To say that you watch NASCAR for the racing is like saying you read Playboy for its articles. Deep down, most fans are really paying to see a "Big One" take out half the field.
Ahead of the weekend's FedEx 400 race at the Dover International Speedway, South Carolina paper, The State, reported that caution flags have been notably rare this pass season as the number of incidents have been cut by more than a third - from 106 to just 66 - compared to the 2011 season.
The FexEx 400 quickly changed all that as the Dover track, affectionately known as the "Monster Mile," bit the pack in only the 9th lap of the race. Slingshotting out onto the back straight at more than 150 mph, Landon Cassill drifted a little low and tapped his left rear into Tony Stewart's front right. As the two cars get loose, Regan Smith collects into Stewart before a total of 13 vehicles come together in a colossal wreck. A red was waved.
Tony Stewart later commented on the pile-up, "The No. 83 (Cassill) was trying to get back down to the bottom and we were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. It wasn't Regan's fault. He was right behind us and he didn't have anywhere to go either. Just not a real good deal at the beginning of the race like this."
Finally, the race restarted after 20 minutes under waved reds. Other than the madness on lap 9, the FedEx 400 was quite composed, ThatsRacin.com reported. In a dominant display of performance this weekend, Jimmie Johnson led 289 of the 400-lap race to bring his #48 Chevrolet first across the finish line, scoring his seventh victory Dover. An amazing feat, the record seven wins tie Johnson to NASCAR Hall of Fame legends Richard Petty and Bobby Allison, whom all share the record for most wins at the Deleware racetrack.
Responding to the record, Johnson admitted, "I didn't think I was a guy who would ever build up a lot of stats. But here I am with seven wins here and in that very elite company." A modest statement indeed, coming from a holder of five consecutive Sprint Cup titles from 2006-2010.
As far as this season is concerned, Johnson remains fifth in the Cup standings so far, but the 48 championship points earned this race weekend eats away 15 points from points leader Greg Biffle, who finished 11th. What's more, the Dover win marks the third victory for Johnson in the past four weeks.
As momentum for Johnson and the Hendrick Motorsports team builds, sportingnews.com reports that fans already see the team as the favorite to earn the title. Johnson kept his cool, "It's just way too early to talk championship. We are doing the things right now that will win one, but we need to do this in September and on."
Rounding up the FedEx 400 podium is Kevin Harvick in second and Matt Kenseth finishing third. Jimmie Johnson's teammate at Hendrick Motorsports, Dale Earnhardt Jr., finished fourth.
Check out the Lap 9 Mayhem in the video below:
