Post by cbisbig on May 29, 2017 7:30:05 GMT -5
CONCORD, N.C. -- Hall of Fame car owner Richard Childress finally let the emotions flow when he looked up at the Charlotte Motor Speedway scoring board after the Coca-Cola 600 and saw the iconic No. 3 -- driven by his grandson Austin Dillon -- on top.
"Can you believe it?" Childress asked. "The Coke 600, Austin Dillon and the [No.] 3."
Dillon passed an out-of-gas Jimmie Johnson two laps from the end for his first Cup victory.
It had been a long time coming for the number made famous by the late Dale Earnhardt, who drove for Childress during six of his seven championships. The last time the two celebrated was when Earnhardt won at Talladega on Oct. 15, 2000, four months before The Intimidator's death in a horrific crash at Daytona.
"Today is special," Childress said.
Austin Dillon outlasted a rain delay of nearly 1 hour, 40 minutes -- and several established drivers -- to take his first NASCAR Cup checkered flag. Sarah Crabill/Getty Images
Especially with how Dillon accomplished it. Crew chief Justin Alexander decided that while much of the field would pit with about 35 to go, Dillon would stay out and gamble he'd have enough fuel to make it.
"It didn't make much sense to do anything else but that, really," said Alexander, who replaced Slugger Labbe as Dillon's crew chief last Monday.
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When Dillon saw Johnson run dry right ahead, he felt relieved and excited all at once. The No. 3, Dillon said, "was the best of all time. I'm just glad to add to the legacy of it."
Dillon held off Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr., who led the most laps in the Coca-Cola 600 for a third straight year.
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Family tradition: Dillon puts No. 3 back in Victory Lane
Austin Dillon's first Cup series win is more than just about it being No. 1. It's about grandfather and car owner Richard Childress, the legacy of Dale Earnhardt and one big sigh of relief.
"It hasn't sunk in. I can't believe it," Dillon said. "We're in the Chase, baby. It's awesome."
Dillon did his signature belly slide celebration in the damp grass at Charlotte, outlasting a rain delay of nearly 1 hour, 40 minutes -- and several established drivers -- to take his first checkered flag.
He closed racing's biggest day with the surprise victory, following Sebastian Vettel's win in Formula One's Monaco Grand Prix and Takuma Sato's victory in the Indianapolis 500.
Truex took the lead for the final time with 67 laps left, sweeping past Busch to move out front. Truex pitted a final time with 33 laps left, confident he'd be able to hold on after everyone cycled through a last stop.
Truex has led 756 of the past 1,200 laps in the 600 yet finished shy of the checkered flag two of three times.
"So that's a little tough to swallow," he said.
Matt Kenseth was fourth and Denny Hamlin fifth.
Kurt Busch finished sixth, followed by rookie Erik Jones, Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman and Dale Earnhardt Jr., who finished 10th in his final Coca-Cola 600 as a full-time driver.
Johnson limped home to finish in 17th
"Can you believe it?" Childress asked. "The Coke 600, Austin Dillon and the [No.] 3."
Dillon passed an out-of-gas Jimmie Johnson two laps from the end for his first Cup victory.
It had been a long time coming for the number made famous by the late Dale Earnhardt, who drove for Childress during six of his seven championships. The last time the two celebrated was when Earnhardt won at Talladega on Oct. 15, 2000, four months before The Intimidator's death in a horrific crash at Daytona.
"Today is special," Childress said.
Austin Dillon outlasted a rain delay of nearly 1 hour, 40 minutes -- and several established drivers -- to take his first NASCAR Cup checkered flag. Sarah Crabill/Getty Images
Especially with how Dillon accomplished it. Crew chief Justin Alexander decided that while much of the field would pit with about 35 to go, Dillon would stay out and gamble he'd have enough fuel to make it.
"It didn't make much sense to do anything else but that, really," said Alexander, who replaced Slugger Labbe as Dillon's crew chief last Monday.
ADVERTISEMENT
When Dillon saw Johnson run dry right ahead, he felt relieved and excited all at once. The No. 3, Dillon said, "was the best of all time. I'm just glad to add to the legacy of it."
Dillon held off Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr., who led the most laps in the Coca-Cola 600 for a third straight year.
Editor's Picks
Family tradition: Dillon puts No. 3 back in Victory Lane
Austin Dillon's first Cup series win is more than just about it being No. 1. It's about grandfather and car owner Richard Childress, the legacy of Dale Earnhardt and one big sigh of relief.
"It hasn't sunk in. I can't believe it," Dillon said. "We're in the Chase, baby. It's awesome."
Dillon did his signature belly slide celebration in the damp grass at Charlotte, outlasting a rain delay of nearly 1 hour, 40 minutes -- and several established drivers -- to take his first checkered flag.
He closed racing's biggest day with the surprise victory, following Sebastian Vettel's win in Formula One's Monaco Grand Prix and Takuma Sato's victory in the Indianapolis 500.
Truex took the lead for the final time with 67 laps left, sweeping past Busch to move out front. Truex pitted a final time with 33 laps left, confident he'd be able to hold on after everyone cycled through a last stop.
Truex has led 756 of the past 1,200 laps in the 600 yet finished shy of the checkered flag two of three times.
"So that's a little tough to swallow," he said.
Matt Kenseth was fourth and Denny Hamlin fifth.
Kurt Busch finished sixth, followed by rookie Erik Jones, Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman and Dale Earnhardt Jr., who finished 10th in his final Coca-Cola 600 as a full-time driver.
Johnson limped home to finish in 17th
