2009 Shelby 427
Encyclopedia
The 2009 Shelby 427 was the third race of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup season
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 427.5 miles (688 km) race took place on March 1 of that year at the 1.5 miles (2.4 km) Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada near Las Vegas, is a complex of multiple tracks for automobile racing. The complex is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.-History:...

 in the namesake Nevada city
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...

. The race was won by 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...

.

The race was telecast by Fox
NASCAR on Fox
NASCAR on Fox is the Emmy-winning branding used for Fox Sports's broadcasts of NASCAR races airing on the Fox network since 2001. The production has been in high-definition since 2005.-Background:...

 with a radio broadcast by Performance Racing Network
Performance Racing Network
The Performance Racing Network is a radio network controlled by Speedway Motorsports, Inc..Performance Racing Network broadcasts all NASCAR-sanctioned Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series events held at Speedway Motorsports-controlled tracks which include Atlanta, Bristol, Infineon, Las Vegas,...

 (terrestrial) and Sirius XM Radio (satellite).

The race title reflects the new title sponsor, Carroll Shelby International
Carroll Shelby International
Carroll Shelby International was formed in 2003 from custom performance vehicle manufacturer Shelby American when, founder and owner, Carroll Shelby took the company public, and additionally forming Shelby Automobiles as a subsidiary from which to continue manufacturing vehicles and parts...

, which has its home base at LVMS, and the Shelby Cobra 427, which is made in Nevada. The race had previously been 400.5 miles (644.5 km) in length, but will as of 2009 have an extra 27 miles (43.5 km) added into the race name which equates to an addition of 18 laps, meaning that the race will now be a 285-lap duration.

Qualifying

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...

 won the pole for the Shelby 427 at a new track record of 185.995 mph. The remainder of the top 10 were Kyle's brother 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...

 (185.707 mph), Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Kenneth Johnson is an American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race car driver. He currently drives the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports....

(185.688 mph), David Reutimann
David Reutimann
Emil David Reutimann is the driver the #00 Aaron's Dream Machine/Tums/Best Western Toyota Camry for Michael Waltrip Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series...

 (185.624 mph), 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...

 (185.459 mph), 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...

 (185.395 mph), Kasey Kahne
Kasey Kahne
Kasey Kenneth Kahne is a NASCAR driver. He drives the #5 Farmers Insurance Group Chevrolet Impala for Hendrick Motorsports in the Sprint Cup Series....

 (185.382 mph), 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...

 (185.312 mph), 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...

 (185.280 mph), Tony Stewart
Tony Stewart
Anthony Wayne "Tony" Stewart is an American auto racing driver and owner. Throughout his racing career, Stewart has won titles in Indy cars and stock cars as well as midget, sprint and USAC Silver Crown cars, giving him the recognition of "one of the finest racers of his generation."Stewart...

(185.217 mph).

Pre-Race

Jersey Boys performed the national anthem and Carroll Shelby gave the command to start engines.

Race

Toyota cars #00, 18 (polesitter), 47, 82, 83 were sent to the back of the field because of engine changes.

Kurt Busch and Jimmie Johnson led the field to the green flag. Johnson led the first lap; Brad Keweloski hit the wall out of turn 4 causing a flat tire and the first caution of the day. Kenseth reported engine trouble, came onto pit road where his crew fixed the problem, but Kenseth was too fast exiting pit road. Kenseth was served the penalty of restarting from the tail end of the field.

Restart on lap 6 with Johnson, Kurt Busch, Harvick, Newman, and Stremme in the top five. Daytona 500 winner and point leader Kenseth's engine blew on the front stretch on lap 7 while Todd Bodine spun out of turn 2 after a slight contact from behind by Hamlin. Second caution of the day. Brad Keweloski got the luck dog free pass.

Restart on lap 11. No change in positions in the top five. As of lap 19, Edwards was in 9th from starting 16th, Montoya was running in 8th from the 23rd starting position, and Kyle Busch was in 30th after starting from the back. Johnson continued to led laps since the first lap. Brad Keweloski drove his car to the garage on lap 36. Within 50 laps since the start of the race, McMurray gained 19 positions, Gordon and Ruetimann moved up 16 positions, Biffle gained 15 positions, and Vickers gained 14 positions. Green flag pit stops ensued on lap 48. Earnhardt, Jr. was served a pass through penalty for being too fast exiting pit road. Regan Smith and Casey Mears were also served the pass through penalty for entering too fast on pit road. Edwards and Kyle Busch each led two laps and Logano led a lap during the green flag pit stops.

