For the third consecutive year, the #10 Valvoline Pontiac driver has come to NASCAR’s newest track and been a threat to win the race. But just like the previous races something happened near the end of the race to ruin his day.

On Sunday, Benson moved as high as third and appeared to be as fast as any car on the track. Then the bad luck reared its head like it did in 2001 when Benson was in second place and his engine broke. Or like last year when he was destined for a top-10 finish and got caught up in a wreck in the closing laps.

On Sunday he was fourth on lap 209 ready to resume his charge to the front when he and Dale Earnhardt Jr. collided under caution. The damage on the Valvoline car’s right side was so extensive he had to give up track position and come in for repairs. He returned to the track mired deep in the field and with just 30 laps to go it seemed he would settle for a top-15 finish.

But things got worse. Mark Martin hit Benson on the frontstretch on lap 238 sending him into the wall ending his afternoon in Kansas.

Benson literally didn’t know what hit him.

“I was just riding down the frontstretch and the next thing I know I got turned around. I’m not sure who was behind me, but they ran into us. It’s the first time I’ve wrecked on the straightaway, which is kind of odd,” Benson said. “The Valvoline Pontiac was running pretty good and I thought we were going to have a pretty good run, but we got the fender knocked off by Junior doing that lucky dog deal and that put us behind. It’s our fault for getting ourselves in that position.”

Benson said Sunday’s race could have turned the season around.  “It is hard to describe how disappointed all of us are right now,” Benson said after being checked out at the medical center. “Our guys worked really hard all weekend and gave me one of the fastest cars on the track. We really thought we had something for them today and then all that happens. It’s just real disappointing.”

Benson’s early race was a slow steady march to the front as the crew worked to perfect the handling of the Pontiac. “It’s just sliding the nose in the turns,” Benson said. “Lets keep doing four tires and I think it will come to us in the long runs.”

That it did.  Benson moved to eighth during a pit sequence on lap 106 then drove past the next five spots to move into third.  “The only car here that can match you is (Bill Elliott) so just be smooth and take car of this thing,” Interim Crew Chief Jay Guy told Benson. But on lap 209 Dale Earnhardt Jr. was driving up on the right side of Benson to make up his lap and Earnhardt’s left rear hit Benson’s right front damaging the sheet metal. Benson was forced to pit road and returned to the track in 21st.

“Track position is everything here,” Benson said. “Your car handles one way in clean air and another way in dirty air and I think everyone was having trouble in dirty air today.”  Benson turned in some decent times but not like he had before. Late in the race Mark Martin approached Benson and the two made contact on the frontstretch sending Benson into the wall and leaving him with a 35th- place finish.

The race ran caution free after Benson's accident with Ryan Newman stretching fuel mileage to gain the victory.

Benson and his teammates return to action Saturday night at Charlotte.

Sunday's race results and points awarded

1. (12) Ryan Newman, Dodge, 180 - 5 bonus points

2. (9) Bill Elliott, Dodge, 180 - 10 bonus points

3. (19) Jeremy Mayfield, Dodge, 170 - 5 bonus points

4. (20) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 160

5. (24) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 155

6. (29) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 150

7. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 151 - 5 bonus points

8. (42) Jamie McMurray, Dodge, 142

9. (2) Rusty Wallace, Dodge, 143 - 5 bonus points

10. (21) Ricky Rudd, Ford, 134

11. (54) Todd Bodine, Ford, 130

12. (16) Greg Biffle, Ford, 127

13. (99) Jeff Burton, Ford, 124

14. (35) Bobby Hamilton Jr., Ford, 121

15. (7) Jimmy Spencer, Dodge, 118

16. (5) Terry Labonte, Chevrolet, 115

17. (18) Bobby Labonte, Chevrolet, 117 - 5 bonus points

18. (8) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 114 - 5 bonus points

