LONG POND, Pa. -- Pit strategy played a role in Sunday's Sprint Cup event at Pocono Raceway as Jimmie Johnson crossed the finish line sixth, earning his sixth top-10 finish of the season.
Johnson started from the outside pole in the 500-mile event and appeared to have the dominant machine in the first half of the race, leading 53 of the first 100 laps.
But as caution flags became fewer and green-flag runs became longer, teams began strategizing in hopes of finding themselves up front with enough fuel as the laps wound down.
Crew chief Chad Knaus called for what he hoped would be Johnson's final pit stop on lap 168, putting him back on the track in the 27th position. If the race had remained under a green flag condition, many of the cars in front of the No. 48 Lowe's Chevy would've needed to pit, putting Johnson in contention for the win.
However, when Kyle Busch spun in turn 2 with fewer than 25 laps remaining, pit strategies became irrelevant as several teams headed down the pit lane for tires and fuel. Johnson restarted the event eighth and picked up two spots in the closing laps to finish sixth.
"Unfortunately, (our pit strategy) didn't pan out like we needed and that last caution really hurt us," said Johnson, who moved up to sixth in the Sprint Cup Series driver point standings. "That was a working man's sixth place today; we worked really hard for that one. I can't thank these guys enough. We will take the sixth, but we thought we could have been in the top three."
Johnson is just one point out of fifth in the point standings.
Hendrick Motorsports driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished fourth in the 200-lap event, while Jeff Gordon crossed the line 14th and Casey Mears was credited with a 26th-place result.
Kasey Kahne, who started on the pole, took the victory. He led Brian Vickers, Denny Hamlin, Earnhardt Jr., and Jeff Burton to the checkered flag.
Kyle Busch continues to hold the top spot in the series' driver point standings, ahead of Jeff Burton, Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards and Hamlin.
The series will head to Michigan International Speedway for next weekend's event. The June 15 race will be broadcast live on TNT beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET.
TOP 10 FINISHERS AT POCONO
1. Kasey Kahne
2. Brian Vickers
3. Denny Hamlin
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
5. Jeff Burton
6. Jimmie Johnson
7. Matt Kenseth
8. Kurt Busch
9. Carl Edwards
10. Mark Martin
HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS DRIVERS' FINISHING POSITIONS
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
6. Jimmie Johnson
14. Jeff Gordon
26. Casey Mears
TOP 12 IN POINTS AFTER POCONO
1. Kyle Busch
2. Jeff Burton -21
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. -145
4. Carl Edwards -228
5. Denny Hamlin -284
6. Jimmie Johnson -285
7. Greg Biffle -303
8. Jeff Gordon -317
9. Kasey Kahne -365
10. Kevin Harvick -394
11. Clint Bowyer -405
12. Tony Stewart -470
HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS DRIVERS' POINTS POSITIONS
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. -145
6. Jimmie Johnson -285
8. Jeff Gordon -317
26. Casey Mears -806
MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY SCHEDULE (all times Eastern)
Friday, June 13
Sprint Cup practice, 11:30 a.m., SPEED
Sprint Cup qualifying, 3 p.m., SPEED
Saturday, June 14
Sprint Cup practice, noon, SPEED
Sprint Cup final practice, 1 p.m.
Sunday, June 15
Pre-race, 12:30 p.m., TNT
Race, 2 p.m., TNT