Caution on lap 60 for debris on the track. Newman won the lucky dog free pass. Kahne, Waltrip, Hamlin and others entered pit road during the caution. John Andretti, David Gilliland, Scott Speed, Clint Bowyer, Earnhardt, Jr., Regan Smith, Todd Bodine, A.J. Almendinger, Robby Gordon, Martin Truex, Jr., and Elliot Salder were a lap down when the caution flag was waved.

Restart on lap 65 with Johnson, Edwards, Kurt Busch, Harvick and Biffle in the top five. McMurray, running in 13th, was hit from behind by Logano and slid out of turn 2, but maintained control. No caution. McMurray dropped to 26th as a result. Lap 74, Regan Smith came on pit road with engine troubles. Fourth caution of the day. Clint Bowyer got the free pass. During the round of pit stops, Harvick, Stewart, and Montoya gain four positions, Gordon and Hamlin gain five spots, Mark Martin gain two spots, Kurt Busch lost four spots, Jeff Burton and Kyle Busch gained six positions and Johnson, taking four tires, lost nine spots.

Restart on lap 83 with Harvick, Stewart, Biffle, Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, Kurt Busch, Burton, Montoya, Hamlin, and Johnson in the top ten. In two laps, Biffle took in the lead from Harvick. Lap 90, Jeff Gordon took second place from Harvick. Brad Keweloski returned to the track 57 laps down in the 42nd position. Lap 95, Edwards made contact to Stremme's left rear quarter panel, sending Stremme spinning out of turn 2. Fifth caution of the race. Earnhardt, Jr. got the free pass. Harvick lost two spots, Burton gain three positions, Amirola gained fourteen spots, and Bowyer gained eight spots during the round of pit stops. Biffle and former teammate Mark Martin stayed on the track.

Restart on lap 100 with Biffle, Mart Martin, Jeff Gordon, Kurt Bush, and Johnson in the top five. Bowyer and Montoya, running in 14th, made contact entering turn 1. No caution. Montoya entered pit road and exited in the 27th position. Lap 122, Mark Martin, running in 4th, blew the engine bring the sixth caution. Martin Truex, Jr. got the free pass. During the pitstop round, Jonson and McMurray gained two spots and Biffle and Stewart lost two positions. Kasey Kahne stayed out to led a lap before entering pit road.

Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Biffle, McMurray, Burton, Stewart, Harvick, Kyle Busch, Hamlin, and Hornish, Jr. were in the top ten during the restart on lap 131. Seventh caution on lap 138 when Reed Sorenson lost control exiting turn 2 and hit the outside wall of the backstretch; Robby Gordon got the lucky dog free pass. Hornish, Jr. entered pit road from the 10th position. The field restarted on lap 143 with Johnson as the leader. Amirola hit the outside wall in turn 3 then slowed on the backstretch where Kasey Kahne tried to avoid hitting Amirola's car. Kahne slid off the track, making slight contact with Amirola. Menard, Bobby Labonte, and Robby Gordon, from the end of the lead lap, made pit stops.

Restart on lap 149 with Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Biffle, Stewart, and Kyle Busch in the top five. Jeff Gordon took the lead away from Johnson in two laps. On lap 160, Jeff Gordon let his 20,000th Sprint Cup lap, (7th all-time record). Lap 164, Waltrip, running in the 20th position, lost control in turn 4, hit the outside wall. Eighth caution; David Gilliland got the free pass. During the round of pitstops, Burton gained seven spots, Bobby Labonte moved up twelve spots, Vickers moved up thirteen spots, Martin Truex, Jr. gained fourteen spots, Biffle lost two, and Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson both lost five spots.

Restart on lap 169 with Burton, Bobby Labonte, Vickers, Truex, Jr., Biffle, Jeff Gordon, Johnson, Kyle Busch, Stewart, and Edwards in the top ten. One lap later, Hamlin, running in 13th, lost control between turn 3 and 4, sliding across the outside wall, bring out the tenth caution. John Andretti got the free pass. The field restarted on lap 175 with Burton in the lead. Jimmie Johnson took second from Bobby Labonte on lap 187.

