Race 13: Best Buy 400 at Dover

THE STARTING GRID:





THE WINNER:
#18-Kyle Busch claimed the series-leading fourth win of 2008 on a bittersweet day for team owner Joe Gibbs, whose other two cars of #11-Denny Hamlin and #20-Tony Stewart were taken out in a massive lap 18 pileup. Busch remained in the top three all day but ultimately won the race thanks to his pit crew, who got him the lead from #99-Carl Edwards during the second round of green flag stops with 167 to go, then widened his lead with a blistering 12.7 second green-flag stop with 82 laps to go. Three seconds ahead of Edwards after that final stop, Busch lapped all but the top six cars to win his first race at Dover going away. Busch led 158 laps en route to the victory and padded his point lead over #31-Jeff Burton, who finished off the lead lap for the first time in 2008.

RESULTS:
1) #18-Kyle Busch THE WINNER!
2) #99-Carl Edwards Took the lead from teammate #16-Biffle on lap 172 and looked to have the car to beat until #18-Ky. Busch beat him off pit road during the second round of green-flag stops with around 167 laps to go. He closed within 0.4 second before the final round of pit stops, but wound up losing even more ground to #18-Ky. Busch when that final green-flag stop with 82 to go. Led 64 laps.
3) #16-Greg Biffle Won the pole by more than a full mile per hour on the rest of the field and dominated well over the first quarter of the race, leading all but 1 of the first 147 laps. Unfortunately, his bad luck returned once again with a voltage problem from a failing alternator that forced him to shut off all his fans except the right-front bead blower. This problem, which arose on lap 171, allowed teammate #99-Edwards to take the lead and hold it until the late stages. Gradually, his lap times, which had fallen to 2 mph slower than the leaders, began to level out and he remained on the lead lap and in the top 3. Led a race-high 164 laps.
4) #17-Matt Kenseth Had one of the fastest cars on the track in the first half of the race and looked to be making a surge toward the lead, but his car leveled out in the top five as the field became more and more strung out. Led 1 lap.
5) #24-Jeff Gordon Had one of his most solid races so far in 2008 and successfully defended his come-from-behind top 5 in last week’s 600-mile race. He stayed out two laps longer than the rest of the field in the final round of green-flag stops so he could get five bonus points for leading a lap, a gamble which paid off with him remaining in the top 5 and on the lead lap. Led 3 laps.
6) #1-Martin Truex, Jr. The defending champion of the race had a good car, but consistent problems with burning through his tires too quickly kept him from contention.
7) #48-Jimmie Johnson Climbed up to 5th around the halfway mark, but was again strangely absent from the contenders for the win. He was the last car taken off the lead lap by leader #18-Ky. Busch, losing his lap with 30 laps to go after his attempt at a crossover move failed. Led 2 laps.
8) #31-Jeff Burton Was the biggest mover through the field in the opening laps, gaining 23 spots in the first 58 circuits. He and #8-Martin narrowly avoided contact in the big lap 18 wreck by practically stopping on the backstretch as #29-Harvick and #21-Elliott piled in. Under the green-flag stretches, he lost touch with the leaders, then his lap, and battling with #26-McMurray for the Lucky Dog with 59 to go proved futile when the caution never came. This became the first race in which he had finished off the lead lap in 2008.
9) #22-Dave Blaney The resurgence from his Talladega DNQ continued with another solid top 10 finish, remaining at or around the 10th spot all day long before passing #26-McMurray in the final laps.
10) #26-Jamie McMurray Turned in one of his best runs of 2008 with a performance similar to Martinsville, defending his fifth-place qualifying run to remain in the top 5 with his teammates through the first 108 laps. However, he, like so many, lost touch with the top three and soon found himself a lap down. He fought with #31-Burton for the Lucky Dog with 59 laps to go, but the caution never came, trapping both cars one lap down. Led 1 lap.
11) #28-Travis Kvapil Running the same car he used to finish 8th at Darlington turned out to be an excellent decision as he qualified 12th and flirted with the top 10 all day long.
12) #42-Juan Pablo Montoya On lap 80, he received a bump to his left-rear quarter-panel from #38-Gilliland, which sent him up the track in turn one just like #44-Reutimann, fortunately without hitting the outside wall.
13) #83-Brian Vickers Had a car that could have easily finished in the top 10 all day and ran there for much of the event after qualifying up in the sixth position. While running fifth with 167 laps to go, however, he was docked for speeding off pit road and, after apparently receiving a timely caution when the fifth caution for debris came out less than 10 laps later, he sped off pit road again along with #40-Mayfield, dropping both cars to the tail end of the longest line and keeping them off the lead lap for the rest of the race.
