2009 Autism Speaks 400
(Redirected from 2009 Autism Speaks 400 presented by Heluva Good!)
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 13 of 36 in the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season | |||
 2009 Autism Speaks 400 program cover | |||
| Date | May 31, 2009 | ||
| Official name | Autism Speaks 400 | ||
| Location | Dover International Speedway, Dover, Delaware | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 1.0 miles (1.609 km) | ||
| Distance | 400 laps, 400 mi (643.737 km) | ||
| Weather | Temperatures reaching up to 80.6 °F (27.0 °C); wind speeds up to 13 miles per hour (21 km/h)[1] | ||
| Average speed | 115.237 miles per hour (185.456 km/h) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Michael Waltrip Racing | ||
| Time | 22.960 | ||
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | |
| Laps | 298 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | Fox Broadcasting Company | ||
| Announcers | Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip and Larry McReynolds | ||
The 2009 Autism Speaks 400 presented by Heluva Good! was the thirteenth points race in the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Held on May 31 of that year at the 1-mile (1.6 km) Dover International Speedway in Delaware's state capital city, consisting of 400 miles (640 km) and marked the halfway point to the 2009 Chase for the Sprint Cup.
Background
[edit]Fox Sports, in its 2009 swan song, televised the race beginning at 1:30 PM US EDT while MRN (terrestrial) and Sirius XM Radio (satellite) handled radio coverage starting at 1 PM.
The biggest change that year at Dover was a new pit road area. Previously, Dover's pit road only had enough room for 42 pit stalls, meaning one team had to share a pit until a car dropped out of the race. Now, thanks to a new pit wall facing the main stands, widening the lanes within pit road by 4 feet (1.2 m), the area was rebuilt and all 43 cars will have their own pit stalls that are 4 feet (1.2 m) longer than before.
Pre-Race News
[edit]The biggest news this week concerned the Hendrick Motorsports #88 team of Dale Earnhardt Jr. His cousin and crew chief, Tony Eury Jr., who had come with him from Dale Earnhardt Inc. (now Earnhardt Ganassi Racing) two years ago in one of the biggest events of that Silly Season, was fired. He will be replaced for the next two races with manager Brian Whitesell. Lance Magrew, a veteran crew chief will take over at Michigan.
Entry list
[edit]| No. | Driver | Make | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00 | David Reutimann | Toyota | Michael Waltrip Racing |
| 1 | Martin Truex Jr | Chevrolet | Earnhardt Ganassi Racing |
| 2 | Kurt Busch | Dodge | Penske Racing |
| 5 | Mark Martin | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 06 | David Starr | Dodge | Boys Will Be Boys Racing |
| 6 | David Ragan | Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 07 | Casey Mears | Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 7 | Robby Gordon | Toyota | Robby Gordon Motorsports |
| 09 | Mike Bliss | Dodge | Phoenix Racing |
| 9 | Kasey Kahne | Dodge | Richard Petty Motorsports |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin | Toyota | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 12 | David Stremme | Dodge | Penske Racing |
| 13 | Max Papis | Toyota | Germain Racing |
| 14 | Tony Stewart | Chevrolet | Stewart–Haas Racing |
| 16 | Greg Biffle | Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 17 | Matt Kenseth | Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 18 | Kyle Busch | Toyota | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 19 | Elliott Sadler | Dodge | Richard Petty Motorsports |
| 20 | Joey Logano | Toyota | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 24 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 25 | Brad Keselowski | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 26 | Jamie McMurray | Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 29 | Kevin Harvick | Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 31 | Jeff Burton | Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 33 | Clint Bowyer | Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 34 | John Andretti | Chevrolet | Front Row Motorsports |
| 36 | Mike Skinner | Toyota | Tommy Baldwin Racing |
| 37 | Tony Raines | Chevrolet | Front Row Motorsports |
| 39 | Ryan Newman | Chevrolet | Stewart–Haas Racing |
| 42 | Juan Pablo Montoya | Chevrolet | Earnhardt Ganassi Racing |
| 43 | Reed Sorenson | Dodge | Richard Petty Motorsports |
| 44 | AJ Allmendinger | Dodge | Richard Petty Motorsports |
| 47 | Marcos Ambrose | Toyota | JTG Daugherty Racing |
| 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 55 | Michael Waltrip | Toyota | Michael Waltrip Racing |
| 66 | Dave Blaney | Toyota | Prism Motorsports |
| 71 | David Gilliland | Chevrolet | TRG Motorsports |
| 75 | Derrike Cope | Dodge | Cope-Keller Racing |
| 77 | Sam Hornish Jr | Dodge | Penske Racing |
| 78 | Regan Smith | Chevrolet | Furniture Row Racing |
| 82 | Scott Speed | Toyota | Red Bull Racing Team |
| 83 | Brian Vickers | Toyota | Red Bull Racing Team |
| 87 | Joe Nemechek | Toyota | NEMCO Motorsports |
| 88 | Dale Earnhardt Jr | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 96 | Bobby Labonte | Ford | Hall of Fame Racing |
| 98 | Paul Menard | Ford | Yates Racing |
| 99 | Carl Edwards | Ford | Roush Fenway Racing |
| Source: [2] | |||
Qualifying
[edit]Jeff Gordon wrecked his car in the first run of qualifying. David Reutimann, winner of the previous week's rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600 took his third career pole.
