The 2009 Aaron's 499 was the ninth race of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. With a distance of , it was held on April 26, 2009 at the Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama. Fox Sports broadcast the race starting at 1 PM EDT, with MRN and SiriusXM carrying the radio broadcast over the air and on satellite respectively. The race had nine cautions, 25 different leaders, and 57 lead changes, the most lead changes of the season up until that point.
Brad Keselowski, driving for Phoenix Racing, won the race in his fifth career start (third start in 2009) and led his first career Sprint Cup lap on the final lap of the race (in fact the only lap he led the entire race), while Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished second and Ryan Newman finished third. It would prove to be the only Cup Series victory for Phoenix Racing. This was the first time since Casey Mears's win at the 2007 Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte that a driver had won his first career win in a major, and the first win in the Aaron's 499 by a first-time driver since Phil Parsons in 1988. It was also the first time a driver's first ever lap led was to win the race. Keselowski dedicated his win to the late Neil Bonnett.
Background Talladega Superspeedway is one of five superspeedways to hold NASCAR races; the others are Daytona International Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Pocono Raceway and Michigan International Speedway. The standard track at the speedway is a four-turn superspeedway that is long. The track's turns are banked at thirty-three degrees, while the front stretch, the location of the finish line, is banked at 16.5 degrees. The back stretch has a two-degree banking. Talladega Superspeedway can seat up to 143,231 people.
Before the race, Jeff Gordon led the Drivers' Championship with 1242 points, and Jimmie Johnson stood in second with 1157. Kurt Busch was third in the Drivers' Championship with 1144 points, six ahead of Tony Stewart and 56 ahead of Denny Hamlin in fourth and fifth. In sixth, Clint Bowyer with 1052 points was 26 points ahead of Kyle Busch in seventh, as Carl Edwards with 1023 points was 31 points ahead of David Reutimann, and 48 points in front of Kasey Kahne.
Entry list Driver Make Owner00David ReutimannToyotaMichael Waltrip1Martin Truex Jr.ChevroletTeresa Earnhardt2Kurt BuschDodgeWalter Czarnecki4Eric McClureChevroletJerry McClure5Mark MartinChevroletMary Hendrick6David RaganFordMike Dee07Casey MearsChevroletRichard Childress7Robby GordonToyotaRobby Gordon09Brad KeselowskiChevroletJames Finch9Kasey KahneDodgeGeorge Gillett Jr.11Denny HamlinToyotaJ.D. Gibbs12David StremmeDodgeRoger Penske13Max PapisToyotaBob Germain14Tony StewartChevroletMargaret Haas16Greg BiffleFordJack Roush17Matt KensethFordJohn Henry18Kyle BuschToyotaJoe Gibbs19Elliott SadlerDodgeGeorge Gillett Jr.20Joey LoganoToyotaJoe Gibbs24Jeff GordonChevroletRick Hendrick26Jamie McMurrayFordGeoff Smith29Kevin HarvickChevroletRichard Childress31Jeff BurtonChevroletRichard Childress33Clint BowyerChevroletBobby Ginn III34John AndrettiChevroletTeresa Earnhardt36Scott RiggsToyotaTommy Baldwin39Ryan NewmanChevroletTony Stewart41Jeremy MayfieldToyotaJeremy Mayfield42Juan Pablo MontoyaChevroletTeresa Earnhardt43Reed SorensonDodgeRichard Petty44A.J. AllmendingerDodgeGeorge Gillett Jr.47Marcos AmbroseToyotaRob Kauffman48Jimmie JohnsonChevroletJeff Gordon55Michael WaltripToyotaMichael Waltrip66Michael McDowellToyotaPhil Parsons71David GillilandChevroletKevin Buckler77Sam Hornish Jr.DodgeBill Davis78Regan SmithChevroletBarney Visser82Scott SpeedToyotaDietrich Mateschitz83Brian VickersToyotaDietrich Mateschitz87Joe NemechekToyotaAndrea Nemechek88Dale Earnhardt Jr.ChevroletRick Hendrick96Bobby LabonteFordJeffrey Moorad98Paul MenardFordMax Jones99Carl EdwardsFordJack Roush