14) #12-Ryan Newman Was plagued by terrible fuel mileage as he was the first to pit in the first round of green-flag stops on lap 147 as well as the second round on lap 173. He complained of his car having “no grip” and, after gambling by taking on fuel under the fifth caution (for debris) on lap 242 which allowed him to pit almost 10 laps after everyone else, he wound up pitting with 74 to go, his crew working under the trunk lid after suffering the same fuel flange problem as teammate #2-Ku. Busch. Led 6 laps.
15) #6-David Ragan Ironically, after all his great runs this season, it was he who was unable to find as much speed as his Roush-Fenway teammates, and he hovered around the 15th spot for much of the day. Still a good finish for the surprising sophomore, who swooped to the inside behind #15-Menard to barely avoid involvement in the lap 18 wreck.
16) #38-David Gilliland Was at the center of the huge wreck that brought out the first caution and red flag when #19-E. Sadler merged on top of him coming off turn two on lap 18, then on lap 80 bumped #42-Montoya up the track in turn one.
17) #5-Casey Mears Stopped on the apron on the backstretch to avoid involvement in the lap 18 wreck when #11-Hamlin and #88-Earnhardt, Jr. blocked his path.
18) #77-Sam Hornish, Jr. (R) Became the top-finishing rookie once again with six races to #01-Smith’s five despite scrubbing the outside wall coming off turn four on lap 83 without bringing out a caution. Bumped #66-Riggs out of the top 35.
19) #7-Robby Gordon Had to start in the very back as Matt Crafton practiced and qualified his car while he was in Baja for a rally.
20) #2-Kurt Busch Scored his first-ever front row start at Dover by qualifying second and seemed to have a car that could at least finish in the top 10, but like #16-Biffle, his own bad luck returned. Under the fourth caution of the race, the flange on his quarter-panel’s fuel receiver broke, forcing the crew to lift the rear trunk lid and repair it. The problem resurfaced some laps later in teammate #12-Nemwan’s car.
21) #01-Regan Smith (R) NO NOTES
22) #15-Paul Menard Avoided serious contact in the major lap 18 wreck by slipping through on the very bottom of the track before #88-Earnhardt, Jr. closed that hole, but still crumpled up the right-rear of his car when the back of his car got loose on the apron and slapped the inside fence. Despite this, his car was still strong enough to put up a good fight from going a lap down to the leaders and, before the fifth caution, he came up just shy of leading a lap during green-flag stops.
23) #8-Mark Martin Avoided involvement in the lap 18 wreck by practically stopping with #31-Burton on the backstretch around the time that #29-Harvick and #21-Elliott piled in, but was very unhappy with how his car handled in the race. A flat left-rear tire which forced him to pit just before the fifth caution of the race did not help his efforts.
24) #96-J.J. Yeley Grazed the outside wall off turn one on lap 2, but did not bring out a caution. He lost a lap early, regained it as the Lucky Dog under the third caution brought out by #78-Nemechek, then lost it again in the long green-flag runs which followed.
25) #40-Jeremy Mayfield Turned in by far the best qualifying run for both he and the #40 team by snagging the 10th spot, but could not keep himself on the lead lap during the race’s many long green-flag runs. Mired in traffic, he physically chased #10-Carpentier up the track in turn four on lap 168, perhaps due to a loose condition, and wound up cutting #10-Carpentier’s left-rear tire. He was also docked for speeding off pit road with 158 to go along with #83-Vickers.
26) #41-Reed Sorenson NO NOTES
27) #44-David Reutimann Nearly scraped the outside wall just 9 laps into the race when he made contact with #78-Nemechek racing to his inside in turn one, forcing him to slide up very close to the outside wall.
28) #55-Michael Waltrip Broke loose in turn four on lap 75, allowing #78-Nemechek to nearly complete a pass on him coming off the corner, but the two merged together and #78-Nemechek was hooked off his nose and into the frontstretch wall, bringing out the third caution of the race.
29) #10-Patrick Carpentier Made contact with the outside wall coming off turn four on lap 75, a split-second before #78-Nemechek followed suit to bring out the third caution of the race. He did not bring out a caution himself, but was forced to pit under green on lap 169 when, during the previous lap, #40-Mayfield pushed him up the track in turn four and cut his left-rear tire.
30) #00-Michael McDowell (R) Was the only other person besides #16-Biffle to lead a lap in the first 147 laps when he stayed out an extra lap during one of the first cautions. Led 1 lap.
31) #9-Kasey Kahne Slowed up to the outside of #88-Earnhardt, Jr. as the two attempted to find a way between #19-E. Sadler and #20-Stewart’s wrecked cars during the big lap 18 wreck, but was then rear-ended by #11-Hamlin and forced to bump into the right-front of #19-E. Sadler, damaging both ends of his car. His car did return to the race and was in touch enough with the leaders that he got the lucky dog under the second caution of the race brought out by #34-Raines.
