Stock Car City

Stock Car Review

E Race Fans

Inside The PitBox

Fantasy Racing Empire

Open Wheel Racing

Posted on April 26, 2008
	Print	RSS	Add

Stewart wins Aaron's 312 at Talladega

by Ed Coombs | PopUpScript2 About The Author | Discuss

EVENT:

Aaron's 312, Talladega Superspeedway

April 26, 2008

Race 10 of 35

Unofficial Results

Unofficial Standings

More Editorials:

» NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Darlington

by Jeffrey Boswell

» The Dan Lowry 400, That was the Prize

by Ed Coombs

» The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly - NASCAR's Most !@%$%@ Driver Tames Its Most !@%$%@ Track

by Ron Thornton

» Darlington, Kvapil, and Toyota

by Ron Fleshman

» Busch Whacker

by Mike Finnegan

Tony Stewart won the Aaron's 312 Nationwide Series race at Talladega Saturday holding off Dale Earnhardt Jr, who got ahead of Stewart in the tight pack after the final restart. Earnhardt picked the high lane and no one helped, so he faded back to fifth. "I didn't think leading was the place to be," Stewart said, who was leading when a debris caution was waved with only a few laps remaining. "I still don't think, even after winning the race, that being the leader there with two laps to go was the right place to be. David Stremme finished second.

Stewart lead at the beginning of the event after starting on the pole. There was a lot of jockeying around and 3 and 4 wide racing right from the onset…behind the leaders. Kyle Busch seemed to want to be by himself going to the back at the start…. Brad Keselowski in his JR Motorsports (aka Hendrick) car battled side by side with Stewart for lead on lap 8. With weather approaching it was thought that it might be a race to half way… By lap 10 Steven Leight was leading for a bit as the aero package allowed for a lot of passing…

On lap 12 Dario Franchitti lost a tire on the back stretch collecting others including points leader Clint Bowyer who had to take his car behind the wall. Franchitti took a drivers side hit by the no. 91 car of Larry Gunselman. Franchitti had to be helped out of the car and was apparently injured. He was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation where it was determined he fractured his ankle. Penske developmental Stremme, who Franchitti replaced in the no. 40 car, will be in that cr Sunday and Franchitti heals…

Keselowski restarted out front and was followed by Wimmer, Lefler, Hamlin and Biffle, Within a lap Lefler got a push from Hamlin to the front. Hamlin ended up fading back because he needed to lift. . Keselowski made it back behind Lefler shortly thereafter for second.

Lap 20 Scott Wimmer losing a tire bringing out second caution going 5 wide down the front stretch in single car accident. Lap 25 restart saw Lefler in lead and Hamlin trying to come up front as NASCAR said weather was about 30 minutes out. By lap 30 it was drafting buddies Stewart and Earnhardt Jr. in the lead. As the clouds were rolling in it started getting dicey out there as they were going 3 wide behind the leaders. With Stewart and Earnhardt Jr. breaking away the no. 24 car of Eric McClure spun out bringing out the 3^rd caution on lap 42.

The leaders pitted and there were differing strategies under way. Stewart, Steven Wallace and Earnhardt Jr. Sorenson and Biffle, lead them from the pits. All 3 got 2 tires and fuel as they looked towards the skies. On lap 50 Reed Sorenson put Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the point with a strong push past Stewart. As Stewart made his run back up front Earnhardt jumped in front for the block and they drafted for a few laps. At half way it was still Earnhardt and Stewart leading but Reed Sorenson was putting a strong run.

When David Regan spun, bringing out the caution the leaders pitted. As Earnhardt left his pits Marcos Ambrose was entering his costing Earnhardt the lead out of the pits. By the time they hit the back stretch Earnhardt was drafting right behind the leader Stewart.

The “big one” happened with 47 laps to go as Kevin Lepage was going slow under the yellow "blend" line as the leaders were crossing the start / finish line. Lepage pulled out right in front of the pack triggering the wreck that collected up to seventeen cars. Heavily damaged was Steven Wallace, Carl Edwards, Kenny Wallace, Reed Sorenson, and many others. NASCAR decided to display a red flag less than a lap later. Edwards made no bones about his dissatisfaction and said, “That sort of stuff can kill somebody.” He also waited for the television replay, “Before I say something stupid.”

Stewart and Earnhardt Jr. led the next 20 or so laps of a decimated field, when the no. 81 of D.J. Kennington had a soft tire and spun entering the turn, while sideways he was tagged by the no. 05 of Brett Rowe on the drivers side.

The rest of the way saw a basic Earnhardt - Stewart "show" as the two good friends stayed up front.

You can contact Ed at coombse@speedwaymedia.com

The opinions expressed on this site are not necessarily those of the publisher. All comments other than website related problems need to be directed to the author. Copyright 2000-2008 SpeedwayMedia.com.

More by this author:

» The Dan Lowry 400, That was the Prize - 5/14/2008

» Tony Stewart Dominates the Diamond Hill Plywood 200 - 5/10/2008

» Testing Impressions - 5/9/2008

» The Next Race is Named After a Fan - 4/30/2008

» Stewart wins Aaron's 312 at Talladega - 4/28/2008