2009 Autism Speaks 400

Race details
Race 13 of 36 in the2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season
2009 Autism Speaks 400 program cover
Date	May 31, 2009 (2009-05-31)
Official name	Autism Speaks 400
Location	Dover International Speedway,Dover, Delaware
Course	Permanent racing facility
Course length	1.0 miles (1.609 km)
Distance	400 laps, 400 mi (643.737 km)
Weather	Temperatures reaching up to 80.6 °F (27.0 °C); wind speeds up to 13 miles per hour (21 km/h)[1]
Average speed	115.237 miles per hour (185.456 km/h)
Pole position
Driver	David Reutimann	Michael Waltrip Racing
Time	22.960
Most laps led
Driver	Jimmie Johnson	Hendrick Motorsports
Laps	298
Winner
No. 48	Jimmie Johnson	Hendrick Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network	Fox Broadcasting Company
Announcers	Mike Joy,Darrell Waltrip andLarry McReynolds

The2009 Autism Speaks 400 presented by Heluva Good! was the thirteenth points race in the2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Held on May 31 of that year at the 1-mile (1.6 km)Dover International Speedway inDelaware's state capital city, consisting of 400 miles (640 km) and marked the halfway point to the2009 Chase for the Sprint Cup.

Fox Sports, in its 2009 swan song, televised the race beginning at 1:30 PMUS EDT whileMRN (terrestrial) andSirius XM Radio (satellite) handled radio coverage starting at 1 PM.

The biggest change that year at Dover was a new pit road area. Previously, Dover's pit road only had enough room for 42 pit stalls, meaning one team had to share a pit until a car dropped out of the race. Now, thanks to a new pit wall facing the main stands, widening the lanes within pit road by 4 feet (1.2 m), the area was rebuilt and all 43 cars will have their own pit stalls that are 4 feet (1.2 m) longer than before.

The biggest news this week concerned theHendrick Motorsports #88 team ofDale Earnhardt Jr. His cousin and crew chief,Tony Eury Jr., who had come with him from Dale Earnhardt Inc. (nowEarnhardt Ganassi Racing) two years ago in one of the biggest events of that Silly Season, was fired. He will be replaced for the next two races with manager Brian Whitesell. Lance Magrew, a veteran crew chief will take over at Michigan.

Jeff Gordon wrecked his car in the first run of qualifying.David Reutimann, winner of the previous week's rain-shortenedCoca-Cola 600 took his third career pole.

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TheJimmie Johnson #48 Lowe's team chose a rather unusual strategy: they chose the last pit stall (the newly designated 43rd pit stall). It worked to a charm as he led the most laps (298), and made the win with a pass ofTony Stewart with three laps to go and claim the win coming from seventh place on the final pit stop under caution that had earlier cost them the lead.

• 2009 in sports in Delaware
• 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
• Sociological and cultural aspects of autism
• NASCAR races at Dover Motor Speedway
• May 2009 sports events in the United States

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