32) #43-Bobby Labonte Suffered some minor damage in the big lap 18 wreck when he rear-ended #88-Earnhardt, Jr. while trying to slow down, creasing up the right-front of his bumper.
33) #21-Bill Elliott Attempted to slow down in the late stages of the big lap 18 pileup as he followed #29-Harvick off turn two, but wound up making contact with #29-Harvick and spinning with him into the wreck. While #29-Harvick spun into the wreck itself, he was fortunate enough to spin through an opening on the outside lane avoid most of the carnage until he backed into the rear of #07-Bowyer.
34) #78-Joe Nemechek Made some contact with #44-Reutimann while racing him in turn one on lap 9. On lap 75, when he saw #55-Waltrip break loose up high off turn four, he attempted to go in the middle between #55-Waltrip and another car to make a three-wide pass, but was then hooked into the frontstretch wall by #55-Waltrip, bringing out the third caution of the race. He returned to the event several laps down.
35) #88-Dale Earnhardt, Jr. During the initial stages of the huge lap 18 wreck, he slowed up to the inside of #9-Kahne as the two attempted to maneuver around the two wrecked cars of #20-Stewart and #19-E. Sadler, but was later rear-ended by #43-Labonte and stuffed into the inside wall on the backstretch, jamming his splitter under the inside fence. There was not too much damage to the front valence of his car, but the left-front corner was flattened and part of the splitter beneath that point was broken. He returned to the race 10 laps down, but for some time actually ran very competitive laps.
36) #07-Clint Bowyer Attempted to sneak through the big lap 18 wreck by going up high near #66-Riggs, but still suffered some damage to the left-rear of his car when #21-Elliott spun around and backed into him. Though the damage was minor, trouble found him again with 188 to go when an unscheduled stop for a possible cut tire turned out to actually be a broken shock, forcing him to pit once again seven laps later for the crew to lift the hood. The right-front of his splitter was also found to be broken during the stop.
37) #84-A.J. Allmendinger After managing to remain on the lead lap and in the top 15 for much of the race’s first half, he brought out the fourth caution of the race when, after making his green-flag stop toward the end of the cycle on lap 154, a fuel pressure problem caused his car to stop on the apron in turn one.
38) #29-Kevin Harvick Was running well behind the lap 18 pileup that brought out the first caution and red flag of the race, but wound up being involved when #21-Elliott rear-ended him, sending his car ricocheting off the back of #20-Stewart and into the stopped #11-Hamlin. He returned to the race many laps down around the halfway mark with the entire front end and much of the rear removed from his car. To add insult to injury, his jackman also dropped the car on one of his fellow crewman’s foot which, at least on camera, fortunately did not seem to cause an injury.
39) #66-Scott Riggs Had nowhere to go in the massive lap 18 pileup when, while running the outside lane, #11-Hamlin slammed #19-E. Sadler directly into his path, crumpling the front of his Chevrolet bad enough to send him to the garage. The accident, which dropped him out of the top 35, capped a horrible week for HAAS-CNC where he and his teammate were docked 150 points each for their team’s improper rear wing brackets, an announcement followed by the #70 team DNQ’ing for this event with interim driver Jason Leffler.
40) #34-Tony Raines As the last-place starter at Dover, he had to share the last pit stall with #41-Sorenson through the early stages of the race. Brought out the second caution of the race when, after cutting a tire and missing the pit road entrance on lap 66, he stopped up high in turn four. He was subsequently penalized by NASCAR for the time he would have lost if he had pitted under green.
41) #20-Tony Stewart Locked his brakes coming off turn two when he saw #19-E. Sadler wrecking on the backstretch on lap 18 and wound up plowing into the right-rear of #19-E. Sadler, the two cars blocking the track. He escaped much of the further pummeling suffered by #19-E. Sadler as his contact moved #19-E. Sadler further down the track, but was himself further damaged by #29-Harvick when he and #21-Elliott spun late in the wreck’s aftermath. Miraculously, his crew managed to get his car back into the race 114 laps down with a brand-new front clip. His car dropped to the apron in turn three with 86 laps to go as perhaps one of the first cars to pit in the final round of green-flag stops.
