Defending NEXTEL Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson moved into the top spot in the series standings for the third time in eight events by taking his third consecutive and series-leading ninth win by 0.944 of a second over Roush-Fenway Racing driver Matt Kenseth at Texas Motor Speedway Nov. 4. Johnson and his No. 48 car battled Kenseth and his No. 17 machine for top honors during the final seven-lap segment of the race. Johnson, who took four tires on to his car during a late-race pit stop while Kenseth added two, grabbed the lead for good on Lap 332 and stayed on point through the closing three circuits.
Martin Truex, Jr., placed third, Kyle Busch crossed the finish line fourth and Ryan Newman completed the race top five. Johnson gained a total of 39 points on previous Chase for the NEXTEL Cup leader and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon, who charted his 28th top-10 finish of the season through 34 starts with a seventh-place showing. He earned his second straight seventh-place finish and sixth consecutive top-10 finish. Gordon shows second in the Chase standings for the third time.
Overall, half of the 12 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup drivers – Jeff Burton (sixth at Texas), Kevin Harvick (10th at Texas), Kurt Busch (eighth at Texas), Denny Hamlin (29th at Texas), Truex, Jr., and Kenseth were mathematically eliminated from the championship hunt. Clint Bowyer (19th at Texas), Carl Edwards (26th at Texas), Tony Stewart (11th at Texas) and Kyle Busch can still win the series title with just two races remaining on the schedule. Kyle Busch led a group of four drivers who gained spots in the Chase standings. He moved up two positions to fourth with his third top-five finish in his past four starts.
Four drivers lost positions in the standings while four held their spots. The series makes its second stop of the season at Phoenix International Nov. 11. Race coverage begins at 3:00 p. m., on ABC, the Motor Racing Radio Network (MRN) and Sirius Satellite Radio Channel 128. Gordon won the April 21 race at the track from the pole position, Johnson placed fourth and Bowyer drove across the finish line 22nd.
The top-12 in the series standings are: Johnson (Leader: 6,382 points, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet), Gordon, (Second: -30, Hendrick Motorports, Chevrolet), Bowyer (Third: -181, Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet), Kyle Busch (Fourth: -339, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet), Edwards (Fifth: -357, Roush-Fenway Racing, Ford), Stewart (Sixth: -373, Joe Gibbs Racing, Chevrolet), Burton (Seventh: -431, Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet), Harvick (Eighth: -439, Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet), Kurt Busch (Ninth: -453, Penske Racing, Dodge), Kenseth (Tenth: -454, Roush-Fenway Racing, Ford), Hamlin (11th: -524, Joe Gibbs Racing, Chevrolet (tied)), and Truex, Jr., (11th: -524, Dale Earnhardt, Inc., Chevrolet (tied)).
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