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Make | Avg. Speed (mph) | Time | Behind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 00 | David Reutimann | Toyota | 156.794 | 22.960 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 9 | Kasey Kahne | Dodge | 156.542 | 22.997 | 00.037 |
| 3 | 42 | Juan Pablo Montoya | Chevrolet | 156.020 | 23.074 | 00.114 |
| 4 | 43 | Reed Sorenson | Dodge | 155.952 | 23.084 | 00.124 |
| 5 | 16 | Greg Biffle | Ford | 155.932 | 23.087 | 00.127 |
| 6 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Toyota | 155.885 | 23.094 | 00.134 |
| 7 | 44 | AJ Allmendinger | Dodge | 155.689 | 23.123 | 00.163 |
| 8 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Chevrolet | 155.662 | 23.127 | 00.167 |
| 9 | 83 | Brian Vickers | Toyota | 155.595 | 23.137 | 00.177 |
| 10 | 19 | Elliott Sadler | Dodge | 155.514 | 23.149 | 00.189 |
| 11 | 39 | Ryan Newman | Chevrolet | 155.447 | 23.159 | 00.199 |
| 12 | 77 | Sam Hornish Jr | Dodge | 155.440 | 23.160 | 00.200 |
| 13 | 99 | Carl Edwards | Ford | 155.420 | 23.163 | 00.203 |
| 14 | 17 | Matt Kenseth | Ford | 155.313 | 23.179 | 00.219 |
| 15 | 1 | Martin Truex Jr | Chevrolet | 155.313 | 23.179 | 00.219 |
| 16 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Toyota | 155.152 | 23.203 | 00.243 |
| 17 | 07 | Casey Mears | Chevrolet | 155.085 | 23.213 | 00.253 |
| 18 | 26 | Jamie McMurray | Ford | 155.066 | 23.216 | 00.256 |
| 19 | 2 | Kurt Busch | Dodge | 155.032 | 23.221 | 00.261 |
| 20 | 47 | Marcos Ambrose | Toyota | 154.919 | 23.238 | 00.278 |
| 21 | 20 | Joey Logano | Toyota | 154.812 | 23.254 | 00.294 |
| 22 | 88 | Dale Earnhardt Jr | Chevrolet | 154.799 | 23.256 | 00.296 |
| 23 | 82 | Scott Speed | Toyota | 154.706 | 23.270 | 00.310 |
| 24 | 71 | David Gilliland | Chevrolet | 154.593 | 23.287 | 00.327 |
| 25 | 33 | Clint Bowyer | Chevrolet | 154.573 | 23.290 | 00.330 |
| 26 | 6 | David Ragan | Ford | 154.566 | 23.291 | 00.331 |
| 27 | 96 | Bobby Labonte | Ford | 154.434 | 23.311 | 00.351 |
| 28 | 5 | Mark Martin | Chevrolet | 154.328 | 23.327 | 00.367 |
| 29 | 55 | Michael Waltrip | Toyota | 154.242 | 23.340 | 00.380 |
| 30 | 12 | David Stremme | Dodge | 153.932 | 23.387 | 00.427 |
| 31 | 14 | Tony Stewart | Chevrolet | 153.675 | 23.426 | 00.466 |
| 32 | 31 | Jeff Burton | Chevrolet | 153.577 | 23.441 | 00.481 |
| 33 | 78 | Regan Smith | Chevrolet | 153.446 | 23.461 | 00.501 |
| 34 | 36 | Mike Skinner | Toyota | 153.368 | 23.473 | 00.513 |
| 35 | 29 | Kevin Harvick | Chevrolet | 153.263 | 23.489 | 00.529 |
| 36 | 98 | Paul Menard | Ford | 153.133 | 23.509 | 00.549 |
| 37 | 09 | Mike Bliss | Dodge | 153.120 | 23.511 | 00.551 |
| 38 | 87 | Joe Nemechek | Toyota | 152.853 | 23.552 | 00.592 |
| 39 | 66 | Dave Blaney | Toyota | 152.840 | 23.554 | 00.594 |
| 40 | 7 | Robby Gordon | Toyota | 151.681 | 23.734 | 00.774 |
| 41 | 34 | John Andretti | Chevrolet | 151.471 | 23.767 | 00.807 |
| 42 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | 0.000 | 00.000 | 0.000 |
| 43 | 37 | Tony Raines | Chevrolet | 152.491 | 23.608 | 00.648 |
