Key moments | Edwards’ car, jack part ways on lengthy stop, other turning points|
By DAVID POOLE - The Charlotte Observer
Some of the key moments in Sunday's race:
Lap 125
Ryan Newman hooks the air hose as he tries to leave pit road after a two-tire stop, pulling the gun used by his tire changer with him out of the pit box. That leads to a stop-and-go penalty and puts Newman in a hole he can’t get out of.
Lap 195
Carl Edwards’ car falls off of the jack as Edwards, who had been fighting for the lead, makes a green-flag stop. That results in a disastrous 47-second stay on pit road that drops the No. 99 Ford out of contention.
Lap 256
Denny Hamlin gets two tires on the final pit stop, allowing Hamlin to have the lead on the restart with 42 laps to go. In effect Hamlin passed Martin Truex Jr., Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. on pit road, and he never got passed back.
Lap 295
Gordon finally gets past Truex for second after a battle that lasted for several laps. Every moment Gordon had to spend battling Truex left him less time at the end to try to catch Hamlin.
Lap 300
Hamlin’s car gets a little loose as he comes off Turn 4 for the final time, but he manages to collect it in time to keep Gordon behind him. Had there been another lap, the outcome might have been different. But there wasn’t one more lap.
By DAVID POOLE - The Charlotte Observer
Some of the key moments in Sunday's race:
Lap 125
Ryan Newman hooks the air hose as he tries to leave pit road after a two-tire stop, pulling the gun used by his tire changer with him out of the pit box. That leads to a stop-and-go penalty and puts Newman in a hole he can’t get out of.
Lap 195
Carl Edwards’ car falls off of the jack as Edwards, who had been fighting for the lead, makes a green-flag stop. That results in a disastrous 47-second stay on pit road that drops the No. 99 Ford out of contention.
Lap 256
Denny Hamlin gets two tires on the final pit stop, allowing Hamlin to have the lead on the restart with 42 laps to go. In effect Hamlin passed Martin Truex Jr., Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. on pit road, and he never got passed back.
Lap 295
Gordon finally gets past Truex for second after a battle that lasted for several laps. Every moment Gordon had to spend battling Truex left him less time at the end to try to catch Hamlin.
Lap 300
Hamlin’s car gets a little loose as he comes off Turn 4 for the final time, but he manages to collect it in time to keep Gordon behind him. Had there been another lap, the outcome might have been different. But there wasn’t one more lap.