Martin Wins LifeLock 400 After Thrilling Finale

Mark Martin must have done something right in the off-season, as the NASCAR veteran clinched his 3rd win of the 2009 Sprint Cup Series last weekend, at Michigan, and jumped no less than 5 spots in the drivers' standings to an overall 8th place. The Hendrick Motorsport driver had to wait until the very final meters of the race to record his 5th win in Michigan, as win contenders Jimmie Johnson and Greg Biffle both ran out of fuel during the last lap.

In a race dominated by Johnson for most of its part and troubled by only 3 cautions, the final stint of the day (with 43 laps remaining) was clearly based on saving fuel. All drivers pitted for new tires and refuel and it was only a matter of who was able to preserve it the most to become a race winner.

Johnson lost his leading spot to Biffle before the last green flag, while also avertaken by Denny Hamlin and Mark Martin shortly after. The Hendrick Motorsport trusted his crew chief in the final laps of the race that he would have plenty of fuel to finish the race and immediately put the hammer on. He passed both Martin and Hamlin in a matter of meters and soon began his attack on race leader Biffle.

Six laps to the chequered flag, Johnson got past Biffle and it seemed nothing was going to stop him from finally becoming race winner in Michigan. His leading laps stopped after the penultimate crossing of the start/finish line, as he ran out of fuel during the last lap of the race. Biffle enjoyed a short lead of his own in the following seconds, as the Roush Fenway driver also failed to preserve enough fuel to get to the finish line.

Under the circumstances, Martin booked his ticket to the victory lane once more, while followed by Hendrick Motorsport driver Jeff Gordon and Toyota's Denny Hamlin. Biffle eventually finished 5th overall, while Johnson scored a poor 22nd place.

“My car was good, I thought I could run with those guys but I couldn't run their pace and save gas and we really needed to finish. When Jimmie ran out (of fuel) I said 'I'm gonna run hard! It's only three quarters of a lap. What can happen?' I surely made it and (the car) ran out (of fuel) coming out of (Turn) four!,” said Martin in the end.

“I'm trying to look at the bright side of things because we had such a dominant car and we passed second and third and we went up to get the lead and it's unfortunate that we ran out of gas, but that is how it is,” added a disappointed Johnson after the race.

Championship leader Tony Stewart ended the race on a strong 7th place, behind Juan Montoya, but ahead of Kurt Busch, Brian Vickers and Clint Bowyer.