Another good race and another wrecked race car. That’s the
story of Johnny Benson’s race at Kansas Speedway on Sunday
and a microcosm of a frustrating season.
Benson wasn’t hurt after slamming the
wall and his car catching fire with just 5 laps to go in
Sunday’s 400-mile race. With his four fresh tires, Benson
was charging to the front of the field and appeared destined
for at least a top seven finish.
Going into turns three and four he
encountered the lapped car of Jimmy Spencer who had wrecked
Greg Biffle earlier in the race.
"It just looked like (Spencer) wanted
to take me down in the grass,” said Benson who finished
23rd. “Then, I went underneath him and got on the apron. I
slid up into him after that. We were just sliding and got
hit. Guys just do a lot of blocking. I don't know, maybe he
was moving down to the grass to let me by on the outside.
But, I was already committed underneath him. Then, I ran
into him after I hit the apron."
For Benson, Spencer’s encounter ended
a great race but it also ruined his favorite race car.
"We had a pretty good run. The
Valvoline Pontiac had run pretty good. But we were going to
run this car the rest of the year. That's the only bad
thing. But, we've got some more,” Benson said. "I hate it. I
tore up a really good race car. We were just trying to do
the best we can, but it didn't end up on the best note."
In the first half of the race Benson
did everything he could to avoid trouble as the caution flag
flew numerous times for crashes. Benson moved from 35th to
the lead through some daring driving, pit strategy, and fast
pit stops including a 13.8-second stop – the Valvoline
team’s best of the season.
“We were just adjusting throughout the
day and kept improving Benson said. "The guys in the pits
were getting me in and out as well as they have all year."
Benson was running seventh when a
debris caution fell with less than 15 laps remaining in the
race. Benson came to the pits for four new tires while most
leaders ahead of him stayed on the track or only took only
two tires.
With the new rubber, he expected to
have an advantage on the competition and he did.
Benson restarted the race in 10th and
had climbed to eighth when he and Spencer collided.
Jeff Gordon dominated the second half
of the race Sunday but Benson’s accident brought out the red
flag to conclude lap 262. After a delay of 13:16 min. the
final green flag flew at lap 265 of 267. Once again, Gordon
easily pulled away and led Ryan Newman across the finish
line.
Benson’s chances for a career first
victory were hampered at New Hampshire two weeks ago when
Rusty Wallace and Benson collided. The pair collided again
early in the race Sunday but Benson managed to avoid
wrecking.
Race Results
1 Jeff Gordon
2 Ryan Newman *
3 Rusty Wallace
4 Joe Nemechek
5 Bill Elliott
6 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
7 Matt Kenseth
8 Tony Stewart
9 Jeremy Mayfield
10 Jimmie Johnson *
11 Kevin Harvick
12 Terry Labonte
13 Robby Gordon
14 John Andretti
15 Kyle Petty
16 Kenny Wallace
17 Jeff Green
18 Elliott Sadler
19 Mike Wallace
20 Ricky Rudd
21 Dave Blaney
22 Bobby Labonte
23 Johnny Benson
24 Jimmy Spencer
25 Mark Martin
26 Michael Waltrip
27 Jerry Nadeau
28 Ken Schrader
29 Jeff Burton
30 Steve Park
31 Kurt Busch
32 Mike Skinner
33 Sterling Marlin
34 Todd Bodine
35 Jack Sprague
36 Greg Biffle
37 Stuart Kirby
38 Ricky Craven
39 Dale Jarrett
40 Morgan Shepherd
41 Tony Raines
42 Casey Atwood
43 Ward Burton