42) #19-Elliott Sadler While racing mid-pack on lap 18 after a solid qualifying effort, he accidentally merged down on #38-Gilliland coming off turn two, sending his car spinning rear-first into the outside wall. His car stopped in the middle of the track and was then struck very hard by #20-Stewart, essentially blocking the track. As #9-Kahne and #88-Earnhardt, Jr. stopped short of hitting him, #11-Hamlin piled in to his right-front, knocking teammate #9-Kahne into his left-front and simultaneously spinning his disabled car directly in the path of #66-Riggs, who knocked him into yet another spin that was finally stopped by the wrecking car of #29-Harvick. Fortunately, no drivers were harmed in the pileup.
43) #11-Denny Hamlin Looked to be bouncing back from a poor 33rd place starting position when he won the rain-delayed Nationwide race on Saturday, but it just wasn’t meant to be. He was involved in the big lap 18 pileup that brought out the first caution and red flag when, moments after teammate #20-Stewart hit #19-E. Sadler, he plowed into the back of #9-Kahne and the left-front of #19-E. Sadler, knocking #19-E. Sadler directly into the path of #66-Riggs. His car was damaged further when #29-Harvick slid into the melee. Both he and #19-E. Sadler did not return to the track.

DID NOT QUALIFY:
#45-Chad McCumbee (R)
#70-Jason Leffler

Race 12: Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's

THE STARTING GRID:

THE WINNER:
On a night where the leaders were always in peril, whether it be #48-Jimmie Johnson’s engine failure, #2-Kurt Busch and #88-Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s brushes with the turn four wall, #18-Kyle Busch's alternator problem, or once-leader #83-Brian Vickers’ lost left-rear tire, #9-Kasey Kahne found himself in victory lane for a points race for the first time since winning the fall event at Lowe’s in 2006. Kahne benefitted from the misfortune of yet another unlucky leader when leader #20-Tony Stewart saw a 6-second lead disappear with a cut right-front tire with 2 laps to go. Kahne became the first person to sweep the All-Star Race and the Coca-Cola 600 in the same year since #48-Jimmie Johnson did in 2003. Kahne led 66 laps to score the victory.

Kahne had early trouble with his splitter dragging on the track, which was repaired during the second round of green-flag stops. His car then came alive as darkness fell, challenging #88-Dale Earnhardt, Jr. for the lead and taking it from him on lap 193. In the final 62-lap run to the checkers following the eleventh and final caution, he remained in the top 5 and passed #18-Ky. Busch for the lead with 40 to go as they raced off turn two. Curiously, Kahne said he thought someone threw a beer bottle at him, likely intended for #18-Ky. Busch in 2nd, but could not tell if it was a Budweiser. Kahne made his last fuel-only stop with 17 to go as one of the first cars on pit road, setting him up to follow the ill-fated #20-Stewart en route to his popular victory.

RESULTS:
1) #9-Kasey Kahne THE WINNER!
2) #16-Greg Biffle Was very confident before the race that he had one of the cars to beat and, indeed, he remained in the top 10 for much of the event. While running 8th on lap 133, he got very loose in turn three and narrowly saved it, complaining soon after that he thought he had a tire going down. He had all four tires changed in an unscheduled stop the next lap, the crew discovering a wheel weight was missing on his right-front tire. Just past the halfway mark, he reported his car was overheating from debris on his grille and attempted to get some of it off by running up behind #11-Hamlin under green. Unbelievably, he worried about having a loose wheel again when he felt a vibration with 128 laps to go. The car held together this time and, after pitting with 12 to go, it cycled through in his favor. Led 2 laps.
3) #18-Kyle Busch After winning his third pole in less than a week and claiming the Nationwide race the previous day, he took off at the start of the 600, leading by a half-second after just one lap. As he lost the lead to #83-Vickers on lap 35, he reported a possible ignition problem and his engine sputtering. The condition was soon diagnosed as an alternator problem and he was forced to shut off his extra fans. He then broke loose in turn four on lap 148 and was forced to make an unscheduled stop for fresh tires, fearing the same problem as #16-Biffle. He got back the lap he lost from that stop by actually passing leader #83-Vickers just before #2-Ku. Busch brought out the second caution of the race on lap 162 and was back in 8th on lap 179. With 152 to go, he wound up with the lead again when #12-Newman was forced to pit again after missing his stall, but then lost the lead to a rocketing #88-Earnhardt, Jr. nine laps later. As he fell back, the alternator problem worsened as his battery started dropping volts, his engine three volts between 130 and 110 laps to go. Then, right when he needed it, leader #88-Earnhardt, Jr. brought out the eighth caution on lap 296, allowing him to pit for a replacement battery. Though he pitted when the pits were closed, he, like #88-Earnhardt, Jr., took the tail end of the longest line penalty in stride and was back in the race along with his on-track rival. Forced to rally once again with now a strip of tape across the right-front of his bumper, he started slicing through the pack, getting squirrely once off of turn four as he raced beneath #40-Marlin and #41-Sorenson. He was back up to 5th with 66 laps to go and began to position himself for the end of the race. With 55 to go, he caught and passed #48-Johnson for the lead by running the high line, but then lost the lead once more to #9-Kahne 15 laps later. Led briefly once more in the final fuel stops before stopping with 13 to go. Led 61 laps.
