Stewart led 23 of the 190 laps run in the event. Most of them were scattered throughout the race, with Stewart leading most of the last 15 laps of the event.  

Stewart was able to avoid a few little and 2 big “Ones’” of the day’s race. Stewart began his day way back in 34^th (who is also today’s hard charger of the event) to take home his third Superspeedway win in his career. The other two of course at Daytona. 

Stewart, drove his Chevrolet, like most of the drivers to the front several times when the holes opened for him. Through the ten cautions that lasted 41 laps with two red flags, Stewart navigated his car through the calamities to stay clean in the event. 

The race came to a green-white-checkered shootout after Jamie McMurray spun out with 4 to go after a restart from the second big one with 14 to go took out many of the chase drivers that were able to avoid the first big one. 

Stewart was able to hold off team DEI as Regan Smith, Paul Menard and Aric Almirola were nose to tail behind Stewart. It looked like DEI might land it’s first Superspeedway win after the departure of Dale Earnhardt Jr. 

Trouble hit Almirola, as he faltered on the restart, possibly running out of gas. This left Smith and Menard to go for the win. On the last lap however, as the drivers came out of turn four, Smith ducked to the inside of Stewart who slammed the door on him. 

As the drivers headed in the tri-oval, Smith had to drop below the yellow line and passed Stewart on the apron. Smith crossed the line ahead of Stewart after coming back up from the apron. 

This lead some of the questions to the Craftsman Truck Series event where it was heard that if you can see the flag stand from the tri-oval and forced below the yellow line you could race back to the finish. 

This information did not seem to hit the Sprint Cup Series as NASCAR ruled that Smith would fall back to 18^th in scoring as the rule in standing came into play, allowing Stewart his first win. Stewart had the same type of incident in the second year of the rule of not going below the yellow line which put him back to the end of the lead lap drivers. 

Roush Racing took a hard hit in the event as the second big one collected Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle after Edwards pushed Biffle too hard into turn three. 

The push shot Biffle down into the path of the drivers, Kenseth one of them, slamming them drivers all over the track with 14 to go. This not only collected the three primary Roush drivers, it also collected Earnhardt Jr., with several others. 

Other Chase drivers that were in trouble during the event were Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick. 

Johnson still leads the Chase with a 72 point lead over Carl Edwards. Greg Biffle and Jeff Burton stay in the same position (3^rd and 4^th), Clint Bowyer moves up 2 positions to 5^th, Harvick sips back one to 6^th, Stewart moves up 4 positions to 7^th, Jeff Gordon slips back 2 to 8^th, Kenseth remains in 9^th, Earnhardt Jr. slips back 2 to 10^th, Kyle Busch moves up 1 to 11^th and Denny Hamlin back 2 to 12^th. 

PRE RACE NOTES 

Credit the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, NASCAR’s playoff-style championship-deciding format that encompasses the last 10 races of the season. When the format was instituted in ‘04 it placed  tempestuous Talladega in the middle of the mix. 

Sunday’s AMP Energy 500 is Race 4 in the 2008 “Chase.” As always, the only thing predictable about Talladega is the track’s unpredictability. 

Credit the banking of 33 degrees in the turns. 

Or maybe the overall track length of 2.66 miles, conducive to serious speed. 

And don’t forget the close-quarters racing resulting from carburetor restrictor plates that reduce horsepower and put a premium on handling, drafting — and teamwork. Or in lieu of teamwork, cooperation between non-teammates. 

Talladega’s tough — particularly on drivers who roll into town leading the Chase standings. In the four years of the Chase thus far, only once has the leader coming into Talladega been the leader leaving town — Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet) in 2006. And that was a close call; Burton’s lead was sliced to six points after a 27th-place race finish. He ended up a disappointing seventh in the final point standings. 

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet) has five Talladega wins to his credit. Earnhardt, eighth in points and in need of a late-season rally, isn’t convinced a big points shake-up is inevitable this week.  

But that’s not to say he would be surprised.  

