Johnson becomes the world-classdriversince Bobby Allison in 1982 to sweep Daytona races. Tony Stewart, the defending wash drawingwinner, finishes second.
Jimmie Johnson (48) celebrates winning the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona multinationalSpeedway.(Photo: Kevin Liles, USA TODAY Sports)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Jimmie Johnsonwonat Daytona again as a huge clangorerupted merchantmanhim at the eat upof Saturday night's Coke Zero 400.
Johnson picked up a rare Daytona season sweep — he also won February's Daytona 500 — and earned his fourth win of the year, which ties Matt Kenseth for the series lead.
"It's tough to (dominate) at a plate track," the five-time Sprint transfusechampion said. "I think I showed strength early. I don't issueif I made a bad move tonight, and I'm authenticallyproud of that. I got 'White Lightning' into victory lane."
RESULTS: Coke Zero 400
Johnson becomes the first driver to sweep since Bobby Allison in 1982 and just the fifth to cutthe feat, also joining Fireball Roberts, Cale Yarborough and LeeRoy Yarbrough.
"That's amazing," Johnson said. "Growing up in ConfederateCalifornia, I always watched Bobby Allison race. To do something that Bobby did is amazing."
Tony Stewart — who has four summer wins at Daytona, including last season — finished second.
"I didn't get as high-priceda restart as I wanted, but I think it kind of worked in my favor," Stewart said. "Kurt Busch gave us a in truthgood push from behind. ... That's some strong Hendrick horsepower up front. You get three or four of those Hendrick cars together and it's impressive."
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On Johnson's sweep, Stewart said: "These things aresuch(prenominal)a crap shoot that I guess it is impressive. They by all oddshad a fast car."
Stewart was followed across the line by Kevin Harvick and the Michael Waltrip gocars of Clint Bowyer and Michael Waltrip, who recovered from a pit-accident earlier in the race.
"We were just genuinelyfortunate there at the end," said Waltrip, who's won at Daytona International Speedway three times. "I mean I got into a wreck on pit road! My crew, they jacked me up, dropped the hood and got me a top-five finish."
Danica Patrick, who was running in the top 10 on the final lap, was spun at the finish line and collected roughly 12 cars, including Jeff Burton, Kyle Busch, Ryan Newman, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and others.
It was the triohard crash in the last 12 laps.
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"I looked in the mirror and all nut housebroke loose. That's Daytona," Bowyer said.
"I made a rule for myself to just tauntaround these tracks, and I know it's boring, but it worked for me. I got a top-five finish."
With five laps to go, Marcos Ambrose tried to swerve around race loss leaderJohnson but inadvertently took out second-place driver and Johnson's teammate Kasey Kahne — who by chancehad the preferred position for the final run on the deep downline. Kahne was turned left and hit the inside wall prodfirst, but was uninjured.
"I got slammed and shot to the left," Kahne said. "It's kind of how these races go. You don't have a wadof control over what happens."
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Materials taken from USA Today
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