A week of in racing is possibly the best thing for any team to have early in the season. Â Some teams needed a break because of all the travel, others possibly just wanted a break to see what needed worked on.
Even the top teams need a break to simply look back at what occurred already, and then look ahead to what is next.
Case in point: Â Jimmie Johnson.
Two weeks ago, Martinsville was a track where he was already looked at one of the cars to beat. Â He wasn’t the one necessarily at the top that weekend in the eyes of the garage, that was eventual winner Denny Hamlin. Â However, given his history at such a track, it was certainly a high probability that Johnson would be near or at the front at any point in the race.
Yet, it never happened. Â In fact, they struggled with handling, and would finish worse than mediocre. Â By the standards that this team has set, they were absolutely poor. Â Maybe it was experimentation, or simply they had no handle on the track. Â In any case, they were horrible, so the week off came as a welcome relief to the No. 48 team.
Come Saturday at Texas, it was back to business. Â Johnson would lead the most laps, and once again showed why he is a master of the 1.5-mile tracks, which makes up the bulk of the schedule on the circuit.
He’s back in victory lane once again, and all the memories of Martinsville are gone. Â Two wins this year, it’s a guarantee he will be in the Chase, something he’s done every year since its inception.
Looks like “Six-Time” is back, then again, he really never went anywhere.
RESULTS:  1-Johnson  2-Harvick  3-Earnhardt Jr.  4-Logano  5-Keselowski  6-McMurray  7-Gordon  8-Kahne  9-Truex Jr.  10-Edwards
NOTABLE FINISHES:  11-Hamlin  23-Kenseth  24-Stewart
CAUTIONS: Â 8 for 40 laps. Â Lap 33-36 (#33 Spin-T4), 110-113 (Debris-T2), 173-176 (Debris-T3), 229-234 (#20 Spin-T4), 251-255 (#46 Accident-T2), 261-269 (#51 Accident-T3), 296-299 (Debris-T3), 310-313 (#47 Accident-T3&4).
LEAD CHANGES: Â 29 among 9 drivers. Â Busch POLE, Harvick 1-33, Busch 34-36, Harvick 37, Busch 38-79, Gordon 80-81, Keselowski 82-108, Johnson 109, Harvick 110, Johnson 111-124, Harvick 125-155, Johnson 156, Harvick 157, Kahne 158-159, Johnson 160-172, Harvick 173, Johnson 174-220, Menard 221, Kahne 222-225, Johnson 226-228, Harvick 229, Johnson 230-250, Harvick 251, Johnson 252-265, Logano 266-284, Harvick 285-310, McMurray 311-312, Gordon 313, McMurray 314-320, Johnson 321-334.
TIME OF RACE: Â 3 Hrs, 33 Mins, 57 Secs.
AVERAGE SPEED: Â 140.500 MPH
MARGIN OF VICTORY: Â 1.107 Seconds
POINT STANDINGS: Â 1. Harvick, 306 points*; 2. Logano, -26*; 3. Truex Jr, -40; 4. Keselowski, -60*; 5. Kahne, -76; 6. Johnson, -90*; 7. Earnhardt Jr, -93; 8. Hamlin, -101*; 9. Almirola, -111; 10. Ragan, -112.
*Chase Eligible
