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manufacturers’ championship for Chevrolet. Kenseth finished second, Clint Bowyer was third, Brad Keselow- ski fourth, and Jimmie Johnson rounded out the top five. “I have nothing to complain about,” Kenseth said of his runner- up finish. “You’re always disap- pointed when you’re running up front late (and don’t win).” Johnson entered the race with a four-point lead in the champi- onship points standings, but after Kenseth led the most laps (202) and finished three positions ahead of Johnson, the two drivers left Martinsville tied atop the stand- ings. “It’s going to be a dog fight to the end,” Johnson said. Kenseth and Johnson were mainstays up front for the first 200 laps before pit strategies began to vary throughout the race field as a large number of cautions plagued the remainder of the event. With Kenseth leading and Johnson second on a restart fol- lowing a lap-218 caution, Johnson lost several spots on the restart, then gave up additional spots to head down pit road during a caution on lap 229. Kenseth continued to move up, but after he lost the lead to Bowyer MARTINSVILLE — Jeff Gor- don claimed his first win of the season on Sunday with a victory in the Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville Speedway. “There’s nothing better than getting a clock at Martinsville,” Gordon said of the grandfather clock awarded as a trophy to race winners at the track. “It’s hard to top what it feels like to win.” He passed Matt Kenseth with 21 laps remaining in the 500-lap race and led the rest of the way to claim the win and clinch the season NASCAR SPRINT CUP GOODY’S HEADACHE RELIEF SHOT 500 Gordon’s victory knots up the Chase Kenseth, Johnson tied atop standings with three races remaining By Amanda Vincent The Sports Xchange Jeff Gordon leads a pack of drivers during Sunday’s race at Martinsville. Gordon went on to capture his first victory of the season. PETER CASEY/USA TODAY SPORTS PHOTO See NASCAR/Page 4 Up next AAA Texas 500 When: 3 p.m. Sunday Where: Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas TV: ESPN DENVER — For a brief moment in the second half of their game against the Denver Broncos, it appeared the Redskins had a chance to give Mike Shanahan a triumphant return to the city where he won back-to-back Super Bowls 15 seasons ago. Takeaways by the defense on back-to-back stands led to two quick touchdowns and a 14-point lead with just more than 11 min- utes left in the third quarter. But then Peyton Manning and the Broncos came storming back with 38 unanswered points in the final 23 minutes of play, Washing- ton turned unresponsive and Sha- nahan left his old stomping grounds with a 45-21 loss Sunday at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The loss dropped the Redskins to 2-5 on the season, while the Broncos improved to 7-1 one week after suffering their first loss. The Redskins entered the game in need of a monumental perform- ance from their defense and a highly effective offensive showing as they faced off with Manning and his league-leading attack. Instead, Washington’s defense suffered a fourth-quarter collapse after three strong quarters. Meanwhile, Robert Griffin III and the offense did not have their best day. Griffin completed only 15 of 30 passes for 132 yards, a touchdown and two intercep- tions. He fumbled once and left the game with 5:53 left to play after injuring his left knee while being driven to the ground during his second interception. Kirk Cousins took over for the final stretch but threw two intercep- tions, including one that Domi- nique Rodgers-Cromartie re- turned 75 yards for a touchdown. The late-game flurry marked a drastic change from the first half, in which Denver scored on its first possession but lost its rhythm. During that first half, Washing- ton did a commendable job de- spite facing significant limitations. With starting free safety Bran- don Meriweather serving a one- game suspension because of a pair of helmet-to-helmet hits against the Bears and starting strong safety Reed Doughty sidelined by a concussion, the Redskins were forced to make do with a pair of backups. They started cornerback E.J. Biggers at free safety and undrafted first-year player Jose Gumbs at strong safety. Manning worked the middle of the field on the opening drive of the game, his longest completion a 19-yard catch-and-run to tight end Julius Thomas, who had a step on Gumbs and reached the 23 before being tackled. Three plays later, Manning connected with a wide- open Wes Welker for a six-yard scoring strike that gave the slot receiver his ninth touchdown catch of the season. Wide receiver Demaryius Thomas set a pick for Welker, preventing nickel back Broncos safety Rahim Moore celebrates with the ball after intercepting Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III during the fourth quarter of Denver’s victory on Sunday. JUSTIN EDMONDS/GETTY PHOTOS Broncos reel off 38 unanswered points in second half as they cruise past Redskins Denver’s Knowshon Moreno runs for a touchdown on Sunday. Sunday’s results DENVER 45, Washington 21 DETROIT 31, Dallas 30 KANSAS CITY 23, Cleveland 17 NEW ENGLAND 27, Miami 17 NEW ORLEANS 35, Buffalo 17 N.Y. Giants 15, PHILADELPHIA 7 San Fran. 42, Jacksonville 10 (in London) CINCINNATI 49, N.Y. Jets 9 OAKLAND 21, Pittsburgh 18 ARIZONA 27, Atlanta 13 Green Bay at Minnesota, late THURSDAY’S RESULT Carolina 31, TAMPA BAY 13 Home team in CAPS By Mike Jones The Washington Post See REDSKINS/Page 4 Mile High meltdown NFL BRONCOS 45, REDSKINS 21 | MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013 | like, but Vick doesn’t look for the sideline. He has to be taken out, and that is what Chip Kelly did in the second quarter of Sunday’s dreadful 15-7 loss to the Giants. Kelly let Vick remain in the game for one series after the quarterback reinjured his left hamstring, just as he did when the injury originally occurred three weeks prior in the Meadowlands, but it was clear Vick couldn’t run. For some Michael Vick said he would have continued to play on Sunday had that been asked of him. If there is nothing else consistent about the Eagles starting quarter- back — and pretty much there “is nothing else consistent” — it is that he always wants to keep playing football. Criticize whatever else you quarterbacks, that’s no big deal. For Vick, it changes everything. When Kelly took a deep breath and went with rookie Matt Bark- ley, Vick went to the bench and draped a towel over his head. He has been in the NFL long enough to know that it isn’t a good sign when three weeks of rehab comes undone in just nine plays. “I tested it many times, but NFL COMMENTARY Kelly may give up on Vick By Bob Ford The Philadelphia Inquirer See VICK/Page 5 Eagles QB Michael Vick left Sun- day’s loss against the Giants. YONG KIM/PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS As the Cardinals prepared for Sunday night’s Game 4, there was suspense over the availabili- ty of slugger Allen Craig, who reinjured his ankle on the bi- zarre end to Game 3 Saturday night. For full World Series coverage, turn to Page 5. INSIDE BASEBALL Craig’s status up in the air
