Johnson plays perfect fuel mileage game to score stunning win at Kansas

KANSAS CITY, KS - MAY 09: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, celebrates with the trophy in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SpongeBob SquarePants 400 at Kansas Speedway on May 9, 2015 in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, KS - MAY 09:  Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, celebrates with the trophy in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SpongeBob SquarePants 400 at Kansas Speedway on May 9, 2015 in Kansas City, Kansas.  (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, KS – MAY 09: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, celebrates with the trophy in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SpongeBob SquarePants 400 at Kansas Speedway on May 9, 2015 in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

He survived a bad qualifying session Friday and a long rain delay Saturday but early Sunday morning Jimmie Johnson held off Kevin Harvick to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup series SpongeBob SquarePants 400 at Kansas Speedway.  Johnson led only 10 laps, including the final six, but had just enough fuel to make it to victory lane to score the 73rd win of his career, his third of the season and his third at Kansas.

Johnson’s joy Sunday morning was in stark contrast to the frustration he felt Friday. He qualified 19h but said experience helps.

“You just shrug it off,” Johnson said. MORE>>>

Greg Engle
About Greg Engle 7421 Articles
Greg is a published award winning sportswriter who spent 23 years combined active and active reserve military service, much of that in and around the Special Operations community. Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.