Page 21 - Aruba Today
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SPORTS A21
Monday 9 November 2015
Johnson passes Keselowski
late for 4th Texas fall win in row
STEPHEN HAWKINS Keselowski almost as quick- about Kenseth’s tweet. Jimmie Johnson fires pistols in victory lane after winning the
AP Sports Writer ly got back in front, and “That’s a nice buzz word. ... NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Texas Motor Speedway
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) Johnson also went charg- Thank you, buddy. I don’t in Fort Worth, Texas, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2015.
— Brad Keselowski was ing past Truex into second know how to even answer
dominating at Texas, lead- place and right on the that.” Associated Press
ing lap after lap and get- leader’s tail. Truex lost his Logano’s title shot took
ting oh so close to a victory power steering in those another huge hit when he
that would have given one closing laps, and slipped to had a blown tire after only
of the four championship- finish eighth. 10 laps at Texas, where he
contending spots in the Johnson kept pushing and finished 66 laps back in
Chase for the Sprint Cup on the backstretch on lap 40th place.
finale. 331, he got past when Ke- Johnson led only six laps
Until Texas fall favorite Jim- selowski got really loose to get his fifth win of the
mie Johnson came charg- out of the second turn. season, his first in 20 starts
ing after the final restart. Johnson went on to win by and one within Dale Earn-
Keselowski led a track-re- more than a second. hardt for the seventh-most
cord 312 of 334 laps Sun- “That was the first I had in NASCAR history. The No.
day after starting from the seen him that vulnerable 48 Chevrolet also won the
pole, but couldn’t keep all day. I just kept the pres- spring race at Texas and is
Johnson from winning the sure on him, kept search- the first driver to win three
Texas fall race for the fourth ing for line,” Johnson said. consecutive Cup races at
straight year. “I did everything I could the high-banked, 1 1/2-
“Just one step short of hav- to hold him off but he was mile track.q
ing the awesome day we way faster that last run,”
needed to have,” Kesel- Keselowski said. “As I sit
owski said. “I’m not sure ex- right now, and maybe I’ll
actly how to feel about it change my mind, I don’t
at the moment. The 48 car know what I would have
had so much speed those done differently, or could
last 10 laps.” have done differently.”
With the already-eliminat- Minutes after the race, sus-
ed Johnson getting his pended driver Matt Kens-
75th career victory, three eth tweeted, “Good work
spots are still up for grabs @JimmieJohnson! Text-
at Phoenix, the last race book pass for the win at
before the Nov. 22 finale at the end of the race when
Homestead-Miami Speed- someone is trying to take
way. The only champion- your lane. #quintessential”
ship contender set is retir- After Logano chalked up
ing four-time champion contact with Kenseth at
Jeff Gordon, the Martins- Kansas last month as ag-
ville winner last week and gressive racing for a win,
Johnson’s teammate at NASCAR chairman Brian
Hendrick Motorsports. France referred to the
Kyle Busch leads the points move as “quintessential.”
race for at least two of the Logano got knocked from
spots, ahead of defend- first to last among the eight
ing Chase champion Kevin championship contend-
Harvick and Martin Truex ers after being intention-
Jr. Carl Edwards is next, fol- ally wrecked by Kenseth
lowed by Keselowski, Kurt at Martinsville a week ago
Busch and Joey Logano. as payback. NASCAR then
After the final restart with suspended Kenseth for
18 laps left, Keselowski and two races, and his appeals
Truex were side-by-side, were denied.
and even made contact “Clearly he was watch-
at one point before Truex ing and bored at home,”
went in front very briefly. Johnson said, when asked
