January 5th - 9th, 2009
Monday: 2008 Driver Reviews return to the Frontstretch, as we ring in the New Year with a look back at the seasons of Casey Mears and Paul Menard.
Tuesday: Juan Pablo Montoya and current free agent Joe Nemechek go under the microscope as our look back at last season continues.
Wednesday: It's back! With the new season just a month away, some of your favorite writers return to check in on the offseason news and offer their take in the latest edition of Mirror Driving.
Thursday: Tony Raines and David Reutimann have their last 36 races sliced apart as our Driver Review Series trudges on.
Friday: While Elliott Sadler figures out his next move, we figure out how he put himself in position to be released by GEM with a look back at his 2008 slump.
- This week on the Frontstretch!
Looking to see when and where your favorite columns (and columnists) pop up every week? Click here to find out all the details! - Advertise With Us!
Want your products and services to be a part of one of the fastest growing racing website on the net? Get all your questions answered about advertising here. - Write for Us
Think you have what it takes to write for the Frontstretch? Follow this link for more information on how you can become a weekly columnist for the site! - Driver Diary Schedule
Want to know when your favorite drivers are telling their latest stories to the Frontstretch? Check out the schedule link to figure out when David Reutimann, David Starr, Rick Crawford, and Kenny Wallace are stopping by.
|
| Subscribe to The Frontstretch Newsletter |
| Visit this group |
Late Race Pit Stop Costs Stewart Storybook Ending
Sunday November 16, 2008
Home Depot Driver Leads Late, Finishes Ninth in Final Race for JGR
Date: Nov. 16, 2008
Event: Ford 400 (Round 36 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Location: Homestead-Miami Speedway (1.5-mile oval)
Start/Finish: 13th/9th (Running, completed 267 of 267 laps)
Winner: Carl Edwards of Roush Fenway Racing (Ford)
A storybook ending just wasn’t in the cards for Tony Stewart in Sunday’s season-ending Ford 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Leading with just 11 laps remaining in the 267-lap contest, Stewart had to pit for fuel on lap 256 and relinquish the point. Despite pacing the field for 11 laps and having one of the fastest, if not the fastest car on the 1.5-mile oval, the driver of the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) finished a heartbreaking ninth.
“We did everything we could do,” said Stewart, who in 10 career starts at Homestead has five top-10 finishes. “It was awesome to be leading there with 20 laps to go and driving away from the field. You can’t ask for more than that. I just appreciate everything that Zippy (Greg Zipadelli, crew chief) and these guys have done.”
Homestead marked Stewart’s final race with JGR, as he’ll become a driver/owner next year with Stewart-Haas Racing. Stewart leaves the only race team he’s ever driven for in the Sprint Cup Series with 10 poles, 33 wins and two championships amid 356 starts dating back to Feb. 14, 1999 with the season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.
“We all wanted to win this last race, but so did 42 other guys that wanted to win this last one of the year,” Stewart said. “I’m really proud of these guys. The biggest thing to me is that we went out and we were competitive tonight. Everybody knew we were here and they knew we were one of the fastest cars all day.”
In the 10 years Stewart has driven the No. 20 Home Depot machine for JGR, he and the team have logged plenty of miles and racked up plenty of memories along the way.
“It’s hard,” said an emotional Stewart after the race. “These guys are my family. When you’ve been with a group of guys for 10 years and the sponsor for 10 years like this – that’s a long time. I know people that haven’t been married that long. It’s just one of those rough nights. We had a shot to win and it didn’t work out for us.”
Stewart’s JGR teammates – Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch – finished 13th and 19th, respectively, in the Ford 400.
Carl Edwards won the Ford 400 to score his 16th career Sprint Cup victory, his series-high ninth win of the season and his first at Homestead. Kevin Harvick, Jamie McMurray, Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer rounded out the top-five. Kasey Kahne, Travis Kvapil, Casey Mears, Stewart and Martin Truex Jr., comprised the remainder of the top-10.
There were seven caution periods for 31 laps, with two drivers failing to finish the race.
Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 team of Hendrick Motorsports won this year’s Sprint Cup championship. It is the third straight championship for Johnson, tying the mark set by Cale Yarborough (1976-1978). It is also the eighth Sprint Cup title for Hendrick Motorsports.
All three JGR drivers were represented in this year’s Chase for the Sprint Cup. Hamlin ended up being the lead JGR driver in points, as he secured the eighth position in the final point standings. Stewart and Busch wound up ninth and 10th, respectively.
The final standings for this year’s title chase are as follows:
1. Jimmie Johnson (6,684 points) +/-0
2. Carl Edwards (6,615 points, -69) +/-0
3. Greg Biffle (6,467 points, -217) +/-0
4. Kevin Harvick (6,408 points, -276) +1
5. Clint Bowyer (6,381 points, -303) +1
6. Jeff Burton (6,335 points, -349) -2
7. Jeff Gordon (6,316 points, -368) +/-0
8. Denny Hamlin (6,214 points, -470) +1
9. Tony Stewart (6,202 points, -482) +3
10. Kyle Busch (6,186 points, -498) +1
11. Matt Kenseth (6,184 points, -500) -3
12. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (6,127 points, -557) -2
The 2009 Sprint Cup season kicks off Feb. 6-15 with the traditional Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway. The 51st Daytona 500, the first point-paying race of the season, is scheduled for Feb. 15 and will be broadcast live on FOX, MRN Radio and SIRIUS Satellite Radio Channel 128.
Still haven’t joined the Frontstretch Forums? Here’s a peek at what you’re
missing this week:
How does Jimmie Johnson compare to Cale Yarborough?
Ten things we hated about the 2008 season
Ten things we loved about the 2008 season
Make sure to join us during the offseason as we follow any news and stories that come out.
Click here to join the forums and tell us what you think. Don’t miss out on a chance to share your opinion with a growing community of fans just like you!
This report was provided by an outside PR source and posted by Kim DeHaven.
©2000 - 2008 Kim DeHaven and Frontstetch.com. Thanks for visiting the Frontstretch!
