JIMMIE JOHNSON LEADS TEAM CHEVY WITH THIRD PLACE FINISH IN LAS VEGAS
Six Chevy SS Drivers in Top 10
LAS VEGAS – (Mar. 6, 2016) – Six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, Jimmie Johnson, led a group of six Team Chevy drivers to the finish in his No. 48 Kobalt Chevrolet SS at the Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the third round of the 2016 season. The start of the 400-mile race was delayed 26 minutes by a passing rain shower; and weather continued to be a challenge with gusty winds and sandstorms.
“It was gusty and problematic, but I expected it to be a lot worse,” said Johnson, who led 76 of the 267-lap event. “I guess when you are going 200 mph a 30 or 40 mph wind doesn’t bother it too much. It was exciting. The trash was probably the biggest problem, trying to keep the trash off the grille.”
Austin Dillon, pilot of the No. 3 Dow Energy & Water Intellifresh Chevy SS, rallied back from a speeding violation on pit road to take a solid fifth place finish, giving Team Chevy two of the top five in the final order.
Kevin Harvick was seventh in his No. 4 Jimmy John’s Chevy SS, and Dale Earnhardt Jr., earned an eighth place finish in his No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet SS. Kurt Busch, who won the Kobalt 400 pole position and led 32 laps in front of his hometown Las Vegas crowd, brought home a ninth place finish in his No. 41 Monster Energy/Haas Automation Chevy SS. Kasey Kahne rounded out the Top-10 in his No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet SS.
Brad Keselowski (Ford) was the race winner, Joey Logano (Ford) was second, and Kyle Busch (Toyota) finished fourth.
The Series continues its West Coast Swing at Phoenix International Raceway next Sunday, March 13.