Jeff Gordon sweeps Martinsville 2005

This weekend the NEXTEL Cup series had it's final short-track race of the season. For the second week in a row the NEXTEL Cup series stars had a record number of cautions in the race. It wasn't pretty or interesting watching them roll around under yellow lap after lap but the points were critical and some drivers found their Chase hopes dashed today as non-Chaser Jeff Gordon took the win.

Qualifying

Tony Stewart rebounded from his tire problems at Lowes by posting the top speed in qualifying so he will start on the pole. Veteran driver Ricky Rudd put his Wood Brothers owned Ford on the outside of the front row. Chasers Rusty Wallace and Ryan Newman make up row number two.

Drop The Green Flag

As the green flag flew Tony Stewart traded the lead once with Ricky Rudd and then set sail.

Mark Martin had to start in the back because he crashed in practice and went to a backup car. Tony Stewart got to his back bumper in just 45 laps and as he started to pass Martin to put him a lap down Mark got impatient with Mike Wallace and spun him to bring out the first caution of the day.

Mark Martin is normally the consummate gentleman on the track. That he would rough up another driver in order to avoid going a lap down shows how badly he is battling for this Championship.

Mark did ask his team to apologize to the 4 car, saying that he made a mistake and misjudged it. I'm not so convinced, I think that was desperation and frustration showing through.

Storylines

Tony Stewart really stunk up the show today as he lead the overwhelming majority of the race. That was the only story for the majority of the race.

Chasing The Checkers

When it came down to the end Jeff Gordon, who won here in the spring, found himself out front with a very strong car. Tony Stewart was running second and last year's winner Jimmie Johnson was third.

A late race caution lined them up nose to tail for a final three lap sprint to the finish. Tony wasn't quite able to get it done and the top three finished in order just like that.

Top Ten

1. Jeff Gordon
2. Tony Stewart
3. Jimmie Johnson
4. Bobby Labonte
5. Jeff Burton
6. Kurt Busch
7. Jamie McMurray
8. Denny Hamlin
9. Kyle Busch
10. Ryan Newman

The Points

We still have a very tight battle at the front as now Tony Stewart leads Jimmie Johnson by just 15 points. Ryan Newman and Greg Biffle are still within shouting distance at 63 and 83 back respectively.

Unfortunately most of the rest of the contenders had serious troubles today and fifth place Carl Edwards is 149 points behind the leader. Today Martinsville crushed the Championship dreams of Mark Martin and Rusty Wallace.

The Chase points are now:

1. Tony Stewart -0
2. Jimmie Johnson -15
3. Ryan Newman -63
4. Greg Biffle -83
5. Carl Edwards -149
6. Rusty Wallace -166
7. Mark Martin -170
8. Kurt Busch -172
9. Matt Kenseth -172
10. Jeremy Mayfield -216

Next Week

Atlanta Motor Speedway hosts the NEXTEL Cup series stars next week for race #7 of the ten race Chase. Atlanta is very fast and wide with plenty of room for a faster car to pass. Atlanta has seen some very close finishes recently as Carl Edwards won a nail-biter here in the spring.