4) #24-Jeff Gordon Was handling terribly for much of the race, struggling to even remain on the lead lap during the race’s early long green-flag runs. Things finally started to turn around for him when debris on the track brought out the sixth caution of the race on lap 224, giving him the Lucky Dog as #29-Harvick was about a half-straightaway behind him for the position. Though he still found himself mired in traffic, running 18th with 128 to go, he climbed into the top 10 with 66 to go and took four tires under the eleventh and final caution which came out for debris just after the restart from the tenth caution. He chose to play it conservative after that, laying back as far as 19th place when his crew told him he’d be 2 laps short on fuel. The gamble worked and scored him an excellent finish.
5) #88-Dale Earnhardt, Jr. After remaining in the top 10 through the first run, he climbed his way into 2nd on lap 105. A slow right-front tire change under the second round of green-flag stops on lap 119, leading to a 24.6-second stop, was very costly as the race remained under green for some time. After climbing up through the pack and narrowly avoiding contact with #11-Hamlin on pit road under the fourth caution of the race, his car looked faster and faster as he continued to hug the outside groove. Taking four tires along with most of the field under the sixth caution of the race, he took the lead from the two-tire-changed #19-E. Sadler and launched out to a massive 2.7 second lead with 164 laps to go. After the pit road jumble under the seventh caution, he flew back through the pack and retook the lead from #18-Ky. Busch with 141 to go. Once again opening up a huge lead while running up high, he suddenly became the victim of the seventh caution when he blew a right-rear tire, ground against the outside wall in turn four, and was rear-ended so hard by #96-Yeley that #96-Yeley’s car briefly caught fire. Since he was running so high, the damage was not as severe as even #2-Ku. Busch’s, so he sped down pit road several times and made quick repairs, each time beating the pace truck off pit road. He was originally penalized a lap for speeding past emergency equipment as he entered pit road, but this was rescinded. He did, however, deliberately speed down pit lane and restarted at the tail end of the longest line. Though holding his own on the lead lap, he lost track position yet again for a tire violation under the tenth caution of the race. This allowed him to pit an extra time for fuel with 63 to go along with #11-Hamlin and #99-Edwards without worrying about track position. He scrubbed the wall once again coming off turn two with 60 laps to go, just hanging on to get to the finish. Like teammate #24-J. Gordon, he did not pit and reaped the benefits. Led a race-high 76 laps.
6) #31-Jeff Burton Was solidly in the top 10 from the second caution of the race onward and was even up to 3rd with 171 to go, but his car refused to stick in the middle of the corner, keeping him from contending for the lead. He again found himself in 3rd with 88 laps to go and pitted with 12 to go after leading briefly. Led 1 lap.
7) #17-Matt Kenseth Sustained some slight damage to the upper-left hand corner of his windshield and the passenger-side A-post from flying debris off the #83-Vickers machine during the fourth caution. Pitted with 11 to go. Led 1 lap.
8) #19-Elliott Sadler Became a factor in the race when he, like #43-Labonte, took two tires under the sixth caution of the race. In fact, his own move gave him the lead on the restart which he held very briefly until #88-Earnhardt, Jr. swooped past. Though his crew was concerned they didn’t get enough fuel in his car during the brief pit stop, he did manage to defend his top 10 position for much of the rest of the race. He earned one of his best showings of 2008 despite, while running 4th with 35 to go, he thought he heard his engine making strange noises. He pitted with 17 to go, right behind teammate #9-Kahne. Led 3 laps.
9) #99-Carl Edwards After lurking around mid-pack for most of the night, he became another car involved in the tenth caution from #20-Stewart’s slow restart with 95 to go when he rear-ended #1-Truex, Jr., sending him into the outside wall. Though he himself sustained some damage, he, like so many others, remained on the lead lap. He and #11-Hamlin pitted for extra fuel with 63 to go as the eleventh and final caution came out immediately after the tenth but, unlike #11-Hamlin, chose to try and make it to the finish. Just like at Martinsville, the gamble just barely came up short when he ran out of gas off turn two on the final lap and had to coast to the finish.
10) #44-David Reutimann Running the high line and working pit strategy to come up from the 28th starting position, he had a career night in the 600, racing with #22-Blaney for 5th at the halfway mark and remaining in the top 10 for the rest of the race. Pitted with 12 to go.
