Johnson earns 76th career Cup win in overtime in Atlanta

Sunday’s victory was Johnson’s 76th career win.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. sees Jimmie Johnson as a “phenomenal talent”.

On the pit stops during the caution, Johnson’s crew did what they needed to do, and got the No. 48 vehicle back out on track in first. “We talked about it. I told him on a couple occasions that when he tied daddy, he’d better say something cool, and he’d better tell them that it’s awesome for him to tie him, because I know Jeff had the (No. 3) flag and all that, so that was awesome when your competitors and peers recognize your father like that”. He made a critical call to call in Johnson’s No. 48 Chevy for tire changes and gas on Lap 276, nine laps ahead of Kevin Harvick’s decision to pit in himself. “The 4 auto was tough and it was going to take some strategy to get by him”.

Asked to compare the racing styles of the two, despite their racing in different eras in different cars, Earnhardt Jr. explained just what it is that he makes Johnson such a talented driver.

As a NASCAR Hall of Famer, Earnhardt, Sr. also took home seven titles throughout his career, compared to Johnson’s six Cup titles and 76 race wins since his career began in 2002. While Petty’s record of 200 career victories is unlikely to ever be duplicated – he competed largely in a different era with far more races each year – Johnson certainly has the potential to reach the second spot on the list. In fact, Johnson’s crew chief Chad Knaus had a hand on it, too.

Earnhardt Jr. lined up fifth on the overtime restart that was set up when Ryan Newman blew a tire and crashed just before the end of the advertised race distance.

Johnson won four races during the 2015 season, including his 75th win at Texas last November, prompting many – including Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – to dub him the best driver of this generation. “I think that’s great for the sport that we have the tires that are falling off and the cars that are challenging to drive. He ran probably his first 500 mile race and completed it and he is on the lead lap finishing 8th”.

GREEN GREEN GREEN: There were a whopping 209 caution-free laps to start the race, a highly rare green-flag run in today’s NASCAR at any point during an event.

Surprisingly despite the challenging conditions, the first caution didn’t occur until Lap 210, and that was for a piece of debris. On Sunday, Johnson clinched his second straight victory in Atlanta.

All those green flag pit stops would eventually prove costly for Kenseth, whose #20 team was penalized for an improper fueling protocol.

Carl Edwards in his No. 19 Arris Toyota led one time for one lap and finished 5th. Kyle Busch (third) posted his sixth top-10 finish in 18 AMS races. This is the third race for variations of the low downforce package that debuted at Kentucky a year ago, and after two successful races last season, the now-full-time package impressed again today. Let up until then we’ll be influences it’s just weird position of being snow’s coming soon here and when words that.