Race 4 - Kobalt Tools 500

Race 4 - Kobalt Tools 500
The NASCAR Nextel Cup Series' next stop on the 36-race schedule featured the high banks of Atlanta Motor Speedway, the always-exciting 1.5 mile quad-oval. For those fans who watch for the crashes...the term always-exciting may not apply in your minds. The Kobalt Tools 500, the 4th race of the season, featured just 1 caution flag for debris during the event, with 4 DNFs, all due to the engine woes.

Jimmie Johnson won the pole for the event, snapping Clint Bowyer's run of 3 straight poles to open the season. Johnson would become the story of the afternoon, as Chad Knaus and the #48 Lowe's team thoroughly dominated the afternoon. Johnson immediately jumped out front, and led the first 58 laps until Travis Kvapil passed him. Johnson only led Kvapil lead for one lap, though, and continued to lead until he made his first pit stop of the event. After Elliott Sadler and Kevin Harvick briefly led, Kvapil recycled to the front on lap 68, only to be passed by Johnson on lap 76. Once again, a green flag run was dominated by Johnson. Ryan Newman was the first to overtake him, but only because Johnson once again hit pit road for his scheduled green flag stop on lap 127. Sadler and Jeff Gordon both took a short turn up front, but Johnson kept rolling along, getting back to the leed by by lap 134.

Johnson led until the one and only caution on lap 147, and continued to lead after the restart on lap 151. For yet another run, nobody could come close to catching Johnson, as he only gave up the lead for his next pit stop on lap 212. Harvick and Matt Kenseth grabbed 5 bonus points, while Johnson got back to the lead by lap 216. Kurt Busch, meanwhile, had surfaced within a half-second of the 48 car, courtesy of two brilliant 11.9 second 4-tire pit stops by his RCR crew.

Busch would become the first driver since Kvapil's brief moment of glory on lap 59 to pass Johnson for the lead under green flag conditions without Johnson pitting when the #33 car got to the lead on lap 233. Johnson wouldn't be denied, however, as he moved right back in front after a lap. Johnson continued to lead laps, but Busch managed to hang around much more successfully than any other driver the rest of the afternoon. While Johnson led every lap until his final pit stop on lap 275, Busch was within 2 seconds, stalking the leader.

After stops cycled through, Johnson held a 2 tenths of a second lead on Busch, with 45 laps to go. 6 laps later, Busch attempted his move, and succeeded. Johnson took it right back as he had done all race long, however. Busch, however, had been saving his tires early in the run, and compensated for the light usage with a divebomb pass into turn 1 on lap 286. Busch would come out of turn 2 with the lead, and somehow, managed to keep Johnson at bay for the remainder of the race. Kevin Harvick finished 3rd, Jeremy Mayfield earned his 50th career top 5 with a 4th place finish, and the winner of the previous 2 races, Matt Kenseth, rounded out the top 5.

Results:


Standings:

"This weekend wasn't what we wanted. We ran right about where we qualified. We've got to start passing cars. Aric is developing, and I'm sure we'll get that team to where it needs to be by the end of the year. As for this week, it'll be a fun time at the shop, preparing for our R&D team's second attempted start of the season, with a driver new to the sport."

Jack Roush quote: I'm not very happy with our team's performance today. Matt had another solid race, but I feel like that's the only team that's in good shape right now. Greg got a top 10 finish but he was a mediocre car for most of the afternoon and even said he had a 12th place car. Carl had looked like he would be a force to be reckoned with the last 2 races, but he really regressed this afternoon; I don't think he ever cracked the top 13 or 14 or something like that. And Todd. I am at a loss for words regarding the #6 team. I am ashamed and embarrassed for the guys that work on the Tide car, I've never had 4 consecutive races with a Roush engine failing, and definitely never had 4 consecutive races with the same team having an engine failure. He's running decently when he is on track, but his track time is really getting limited at this point and with a track he has never raced on before next week, I'm already accepting that we're going to head to Martinsville with the #6 car having to get in the race on speed.

Matt Kenseth post-race comments: That was a long, grueling race. This place has never been easy to drive but having just one caution flag really made me feel the burn by the end of it. I'm proud of the pit guys, it was a stressful day for them with mostly green flag stops and not much time to adjust the car. To get a 5th place is a really nice reward, I'd say we were about a 9th place car so I'm really happy.

Greg Biffle post-race comments: We got what, and 8th place finish? 9th? Something in there. Either way it was much better than we ran. It's early in the season and Matt and Carl have generally run well so I know we'll get things figured out, but right now we don't have the speed we are looking for.

Carl Edwards post-race comments: Really bad race today. The back end was sliding all over the place and we just couldn't get any grip to use the speed we had in the car. We'll move on and make this a learning experience.

Todd Kluever declined his post-race interview.