The No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team provided the equipment for a strong qualifying effort and the fastest lap to help propel Jimmie Johnson to Victory Lane at the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway on Sunday.
With a “Booyah” from the driver seat, the No. 48 Lowe’s team captured the victory as well as the Goodyear Gatorback Fastest Lap of the Race, MAHLE Clevite Engine Builder of the Race and the Sunoco Diamond Performance awards.
The awards are part of the NASCAR Prize Money and Decal Program, also referred to as the contingency program, which provides teams prize money and weekly awards based on performance in several categories.
After qualifying second, Johnson turned the fastest lap of the race on the fifth lap with a speed of 91.73 mph to help him take the lead, which he held for the next 20 laps keeping him near the front for the final push. For that effort the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet took home the Goodyear Gatorback Fastest Lap of the Race award, their first of the season.
“I think we kind of found our direction early in the weekend,” said Johnson, “Just made small changes and kept making it a little bit better. We led a lot of laps today, which was really nice to do. We had to make some good passes at times. Feel like it was a complete day, complete weekend.”
All day long, the No. 48 car relied on its strong power plant and was awarded the team’s third MAHLE Clevite Engine Builder of the Race honor, which is given weekly based on qualifying and finishing position.
“It was a great day for the Lowe’s team,” said car chief Ron Malec. “We were good off the truck, stuck to our plan and finally got that road-course victory we’ve been searching for. It was such a great effort by every member of the team. Jimmie, the guys in the 24/48 shop, the engine department – everyone has put so much energy in this win it’s pretty cool to have that all come full circle. Earning awards for fastest lap, top engine builder and overall performance really shows what an accomplishment and team effort this was.”
As the highest finishing eligible driver, Johnson picked up his fourth Sunoco Diamond Performance award of the year.
Official winners of this week’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Prize Money & Decal Program special awards include:
· COORS LIGHT POLE AWARD: Kasey Kahne (93.893 mph. 76.300 secs.)
· DIRECTV CREW CHIEF OF THE RACE AWARD: Kenny Francis (crew chief for Kasey Kahne)
· GOODYEAR GATORBACK BELTS FASTEST LAP AWARD: Jimmie Johnson (91.73 mph, Lap 5)
· MAHLE CLEVITE ENGINE BUILDER OF THE RACE AWARD: No. 48 Lowe’s (Chevrolet Hendrick)
· MOBIL 1 “COMMAND PERFORMANCE DRIVER OF THE RACE” AWARD: Robby Gordon
· MOOG CHASSIS PARTS PROBLEM SOLVER OF THE RACE AWARD: Frank Kerr (crew chief for Marcos Ambrose)
· O’REILLY AUTO PARTS POSITION IMPROVEMENT AWARD: Jan Magnussen (20 places)
· RAYBESTOS ROOKIE OF THE RACE AWARD: Kevin Conway
· SUNOCO DIAMOND PERFORMANCE AWARD: Jimmie Johnson
· TISSOT “PIT ROAD PRECISION” AWARD: Boris Said (116.717 sec.)
· WIX FILTERS LAP LEADER AWARD: Marcos Ambrose (35 laps)
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