Ford 400 race notes: Timing bad for Truex

Denny Hamlin pits after sustaining damage to the front right splitter after a spin on the 24^th lap of the Ford 400 on Sunday. (Photo: Getty Images)

 

HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Martin Truex had a solid shot to win the Ford 400 until a right-rear tire cost him a lap on the 199^th lap of the Sprint Cup finale.

While championship contenders Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick paid attention to each other, Truex and Carl Edwards dominated the race.

When Truex’s Toyota suddenly slowed, Johnson narrowly missed hitting him. Truex was barely out of the pits when Jeff Gordon’s blown engine brought out a yellow flag, but Truex wasn’t in position to get the lap back.

Under caution, bad blood between Joey Logano apparently led Montoya, who had clashed with Logano earlier in the race, to ram Logano’s Toyota. Mission apparently accomplished, Montoya’s Chevy retired to the garage area.

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SICKENING FEELING--The first gasp occurred on the 24^th lap of the Ford 400. That’s when the Sprint Cup point leader, Denny Hamlin, spun on the back straight and was fortunate not to have his hopes dashed.

Hamlin’s Toyota tangled with Greg Biffle’s Ford off turn two. In radio communication with his crew, Hamlin blamed Biffle, but the replay did not support his view. When the cars sideswiped, most of the movement seemed to be the No. 11 (Hamlin) drifting into the No. 16.

Luck favored Hamlin, whose Toyota wasn’t seriously damaged even after it spun around and around for half the length of the Homestead-Miami Speedway back straight.

The perils weren’t over. On the 67^th lap, Hamlin had to make an unscheduled pit stop.

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WHAT’S IT TAKE?--On lap 140, Hamlin miraculously avoided a back-straight crash that began with contact between his JGR teammate, Joey Logano, and Juan Pablo Montoya.

The 164^th lap produced a caution when the Raybestos Only Rookie of the Year, Kevin Conway, spun in turn four.

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POINT/COUNTERPOINT--Kevin Harvick led the field out of the pits on the 189^th lap, apparently meaning he had secured five bonus points for leading a lap. NASCAR officials then penalized Harvick for speeding entering pit road, which Harvick strenuously protested.

In radio conversation to his crew, Harvick said it was “impossible” because he trailed the No. 56, Martin Truex, down pit road. NASCAR provided alleged documentation to Harvick’s crew chief, Gil Martin, that did not come close to placating Harvick.

The penalty stripped Harvick of the bonus points.

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ONE LEADS TO ANOTHER--No caution flag waved when the cars of Kurt Busch and David Reutimann tangled on the fourth lap, but the crumpled right-front fender on Reutimann’s Toyota led to the first yellow.

On lap 18, Reutimann’s tire, undoubtedly rubbing since the earlier incident, exploded, sending the No. 00 into the wall a second time, this time on the opposite end of the track from the first incident.

Source: http://nascar.rbma.com/on-track/races/33422-ford-400-race-notes-timing-bad-for-truex

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