11) #43-Bobby Labonte Racing the exact same car he used with some success in last week’s All-Star Race, he came up on the radar screen when he got the Lucky Dog after the fifth caution of the race brought out by #00-McDowell. Back on the lead lap, he gambled with #19-E. Sadler under the sixth caution of the race and, like him, took only 2 tires, giving him excellent track position. He raced in the top 10 for several laps, battling with #16-Biffle for 9th with 128 laps to go. Pitted for the final time with 14 to go.
12) #6-David Ragan Tied his father Ken’s career start total with his own 50th Cup start and was solidly in the top 10 from the second caution of the race until near the very end. Though he ran up to 4th with 88 laps to go and was 9th on the final restart with 62 to go, a late bobble off turn four just two laps later dropped him all the way to 17th. He did, however, get a few positions back in the final pit cycle, during which he pitted with 10 to go. Led 2 laps.
13) #77-Sam Hornish, Jr. (R) With his car still crabbed-out even with the NASCAR-mandated rear axles, he brushed the outside wall lightly on lap 22 while running the high line off turn four. He had another scare with 171 laps to go when he got loose racing under #96-Yeley off turn two, but managed to save it. He eventually lost his lap, but got it back under the eighth caution brought out by #88-Earnhardt, Jr. by receiving the Lucky Dog. He, like #24-J. Gordon, found himself surprisingly in the top 10 with 66 to go, and only the final round of pit stops, during which he pitted for fuel with 14 to go, kept him from finishing there. Is once again tied with #01-Smith with a series-leading five races as the top-finishing rookie, but was unfortunately 3 points shy of behind able to secure the 35th points position of #55-Waltrip.
14) #29-Kevin Harvick Had about the same kind of misfortune as #24-J. Gordon for much of the race, fighting handling problems and losing a lap, putting he and #24-J. Gordon in a battle for the Lucky Dog at the halfway mark. After #24-J. Gordon got the Lucky Dog under the sixth caution, he held the spot and remained there when #96-Yeley brought out the seventh caution twenty laps later on lap 244. He then started to find his own rhythm, moving up to 12th with 79 laps to go. Pitted with 12 to go.
15) #8-Mark Martin The sound coming from his car started to change around the halfway mark of the race when he cracked a header pipe, and Darrell Waltrip worried that there might have been a carbon monoxide problem. The problem, if any, was not enough to keep him from completing the race. He received the Lucky Dog under the third caution of the race brought out by #42-Montoya. His long final pit stop with 17 to go might have cost him a few positions on the track.
16) #2-Kurt Busch Still without a top 10 since his Daytona 500 runner-up, he was another very strong car in the first part of the race, running in the top 5 and leading both the 100 and 200-mile marks when the sun was still out. His crew had a scare during the second round of green-flag stops when, on lap 121, some spilled fuel ignited as he left his pit stall. Fortunately, it was extinguished quickly and no one was injured. Unfortunately, on lap 162, he brought out the second caution of the race when, while running second, he blew a right-front tire in turn four and smacked the outside wall. Surprisingly, the length of that caution was enough to keep him on the lead lap, his battered car lining up 18th on the restart. Pitted with 11 to go. Led 64 laps.
17) #22-Dave Blaney Successfully defended his strong 11th-place qualifying run for much of the race, remaining on the lead lap and running 5th near the halfway mark. He was involved in the tenth caution of the race during the slow #20-Stewart restart with 95 to go when he rear-ended #11-Hamlin, sending him spinning into #41-Sorenson in the middle of the pack. Still on track and leading with 9 to go, he looked to be gambling on fuel in the final run to the checkers, but as #20-Stewart closed within a second of him with 8 to go, decided to pit right then. Led 2 laps.
18) #20-Tony Stewart On lap 100, he bounced off #42-Montoya as he raced beneath #42-Montoya through turn two, sparking an on-track shoving match where #42-Montoya chased him down the track on the backstretch after the two made contact once more. The battle was one of many he was forced to wage as his car would not handle in the sunlight. Fortunately, when the sun set, his car came to life, hugging the inside groove and racing up to 8th on lap 192, then 3rd on lap 248. He had a good battle with #88-Earnhardt, Jr. at that latter stage of the race, running low as #88-Earnhardt, Jr. ran high. He assumed the lead with 95 laps to go after #88-Earnhardt, Jr.’s wreck in turn four, but brought the field down too slow on the restart, starting the mid-pack three-car incident with #1-Truex, Jr., #41-Sorenson, #99-Edwards, and #11-Hamlin which brought out the tenth caution of the race. He lost the lead seven laps later to #9-Kahne and remained in 2nd for some time after. He retook the lead when #9-Kahne pitted with 17 laps to go, then pitted himself with 13 to go and took the lead yet again when #22-Blaney finally pitted with 8 to go. Holding a six-second lead over #9-Kahne with just 7 laps to go, he looked to be a shoe-in for the win until he blew a left-front tire in turn two with just 3 to go, allowing #9-Kahne to make the winning pass in turn four. Led 23 laps.
