CONCORD, N.C. – The $1 million purse was just out of reach for the Hendrick Motorsports drivers, but the organization did take home three top-10 finishes in Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.
Jeff Gordon, in his final All-Star Race, led the teammates to the checkered flag in fourth, followed by Kasey Kahne – who led 11 laps and won the first segment – in seventh. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was next up in 10th, and Jimmie Johnson rounded out the four Hendrick Motorsports drivers in 15th.
Below is a look at how they fared in the five-segment All-Star Race.
KASEY KAHNE, NO. 5 TIME WARNER CABLE CHEVROLET SS
FINISHED: 7th
RECAP: Kahne began Saturday night’s All-Star race fifth, but it took him only 15 laps to move all the way to the front of the pack. As the first segment wound down, Kahne reported that the handling of the No. 5 Time Warner Cable Chevrolet SS felt loose. He finished the segment as the race leader, and after taking four tires on the ensuing pit stop, began segment two in fourth. Kahne reported that the car’s handling felt loose as he fell back to sixth, but he finished the segment in fifth. After a four-tire pit stop, that is where he would begin the third segment as well. Kahne maintained that position and held off teammate Gordon to finish fifth in the third segment, but after his ensuing pit stop, Kahne began the last 25-lap segment in ninth. By Lap 79, he was back up to seventh, and a few laps later he moved up another position to sixth. Ten laps later he was right back in the top five. After a mandatory four-tire pit stop before the final, 10-lap shootout, Kahne lined up fourth. He fell back to eighth on the restart, however, before rebounding to finish seventh.
JEFF GORDON, NO. 24 AXALTA CHEVROLET SS
FINISHED: 4th
RECAP: Gordon rolled off the grid ninth to start the All-Star Race, and despite battling the handling of the No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet SS early in the run, he managed to race his way to sixth on the final lap of the first segment. After a four-tire pit stop, he began segment two in seventh. But once again he quickly got to work, pushing all the way up to third just six laps into the segment. He competed for second place but ultimately finished the second segment in third. After another four-tire pit stop, he began the third segment in eighth. He moved up to sixth behind teammate Kahne just four laps into the segment, and that’s where he would finish it. After a pit stop, he lined up eighth to start the last 25-lap segment. On Lap 91, Gordon made his way to seventh. After a mandatory four-tire pit stop before the final, 10-lap shootout, Gordon lined up fifth. He battled his way to fourth, and that’s where he would take the checkered flag.
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S PATRIOTIC CHEVROLET SS
FINISHED: 15th
RECAP: Johnson entered the first segment of the All-Star Race just outside of the top 10, but on Lap 20 moved into 10th place. By the end of the 25-lap first segment, Johnson was running ninth. That’s where he began segment two after a four-tire pit stop. He moved up to seventh just five laps into the segment, but grazed the wall and reported that the car got loose. It caused him to fall back to 13th by the end of the segment, and after repairs on pit road, he found more success in segment three. He moved into the top 10 just three laps in, and as crew chief Chad Knaus reported that Johnson’s car was faster than some competitors ahead of him, the No. 48 Chevy SS moved into ninth by the end of the segment. After a pit stop, on the restart for the fourth 25-lap segment, he found himself in 13th. By Lap 79 he was up to 10th. After a mandatory four-tire pit stop before the final, 10-lap shootout, Johnson lined up ninth. He fell back on 13th on the restart, however, and ultimately finished 15th.
DALE EARNHARDT JR., NO. 88 MTN DEW BAJA BLAST CHEVROLET SS
FINISHED: 10th
RECAP: Earnhardt followed Kahne to the green flag Saturday night just outside of the top five, but quickly got to work moving toward the front. On Lap 17, the driver of the No. 88 Mtn Dew Baja Blast Chevrolet SS moved into third place, removing a piece of debris from the car’s grille in the process. After a two-tire pit stop, Earnhardt began segment two in second. He fell back on the restart, however, ultimately moving as far back as 12th when the segment ended. He began the next 25-lap segment 11th, and fell back to 15th by the end of it. After the No. 88 team made repairs on pit road and received a pit-road penalty, Earnhardt started the last 25-lap segment in 16th. By Lap 79 he had gained two positions to 14th, which is where he ended the segment. After a mandatory four-tire pit stop, Earnhardt began the final, 10-lap shootout 10th. He found his way to ninth before ultimately finishing 10th.