standings: Greg Biffle Maintains Slim Lead Over Matt Kenseth

2012-06-04T12:22:27Z

With Sunday's FedEx 400 at Dover in the books, everything got a little tighter at the top of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings. On top is still Greg Biffle, but he leads Matt Kenseth by just one point.

Rounding out the top-five are Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson.

The most intriguing race, though, might be for the second Wild Card spot. After Sunday's results, Kasey Kahne trails Ryan Newman by one point.

Here are the full standings:

Greg Biffle +86 inside the top 10
Matt Kenseth +85
Dale Earnhardt Jr. +76
Denny Hamlin +64
Jimmie Johnson +53
Martin Truex Jr. +41
Kevin Harvick +40
Tony Stewart +7
Kyle Busch +6
Clint Bowyer +5
Brad Keselowski -5 from the top 10 (Holds No. 1 Wild Card spot with two wins)
Carl Edwards -15
Ryan Newman -39 (Holds No. 2 Wild Card spot with one win)
Kasey Kahne -40 (One point behind Newman for No. 2 wild card spot)
Paul Menard -41
Joey Logano -55
Aric Almirola -76
Jeff Burton -83
Marcos Ambrose -84
Juan Pablo Montoya -93
Jeff Gordon -94
Jamie McMurray -94
AJ Allmendinger -113
Mark Martin -122
Regan Smith -130
Kurt Busch -139
Bobby Labonte -139
Casey Mears -171
David Ragan -183
David Gilliland -199
Landon Cassill -218
Travis Kvapil -221
David Reutimann -230
Dave Blaney -232
David Stremme -302

NASCAR At Dover Results: Jimmie Johnson Thoroughly Dominates FedEx 400

2012-06-03T21:04:43Z

For the seventh time in his Sprint Cup career, Jimmie Johnson is a Dover International Speedway race winner. The Hendrick Motorsports driver thoroughly dominated the FedEx 400, leading 289 of the 400 laps for his second win of the 2012 season, the 57th of his Sprint Cup career, and the third-straight points-paying victory for team owner Rick Hendrick.

Kevin Harvick finished second, followed by Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Clint Bowyer. Aric Almirola finished sixth in his first Cup start at Dover, followed by local favorite Martin Truex Jr., Joey Logano, Kasey Kahne, and Marcos Ambrose.

Jeff Gordon led 60 laps and if not for a loose wheel might have denied Johnson the victory. He wound up 13th, coming up three spots shy of his 400th career top-10 finish.

With the end of the race comes the end of the legendary 32-year career of Fox Sports pit reporter Dr. Dick Bergrenn. The 70-year-old is retiring from pit reporting to focus on his magazine and trying to build a museum for race fans in his native Northeast at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Next week's race and the five after will be televised on cable network TNT.

NASCAR At Dover: Caution Flags Set Up FedEx 400 Dash With 50 Laps Remaining

2012-06-03T20:22:58Z

A yellow flag for debris with 61 laps remaining and another for a blown engine by Kurt Busch with 55 to go in the FedEx 400 at Dover International Speedway has given the rest of the field a shot at Jimmie Johnson and likely ended Jeff Gordon's hopes of snatching a win.

Gordon, who had to pit at lap 250 for a loose wheel, took the lead when the other cars pitted under green. He had made his last pit stop 75 laps from the end and was looking to go the rest of the way to win the race and likely would have if not for the yellow flag.

Johnson made a jump on the restart, pulling away from Matt Kenseth and taking teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. with him, but Busch's engine blew immediately therafter to draw the caution flag and give re-bunch the field. Gordon will be able to pit for fresh tires and fuel to carry him to the end as he tries to slice through the field to get the best finish possible.

Johnson leads, ahead of Earnhardt, Kenseth, polesitter Mark Martin, and Kevin Harvick.

NASCAR At Dover: Jimmie Johnson Leads, Jeff Gordon's Struggles Continue

2012-06-03T19:43:21Z

Jeff Gordon's charge to the front of the FedEx 400 field culminated with him taking the lead from Jimmie Johnson and leading 33 laps. Unfortunately, his season of misery has continued as a loose left-rear wheel sent his Chevrolet to pit road under green-flag conditions and has dropped him a lap down to Johnson with just under 150 laps remaining at the Dover International Speedway.

