2009 Kobalt Tools 500
Encyclopedia
The 2009 Kobalt Tools 500 was the fourth race of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup season
. This 501 miles (806.3 km) race took place on March 8, 2009 at the 1.54 miles (2.5 km) Atlanta Motor Speedway
in Hampton, Georgia
near Atlanta
.
became the second-oldest pole winner only to Bill Elliott
to take the green flag alongside 2001 winner of this event, Kevin Harvick
. David Ragan
dropped to the rear due to an engine change. Martin pulled ahead to lead the opening lap and Kurt Busch
falls in line for second. The first caution of the day came on Lap 2 when Reed Sorenson
reported something on his car broke and he smacked the wall. Kurt Busch
passed Mark Martin
on the restart on lap 6 to collect 5 bonus points. The second caution of the day came on LAp 12 when Bobby Labonte
got loose and spun out. He described his car as "amazingly loose". He received no damage. Ryan Newman
takes two tires to get track position. Joe Nemechek
, Mike Bliss
, and Dave Blaney
stay out during this set of pit stops. Newman leads to take 5 bonus points. Kurt Busch takes the lead back from Newman the very next lap. By lap 23 Jeff Gordon
, who started 16th, made his way up to the 8th position after passing Kyle Busch
. On Lap 33 Travis Kvapil
went to the garage with engine problems. Mike Bliss
and Travis Kvapil
both dropped out of the race on Lap 42 with overheating problems. The 3rd caution of the day happened on Lap 69 when Marcos Ambrose
's tire carrier ran across the pit lane to retrieve a tire. Jeff Gordon
is developing clutch problems on lap 77, but he still runs 8th. On Lap 100 Juan Montoya has a flat tire and goes to the pits to replace the tire. Bobby Labonte
is reporting engine problems and his engine is beginning to sputter. Labonte uses Roush engines. Fourth caution comes when Labonte gets sucked around by Juan Montoya for his second spin of the day. Bobby Labonte took his car to the garage. Martin Truex Jr passed kidney stones less than 12 hours before race start. Kurt Busch held off Jeff Gordon
and Carl Edwards
to score his first victory of 2009, leading 235 laps en route to doing so. Aside from Busch, Gordon and Edwards were the only two drivers who led more than 10 laps.
2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
The 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season was the 61st season of professional stock car racing in the United States, which began at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, with the 2009 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona, a race for the top six teams of the four brands in the 2008...
. This 501 miles (806.3 km) race took place on March 8, 2009 at the 1.54 miles (2.5 km) Atlanta Motor Speedway
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Atlanta Motor Speedway is a track just outside Hampton, Georgia, twenty miles south of Atlanta. It is a quad-oval track with a seating capacity of over 125,000. It opened in 1960 as a standard oval. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track...
in Hampton, Georgia
Hampton, Georgia
Hampton is a city in southwestern Henry County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 6,987. Census Estimates for 2005 show a population of 4,743. Hampton mailing addresses also dip into eastern Clayton County and northern Spalding County.The Atlanta Motor...
near Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
.
The Race
Mark MartinMark Martin
Mark Martin may refer to:* Mark Martin , American racecar driver* Mark Martin , American cartoonist* Mark Martin , American judge* Mark Martin , British murderer...
became the second-oldest pole winner only to Bill Elliott
Bill Elliott
William Clyde "Bill" Elliott , also known as Awesome Bill from Dawsonville or Million Dollar Bill, is a part-time driver and former champion of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Elliott was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America on August 15, 2007. He won the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup...
to take the green flag alongside 2001 winner of this event, Kevin Harvick
Kevin Harvick
Kevin Michael Harvick is an American stock car auto racing race car driver and car owner currently competing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Richard Childress Racing, driving the No. 29 Budweiser/Jimmy John's/Rheem/Okuma/Realtree Outdoors/Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet Impala...
. David Ragan
David Ragan
David Ragan, , is an American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race car driver. He has previously driven the #6 Roush Fenway Racing ford, but is currently looking for a ride for the 2012 season...
dropped to the rear due to an engine change. Martin pulled ahead to lead the opening lap and Kurt Busch
Kurt Busch
Kurt Thomas Busch is an American NASCAR and NHRA driver. He drives the No. 22 Shell Oil Company/Pennzoil Dodge Charger in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and will race on an "opportunity permitting" basis in the Pro Stock division of NHRA...
falls in line for second. The first caution of the day came on Lap 2 when Reed Sorenson
Reed Sorenson
Bradley Reed Sorenson is an American NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #82 MacDonald Motorsports Dodge Charger in the Nationwide Series...
reported something on his car broke and he smacked the wall. Kurt Busch
Kurt Busch
Kurt Thomas Busch is an American NASCAR and NHRA driver. He drives the No. 22 Shell Oil Company/Pennzoil Dodge Charger in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and will race on an "opportunity permitting" basis in the Pro Stock division of NHRA...
passed Mark Martin
Mark Martin
Mark Martin may refer to:* Mark Martin , American racecar driver* Mark Martin , American cartoonist* Mark Martin , American judge* Mark Martin , British murderer...