Qualifying Pos. Driver Make Avg. Speed Time Behind142Juan Pablo MontoyaChevrolet188.17150.8900.000216Greg BiffleFord188.14150.89800.00831Martin Truex Jr.Chevrolet187.97150.94400.054477Sam Hornish Jr.Dodge187.95350.94900.059533Clint BowyerChevrolet187.91950.95800.068678Regan SmithChevrolet187.89750.96400.07475Mark MartinChevrolet187.86150.97400.084882Scott SpeedToyota187.82450.98400.094909Brad KeselowskiChevrolet187.68751.02100.131106David RaganFord187.64051.03400.1441188Dale Earnhardt Jr.Chevrolet187.61051.04200.1521296Bobby LabonteFord187.60751.04300.1531317Matt KensethFord187.57451.05200.1621424Jeff GordonChevrolet187.42351.09300.2031507Casey MearsChevrolet187.41251.09600.2061699Carl EdwardsFord187.38351.10400.2141787Joe NemechekToyota187.37951.10500.2151811Denny HamlinToyota187.16351.16400.2741929Kevin HarvickChevrolet187.07151.18900.2992031Jeff BurtonChevrolet187.06151.19200.3022136Scott RiggsToyota186.90051.23600.3462220Joey LoganoToyota186.88951.23900.3492318Kyle BuschToyota186.83151.25500.3652498Paul MenardFord186.82351.25700.3672539Ryan NewmanChevrolet186.66351.30100.4112671David GillilandChevrolet186.63851.30800.4182741Jeremy MayfieldToyota186.62751.31100.421282Kurt BuschDodge186.51851.34100.4512914Tony StewartChevrolet186.42351.36700.4773083Brian VickersToyota186.40151.37300.4833155Michael WaltripToyota186.26051.41200.5223226Jamie McMurrayFord186.24551.41600.5263300David ReutimannToyota186.10851.45400.5643447Marcos AmbroseToyota185.59651.59600.706359Kasey KahneDodge185.45951.63400.7443648Jimmie JohnsonChevrolet185.38451.65500.7653712David StremmeDodge184.76551.82800.9383844AJ AllmendingerDodge184.60851.87200.9823919Elliott SadlerDodge184.16151.99801.1084034John AndrettiChevrolet182.73852.40301.5134143Reed SorensonDodge185.90251.51100.621427Robby GordonToyota185.32351.67200.7824313Max PapisToyota186.46051.35700.4674466Michael McDowellToyota185.36251.661454Eric McClureChevrolet184.04852.030WD64Geoffrey BodineToyota0.0000.0000.000Source:
Race recap To begin pre-race events, Jeff Sauls, Chaplain Emergency Crews and Alabama Raceway Ministry, delivered the invocation at 1:00 P.M Central Standard Time (2:00 pm Eastern Standard time). Then Katie Stam, Miss America 2009, performed the national anthem. At 1:08 pm, University of Alabama head football coach, Nick Saban, delivered the starting command.
During the pace laps, Scott Speed made an emergency last-minute pit stop, causing him to start the race 1 lap down, since the Talladega races are impound races. Before the green flag, six drivers (including all four Richard Petty Motorsports cars) had to move to the back of the field due to engine changes: Brad Keselowski, Kasey Kahne, David Stremme, Elliott Sadler, Reed Sorenson, and A. J. Allmendinger. Robby Gordon was also forced to start at the rear as his car height was too low and failed post-qualifying inspection.
At the drop of the green flag at 1:20 pm, polesitter Juan Pablo Montoya claimed the lead and stayed in that position for four laps. On lap 5, Dale Earnhardt Jr. passed him for the lead with drafting help from Denny Hamlin. Earnhardt Jr. led for one lap before being repassed by Montoya.
