Biffle wins when Johnson's car fails

Greg Biffle celebrates his Pure Michigan 400 win.
Greg Biffle celebrates his Pure Michigan 400 win. (AP / Autostock)
Associated Press
Posted: August 20, 2012

BROOKLYN, Mich. - Greg Biffle won the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday when leader Jimmie Johnson left the track because of engine trouble with six laps left.

Johnson started the race from the back because of an engine change, but made it all the way to the lead and looked as though he had the superior car after passing Brad Keselowski on Lap 191 of 200. But Johnson couldn't hold on, and Biffle took advantage.

After Johnson faltered, there was a caution for oil on the track, and Biffle held off Keselowski by 0.416 seconds in the green-white-checkered finish. Kasey Kahne finished third in the 400-mile race, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Marcos Ambrose.

"I got it turned around and was catching him, and then his engine failed," Biffle said. "It was going to be a great race, no matter what. I felt like I could catch him, but we'll never know. Passing him might have been a different story."

Biffle took over the points lead, while Johnson dropped from first to fourth.

Pole sitter Mark Martin was sailing along in the lead for most for the first 65 laps before his race ended in scary fashion. Bobby Labonte went into a spin while Martin was coming up from behind, and Martin went sliding off toward pit road. His car crashed into the end of a short, narrow barrier on the interior side of pit road. The side of Martin's car was impaled by the end of the wall, just in front of the left rear tire and dangerously close to the driver's seat.

Johnson started from the back, and so did Earnhardt, who was using a backup car after a mishap in practice Saturday. The two Hendrick Motorsports teammates made a solid run of it, but it was Biffle and his No. 16 Ford that emerged at the end.

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