on the restart on lap 6 to collect 5 bonus points. The second caution of the day came on LAp 12 when Bobby Labonte
Bobby Labonte
Robert Alan "Bobby" Labonte is an American race car driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He currently drives the #47 Kroger/Clorox/Kimberly-Clark/Kingsford/Reese Towpower Hitches Toyota Camry for JTG Daugherty Racing. He currently resides in Trinity, North Carolina. He is married to his wife...
got loose and spun out. He described his car as "amazingly loose". He received no damage. Ryan Newman
Ryan Newman
Ryan Joseph Newman is a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He drives the #39 United States Army/Tornados/Haas Automation Chevrolet Impala for Stewart Haas Racing under crew chief Tony Gibson. Newman graduated from Purdue University in 2001 with a B.S. in vehicle structure engineering...
takes two tires to get track position. Joe Nemechek
Joe Nemechek
Joseph Frank Nemechek III is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver and owner of NEMCO Motorsports. He won the 1992 Busch Series championship...
, Mike Bliss
Mike Bliss
Michael Bliss is a NASCAR driver who has run in all three major series. He currently drives the #19 Chevrolet Impala for TriStar Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He began racing at age 10...
, and Dave Blaney
Dave Blaney
David Blaney is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver. He currently drives the #36 Golden Corral/Big Red Chevrolet Impala for Tommy Baldwin Racing. Blaney was a successful sprint car driver before he started racing in NASCAR...
stay out during this set of pit stops. Newman leads to take 5 bonus points. Kurt Busch takes the lead back from Newman the very next lap. By lap 23 Jeff Gordon
Jeff Gordon
Jeffery Michael "Jeff" Gordon is a professional NASCAR driver. He is the driver of the #24 Drive to End Hunger/DuPont/Pepsi Chevrolet Impala. He is a four-time Sprint Cup Series champion and a three-time Daytona 500 winner. He is third on the all-time wins list, with 85 career wins, and has the...
, who started 16th, made his way up to the 8th position after passing Kyle Busch
Kyle Busch
Kyle Thomas Busch, is an American NASCAR driver and team owner. He currently drives the No. 18 Mars/Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Sprint Cup Series, the No. 18 Z-Line Designs/NOS Energy Drink Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs in the Nationwide Series, and the No...
. On Lap 33 Travis Kvapil
Travis Kvapil
Travis Kvapil is an American race car driver. He currently drives for Front Row Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.-Early career:...
went to the garage with engine problems. Mike Bliss
Mike Bliss
Michael Bliss is a NASCAR driver who has run in all three major series. He currently drives the #19 Chevrolet Impala for TriStar Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He began racing at age 10...
and Travis Kvapil
Travis Kvapil
Travis Kvapil is an American race car driver. He currently drives for Front Row Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.-Early career:...
both dropped out of the race on Lap 42 with overheating problems. The 3rd caution of the day happened on Lap 69 when Marcos Ambrose
Marcos Ambrose
Marcos Ambrose is a championship winning Australian racing car driver. He currently drives the #9 Stanley Black & Decker Ford Fusion for Richard Petty Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series...
's tire carrier ran across the pit lane to retrieve a tire. Jeff Gordon
Jeff Gordon
Jeffery Michael "Jeff" Gordon is a professional NASCAR driver. He is the driver of the #24 Drive to End Hunger/DuPont/Pepsi Chevrolet Impala. He is a four-time Sprint Cup Series champion and a three-time Daytona 500 winner. He is third on the all-time wins list, with 85 career wins, and has the...
is developing clutch problems on lap 77, but he still runs 8th. On Lap 100 Juan Montoya has a flat tire and goes to the pits to replace the tire. Bobby Labonte
Bobby Labonte
Robert Alan "Bobby" Labonte is an American race car driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He currently drives the #47 Kroger/Clorox/Kimberly-Clark/Kingsford/Reese Towpower Hitches Toyota Camry for JTG Daugherty Racing. He currently resides in Trinity, North Carolina. He is married to his wife...
is reporting engine problems and his engine is beginning to sputter. Labonte uses Roush engines. Fourth caution comes when Labonte gets sucked around by Juan Montoya for his second spin of the day. Bobby Labonte took his car to the garage. Martin Truex Jr passed kidney stones less than 12 hours before race start. Kurt Busch held off Jeff Gordon
Jeff Gordon
Jeffery Michael "Jeff" Gordon is a professional NASCAR driver. He is the driver of the #24 Drive to End Hunger/DuPont/Pepsi Chevrolet Impala. He is a four-time Sprint Cup Series champion and a three-time Daytona 500 winner. He is third on the all-time wins list, with 85 career wins, and has the...
and Carl Edwards
Carl Edwards
Carl Michael Edwards, II is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #99 Fastenal/Aflac Ford Fusion in the Sprint Cup Series and the #60 Ford in the Nationwide Series for Roush Fenway Racing...
to score his first victory of 2009, leading 235 laps en route to doing so. Aside from Busch, Gordon and Edwards were the only two drivers who led more than 10 laps.