NASCAR All-Star: Jamie McMurray dominates Showdown
Jamie McMurray and Ricky Stenhouse Jr secured spots in the NASCAR All-Star race with first and second places in the Showdown qualifying heat
McMurray dominated most of the 40-lap event.
Choosing to change just two tyres in the optional pitstops during the half-distance pause put him at the front of the queue to pass those who had eschewed new tyres and he swiftly returned to the front.
Others took longer to get around Casey Mears, the best of those who had not pitted, and by the time Stenhouse's Roush Fenway Ford was up to second, McMurray's Earnhardt Ganassi Chevrolet was over a second clear, a margin it maintained.
Martin Truex Jr had been McMurray's main rival in the first segment, but two brushes with the wall slowed his pace and he fell to fifth behind Childress duo Jeff Burton and Paul Menard.
Juan Pablo Montoya was caught speeding the pits and demoted to last for the start of the second segment. He could only recover to sixth.
Danica Patrick won the fan vote to decide the final driver to make it through to the All-Star. She finished ninth in the Showdown.
Results - 40 laps:
Pos Driver Team/Car Time/Gap
1. Jamie McMurray Earnhardt Ganassi Chevrolet 26m03.000s
2. Ricky Stenhouse Jr Roush Fenway Ford + 1.226s
3. Jeff Burton Childress Chevrolet + 4.429s
4. Paul Menard Childress Chevrolet + 5.429s
5. Martin Truex Jr Waltrip Toyota + 6.996s
6. Juan Pablo Montoya Earnhardt Ganassi Chevrolet + 7.405s
7. Aric Almirola Petty Ford + 7.857s
8. Travis Kvapil BK Toyota + 12.871s
9. Danica Patrick Stewart-Haas Chevrolet + 13.276s
10. Casey Mears Germain Ford + 16.598s
11. David Reutimann BK Toyota + 16.867s
12. Bobby Labonte JTG Daugherty Toyota + 18.133s
13. David Gilliland Front Row Ford + 20.216s
14. Michael McDowell Leavine Ford + 20.498s
15. David Stremme Swan Toyota + 20.924s
16. Landon Cassill Circle Sport Chevrolet + 22.425s
17. Mike Bliss Humphrey Smith Toyota + 22.667s
18. Joe Nemechek NEMCO Toyota + 26.757s
19. Brian Keselowski Keselowski Toyota + 4 laps
Retirements:
JJ Yeley Baldwin Chevrolet 27 laps
Dave Blaney Baldwin Chevrolet 24 laps
Scott Riggs Xxxtreme Ford 15 laps
Timmy Hill FAS Lane Ford 6 laps
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