Homestead: Kenseth wins, Johnson clinches 2nd title

HOMESTEAD, FL – Matt Kenseth spoiled Jimmie Johnson's bid for his fifth consecutive victory, but the defending NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champion rolled home seventh on Sunday to capture his second championship on a memorable day at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Kenseth's win, for example, was somewhat of a going-away present for longtime crew chief Robbie Reiser, who becomes General Manager of Roush-Fenway Racing's five-car stable next season. It capped a season in which Kenseth made the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup championship and fell out of sight after the first five of the 10-race season showdown. He roared back to post five consecutive top-five finishes, including Sunday's hard-earned win over the 1.5-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The race was also the last for one of NASCAR's grittiest competitors, Ricky Rudd, who had 906 starts in his career, including Sunday's race. In a touch of irony, Rudd started his final race in a car owned by Robert Yates, one of the sport's long-standing, successful car owners, who has turned the reigns to Robert Yates Racing over to his son, Doug.

Fans will remember this one also as the race four-time champion Jeff Gordon established a new NASCAR record with 30 top-10 finishes in a season. Gordon finished fourth in Sunday's run, 77 points behind his teammate Johnson in the championship chase.

Rick Hendrick had a memorable day as well. The popular owner was beaming from ear to ear after his cars finished 1-2 in the championship. First-place point fund money is more than $6 million dollars. It was the seventh car owner championship for Hendrick.

Trailing Kenseth across the finish line were Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin, Gordon, Carl Edwards, Martin Truex, Jr., Johnson, Jeff Burton, veteran Mark Martin and rookie David Ragan.

Both Busch and Burton rallied back from problems to finish in the top 10. Former champion Tony Stewart, who challenged for most of the day, lost control of his Chevy with 14 laps to go and slammed the outside wall to bring out the day's seventh and final caution flag.

Truex, who ran strong and led the race at one time, became a casualty of pit crew strategy on the final stop. His team put on two tires instead of four hoping to help Truex with track position. It might have had it not been for the final caution. Once the race was resumed, drivers who had changed four tires zipped past Truex like he was standing still.

Johnson charged away when the green flag waved and battled Ryan Newman until he led a lap for the five bonus points going to every driver leading a lap. He quickly backed off a little and settled in for his championship chase.

Jeff Burton brushed the wall after just six laps, which cost him a lap when he pitted.

Dale Earnhardt's day, his last as a driver for his late father's Dale Earnhardt, Inc, team, was a dismal one. Dale, Jr., misjudged his speed coming into the pits, slid off in the grass and was spun by Kyle Busch when he pulled back on track at the pit entrance.

Things went from bad top worse for Dale, Jr., on a later restart when Jeff Burton hit the No. 8 from the rear, sending it into the outside wall on the front straightaway.

Kenseth, one of the hottest drivers in the season's last five events, was a contender from the beginning, swapping the lead with Kurt Busch and Newman. Newman lost a lot of track position when he spun on lap 149.

Kenseth continued to flex his speed at the halfway point while Johnson settled in back in the ninth position. Denny Hamlin showed some speed at this point in the race and Martin Truex, Jr. was running in the top five.

Gordon had moved into the top five but didn't appear to be a threat to win the race. Johnson, at this point, seemed to be biding time, logging laps and trying to stay out of trouble.

Results

* Denotes Rookie