19. (1) John Andretti, Chevrolet, 106

20. (6) Mark Martin, Ford, 103

21. (22) Ward Burton, Dodge, 100

22. (30) Steve Park, Chevrolet, 97

23. (45) Kyle Petty, Dodge, 94

24. (41) Casey Mears, Dodge, 91

25. (31) Robby Gordon, Chevrolet, 88

26. (74) Tony Raines, Chevrolet, 85

27. (43) Jeff Green, Dodge, 82

28. (49) Ken Schrader, Dodge, 79

29. (01) Mike Skinner, Pontiac, 81 - 5 bonus points

30. (0) Jason Leffler, Pontiac, 78 - 5 bonus points

31. (23) Kenny Wallace, Dodge, 70

32. (09) Mike Wallace, Dodge, 67

33. (88) Dale Jarrett, Ford, 69 - 5 bonus points

35. (10) Johnny Benson, Pontiac, 58

36. (17) Matt Kenseth, Ford, 55

37. (25) Joe Nemechek, Chevrolet, 52

38. (37) Derrike Cope, Chevrolet, 49

39. (15) Michael Waltrip, Chevrolet, 46

40. (97) Kurt Busch, Ford, 48 - 5 bonus points

41. (32) Ricky Craven, Pontiac, 40

42. (38) Elliott Sadler, Ford, 37

43. (77) Dave Blaney, Ford, 34

Time of race: 3 hours, 17 minutes, 34 seconds.

Margin of victory: 0.863 seconds.

Caution flags: 9 for 46 laps.

Lead changes: 23 among 11 drivers.

Lap leaders: J.Johnson 0; M.Skinner 1; D.Earnhardt Jr 2-4; R.Wallace 5;

D.Earnhardt Jr 6-11; R.Wallace 12-17; B.Elliott 18-56; R.Wallace 57-58;

D.Jarrett 59; B.Labonte 60-61; K.Busch 62-63; B.Elliott 64-69; R.Wallace 70-82;

D.Jarrett 83-106; J.Leffler 107-110; R.Wallace 111; J.Leffler 112; J.Johnson

113-130; B.Elliott 131-159; J.Johnson 160; B.Elliott 161-201; J.Johnson 202;

J.Mayfield 203-239; R.Newman 240-267.

Updated Winston Cup standings 1. Matt Kenseth, 4282 2. Kevin Harvick, 4023 3.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., 3957 4. Ryan Newman, 3918 5. Jimmie Johnson, 3902 6. Jeff

Gordon, 3862 7. Bobby Labonte, 3645 8. Tony Stewart, 3616 9. Kurt Busch, 3575

10. Terry Labonte, 3511 11. Michael Waltrip, 3432 12. Robby Gordon, 3409 13.

Bill Elliott, 3382 14. Rusty Wallace, 3382 15. Jeff Burton, 3369 16. Mark

Martin, 3234 17. Jamie McMurray, 3231 18. Greg Biffle, 3111 19. Ward Burton,

3042 20. Jeremy Mayfield, 3040 21. Sterling Marlin, 3019 22. Ricky Rudd, 3014

23. Elliott Sadler, 2992 24. Ricky Craven, 2927 25. Joe Nemechek, 2844 26.

Johnny Benson, 2840 27. Dale Jarrett, 2794 28. Dave Blaney, 2747 29. Jimmy

Spencer, 2656 30. Kenny Wallace, 2551 31. Todd Bodine, 2478 32. Steve Park,

2473 33. Jeff Green, 2282 34. Casey Mears, 2227 35. Ken Schrader, 2132 36. Tony

Raines, 2096 37. Kyle Petty, 2070 38. John Andretti, 1914 39. Mike Skinner,

1763 40. Jack Sprague, 1284 41. Mike Wallace, 1104 42. Larry Foyt, 955 43.

Jerry Nadeau, 844 44. Christian Fittipaldi, 796 45. Derrike Cope, 656 46. Jason

Leffler, 624 47. Johnny Sauter, 356 48. Kevin Lepage, 348 49. Brett Bodine, 308

50. Hermie Sadler, 260