Solid run for Earnhardt

All but lost in the flap over the penalty that cost Jimmie Johnson a probable victory was a 10th-place finish that kept Dale Earnhardt Jr. sixth in the Sprint Cup standings.

Earnhardt might well have done better than 10th, but he could never gain the track positions necessary to take advantage of an improving car.

We made our car better,” Earnhardt said. “I felt like we had a real strong car the last half of the race. We just couldn’t get track position, couldn’t pass. We were faster than the guys in front of us at the end, but just couldn’t pass.”