WIX FILTERS LAP LEADER NOTES FOR THE SUBWAY FRESH FIT 500 NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES RACE AT PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY, APRIL 12, 2008.
Jimmie Johnson led four times for 120 laps to earn WIX Filters Lap Leader of the Race honors in tonight’s Subway Fresh Fit 500. Johnson captured the award for the third time this season and for the second consecutive race. He has led at least one lap in six of the eight Sprint Cup races this season for a total of 411 laps.
Johnson won tonight’s race, crossing the finish line 7.002 seconds ahead of second-place Clint Bowyer. The victory was Johnson’s first of the 2008 season and his fourth top-five finish.
UNOFFICIALLY Johnson is fourth in the Sprint Cup Series championship standings, 99 points behind leader Jeff Burton. Johnson is 13 points behind third-place Dale Earnhardt Jr. and four ahead of fifth-place Kevin Harvick.
JOHNSON QUOTES: WHAT WERE YOUR THOUGHTS DURING THE FINAL LAPS? “Before that, we restarted I guess 14th. It was real tough to keep track position at the end of the race. We led a lot at the beginning and then a little off on fuel strategy and just had to fight back through all those cars and with the lap cars and everything it made it really tough. I can’t tell you how good the race car was and how much fun I had the entire day. And then that last run with 80 laps left in the event, restart 14th with all the lap cars and get up to the 11 and the 8 and be right up there on those guys said a lot about the car that we had. The fact that we were able to save fuel the car was handling really well. The guys peeled off and once they started peeling off Chad [Knaus, crew chief] was reading me splits and I just kind of maintained. I tried to keep the thing alive and keep it running and bring it on home.”
Johnson and Kyle Busch are tied for the lead (3-3) in the overall WIX Filters Lap Leader standings.
WIX FILTERS LAP LEADER AWARD STANDINGS
Kyle Busch 3
Jimmie Johnson 3
Tony Stewart 1
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1
WIX FILTERS LAP LEADER AWARD WINNERS BY RACE
EVENT DRIVER
Daytona 500 Kyle Busch, 86 laps
Auto Club 500 Jimmie Johnson, 76 laps
UAW-Dodge 400 Kyle Busch, 56 laps
Kobalt Tools 500 Kyle Busch, 173 laps
Food City 500 Tony Stewart, 267 laps
Goody’s Cool Orange 500 Dale Earnhardt Jr., 148 laps
Samsung 500 Jimmie Johnson, 65 laps
Subway Fresh Fit 500 Jimmie Johnson, 120 laps
