After leading the most laps in the race, four times for a total of 164 of the 500 laps, five-time defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) champion Jimmie Johnson brought his No. 48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet to the finish line in third place. The solid performance in race four of the 2011 season jumped him five places in the point standings to seventh in the order.
Paul Menard, No. 27 CertainTeed/Menards Chevrolet, continued his outstanding start to the season with a fifth place finish. He moved up one point position to fifth in the standings.
Kevin Harvick, No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet, recovered from a spin on lap 438 to charge his way back through the field and finish sixth. He now sits 15th in the point standings.
Ryan Newman, No. 39 Tornados Chevrolet, also off to a great start of the season, was 10th at the line and moved to fourth in points.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr., No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet, finished 11th and remained ninth in the standings after working his way back through the field following a pit road speeding penalty late in the race.
With his 12th place finish, Mark Martin, No. 5 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, remains 11th in the standings.
Two-time NSCS champion Tony Stewart, No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil Chevrolet, now sits third in the standings after battling handling issues created by incidental contact early in the race. He was scored 19th at the finish.
Juan Pablo Montoya, No. 42 Target Chevrolet, dropped to eighth in points after a very solid run was nullified when he was involved in a multi-car accident on lap 437.
Kyle Busch (Toyota) was the race winner. Carl Edwards (Ford) and Matt Kenseth (Ford) completed the top five finishers.
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