Jeff Burton had the strongest car all weekend until the final 100 laps. Credit: Autostock

Second-half meltdown leaves Burton confused

After dominating first 100 laps, winds up a disappointing 15th

SPEEDWAY, Ind. -- Jeff Burton walked away from the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard convinced his monumental late-race fade wasn't due to sheer bad handling.

Something must have broken. He is just not sure what it was.

Jeff Burton led a race-high 87 laps at Indianapolis. Credit: Autostock

Allstate 400 Official Results Pos. Driver Make 1. Jimmie Johnson Chevy 2. Matt Kenseth Ford 3. Kevin Harvick Chevy 4. Clint Bowyer Chevy 5. Mark Martin Ford 6. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevy 7. Kyle Busch Chevy 8. Tony Stewart Chevy 9. Carl Edwards Ford 10. Denny Hamlin Chevy • Complete results, click here • Official standings, click here Victory LaneJimmie Johnson celebrates his first Brickyard victory Final lapsJimmie Johnson avoids last-lap wreck taking the win Sign up for TrackPass now BUY THE NEXTEL i836

Burton had his most dominant car in years, leading 87 laps before collapsing to finish 15th. It was the first time he has led the most laps in a race since 2001 at Phoenix. Yet it was another in a series of near-misses for Burton, who is searching for first Nextel Cup win in nearly five years.

Despite the disappointment, Burton moved closer to securing his first Chase for the Nextel Cup spot. Still, he badly wanted to win at the Brickyard after his team, Richard Childress Racing, showed tremendous power during the race's qualifying and practice sessions.

To add insult to injury, Burton's teammates, Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer, both scored top-five finishes, leaving Burton to wonder what might have failed on his car.

"We may go home and find out a spring collapsed or something unusual," said Burton, who remained third in the points. "I would be shocked if we just tuned ourselves out like that."

Burton started from the pole and led almost the entire first half of the race, but that half was marred by frequent cautions. Those yellow flags vanished in the second half, and Burton found his car deteriorating over the long runs.

"[I am] more confused than anything," Burton said. "We were really good for half of a run and then it started to get too tight. [In the] last half of the race, it just pushed badly and couldn't get it freed up. Just disappointed."

Burton's car started to lose its strength around Lap 110. The veteran driver said the change in his car's behavior was as sudden as it was mysterious.

"I don't know if we had a spring collapse or if something was wrong with the car," Burton said. "It turned really nice and then it just quit. We made huge adjustments and never got close to fixing it."

Because the race had such extended green-flag runs in the second half -- and because Indianapolis places a heavy emphasis on track position -- Burton's team had only two pit stops in the last 75 laps to fix the problem.

Nothing they tried on the last two stops worked.

"We made some pretty big adjustments," Burton said. "That is why I think something went wrong; the adjustments we were making didn't even put a dent on it.

"To lead that many laps, have that dominant of a car and not even be in the mix is really disappointing."