Biffle wins messy race at Kansas Speedway
Darkness finally ended the disaster at Kansas Speedway, where the Chase for the championship field imploded and the finish of Sunday’s event was in question long after winner Greg Biffle crossed the finish line.
Biffle scored his first win of the season by winning a race that was stopped twice for rain delays, was shortened 85 miles because of darkness, ended under caution and saw six Chase drivers finish 29th or worse.
And when Biffle’s sputtering car slowed before the finish line, title contenders Clint Bowyer and Jimmie Johnson passed him and both believed they finished ahead of him.
“I don’t know what happened, (he) didn’t cross it the way I thought you were supposed to,” said Kansas native Bowyer, who had to settle for second place on his homestate track.
“I know they’re not going to pull him out of Victory Lane.”
Johnson, who finished third to reclaim the points lead, said Biffle wasn’t the winner.
“The biggest question mark right now is what goes on with (Biffle),” he said. “He clearly ran out of gas and I feel terrible for those guys. But if you can’t maintain pace car speed, then the guys that can finished ahead of you.”
NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said Biffle was the winner because the race ended under caution, the field was frozen and passing is not allowed under caution.
When the dust finally settled, the points standings had been blown open for a Chase field that entered the event with the top six drivers separated by just 28 points.
Now Johnson has a six-point lead over teammate Jeff Gordon, and Bowyer is in third, 14 points out. Stewart is fourth – 117 points out.
Formula One
Fernando Alonso’s hopes of extending his two-year reign as Formula One world champion are fading quickly.
A crash on the 42nd lap ended his Japanese Grand Prix in Oyama, Japan, and may have ended any chances for a third straight title. His McLaren teammate and rival Lewis Hamilton won the race, stretching his overall lead over Alonso to 12 points, 107-95, with two races left.