RacingNation.com
Home / NASCAR / Martin Captures 49th Victory At Vegas

Martin Captures 49th Victory At Vegas

    Mark Martin talks with the press after his win. [Everet Kamikawa Photo]


Las Vegas, NV – Mark Martin captured the NASCAR Nationwide Series Sam’s Town 300 by saving fuel and passing Brad Keselowski on the final lap at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The win was Martin’s 49th win in the series, and his fourth win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and the first win for the Turner Motorsports team.

With ten laps to go, Brad Keselowski was cruising, enjoying a two second lead and enough fuel to make it to the checkered flag. After taking the white flag, the win disappeared for Keselowski when his right front tire went flat causing him to lose the lead to Martin.

“We must have run over something, because it went down pretty quick,” explained Keselowski. “Just one of them days where you do everything right and don’t win. That’s the way it goes sometimes. It just wasn’t meant to be.”

Keselowski finished third.

Martin had been nursing the fuel mileage after being told that he would be two and a half laps short of the finish following his final pit stop.

“We passed all the guys on our fuel strategy but one,” said Martin. “I can’t gloat. If Brad hadn’t of had a tire problem, he looked like he would win. All I could do is make sure we didn’t run out of gas. When I caught Brad, I realized it was going to take all the gas I had to get by him because he wanted to race.”

Justin Allgaier finished second to Turner Motorsports teammate Martin for his best finish with the new team and his best finish this season.

    Danica Partick (7) passes Trevor Bayne (21) late in the race. [Everet Kamikawa Photo]


Taking the checkers in fourth, Danica Patrick made history by becoming the highest finishing female in a NASCAR national series event. Previously, Sara Christian finished fifth at Heidlberg, PA on October 2nd, 1949.

“I’m not trying to be the highest finishing female, I’m trying to win,” said Patrick. “I know I haven’t had the best results, especially in NASCAR, but we’re getting them now. I was hoping for a top ten today, that was my secret goal. We got a top five.”

Kyle Busch was leading on lap 123 when the caution was displayed following the second spin by Donnie Neuenberger. During pitstops, Busch put on four tires while the other leaders took fuel only. Restarting in nineth, Busch tried to charge back to the front. Busch came out of turn four in the top groove and dove down low to try to pass two cars on the front straight. When Keselowski also moved low, Busch clipped the grass and lost control. Almost saving the car as it slid through the grass, it spun again after sliding back onto pavement and Busch ended up in the inside wall entering turn one.

“I just got a really big run off the top and I didn’t want to go to the outside,” said Busch. “I got to the bottom of the 22 [Keselowski] and I guess he came to block a little bit. I didn’t want to run into him so I went into the grass. Tried to hang on to it and just couldn’t get it back straight in enough time and got into the inside wall.”

Carl Edwards won the pole position for the race earlier in the day after posting a 29.699 second/181.824 mph lap in his Roush Clean Tech Ford. The pole win was the 22nd of Edwards NASCAR Nationwide Series career. Edwards moves into 5th all-time, tied with Kyle Busch, David Green and Kevin Harvick for Nationwide career pole awards.

Edwards finished sixth after needing to pit for fuel while leading with twelve laps remaining in the race.

    Matt Kenseth powers through turn four at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the final practice session for the Kobalt Tools 400. [John Wiedemann Photo]


Race Notes:
– There were eleven lead changes between six leaders.
– Kyle Busch led the most laps (84), followed by Carl Edwards (68), Denny Hamlin (28), Brad Keselowski (11), Kevin Harvick (8) and Mark Martin (1)

– Twenty-seven laps were run under six caution periods.
– Reed Sorenson remains the point leader after three races with a 2 point lead over Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Notes: Matt Kenseth remained quick, laying down the fastest lap in the “Happy Hour” final practice for Sunday’s Kobalt Tools 400 Sprint Cup Series race. Kyle Busch and Ryan Newman moved into second and third to break up the Roush Fenway Racing domination of the top of the speed charts. RFR drivers Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle rounded out the top five.

Share Button