Jimmie Johnson Wins (Again): Live-Blogging NASCAR In New Hampshire

Race results for the Lenox Industrial Tools 301:

Sprint Cup Series point standings (through 17 races):

Jimmie Johnson returned to North Carolina with a smile on his face, but several big-name drivers did not.

Here are some post-race quotes from a few of the unhappy drivers.

For a moment, Dale Earnhardt Jr. thought he had returned to the top 12 in points.

And he knew what that meant: The required interview with reporters for all drivers in the top 12.

It’s an overcast day at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, but the rain is expected to stay away (unlike last year) and allow fans to see all 301 laps in the Lenox Industrial Tools 301.

Who will win? Will anyone get payback from Sonoma (watch out, Jeff Gordon)? Will Joey Logano win again in front of his home fans?

There were actually a few bright spots about Danica Patrick’s fourth NASCAR race, so let’s start with those:

So those count for something. As for the rest? It was ugly, embarrassing and even a bit shocking.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. sounded Friday as if he’d rather not make the Chase if his No. 88 team isn’t going to contend for the Sprint Cup championship.

Earnhardt Jr. has had some solid runs over the last few weeks, but he said at New Hampshire that his results aren’t good enough to run for a title.

Bobby Labonte said Friday his ride at TRG Motorsports “just wasn’t working out,” which led him to look for another team.

Labonte is driving for Robby Gordon Motorsports this weekend and will then pilot the Phoenix Racing car at Daytona and Chicago.

Reed Sorenson knows his three-race deal with Red Bull Racing is a tryout to run more events. But that doesn’t mean he’s overwhelmed with pressure.

“I’ll tell ya, I’m more excited than feeling the pressure, just because of the opportunity,” Sorenson said Friday, his first day driving Red Bull’s No. 83 car as a substitute for Brian Vickers. “I’m excited to get in the race and do the best we can, and hopefully this three-race deal will turn into something longer. That’s kind of my goal.”

Ever since New Hampshire Motor Speedway introduced the “extra mile” for one of its 300-mile races, it hasn’t really come into play.

Will that last lap at the “Magic Mile” result in some drama this time? Or will the green-white-checkered finishes provide the excitement?