The Pocono 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race in Long Pond, Pennsylvania was not as wild as usual but it was very interesting.
As a matter of fact, the 500-mile race ended almost as a Hollywood film story. Indeed, new owner-driver Tony Stewart (Chevy No 14) who was starting first because of his point lead (qualifying was rained out) finally had to start from the very end because he crashed his primary car in practice and had to revert to his back-up car.
This car turned out to be even better than the primary car and slowly, one by one, Stewart passed each and every driver to finally wind up as the race leader after coming first of the last pit stop, with some 35 laps to go.
By saving fuel, Stewart almost coasted to the finish line barely menaced by second place Carl Edwards (Ford No 99) who dominated the better part of the event. Jimmie Johnson was running second and then third before running out of fuel just before reaching the checkered flag. He would end up seventh.
But David Reutimann (Camry No 00) made it as the third best followed by Jeff Gordon (Chevy No 24) and Stewart’s teammate, Ryan Newman (Chevy No 39).
Canadian Patrick Carpentier (Camry No 36) ended up last as his car developed a bad vibration early in the race.
Therefore, Stewart not only won his first ever points race as a team owner but also retains his lead into the championship followed by Gordon, Johnson, Newman and Kurt Busch (Dodge No 2). Next race will be at the Michigan International Speedway on Sunday afternoon, June 14.
photo:John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR
As a matter of fact, the 500-mile race ended almost as a Hollywood film story. Indeed, new owner-driver Tony Stewart (Chevy No 14) who was starting first because of his point lead (qualifying was rained out) finally had to start from the very end because he crashed his primary car in practice and had to revert to his back-up car.
This car turned out to be even better than the primary car and slowly, one by one, Stewart passed each and every driver to finally wind up as the race leader after coming first of the last pit stop, with some 35 laps to go.
By saving fuel, Stewart almost coasted to the finish line barely menaced by second place Carl Edwards (Ford No 99) who dominated the better part of the event. Jimmie Johnson was running second and then third before running out of fuel just before reaching the checkered flag. He would end up seventh.
But David Reutimann (Camry No 00) made it as the third best followed by Jeff Gordon (Chevy No 24) and Stewart’s teammate, Ryan Newman (Chevy No 39).
Canadian Patrick Carpentier (Camry No 36) ended up last as his car developed a bad vibration early in the race.
Therefore, Stewart not only won his first ever points race as a team owner but also retains his lead into the championship followed by Gordon, Johnson, Newman and Kurt Busch (Dodge No 2). Next race will be at the Michigan International Speedway on Sunday afternoon, June 14.
photo:John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR