Jeff Gordon claims history with Tuesday win at Atlanta–win No. 85

Three wins this season, third all-time and win No. 85..life is good for Gordon.
Credit: John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR

For only the second time in NASCAR history – the other being Michigan in 2007 – the NASCAR Cup series raced on a Tuesday due to inclement weather. Tropical storm Lee drenched the Atlanta area and NASCAR made a valiant effort to dry the track Sunday, but they were no match for Mother Nature and her nasty son Lee. Due to more severe weather in the forecast for Monday, the race was rescheduled for Tuesday at 11am. Many teams packed up and headed home to prepare their cars for Richmond while they waited racing in Atlanta.


One driver who will not be complaining about the wait – Jeff Gordon. Gordon led a race high 146 laps and went onto out duel his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson in an exciting finish. Gordon was driving as hard as he could, Johnson was charging and sliding loose, trying to dig and get past Gordon, but was no match for “Big Papa” Gordon. Gordon won his 85th career NASCAR victory and this win places his third on NASCAR’s all-time wins list, ranking behind Richard Petty and David Pearson, Gordon was previously tied at 84 wins with Bobby Allison. This win was his third victory of the 2011 season (previous wins were Phoenix and Pocono) and also the 12th top-10 finish of the season.


Race highlights and lowlights:

• Kasey Kahne starts on pole along with Clint Bowyer, Bowyer passed Kahne quickly to lead lap 1.
• lap 13 – Bobby Labonte gets loose in the frontstretch and spins through the grass for caution No. 1
• lap 32 – Competition caution to check tire wear because of rain
• lap 46 – Jeff Gordon passes Kyle Busch on the high side for the lead
• lap 94 – Labonte crashes for the second time, hitting the wall hard for the caution No. 3
• lap 130 – Andy Lally blows a tire and the caution is thrown for debris. caution No. 4 On the restart at lap 134, Kevin Harvick gets clobbered but manages to save the car from wrecking.
• lap 165 – Matt Kenseth would take the lead for one of his 5 total times, he lead a total of 64 laps, second to Jeff Gordon
• lap 177 – The 34 car of Gilliland spins at the entrance to pit road during green flag pit stops, brining out the 5th caution. Carl Edwards was leading at the time
• lap 202 – Mother Nature and that son of hers again came into play – bringing out a 24 minute red flag for light rain
• lap 222 – Again rain!
• lap 243 – Clint Bowyer and Juan Pablo Montoya hit, Bowyer’s right rear clipped the front of Montoya. Chase hopes are lost for pretty much lost for Bowyer. His frustrations showed after the accident, in his post race interview he said, “"You can't race around the jack***. You never can. Anybody in this sport knows what you're up against when the 42 comes up. He dive-bombs the starts and bullies his way up in there, and before you know it, he's in the way and wrecking with somebody. Unfortunately, I was victim this week. It's just a shame. We're out here racing for a spot in the Chase. He's racing for nothing, you know? I'm tired of it. Everybody in the garage area fights him. He's just an idiot."
• lap 251 – This was a two part problem. David Ragan’s engine blew up and went to the garage, there was no caution for that. Seconds later, the caution flag flew in the air as Regan Smith and Mark Martin touch and Smith went sailing into the inside wall, ending his day. This was the ninth and final caution.

Race Results:

1. Jeff Gordon
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Tony Stewart
4. Kurt Busch
5. Carl Edwards
6. Brad Keselowski
7. Kevin Harvick
8. Denny Hamlin
9. Matt Kenseth
10. A.J. Allmendinger
11. Brian Vickers
12. Greg Biffle
13. Jeff Burton
14. Martin Truex Jr.
15. Juan Pablo Montoya
16. Jamie McMurray
17. Mark Martin
18. Paul Menard
19. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
20. Ryan Newman
21. Marcos Ambrose
22. Landon Cassill
23. Kyle Busch
24. Joey Logano
25. JJ Yeley
26. Mike Bliss
27. Mike Skinner
28. Casey Mears
29. David Starr
30. Andy Lally
31. David Reutimann
32. Scott Speed
33. Regan Smith
34. Kasey Kahne
35. Regan Smith
36. Clint Bowyer
37. David Gilliland
38. Bobby Labonte
39. Robby Gordon
40. Joe Nemechek
41. Michael McDowell
42. Travis Kvapil
43. Dave Blaney