19) #01-Regan Smith (R) Finished with no visible damage or tire marks on his car which, given the carnage of the race, is certainly worth mentioning.
20) #84-A.J. Allmendinger Got the Lucky Dog when the eleventh and final caution came out for debris just after the restart with 66 laps to go.
21) #12-Ryan Newman Was the biggest mover through the field early on, climbing 25 positions from his surprisingly-slow qualifying run in the first 76 laps. He did have his own share of adversity in the race, however, as he missed his pit stall during the cycle under the seventh caution brought out by #96-Yeley, dropping him to the back of the pack as he was forced to come back. He soon lost a lap from the lost track position, but got it back when he got the Lucky Dog under the tenth caution brought out by #10-Carpentier. Pitted for fuel with 14 to go. Led 1 lap.
22) #41-Reed Sorenson Was involved in the tenth caution of the race when his right-rear quarter panel was bumped by the spinning #11-Hamlin on the slow #20-Stewart restart with 95 laps to go, but fortunately didn’t hit anything.
23) #26-Jamie McMurray Lost a lap early and was never quite able to make up the lost ground, eventually forced to make an unscheduled stop with 111 laps to go.
24) #11-Denny Hamlin Turbulent weekend began with an on-track brawl with Brad Keselowski in the Nationwide race, the fight spilling over onto pit road when both crews got into it after the checkered flag. Around the halfway mark, an apparent replay with #16-Biffle seemed like it was about to happen until it was discovered that #16-Biffle was running up on his bumper in an attempt to dislodge debris from his grille. His bumper was tested once again by #22-Blaney during #20-Stewart’s sluggish restart with 95 to go, forcing him to break loose and clip #41-Sorenson, sending the pair into a spin to spark the tenth caution. Fortunately, neither hit anything in the incident. He, #88-Earnhardt, Jr., and #99-Edwards pitted an extra time for fuel in the eleventh caution with 63 to go, but was unable to stretch it and pitted with 10 to go. The night ended rudely for him when he cut a right-front tire and smacked the outside wall in turn two with 2 to go and did not bring out the caution. Led 1 lap.
25) #07-Clint Bowyer Lost a lap on lap 19 when an overheating problem from debris on the grille of his car forced him to make an unscheduled stop. In the first round of green-flag stops 31 laps later, he smoked his brakes so heavily as he came onto pit road that he nearly spun, but didn’t.
26) #28-Travis Kvapil Was forced to a backup car before qualifying, then was only able to turn in a speed good enough for the 41st position.
27) #55-Michael Waltrip Narrowly held onto his 35th-place points position by 3 points over #77-Hornish, Jr.
28) #66-Scott Riggs His primary car, along with teammate #70-Sauter’s, was confiscated the day before the race due to illegally-placed rear wing mounts. Pitted for the final time with 14 to go.
29) #5-Casey Mears Raced Hendrick’s 500th chassis in this event, where he was the defending champion. Led 1 lap.
30) #42-Juan Pablo Montoya On lap 100, was bounced off of by #20-Stewart as he raced above #20-Stewart through turn two, sparking an on-track shoving match where he chased #20-Stewart down the track on the backstretch after the two made contact once more. One lap after the restart for the second caution of the race, he brought out the third when, while racing beneath #17-Kenseth and #10-Carpentier through the dogleg, he bounced off #10-Carpentier, causing his right-rear tire to catch the grass and send him spinning across the grass. Fortunately, he did not come back up onto the track and only needed a splitter brace replaced under the caution. He was also forced to make an unscheduled stop with 181 laps to go due to damage sustained to the driver’s side of his car.
31) #40-Sterling Marlin Had a cameo as the car beneath whom #18-Ky. Busch was rallying to get to the front inside the final 100 laps, #18-Ky. Busch getting very loose as he slipped along the inside line.
32) #00-Michael McDowell (R) After losing a lap in the early going, he brought out the fifth caution of the race on lap 193 when he spun out by himself coming off turn two and backed into the inside wall just hard enough to slightly crease the left-rear of his car.
33) #33-Ken Schrader A very quiet debut for Richard Childress’ fourth team in 2008.