On lap 7, David Ragan, who had won the Nationwide Series race the day before, took the lead on the back straightaway with the help from Joey Logano, who had assisted Ragan in that win. Moments later, the first caution flag was waved for a large crash in turn 3. Matt Kenseth, while in the middle groove, moved up in front of Jeff Gordon (driving a retro Pepsi Challenge paint scheme used by Darrell Waltrip in 1983) and made contact, causing Gordon to wobble and get loose on the high side. Gordon then made contact with David Gilliland, getting him loose, then came down and collected 14 more cars, including Allmendinger, Kahne, Sadler, Casey Mears, Kurt Busch, Mark Martin, Max Papis, Jamie McMurray, Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, Scott Riggs, and Bobby Labonte. Martin, who had won the Phoenix race the previous week, took a very hard hit, as his car went over the hood of Riggs', smashed into the wall driver's side first, and got fishtailed by Kahne as his came to a rest in the infield grass. Bowyer and Gilliland also went head-on into the outside wall.
Under this caution, Speed got the free pass. Most of the drivers pitted under the caution on lap 9. As the caution period continued, John Andretti, Greg Biffle, and Ryan Newman each led a lap before making their pit stops. When the race restarted on lap 13, Logano claimed the lead. One lap later, Martin Truex Jr. took it away from Logano with help from Earnhardt Jr. Truex Jr. continued to lead until lap 18, when Montoya passed him for it. One lap later, Busch, upon returned after the huge wreck on lap 6, took the lead from Montoya and led a lap before being passed by Hamlin. On lap 22, Jeff Burton took the lead and led for a lap before being passed by Hamlin. Burton repassed him for the lead on lap 24. On lap 27, Busch reclaimed the lead when Burton was shuffled out of line. As this took place, Burton reported having no voltage in his car. One lap later, the second caution was thrown for debris on the track. Burton was penalized for pitting early to replace his car battery.
On the lap 34 restart, Kyle Busch claimed the lead. He led for the next seven laps. On lap 38, Truex Jr. briefly took the lead on the back straightaway before Busch repassed him with a shove from Michael Waltrip. In the middle of the next lap, Truex Jr. passed Ky. Busch, but lost the lead coming into the tri-oval. On lap 40, Ky. Busch, assisted by David Ragan, was travelling alongside Jimmie Johnson, who was being pushed by David Stremme. On lap 41, Ky. Busch, pushed by Speed, raced side-by-side with Johnson, who was being pushed by Earnhardt Jr. On lap 42, the third caution flag waved when Michael Waltrip cut down in front of Marcos Ambrose in the tri-oval and spun out. Waltrip saved his car and barely avoided hitting the inside retaining wall. The free pass went to Allmendinger, 22 laps down after being involved in the first crash.
During the pit stops, Scott Speed stayed out for a lap to claim the lead from Kyle Busch, but returned it to him when he pitted on lap 45. The race restarted on lap 46 with Busch leading. Busch led for two laps before being passed by Earnhardt Jr. on lap 48. Earnhardt Jr. and Martin Truex Jr. had such a run that they were able to get a few seconds ahead of the main pack. Eanrhardt Jr. led until he was passed by Matt Kenseth on the inside on lap 50. Kenseth led for three laps before Earnhardt Jr. repassed him. Earnhardt Jr. continued to lead for the next seven laps. On lap 60, the fourth caution waved when Kurt Busch spun out in the tri-oval after being touched in the left-rear by David Stremme. Busch's spin happened in exactly the same spot that Waltrip's spin happened in to bring out the previous caution. He also saved his car. During this caution, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon, and Kasey Kahne all returned to the track multiple laps down after repairs from the lap 7 crash. Under the caution, Jeff Burton received the free pass. Waltrip led for a lap during the caution before pitting and giving the lead to Martin Truex Jr. At the restart on lap 64, Truex Jr. led the field to the green flag.
The Top 4 drivers were able to get a strong start and pull away from the lead pack. Truex Jr. led until he was passed on the inside by Hamlin on lap 75. Two laps later, Montoya took the lead. He led for one lap before being passed by Earnhardt Jr., who had a shove from David Stremme. Two laps later, Jimmie Johnson claimed the lead with a shove from Earnhardt Jr. Johnson led for one lap before being passed by Hamlin. On lap 82, Earnhardt Jr. and his JR Motorsports driver Brad Keselowski got together on the back straightaway and went below the yellow line. Though Earnhardt Jr. was able to blend back into the field, Keselowski ended up losing the draft and fell all the way to the back of the lead pack. On lap 83, Sam Hornish Jr. took the lead.