Tony Stewart Dodges Tire Problems to Win 2008 Talladega

The 2008 AMP Energy at Talladega was quite a show. This race had everything. It set records for leaders and lead changes, featured a green-white-checkers finish and a controversial call at the checkered flag where the driver that crossed the finish line first was not awarded the win.

If you like restrictor plate racing then this was a nearly perfect race.

Qualifying

Coming into today's race Chevrolet drivers have won seventeen of the last nineteen races at Talladega. The qualifying results reflected that dominance as seven of the top eight spots went to Chevy drivers.

It was, however, Travis Kvapil on the pole in his Robert Yates Racing Ford. Next to him on the front row was Casey Mears in a Hendrick Motorsports Ford.

The rest of the top five was dominated by Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolets. Aric Almirola and Regan Smith shared the second row while fellow DEI teammate Paul Menard rounded out the top five.

Drop Of The Green

The inside lane moved first so Kvapil, Almirola and Menard lead the first few laps.

There was Chase news early in the race as Jimmie Johnson lost the draft and was losing two seconds per lap to the leaders. The leaders caught and passed him on lap 25 putting point leader Jimmie Johnson a lap down.

Johnson got the break he needed on lap 46 when the second caution of the day gave him the "Lucky Dog" free pass. Johnson was back on the lead lap and again a threat to win.

Storylines

Tires caused a number of issues this weekend. Blown tires caused crashes and the tire debris caused damage to other cars on the track. Saturday's practice also saw cars damaged due to tire issues.

Today's Goodyear tire problems included:

• Jeff Gordon who got unto the wall after David Reutimann blew a tire. That same incident saw Jimmie Johnson run over Reutiman's debris and damaged his front splitter.
• The first "Big One" happened on lap 69 when Brian Vickers blew a tire while leading the middle line running inside the top five. When the smoke cleared nine cars were involved. Fortunately everyone was ok.
• Mike Wallace was running second when his right rear tire came apart. Debris from this incident damaged Michael Waltrip's car.
• Chaser Denny Hamlin was leading the race when his right front tire blew. Hamlin hit the outside wall a ton. Hamlin got out of the car under his own power but was taken to the hospital for evaluation.

Given the high speeds and close-quarters racing at Talladega this is the last place on the circuit that you want to see tire problems. In addition, this is not the first time this has happened in 2008.

There is no excuse for Goodyear to bring an unsafe tire to a NASCAR Sprint Cup race. Is it time for NASCAR to re-evaluate their official tire supplier?

Chasing The Checkers

All day we saw the leader was a sitting duck. This race set a record for leaders and lead changes as whoever was out front simply could not stay there. The 2008 AMP Energy 500 had all the makings of bein decided by a classic last lap pass.

With 15 laps to go the intensity was growing. Carl Edwards got into the back of his teammate Greg Biffle and turned him around. Fellow Chasers Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch were also involved as well as five additional non-Chase drivers.

This race came down toa green-white-checkers finish. Tony Stewart lead them to the green over Regan Smith and Paul Menard.

They stayed in single-file line until the white flag flew for Stewart. Regan Smith jumped below the yellow line and passed Stewart to cross the finish line first. The question was what would NASCAR do about the pass?

Tony Stewart was awarded the win. It could be argued that this was a controversial decision, but I believe NASCAR made the right call this time.

Regan Smith was posted in 18th. The last car on the lead lap.

Top Ten

1. Tony Stewart
2. Paul Menard
3. David Ragan
4. Jeff Burton
5. Clint Bowyer
6. Bobby Labonte
7. Scott Riggs
8. Robby Gordon
9. Jimmie Johnson
10. Eliott Sadler

The Points

Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle were involved in the second Big One and left Jimmie Johnson alone at the top of the standings. Johnson's 72 point advantage over Carl Edwards is by far the largest lead any driver has seen so far in the 2008 Chase.

Drivers now effectively eliminated from the Championship battle now include everyone from fifth on back.

Clint Bowyer's 152 deficit means that not only would he have to make up 152 points on a very consistent Johnson but he would also need Edwards, Biffle and Jeff Burton to also fall to make way for him. That is simply too much to reasonably expect.

1. Jimmie Johnson -0
2. Carl Edwards -72
3. Greg Biffle -77
4. Jeff Burton -99
5. Clint Bowyer -152
6. Kevin Harvick -171
7. Tony Stewart -203
8. Jeff Gordon -232
9. Matt Kenseth -245
10. Dale Earnhardt Jr. -249
11. Kyle Busch -331
12. Denny Hamlin -335