| Failed to qualify | ||||||
| 44 | 25 | Brad Keselowski | Chevrolet | 152.265 | 23.643 | |
| 45 | 13 | Max Papis | Toyota | 151.815 | 23.713 | |
| 46 | 75 | Derrike Cope | Dodge | 0.000 | 00.000 | 0.000 |
| 47 | 06 | David Starr | Dodge | 0.000 | 00.000 | 0.000 |
| WD | 41 | J.J. Yeley | Toyota | 0.000 | 00.000 | 0.000 |
| WD | 64 | Todd Bodine | Toyota | 0.000 | 00.000 | 0.000 |
| Source: [3][4] | ||||||
Race recap
[edit]![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg?lang=en){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2025) |
The Jimmie Johnson #48 Lowe's team chose a rather unusual strategy: they chose the last pit stall (the newly designated 43rd pit stall). It worked to a charm as he led the most laps (298), and made the win with a pass of Tony Stewart with three laps to go and claim the win coming from seventh place on the final pit stop under caution that had earlier cost them the lead.
Race results
[edit]| Finish | No. | Driver | Make | Team | Laps | Led | Status | Pts | Winnings (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports | 400 | 298 | running | 195 | 341151 |
| 2 | 14 | Tony Stewart | Chevrolet | Stewart–Haas Racing | 400 | 6 | running | 175 | 215398 |
| 3 | 16 | Greg Biffle | Ford | Roush Fenway Racing | 400 | 41 | running | 170 | 188700 |
| 4 | 17 | Matt Kenseth | Ford | Roush Fenway Racing | 400 | 7 | running | 165 | 179940 |
| 5 | 2 | Kurt Busch | Dodge | Penske Racing | 400 | 0 | running | 155 | 136250 |
| 6 | 9 | Kasey Kahne | Dodge | Richard Petty Motorsports | 400 | 0 | running | 150 | 150398 |
| 7 | 99 | Carl Edwards | Ford | Roush Fenway Racing | 400 | 12 | running | 151 | 149656 |
| 8 | 39 | Ryan Newman | Chevrolet | Stewart–Haas Racing | 400 | 0 | running | 142 | 131454 |
| 9 | 07 | Casey Mears | Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing | 400 | 0 | running | 138 | 112975 |
| 10 | 5 | Mark Martin | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports | 400 | 1 | running | 139 | 106825 |
| 11 | 33 | Clint Bowyer | Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing | 400 | 0 | running | 130 | 103225 |
| 12 | 88 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports | 400 | 0 | running | 127 | 107600 |
| 13 | 77 | Sam Hornish Jr. | Dodge | Penske Racing | 400 | 0 | running | 124 | 112235 |
| 14 | 26 | Jamie McMurray | Ford | Roush Fenway Racing | 400 | 0 | running | 121 | 101100 |
| 15 | 20 | Joey Logano | Toyota | Joe Gibbs Racing | 400 | 0 | running | 118 | 137351 |
| 16 | 31 | Jeff Burton | Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing | 400 | 0 | running | 115 | 133331 |
| 17 | 29 | Kevin Harvick | Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing | 400 | 0 | running | 112 | 127403 |
| 18 | 00 | David Reutimann | Toyota | Michael Waltrip Racing | 400 | 25 | running | 114 | 125998 |
| 19 | 43 | Reed Sorenson | Dodge | Roush Fenway Racing | 400 | 4 | running | 111 | 125851 |
| 20 | 47 | Marcos Ambrose | Toyota | JTG Daugherty Racing | 400 | 0 | running | 103 | 104173 |
