Jimmie Johnson benefits from a late caution to edge out Matt Kenseth. Kenseth had been the supreme force throughout the afternoon, as he led 146 laps, but his engine began to stumble with about fifteen laps remaining. "It just felt like the motor was laying down a little bit or something," Kenseth said. "I felt like it was handling the same. I just couldn't win it. We got real slow the 15 laps."
The absence of crew chief Chad Knaus hasn't decelerated the #48 team as they have won two of the first three races. Interim crew chief Darian Grubb has been admirable while leading the Johnson and the #48 group in the course of the first three races of the year. I seriously doubt that Grubb will remain an interim crew chief much longer after those results.
Biffle vs. Gordon & Stewart vs. Busch
Jeff Gordon and Greg Biffle weren't very thrilled with each other throughout the closing laps at Las Vegas. After battling closely for several laps, Gordon gave Biffle a little body slam as they ran side by side. "I know the 24 came down and kind of gave me a door slam down the backstretch," Biffle said. "I'm not sure what that was about. I used to have quite a bit of respect for him. I'm not sure if I've got as much any more."
Meanwhile, Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch's issues have apparently been unresolved.
After being held up for several laps by Kyle Busch, Stewart showed his vexation by shaking his fist at the 20-year old Las Vegas native. A few laps later, Stewart would get Busch loose after a restart. Stewart was highly disparaging of Busch's over aggressive driving after the Bud Shootout at Daytona a month ago.
Still #1
Defending series champion Fernando Alonso won the Formula One season opening Bahrain Grand Prix by holding off a challenge from the seven-time champion Michael Shumacher. "This was a good, fighting win and I want to dedicate it to the mechanics and the team, for some fantastic pit stops and the right strategy," Alonso said after the ninth win of his career. Kimi Raikkonen finished third, Jenson Button finished fourth, and Juan Pablo Montoya rounded out the top five.
The next race on the F1 schedule is the Malaysian Grand Prix on March 19th.