Johnson has reassumed the lead and has largely dominated the day, leading over 170 of the 255 laps run thus far. Matt Kenseth, defending winner of the FedEx 400, runs second. The top-five is completed by Dale Earnhardt Jr., polesitter Mark Martin, and Clint Bowyer.

Joey Logano runs sixth, ahead of Aric Almirola, Brad Keselowski, Kasey Kahne, and Kevin Harvick. Harvick had been among the top-five earlier, but he slid through his pit box during a caution flag pit stop and dropped to 18th-place.

Kyle Busch's recent hot streak is over, as his engine blew just at the halfway mark of the race. He had finished in the top-four in four consecutive points-paying races heading into Sunday, but he will finish no better than 24th.

NASCAR At Dover Update: Jeff Gordon On the Charge

2012-06-03T18:47:50Z

It has been nothing short of a nightmare season for Jeff Gordon thus far. He flipped for the first time in his NASCAR career in the Bud Shootout at Daytona to open the season, then blew an engine in the Daytona 500 nine days later. Accidents, engine failures, and flat tires have come together to put Gordon in the worst position of his career after 12 races, with just one top-five finish.

Through 150 laps of the FedEx 400 at the Dover International Speedway, Gordon is looking to turn the corner in a big way. His No. 24 Chevrolet runs second and is consistently the fastest car on the race track as he looks to track down teammate Jimmie Johnson. Gordon is a four-time Dover winner, including three in a row from 1995-96, and a fifth triumph at the home track for longtime sponsor DuPont would be a huge boost in his bid to turn his year around and make a charge into the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

Kyle Busch holds the third position, ahead of Kevin Harvick and polesitter Mark Martin. The top-10 is completed by Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne, and Clint Bowyer.

FedEx 400 Update: Jimmie Johnson In A Familiar Place - First - At Dover

2012-06-03T18:06:25Z

Last fall at Dover, we chronicled Jimmie Johnson's pursuit of the 2,000 laps-led mark. He was in position to reach the milestone until being passed by Kurt Busch late.

Johnson led the opening six laps of the FedEx 400, spent 23 laps behind polesitter Mark Martin, then reclaimed the lead and has now passed the double-century mark in his 21st start at the Monster Mile. Already a five-time Dover winner, Johnson is off to another terrific start through 50 laps.

Martin still holds second place, while Matt Kenseth, Clint Bowyer, and Kyle Busch round out the top-five. Jeff Gordon, after starting 14th, holds the sixth position, followed by Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman, Denny Hamlin, and Carl Edwards.

Point leader Greg Biffle has backslid to the 14th position and would currently relinquish the top of the standings to Kenseth, his Roush-Fenway Racing teammate.

Of the 13 drivers involved in the lap 9 crash, only Travis Kvapil has returned to the race. Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart remains in the garage in 38th position.

NASCAR At Dover: Big One Claims A Number Of Cars At Lap Nine

2012-06-03T17:33:35Z

Dover International Speedway has a reputation for being one of the most treacherous race tracks when cars are tightly bunched, and a multi-car crash at lap nine of the FedEx 400 has only reinforced that reputation.

Tony Stewart and Landon Cassill made contact racing off of turn two, sending Cassill spinning into the wall. Stewart himself was bumped by Regan Smith and spun, blocking the track and collecting Juan Pablo Montoya, Casey Mears, Travis Kvapil, Michael McDowell, David Gilliland, Dave Blaney, Scott Speed, Stephen Leicht, Reed Sorenson, and Joe Nemechek.

Stewart, the lone driver in the top-10 in points involved in the wreck, continues an up and down season that has seen him win two races but be widely inconsistent. His No. 14 Chevrolet needed a tow to the garage and will likely finish several laps down and drop out of the top-10 in the standings.

The race is stopped after 10 laps, with polesitter Mark Martin holding the race lead. Jimmie Johnson had led the opening six laps before giving way to Martin. Matt Kenseth sits third, followed by Ryan Newman, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Busch, Greg Biffle, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, and Joey Logano.