Dover, Del.
For Johnson, winning at Dover had become the norm — his 11 wins on the mile track are easily the record. His victory was already his third of the season and the hunt for a record eighth championship was roaring ahead.
Until it stalled.
He had just two top-10s over the next 12 races, fell out of title contention and never finished a race better than third. He opened this season by wrecking out of the Daytona 500 and has just one top-five in 10 races.
The 42-year-old Johnson is used to racking up the kind of milestones that have made him a surefire Hall of Famer. But his return to Dover marks a rather ignominious distinction — he’s riding the longest losing streak of his career at 33 races.
Is it over at Dover?
“We’ll get it close, and history shows that,” Johnson said. “Hopefully we get it perfect and we can have the day that we really want to have and get back to victory lane. But it does take a little pressure off me knowing that this is my best track and knowing that this is my favorite track.”
The Hendrick Motorsports driver swept Dover in 2002 and 2009 and won races in 2005, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2017. He also joined NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip as drivers to win 11 races at a single track. His 83rd career victory tied him with Yarborough for sixth on the career victory list. Waltrip and Bobby Allison are next at 84.
“I think we have created an environment of very high expectations because of the success we’ve had and I think people forget how special our run has been,” Johnson said. “We certainly want to get back into those ways and have it happen again. But history shows it doesn’t happen very often. And we’re very fortunate to harness lightning for a long stretch of time.”
His biggest loss, though, has been his sponsor. Lowe’s is leaving the sport after 18 years as the only Cup Series sponsor Johnson has had. His rights are for sale for the first time.
Johnson, who starts 19th today, hopes the turnaround truly starts at Dover.
Allgaier Wins Xfinity Race
Dover, Del.
Sadler used lapped traffic to set up his attempt to snatch the lead from Allgaier and played it perfectly as he pulled alongside Allgaier. The two Chevrolets touched and Allgaier wiggled but held on for the victory.
He’s the 10th different Xfinity Series winner in 10 races this season. Dating to last year, a record 13 different drivers have won.
Day Seizes Quail Hollow Control
Charlotte, n.c.
Peter Uihlein, Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy all showed early Saturday that it was a softer, gentler Quail Hollow under an overcast sky. Uihlein had a 62, one off the course record. Mickelson had a 64, his lowest score this season.
Day did his part with five birdies on his last 10 holes and a daring shot on the 18th when he stood barefoot in the creek to play a shot onto the green. He was at 10-under 203.
Park, Shin Share LPGA Lead
The Colony, Texas
After Thursday’s play was canceled and Friday’s began after an 8½-hour rain delay, the tournament was reduced from 72 holes to 36. There will be no cut, but only the top 70 and ties in the 144-woman field will win prize money.
The second round began on Saturday afternoon before the first round ended.
Park and Shin were scheduled to start their final rounds Sunday afternoon.
Park, last year’s U.S. Women’s Open champion and the top-ranked player in the field at No. 5, had seven birdies and one bogey at the 6,475-yard Old American Golf Club, which is hosting the event for the first time. She was 6 under when play was halted on Friday and parred her remaining four holes on Saturday.
Shin, also from South Korea, was 4-under through 14 on Friday. On Saturday, she birdied the par-3 seventh and the par-4 ninth. Shin’s only career LPGA Tour win was two years ago at this tournament’s previous home, Las Colinas Country Club in Irving.
Denmark’s Nicole Broch Larsen and Thailand’s Moriya Jutanugarn were among those playing their second rounds Saturday and making a run at the lead. Jutanugarn, who won at Los Angeles two weeks ago, shot a first-round 66, sandwiching eight birdies between an opening double bogey and a closing bogey.
After heavy rains and gusty wind Thursday and Friday, Saturday featured bright sunshine and high temperatures in the low 80s.
This will be the LPGA Tour’s first 36-hole event since the Bahamas-LPGA Classic in May 2013, which was cut short because of flooding.
Langer hangs onto 1-shot lead at Insperity Invitational
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THE WOODLANDS, Texas (AP) — Bernhard Langer plodded his way to an even-par 72 on Saturday, good enough to maintain the lead at the Insperity Invitational as the leaderboard bunched up behind him.
Langer was at 9-under 135 and had a one-shot lead over three players after he followed up his course-record-tying opening-round 63 by making just two birdies and two bogeys at The Woodlands Country Club. The second bogey was especially painful, following his birdie on the par-5 15th with a missed 2-footer on the par-3 16th.
The 60-year-old German, a three-time winner of the Houston-area event, is seeking his first victory of 2018 after seven wins last year.
Tom Pernice Jr. (68), Miguel Angel Jimenez (69), Mark Calcavecchia (69) and Scott Dunlap (70) were one stroke behind. Bart Bryant (67) and local favorite Jeff Maggert (71) trailed by two.
Kenny Perry birdied four of the final five holes for a 65, the low round of the day, and was one of eight players sitting three shots back.