“[This race] has the potential to do that,” Earnhardt said. 

“It’s going to be tough to gain on everyone in this race. It will be tough for it to really jumble up the points. I think you just have to try to win the race.  

“The only way to really gain points on anybody right now, for anybody who's outside of the top five in points, is to be first when the checkered flag falls.” 

Earnhardt’s five Talladega wins happened between 2001-04, part of an overwhelming Chevrolet dominance at the track this decade. Since the start of the 2000 season Chevrolet drivers have won 15 of 17 races there. The two exceptions: Dale Jarrett’s victory in a Ford, in the 2005 fall race and Kyle Busch’s win in the No. 18 Pedigree Toyota this past April. 

Current series points leader Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s/KOBALT Chevrolet) has one of those Chevrolet victories since 2000 — in the spring 2006 race.  

The two drivers immediately behind him in the points — second-place Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford) and Greg Biffle (No. 16 DISH Network Ford) —  have average Talladega finishes of 24th and 25th, respectively. 

TO WIN IT’S BEST TO QUALIFY  

Well at most tracks this is true, but we are at ‘Dega and the big will happen and we will see so many changes in the lead, anyone can win. However – 

Travis Kvapil won the Coors Light Pole Award for the AMP Energy 500 with a lap of 51.109 seconds, 187.364 mph.

This is his first pole in 100 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.

This is his first pole and first top-10 start in 2008.

This is his first pole in five races at Talladega Superspeedway.

Casey Mears (second) posted his fifth top-10 start of 2008 and his fourth in 12 races at Talladega Superspeedway.

Aric Almirola (third) posted his first top-10 start at Talladega Superspeedway.  It is his third in 10 races this season.

Regan Smith (fourth) was the fastest qualifying rookie. 

NOW LET’S DRAFT AWAY  

We will focus on the starting top five drivers of the race to see how they hold up during the race. Paul Menard qualified 5^th for today’s event. 

This being Talladega and things always happen here, Jimmy Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and David Ragan will be going to the back of the pack. Jr. for crashing his primary car in Friday Practice and Johnson for the team checking the engine to make sure there was no issues with it. 

A couple of pace laps, then the pace car heads off to pit road. Kvapil and Mears take the drivers into the tri-oval to the… 

GREEN FLAG as Almirola drops in behind Kvapil and freeway traffic behind them. Lap 2 a lot of bumping on the low line the top 5 are single file on the low line. Lap 4 we are two by two from the front row to the back of the pack. 

Lap 4 Mike Wallace, Brian Vickers and Mike Skinner run the outside line, Kvapil, Almirola and Menard on the inside. Lap 6 the inside line is back to single file as Joe Nemechek and Martin Truex Jr. add to the train. 

Lap 7 Johnson is way off pace about 10 seconds back from the field. Lap 8 two drivers on the move at the moment are Carl Edwards who started 12^th takes the lead and Matt Kenseth who started 31^st is now up to 3^rd. 

Lap 9 where are the top 5 starters Kvapil is 5^th, Mears is back in 37^th, Almirola 4^th, Smith 32^nd and Menard 7^th.  Lap 11 Vickers is the leader at the moment. Lap 12 the top 4 are single file, the rest two and three wide. 

Johnson has some issue when he lost his draft more than what he wanted as he is now 18 seconds behind. Kenny Schrader is 42^nd, 10 seconds behind. Lap 14 Almirola is the leader at the moment. 

Lap 16 freeway driving resumes for the entire field. Ragan leads for a few seconds. Lap 17 as Johnson heads into turn 2 the field is in the tri-oval. Lap 19 Johnson hooks up with Schrader. Robby Gordon is falling back in the pack now to 10 seconds behind the field. 

Lap 21 the field is on cruise control, no real big no of the day at the moment. Lap 23 as Johnson and Schrader are going to be eaten up by the field soon. Lap 25 the top ten drivers are Ragan, Kvapil, Almirola, Menard, Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Mike Wallace, Vickers and Terry Labonte in one of his few yearly appearances. Robby Gordon rubs along the outside turn 2 wall. Lap 26 Earnhardt Jr. is in the lead for the first time today.  

Lap 31 Kvapil had the lead to score another lap, Earnhardt Jr. will not let go easy though. Kvapil is in front of Earnhardt on the low line, Jeff Gordon on the high side. Earnhardt and Gordon hook up to run in front. Robby Gordon is going to be going a lap down as the field flies past him on the outside. 

YELLOW FLAG lap 34 for debris in turn two. Tony Raines is on pit road early. Mike Wallace is the leader. Robby Gordon is the lucky dog. Jeff Gordon is the winner out of pit road followed by Truex Jr., Burton, Mike Wallace and Earnhardt Jr. Ragan tried to avoid hitting a car in front of him and spun out on pit road. Schrader is given a speeding ticket. Kenny Wallace is busted for to much speed on pit road and will be held a lap for it. 

GREEN FLAG lap 39 as Gordon and Truex Jr. bring the field up to speed. Robby Gordon looses the lucky dog as he put fuel in twice into his car during pit stops. Lap 40 Johnson tries to stay in front of the pack to regain his lap back. Lap 42 the cars bounce around on the track as the driver through the tri-oval. Jeff Gordon is pushing Earnhardt Jr. 

Lap 43 Matt Kenseth leads with Kurt and Kyle Busch behind them. Lap 45 Johnson is back in front of the pack to stay on the lead lap. NASCAR is looking into debris in the tri-oval area. Lap 46 Mears is the leader. 

YELLOW FLAG lap 45 for debris in the tri-oval. Johnson is back on the lead lap. Everyone is into pit road. The race to the track is won by Elliott Sadler, Mears, Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon. Newman will be going to the back of the field for too many men over the wall to service his car. 

GREEN FLAG lap 50 as Sadler and Mears bring the field up to speed the rest of the top 20 drivers are Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Earnhardt Jr., Kurt Busch, Vickers, Kvapil, Clint Bowyer, Burton, Smith, Jamie McMurray, Kenseth, Truex Jr., Kasey Kahne, Bobby Labonte, Ragan and Juan Pablo Montoya. Newman takes his car to the garage with an engine issue. 

Lap 52 it’s a Busch brother race as they fight for the lead. Kurt has it on lap 53. 

YELLOW FLAG lap 55 David Reutimann blows a right rear tire as the group headed into the back stretch. Reutimann shoots to the left in front of Jeff Gordon who heads into the outside wall, clipping Jon Wood at the same time as he face plants his car into the wall. We also see trouble for Johnson as the carcass of the tire hit the front of his car. Earnhardt may have also run over a piece of the tire as well.  

On pit road Kyle Busch almost collides with another car coming into his pit as he was coming out. Johnson has a broken connecting rod on the front splitter as the team fixes it. Reutimann looks like he does not have much damage. It looks like Kurt Busch may have had some issue under the hood. 

GREEN FLAG lap 59 as Vickers leads the field on the back stretch. Lap 60 the low line is off pace for some reason which allows the high line to make a run. Lap 62 Kahne leads the race. Newman is out of the race as the engine is gone. Reed Sorenson is able to jump in front of Kahne to take the lead. 

Lap 63 three wide from the front row and 8 rows back. Lap 64 a big time bump fest on the back stretch. Martin Truex Jr. leads the race. He will be the 20^th leader out to be the 25^th lead change. Lap 65 McMurray is the leader now. Lap 67 Truex Jr. is back in the lead with Ragan, Earnhardt and Montoya running in the front. Lap 68 Earnhardt and Harvick battle for the lead. Harvick takes 5 bonus points. 

YELLOW FLAG lap 69 as we have a multi car wreck as Vickers blows a right front tire, sending him into Truex Jr. to start the calamity as the drivers head to the start finish line. Terry Labonte is taken out along with David Gilliland, Casey Mears, Tony Raines, Vickers, Kvapil, Kahne and Skinner.  

RED FLAG to clean up the scrap metal on the track. The red flag lasts for 15 minutes. Kenny Wallace is the lucky dog. The yellow flag is back out and the engines roar to life. The next lap around the drivers head to pit road led by Earnhardt. Earnhardt leads them out followed by Nemechek, Menard, Burton and Harvick. 

GREEN FLAG lap 73 as Earnhardt and Menard train away in front. The drivers are scattered out as they get a feel for their cars. Kurt Busch is back in the race. Lap 74 into 75 Hamlin is the leader followed by Ragan, Montoya, Earnhardt, Johnson, Kenseth, Mike Wallace, Mears and Nemechek. 

Lap 78 Johnson leads in front of Earnhardt Jr. Lap 80 Tony Stewart is a new leader followed by Mike Wallace. We are now up to 35 lead changes among 24 leaders. 

YELLOW FLAG lap 81 as Mike Wallace blows a right rear tire. Michael Waltrip is nailed by the tire which causes a huge dent to the windshield and roof of the car. Schrader should be the lucky dog. Waltrip pits early to fix the damage. Waltrip is handed a mallet to work on the inside of his car for the damage. The field heads into pit road. Biffle stays out to get five points. Kyle Busch is the first driver back to the track followed by Earnhardt, Montoya, Stewart and Kenseth. 

GREEN FLAG lap 87 as Kyle Busch and Earnhardt bring us up to speed. Lap 88 Gordon is back on track 33 laps down. Lap 89 Earnhardt Jr. has hooked up with Bobby Labonte to make a run to the front on the outside. In turn 3 Earnhardt sling shots around Labonte to be the first on the outside line. Jon Wood is back on track. 

Lap 90 three wide battle for the lead as Earnhardt tries for the front, but Hamlin on his outside takes it. Montoya is stuck in the middle as Earnhardt and Almirola are connected to pass Hamlin and Busch to take the lead. Lap 93 Hamlin is back in the lead and by turn three Kenseth is the leader. 

Lap 94 (halfway) Kenseth is still in front with Ragan and Hamlin behind him. Where are the top five starters on the track? Kvapil is 14^th, Mears 15^th, Almirola 8^th, Smith 10^th and Menard 12^th. 

Lap 95 Kyle Busch is 2^nd, Stewart 3^rd and Kenseth 4^th. Lap 96 Kenseth, Ragan and Scott Riggs on the outside take the lead from Hamlin and Kyle Busch. Lap 97 Hamlin is back in the lead. We hear that Hamlin has an electrical issue. 

Lap 98 Kenseth and Hamlin trade the lead. Hamlin has Kyle Busch and Stewart behind him on the low line.  

YELLOW FLAG lap 99 as Hamlin blows a right front tire, slamming the outside turn two wall. Schrader is the lucky dog. Pit stops are under way. Riggs is the first one out followed by Kvapil, Menard, Almirola and Kyle Busch. 

Lap 100 not all drivers pitted, but the top 20 at this moment are Kenny Wallace, Scott Riggs, Menard, Kvapil, Almirola, Kyle Busch, Stewart, Clint Bowyer, Kenseth, Reutimann, Ragan, Sorenson, Bobby Labonte, Sadler, Mears, Smith, Nemechek, Montoya and Earnhardt Jr. So far we have seen 47 lead changes among 26 different leaders and 6 cautions for 23 laps at the moment. 

GREEN FLAG lap 105 as Riggs and Menard get the show going. By the back side of the track, Riggs is hung out to dry as Menard and Almirola hook up to lead the race. Lap 107 Stewart is the leader again. We see a few different groups on the track. 

Hamlin on the accident was taken by stretcher to the infield care center. He is awake and alert, but is going to be taken to the local hospital for follow up. Lap 111 Stewart is back in front with help from Montoya. We also have had a record for the most leaders of this race with 27. There also have been 52 lead changes. Reutimann takes his car to the garage for an issue. 

Lap 115 where is the current Chase race at? Johnson is leading in the points at 5686 as he races in 21^st, Biffle at 5668 running 16^th, Edwards 5658 running 25^th, Burton 5619 in 4^th, Harvick 5559 in 16^th, Kenseth 5538 in 5^th, Earnhardt Jr. 5537 in 6^th, Bowyer 5517 in 20^th, Stewart 5495 as the new leader on lap 117, Jeff Gordon 5492 in 36^th, Hamlin 5404 in 32^nd and Kyle Busch 5396 in 12^th. 

Lap 121 Harvick is the guy in front now. Lap 125 your top ten drivers are Harvick, Ragan, Stewart, Almirola, Kyle Busch, Mears, Menard, Montoya, Kvapil and Burton. Lap 133 we have a lead group of 19, a second group of 6, a couple way off pace 24 seconds back and numerous lapped down drivers. 

Lap 136, speaking of lap down drivers would be Terry Labonte 2 laps down, Kurt Busch 12 laps down, Mike Wallace 18 laps, Reutimann currently 27 but in the garage, McMurray 30 laps down, Skinner not shown how many laps down. 

YELLOW FLAG lap 138 (50 to go) as Jeff Gordon blows his engine. Terry Labonte is the lucky dog. Harvick leads the field into pit road. The race out is Kyle Busch, Ragan, Harvick, Stewart and Kvapil. As Carl Edwards was leaving his pit stall, he spins the tires and loops the car in a 360. No contact with anyone else. 

GREEN FLAG lap 144 as Kyle Busch and Ragan get the show underway once again. Lap 147 Earnhardt Jr. has moved up to 4^th behind Montoya and Ragan.  

40 to go Busch doing his best to stay in front of Montoya and Earnhardt Jr. as Burton and Harvick in line behind them. 38 to go the top 8 are single file with the rest two and three wide behind them.  

37 to go as Edwards bobs and weaves running 12^th in the mix with Bobby Labonte, Kvapil, Johnson and Ragan. 35 to go Earnhardt Jr. is in front again followed by Burton and Harvick. 32 to go as Burton, Harvick and Bowyer do their best to jump in front of Earnhardt, taking the top 3 spots. 

30 to go as your top ten drivers are Burton, Harvick, Bowyer, Mears, Montoya, Kyle Busch, Smith, Ragan, Earnhardt and Sadler. 29 to go Earnhardt Jr. pushes Ragan to the front. 28 to go Earnhardt on the outside line to leave Ragan in the cold. Montoya hooks up with Earnhardt Jr. 

Out of turn four Burton helps Ragan back into the lead. Earnhardt and Montoya on the outside, Burton and Harvick on the inside. 26 to go Earnhardt drops to the low side. In turn three Montoya has help from Waltrip to move forward. 

25 to go Waltrip leads the outside line with Montoya and Sadler. Earnhardt, Burton and Harvick on the inside. 24 to go on the back stretch Waltrip is the leader with Montoya and Busch on the outside. 

YELLOW FLAG 23 to go as Harvick spins out on the apron in turn three. We see that Kvapil hit Ragan from behind, shooting him into Harvick, who is punted sideways as the are in turn three. Harvick stays in the gas into the apron. Waltrip, Busch, Johnson, Kenseth, Burton, Kenseth and several others hit pit road. Montoya, Mears, Menard, Bowyer, Earnhardt Jr. with Sadler, Riggs, Ragan, Kvapil, Kenny Wallace, Almirola and Edwards stay out. 

GREEN FLAG with 19 to go as Montoya and Mears leading the field back to racing. Harvick to the back for too many men over the wall. As the drivers exit turn two Mears pushes Montoya down the back stretch. Out of turn four Menard pushes Mears for a moment. 

18 to go Montoya, Mears, Menard, Bowyer and Earnhardt Jr. We see in the back of the pack 4 wide racing. 17 to go we have a 7 car breakaway for the moment as Sadler and Riggs round out that group. 16 to go Stewart tries the outside with Kenseth and Nemechek. Earnhardt tries to jump in front of them, but cannot make it in time. Out of turn four they are even for the lead. 

15 to go Stewart and Montoya battle for the lead. 

YELLOW FLAG 14 to go it’s the second big one for the day. A lot of the Chase leaders are involved as Edwards pushes Edwards on the outside line in turn three. Biffle is sideways, shooting into Kenseth. 

Kenseth then shoots up into Biffle hitting Edwards as they get to turn four, directly in the path of Earnhardt who gets smashed. Edwards shoots to the apron collecting Kvapil, causing him to hit the outside wall. 

Blaney is hit from the side as well. Edwards comes back up into the path of Montoya, Sorenson and Harvick. As the drivers slide out of turn four they slide down the track into Waltrip and Nemechek. 

RED FLAG. Roush Racing is done for the day as all of his cars are out of the race. Earnhardt is out for Hendrick, leaving Mears and Johnson to fight for the win. Back to YELLOW FLAG after about another 15 minutes. 

Let’s reset the field as we see Stewart, Nemechek, Mears, Sadler, Menard, Ragan, Smith, Almirola, Johnson, Burton, Bowyer, Riggs, Bobby Labonte, Robby Gordon, Kenny Wallace, Schrader, Terry Labonte and Kyle Busch on the lead lap with Waltrip one lap down. The rest are in the garage. 

GREEN FLAG with 10 to go Stewart, Nemechek and Sadler are stuck to each other in the first two turns. By turn three Stewart and Nemechek shoot away from the field for a moment. 

9 to go as the field catches up Sadler tries the outside, Stewart blocks him and those two take off from the group. 

8 to go Stewart and Sadler lead Ragan. Smith and Menard are hooked up behind them. 

7 to go Stewart and Sadler continue up front with the field coming up fast. Turn three they are a group again. Out of turn four Stewart, Smith and Menard on the inside.  

6 to go Sadler tries the outside, but slips back to 8^th. The top 6 are now grouped with 5 more. 

5 to go Stewart leads the single line of drivers into turn three. Burton, Bowyer and Riggs form an outside line. 

YELLOW FLAG 4 to go as McMurray is in trouble in turn two spinning out, flattening his two right side tires. This will set up a green-white-checkered finish. 

GREEN FLAG lap 188 as Stewart and Smith lead the survivors back to racing and two more DEI cars behind the two front runners. Almirola does not get a good start and falls out of the group.  

WHITE FLAG as the single file races across the start finish line. Sadler tries the outside and no help. Bumper pushing on the back straight. Out of turn four Stewart runs in front of Smith and Menard and Ragan. 

In the tri-oval Smith is on the inside of Stewart and below the yellow line. Smith passes Stewart to cross the line first. A bit of confusion in NASCAR scoring, but the ruling comes down, Stewart is the winner. His first win at Talladega. 

We will have to see where NASCAR scores Smith. Well, at the moment, let’s say Stewart is the winner with Menard, Ragan, Burton, Bowyer, Bobby Labonte, Riggs, Robby Gordon, Johnson and Sadler are the top ten finishers. Smith will most likely be put to the back of the lead lap drivers for a penalty.  

The race lasted for 4 hours. We saw 66 lead changes with 30 different leaders. There were 10 cautions for 41 laps. Two red flags were displayed for about 30 minutes. 18 drivers finished on the lead lap with an uncounted amount of drivers finishing the race with the 2^nd big one at the end. 

Stewart led 23, Harvick 22, Kyle Busch 20, Earnhardt Jr. 18, Ragan 11, Kvapil and Vickers 10, Hamlin and Montoya 9, Burton 8, Menard 6, Kenseth 5, Riggs and Sadler 4, many drivers with 3, 2 and 1 laps led, with 30 of the 43 drivers leading a lap. 

Stewart leaves the race with 33 career wins, 129 top 5s and 206 top 10s. This is Stewart’s 1^st win at this track. Stewart has 9 top 5s and 12 top 10s at the end of this race, along with his 3^rd win on Superspeedway tracks.