Qualifying
Kasey Kahne set a new track record in Darlington with a 181.254 MPH qualifying lap. Ryan Newman brought his brewing feud with Juan Montoya from Richmond and put his Chevy on the outside of the front row.
Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards and Jeff Gordon filled out the rest of the top five starters.
Drop Of The Green
The leaders quickly fell into single file with Kasey Kahne taking the early lead. Ryan Newman challenged in the first few laps but couldn't make it past before the first caution flew on lap six.
After the caution Newman took the lead on the restart as he and Kahne were the class of the field in the early going.
Storylines
"The Track Too Tough To Tame" saw tempers flare as if this were a short track. Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick created some fireworks during, and after, the race. After some contact on the race track Kyle Busch lost his cool and turned dead left into the right rear corner of Kevin Harvick's car and spun him intentionally late in the race.
After the race Kevin Harvick rolled to a stop on pit road blocking Kyle Busch. Harvick was climbing out of his car to confront Kyle on pit road when Kyle hit the gas, pushed Harvick's empty car into the inside pit wall and drove off.
Both drivers were summmoned to the NASCAR hauler. We will have to see if NASCAR calls this a "have at it" moment or issues a penalty.
Chasing The Checkers
Kasey Kahne was leading Carl Edwards when they dove to pit road for their final round of green flag pit stops with 35 laps to go. The two leaders were side-by-side as they rolled slowly down pit road.
Kahne's team got four tires and fuel on quicker than Edwards' team. Kasey Kahne lead the battle back onto the race track with Carl Edwards right in his tire tracks. It took just a couple of laps for Edwards to reel Kahne in and make the pass for the lead.
Once Edwards was free he was able to build a solid lead before Jeff Burton's blown engine brought out a caution and sent all the leaders back to pit road.
This was a classic strategic situation. If Carl Edwards pits then some drivers are bound to stay out. If Edwards stays out then drivers behind him will head topit road for fresh tires.
Edwards hit pit road and got two tires. Most of the field followed suit but three drivers stayed out to steal some track position, and maybe the win.
Regan Smith, Brad Keselowski and Tony Stewart lined up at the front ahead of Carl Edwards and Kasey Kahne when the final green flag flew with five laps to go. Edwards went to the top on Stewart and to the bottom on Keselowski before the yellow returned
Regan Smith got a great restart on the green-white-checkers restart. Smith lead Carl Edwards back to the white flag.
Smith was digging for all it was worth and slapped the wall off of turn two. Edwards wasn't able to capitalize on the mistake and Regan Smith held him off for his first ever NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win.
Top Ten
- Regan Smith
- Carl Edwards
- Brad Keselowski
- Kasey Kahne
- Ryan Newman
- Denny Hamlin
- Tony Stewart
- Greg Biffle
- Jamie McMurray
- Martin Truex Jr.
The Points
Carl Edwards' strong second place finish helps him extend his point lead. Edwards gained fourteen points on Jimmie Johnson to extend his lead to 23.
No new drivers cracked the top ten
The 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Standings:
- Carl Edwards
- Jimmie Johnson -23
- Kyle Busch -39
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. -47
- Kevin Harvick -50
- Ryan Newman -61
- Tony Stewart -65
- Kurt Busch -72
- Clint Bowyer -81
- Matt Kenseth -83