| 21 | 1 | Martin Truex Jr. | Chevrolet | Earnhardt Ganassi Racing | 399 | 0 | running | 100 | 122165 |
| 22 | 78 | Regan Smith | Chevrolet | Furniture Row Racing | 399 | 0 | running | 97 | 86525 |
| 23 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Toyota | Joe Gibbs Racing | 399 | 0 | running | 94 | 131248 |
| 24 | 6 | David Ragan | Ford | Roush Fenway Racing | 399 | 0 | running | 91 | 93675 |
| 25 | 83 | Brian Vickers | Toyota | Red Bull Racing Team | 399 | 0 | running | 88 | 112973 |
| 26 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports | 398 | 0 | running | 85 | 121851 |
| 27 | 19 | Elliott Sadler | Dodge | Roush Fenway Racing | 398 | 2 | running | 87 | 91350 |
| 28 | 96 | Bobby Labonte | Ford | Hall of Fame Racing | 397 | 0 | running | 79 | 110329 |
| 29 | 44 | A.J. Allmendinger | Dodge | Roush Fenway Racing | 396 | 0 | running | 76 | 82550 |
| 30 | 42 | Juan Pablo Montoya | Chevrolet | Earnhardt Ganassi Racing | 395 | 3 | running | 78 | 117073 |
| 31 | 12 | David Stremme | Dodge | Penske Racing | 370 | 0 | crash | 70 | 112740 |
| 32 | 98 | Paul Menard | Ford | Yates Racing | 363 | 0 | running | 67 | 109506 |
| 33 | 7 | Robby Gordon | Toyota | Robby Gordon Motorsports | 282 | 0 | crash | 64 | 98660 |
| 34 | 34 | John Andretti | Chevrolet | Front Row Motorsports | 253 | 0 | crash | 61 | 86750 |
| 35 | 55 | Michael Waltrip | Toyota | Michael Waltrip Racing | 250 | 0 | engine | 58 | 86525 |
| 36 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Toyota | Joe Gibbs Racing | 232 | 0 | crash | 55 | 96400 |
| 37 | 82 | Scott Speed | Toyota | Red Bull Racing Team | 118 | 0 | engine | 52 | 90328 |
| 38 | 87 | Joe Nemechek | Toyota | NEMCO Motorsports | 67 | 0 | drive shaft | 49 | 78145 |
| 39 | 66 | Dave Blaney | Toyota | Prism Motorsports | 66 | 0 | transmission | 46 | 78030 |
| 40 | 09 | Mike Bliss | Dodge | Phoenix Racing | 56 | 0 | electrical | 43 | 77900 |
| 41 | 36 | Mike Skinner | Toyota | Tommy Baldwin Racing | 51 | 0 | engine | 40 | 77745 |
| 42 | 37 | Tony Raines | Chevrolet | Front Row Motorsports | 42 | 0 | crash | 37 | 77665 |
| 43 | 71 | David Gilliland | Chevrolet | TRG Motorsports | 38 | 1 | power | 39 | 78034 |
| Source: [5][6] | |||||||||
References
[edit]- ^ Weather information for the 2009 Autism Speaks 400 presented by Heluva Good! at The Old Farmers' Almanac
- ^ "2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Autism Speaks 400 Presented by Heluva Good! Entry List - Dover International Speedway". frcs.pro. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ "2009 Autism Speaks 400 Presented by Heluva Good! Qualifying Results and Race Lineup - Dover International Speedway". frcs.pro. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ "Race Results". Racing-Reference. Archived from the original on April 29, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ "2009 Autism Speaks 400 presented by Heluva Good! - The Third Turn". www.thethirdturn.com. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ "Race Results". Racing-Reference. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.