34) #1-Martin Truex, Jr. Reported he had a similar alternator problem to #18-Ky. Busch near the halfway point and, like #18-Ky. Busch, had to shut off his extra fans as a result. He lost a lap around that time, but got it back when he got the Lucky Dog under the fourth caution brought out by #83-Vickers. Late in the race, he got the worst of the tenth caution when, during the slow restart authored by #20-Stewart, he was tagged by #99-Edwards and spun into the outside wall, crumpling the right-front of his machine. He was later black-flagged on the restart for a loose front splitter.
35) #70-Johnny Sauter His primary car, along with teammate #66-Riggs’, was confiscated the day before the race due to illegally-placed rear wing mounts.
36) #45-Kyle Petty Lost some laps in the early green-flag run and made an unscheduled stop on lap 147.
37) #10-Patrick Carpentier (R) Was stuck between #17-Kenseth and #42-Montoya on lap 168 when he made contact with #42-Montoya, ultimately sending #42-Montoya spinning through the grass in the third caution of the race. He himself became the cause of the tenth caution later that night when he spun off turn two on lap 330. He dropped out of the race entirely when his engine blew with 29 laps to go, but did not bring out a caution.
38) #96-J.J. Yeley While leading the inside line of lapped cars on the restart following the first caution of the race, he spun his tires and bunched up the entire row, but fortunately no wreck occurred. A wreck did occur for him first on lap 244 when he smacked the outside wall off turn two to bring out the seventh caution of the race. His car was pretty much finished off when he then brought out the eighth caution of the race, rear-ending #88-Earnhardt, Jr. as #88-Earnhardt, Jr. ground against the outside wall. The contact was sufficient enough to spark a fire underneath his car which was extinguished as he spun down the track.
39) #48-Jimmie Johnson Led a few laps around the 50-lap mark as he battled closely with the equally-strong cars of #2-Ku. Busch, #18-Ky. Busch, and #83-Vickers, then held the lead through the first round of green-flag stops. A plastic tear-off was visible on the front of his car at lap 97, though there was no visible sign that his car was overheating. After #2-Ku. Busch wrecked out of 2nd to bring out the second caution, he and #83-Vickers exchanged the lead with him retaking it on lap 181. After falling back from the lead at the halfway mark, he finally resurfaced as the leader when the race was restarted after the eleventh caution with 62 to go. Soon after losing the lead to #18-Ky. Busch with 55 to go, however, his engine soured and eventually blew up in a plume of smoke with 49 to go, but did not bring out a caution. Led 35 laps.
40) #38-David Gilliland The hood of his car was severely caved-in by the errant left-rear tire of #83-Vickers which flew off to cause the shocking fourth caution of the race on lap 184. Though the damage caused him to spin through the corner, he was able to drive back to the pits and he actually returned to the race 55 laps down with a new hood on his machine.
41) #15-Paul Menard Got the Lucky Dog under the first caution of the race brought out by #7-R. Gordon, then got it again under the second caution brought out by #2-Ku. Busch when #18-Ky. Busch was able to drive by leader #83-Vickers beforehand. With 144 laps to go, however, it was reported he was behind the wall for dropping fluid on the track.
42) #83-Brian Vickers Just 32 laps into the race, he made clear his strong run in the 2007 running of the 600 was no fluke as he chased down #18-Ky. Busch for the lead. Three laps later coming off turn four, he then squeezed in front of #18-Ky. Busch, narrowly avoiding contact. After losing the lead to #48-Johnson and #2-Ku. Busch a few laps later, he regained the lead once more on lap 137 with the exact same turn four maneuver. While leading on lap 154, he called in that he had a vibration and worried it was either a loose wheel or a warped brake rotor. He lost the lead once again to #48-Johnson on lap 181 and started to fall back, still troubled by the concern he had a loose wheel. He was in 5th on lap 184 when disaster struck. His left-rear tire suddenly came off entirely, sending him spinning hard into the outside wall, the rear, then driver’s side of his car tagging the SAFER barrier. His tire bounced perilously high, bounding off the hood and windshield of #38-Gilliland, which sent him into a spin, and the tire then bounced across the track and into the infield between a camper trailer and an elevated spectator’s stand. Interestingly, the center did not break out of the wheel, implying that the lugs were not tightened correctly. Some debris off his car caused the windshield and A-post damage on the car of #17-Kenseth. Fortunately, no one involved was injured, though some foam blocks needed to be replaced in the wall. Led 61 laps.
43) #7-Robby Gordon Brought out the first caution of the race on lap 61 when, just like in Texas, he brushed the wall in turns three and four after running the high line. Seconds before the #83-Vickers caution, his engine then blew on lap 183, pouring large amounts of smoke as he rode the apron of turn four.

DID NOT QUALIFY:
#21-Jon Wood (R)
#34-Jeff Green
#50-Stanton Barrett
#78-Joe Nemechek
#08-Tony Raines