Gamble on gas pays off for Mayfield

Monday, Aug. 22, 2005 | 8:57 a.m.

SUN WIRE SERVICES

At Brooklyn, Mich., Jeremy Mayfield, a Nextel Cup Series driver known for winning in dramatic fashion, struck again Sunday. Mayfield turned a late fuel-economy run into unexpected victory in Sunday's GFS Marketplace 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

Mayfield edged Scott Riggs by completing the final 51 laps on a single tank of gas. The driver of the No. 19 Dodge chose to pit for fuel before the race's final restart.

The Owensboro, Ky., native beat Riggs by 1.974 seconds and finished just ahead of Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards and Nextel Cup points leader Tony Stewart, whose crew chiefs chose not to top off their fuel tank on what turned out to be the race's last caution.

"History says this place from lap 150 on goes green," said Mayfield's crew chief Richard "Slugger" Labbe, who made the winning call. We took a chance on history, and we took a chance on a test we did here when we ran 52 laps, then ran out of gas coming to 53.

"Man, we had a 20th-place car and we robbed the bank."

Mayfield's fifth career victory was as unpredictable as two others, a final lap bump and run on the late Dale Earnhardt at Pocono in 2000 and his run at Richmond last September when he clinched the final spot in the inaugural Chase for the Cup. He moved to sixth place in this season's championship standings.

"Every race I've ever won has been like that," said Mayfield, who lined up 26th on the final restart before making his charge to the front.

Kenseth, who led nine laps but remains a long shot to qualify for the Chase at 15th in points, was bitter afterward.

"I've always hated fuel-mileage races," Kenseth said. "We've been on the good side of it before, but I hate it."

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