Loudon recap: Hendrick Motorsports drivers finish in top 15

LOUDON, N.H. (June 28, 2009) – Despite a race-ending rain shower, Hendrick Motorsports' four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams turned in strong performances at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and all finished in the top 15. All four Hendrick Motorsports teams spent a majority of the 273-lap event running in the top 10 before the race was called 28 laps short. Jeff Gordon, driver of the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet, started from the outside pole position and led his teammates en route to a second-place finish. “This DuPont Chevrolet team did an awesome job today,” said Gordon, who led six times for 64 laps and remains second in the driver standings. “We had a much better car today than we had yesterday in practice. (Crew chief) Steve Letarte and all the guys on this team certainly did their homework over night and came ready to run hard today. Wasn't very good on the restarts and those guys in the No. 2 and No. 14 and the No. 48 got me on the restarts, but man, we could just run right there with them. My pit crew, they did the job in the pits today. They were phenomenal and that got us out front. “We’re just going to be proud of the run that we have in this DuPont Chevrolet. This is the first race to the Chase, and we got something really good to take home with us to study for the next time we come back here. Almost had a win. Had a great day." Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Kobalt Tools Chevrolet, joined Gordon in the top 10, taking ninth. Johnson led a race-high 93 laps and remains third in the driver standings. "We had a decent finish, and a decent run," Johnson said. "We led laps early and hoped to be in contention for the win, but contact with the No. 2 car took us out of the running. We just never could rebound from that, but still a decent day." Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet, started 20th but climbed into seventh by Lap 60. He was running in the top three 100 laps later. The No. 88 team finished 13th after officials called the race. “We ran good today,” said Earnhardt, who improves to 19th in the driver standings. “I want to thank Lance (McGrew, crew chief) and the team, our National Guard and AMP Energy guys. They worked hard all weekend. They did a good job giving me a good car. I had fun today. I hope we can keep this up. We are inching so slowly up back in to where we need to run. It is taking a while, but hopefully we keep moving forward. “Solid day for us and I hope this pumps the guys up and keeps us moving forward. We are working to keep the momentum moving in the right direction.” Mark Martin, driver of the No. 5 CARQUEST/Kellogg’s Chevrolet, started 11th and held steady in the top 10. After the race was red-flagged for rain, the No. 5 team was scored with a 14th-place finish. Martin remains 11th in the driver standings.