Mark Martin knew he had to save gas to have any chance of winning the Nationwide Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Even then, he was going to need some help.
He got it when leader Brad Keselowski cut a tire on the final lap of Saturday’s race, and Martin sailed past him for the victory. It was the fourth win in six Nationwide races at Las Vegas for Martin.
“I can’t gloat. If Brad hadn’t of had a tire problem, he looked like he would win,” Martin said. “All I could do is make sure we didn’t run out of gas.” The Associated Press
It was the fourth time Martin has won at Las Vegas. His last victory in Nationwide came at this track in 2008.
Martin gave Turner Motorsports its first win in the series. He is driving in four races for the team this year.
Martin, who didn’t think he had enough gas to get to the finish, then sailed by for his Nationwide-leading 49th career victory.
“[Crew chief] Trent Owens deserves this one,” said Martin, who led only the final lap. “He made the right calls. The only chance we had was to save, save, save. There was no other way. I just decided that I wasn’t going to run out of gas.”
Justin Allgaier’s second-place run gave Turner a 1-2 finish at Las Vegas. Keselowski limped home third. MiamiHerald.com
The race, however, will be remembered for Danica Patrick’s history making run.
Patrick placed fourth, the best finish for a woman in a national NASCAR race since Sara Christian was fifth at Pittsburgh in 1949.
“We just had a good car, that’s all I can say. That’s what makes a difference in these things,” said Patrick. “I know I haven’t had the best results, especially in NASCAR, but we’re getting them now.”
Patrick came back from a lap down and worked her way into the top 10, then capitalized when most of the drivers ahead of her had to make late fuel stops. That included pole-sitter Carl Edwards, who gave up the lead to pit late.
It put Patrick inside the top five, where she improved on her previous career-best finish of 14th, earned at Daytona last month. It’s the 16th race of her NASCAR career.
“I don’t know. I don’t think about trying to achieve the highest finish of a female,” she said. “I think about trying to win the race.” Las Vegas Sun
Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne finished fifth Saturday, followed by Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Stenhouse, Jason Leffler and Kenny Wallace.
Busch had opened a lead of more than 10 seconds after a round of green-flag pit stops early in the race, as Kevin Harvick, Edwards, Keselowski and Hamlin all had issues on pit road. NASCAR, however called a caution on Lap 65 because of fluid on the race track, and Busch’s lead evaporated. NASCAR.com
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NASCAR Nationwide Series: Sam’s Town 300 at Las Vegas - Race Results
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