Eleventh caution on lap 220, Jeff Gordon missed the entrance to pit road and blew his left front tire causing damage during green flag pitstops. Edwards beat Labonte off pit road for the second position, but Edwards' crew missed placing a lugnut. Burton maintains the lead off pit road. Jimmie Johnson slid on then past his pitbox. Dave Gilliland got the free pass for the second time. The field restarted on lap 228 with Burton, Labonte, Kyle Busch, Vickers, and Ruetimann in the top five. Kyle Busch, the pole winner, took the lead from Burton in less than one lap.

Twelfth caution for debris (new race record) on lap 259. Sam Hornish, Jr. got the free pass. Clint Bowyer stayed on the track as the field entered pit road: Burton moved up five spots, Jeff Gordon gained seven spots, Kyle Busch lost two positions, and Labonte and Vickers both lost four positions. Labonte and Johnson nearly collided as Labonte was leaving his pit box and Johnson was entering his.

Restart on lap 264 with Bowyer, Burton, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Reutimann, Edwards, Labonte, Vickers, Kahne, and McMurray in the top ten. In two laps, Kyle Busch was in third behind Bowyer and Burton. Lap 267, Kyle Busch took second from Burton out of turn 2. In the next lap, Kyle Busch took the lead from Bowyer out of turn 2. Caution for the thirteenth time on lap 269 after Menard, racing between Amborise and Logano, lost control and hit the outside wall out of turn 4. Harvick got the free pass. From the end of the lead lap, Earnhardt, Jr., Robby Gordon, Hornish, Jr. and Gilliland made pitstops.

The field restarted on lap 278 with Kyle Busch, Burton, Bowyer, Reutimann, Jeff Gordon, Edwards, Labonte, Vickers, McMurray and Jimmie Johnson in the top ten. Caution a lap later; Jimmie Johnson, running in 10th, lost control in turn 2 and hit the outside wall, damaging the front right and back right end. Restart on lap 282 with Kyle Busch as the leader. Two laps to go, Bowyer passed teammate Burton for second as Edwards's engine blew. Edwards managed to keep his car away the field; no caution. Kyle Busch, who started from the back from pole position, took the checkered flag for the first time in the season.

Clint Bowyer finished second ahead of Richard Childress Racing teammate Jeff Burton. David Reutimann was in fourth, his first career top 5 finish in the Cup series. Bobby Labonte, in fifth, had the highest-finishing Ford. Jamie McMurray finish in 9th after starting the race in 38th. Kasey Kahne had the best finished Dodge in 11th. Rookies Joey Logano and Scott Speed were in 13th and 21st respectively. Jimmie Johnson, leading the most laps (92), finished in 24th. Stewart Haas Motorsports drivers Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart finished in 25th and 26th respectively. Daytona 500 winner Matt Kenseth finished in 43rd behind of teammate David Regan because of engine problems.

Point Standings

Jeff Burton moved from 31st to 18th in the standings. Kyle Busch and Bobby Labonte gained twelve spots from the 18th position and the 22nd position respectively. Kasey Kahne moved from 23rd to 13th. Brian Vickers, from 26th in the standings, was in 17th after the race. David Reutimann and David Gilliland both gained seven spots from the 12th and 44th in the standings respectively. Jaime McMurray and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. gained six spots from 28th and 35th respectively. Gaining five pointings, Kevin Harvick was in 11th, Joey Logano in 32nd, Regan Smith in 35th, and Scott Speed in 36th. Clint Bowyer was in second behind Jeff Gordon from the 6th position in the standings.

David Ragan lost sixteen spots from the 8th position to 24th. Reed Sorenson dropped to 25th from the 14th position. Martin Truex, Jr. lost nine positions from 17th in the standings. A.J. Allmendinger went from 13th to 21st in the standings. Casey Mears and Mark Martin lost seven spots from the 20th and 27th position respectively. Losing five positions in the standings, Michael Waltrip was in 12th from 7th, Juan Pablo Montoya in 15th from 10th, Elliott Salder in 16th from 11th, and John Anderetti was in 30th from 25th. Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart both lost four positions from the 3rd and 4th position respectively. Daytona 500 winner Matt Kenseth dropped to 3rd from 1st in the standings.
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