Search results matching tag 'tony stewart'

Tony Stewart has a funny reason why his team has been able to attract big money sponsors

TMS Total Access — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:22:52 GMT

Tony Stewart has a funny reason why his team has been able to attract big money sponsors

Live Streaming Video Of Chase Driver Interviews And Post-Race Press Conferences From Phoenix

TMS Media Relations — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:01:00 GMT

Throughout the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, www.texasmotorspeedway.com will be providing you with the special opportunity to watch the Chase driver press conferences as well as the post-qualifying and post-race press conferences LIVE from those respective speedways.

Now you not only can watch the Chase for the Sprint Cup races each week (ABC-TV), but find out what your favorite Chase drivers are saying as they prepare for the next event in addition to interviews from the top finishers following the conclusion of each race.

It’s easy – all you need to do is click on this link http://americaneg-nascar-liveevent1.wm.llnwd.net/americaneg_nascar_liveevent1 during the scheduled times (see below) to find out what the drivers are saying each week during the Chase.

Here is this week’s schedule of interviews from the media center at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Ariz., for the ninth race of the Chase. In addition to the Chase interviews, NASCAR also will feature media interviews from its other series. The times below are CENTRAL TIME.

FRIDAY

11:45 a.m. CT – Juan Pablo Montoya (6th in points); Noon – Jimmie Johnson (1st in points); 12:15 p.m. – Mark Martin (2nd in points); 2:35 p.m. – Greg Biffle (7th in points); 2:50 p.m. – Kasey Kahne (10th in points); 3:25 p.m. – Carl Edwards (11th in points); 3:45 p.m. – Kurt Busch (4th in points); 4:15 p.m. – Denny Hamlin (8th in points); 6:15 p.m. (approximately) – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series post-qualifying press conference; 9 p.m. (approximately) – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series post-race press conference.

SATURDAY

11 a.m. CT – Tony Stewart (5th in points) and Ryan Newman (9th in points); 6 p.m. (approximately) – NASCAR Nationwide Series post-race press conference.

SUNDAY

5:45 p.m. CT (approximately) – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series post-race press conference.

Stewart Pit Stop During Dickies 500

TMS Media Relations — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:42:49 GMT

FORT WORTH, TX - NOVEMBER 08: Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet, pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on November 8, 2009 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

The Hunt for Checkered October: Heat Up the Hounds

ThunderStruck — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 04:06:19 GMT

ThunderThoughts: Another No Need to Read

The Hunt for Checkered October: Heat Up the Hound

The Columbian Collider: Education on the Fly; No Curve Grading

When Juan Pablo Montoya, driver formerly known as the 'Columbian Collider" due to his uncanny ability to hit whatever came within his tormenting touch, first came into the rank and file of drives who were looking to make a name for themselves in stock car racing he needed more talent than others just cause of his relationship to both open wheel racing as well as his status as a foreigner (not U.S. Born). He was given the equipment, the crew, and a sponsor that has stuck with him throughout it all. Good times were few and far between getting little to no respect or breaks on the track from anyone. Some said NASCAR used him as a Token Driver to fill the need of the sport to have someone, anyone who was not a native son driving enabling the sport to boast it was diversified. The sports officials may have wanted it but no fan wanted it. The fans spoke very loudly of their displeasure with the decision and with every little mishap involving the Man from the Land of Coffee they stood and yelled 'Foul'! It was then that I began to call him the "Columbian Collider" simply due to the fact that it seemed that every single time he got close to another car, he hit it. No, not just once or twice, it happened over and over again. Often taking out some Very Big Names in the sport infuriating the driver involved, the owner, the other cars that got took out, the officials, and worst yet, the fans. They did not like it and they let their opinions be heard screaming from the mountaintops to all listeners. They were Mad, Period and they wanted him out. Slowly, very slowly, people began to notice that this feller had one thing that every fan likes to se in a driver. They used to call it MOXY, nerve, guts, whatever you want to call it, he had it, and the fans seen it. He had no breaks on the track though often learning what he did learn all alone on the track. Letting Experience teach him was getting expensive however. To him, and to other drivers who got caught up in his lack of knowledge on how to handle the car. It took time, lots of cars but, with no "learning Curve" he did indeed learn. Winning where he could and finishing over and over again (un-noticed by some) in the top ten, which is why he is where he is, A Contender in the Chase. Today he came out with a Vengeance. Looking like a man with a cause and no fear to do what it took to do it, early too. He shot out over and over on the restarts. Over and over again he would be in the place to take the lead. Over and over again he applied what it is he learned and once again finished at the top. Question comes to mind, in fact a couple. Will he win a race in the chase pulling ever so closer to that thin spread of points that at the end, determines who wears that crown every driver out there wants. We'll see.

Sick and Tired: One Swine Flew into the Cuckoo's Nest

H1N1 Flew. It is in the headlines every day. People are passing; both young and old alike are falling prey to this new form of a deadly virus that we have known about for ages. The 'Flew' although we have known vaccines, can still kill people, and when it morphs into a new unknown form, well it is just not good. I know that the drivers that get behind those wheels want to drive. They want to win. So if they can walk then in their minds, they can drive. The CDC, the President, Doctors both for the vaccine and those who are not yet fans due to lack of results all recommend that if you even think you are sick, then stay away from those who not. They have asked that if you do not have to travel then don't. If you can avoid large crowds, do so. Do what common sense says. Do what your Momma told you. Do what your Grandma told you. Stay Away From People. If you think you may be ill then do us, yourself all a favor and stay home, get better, then Get Back to Work! Get Back to Work, ONLY when you know dang sure you ain't contagious. If you even think you can infect someone else, then wait till you know you will not. Today, yesterday, a Driver was ill a fact he made no secret about it. He let someone else drive his car when he himself was so ill he could not drive. He said he was going to the infield care center to take fluids and lay down. Look people am I the only one who sees a possible issue with letting someone, anyone who is ill in an area with so many people coming into contact with them directly? Am I the only one who seen that there could be a serious problem? Let us just say the worst of the worst scenarios plays out. Drivers begin getting very sick. Crew personnel too which leaves garages empty and no cars to drive even if a driver could drive. Soon, the sports season comes to an abrupt halt. No races to go to. No tickets to sell. I know this is extreme, but just what if. What if it happened? Drivers, team members, owners, press, officials, everyone, fans too, if you are sick, if you feel sick then stay home away from people. All People! Period, No Exceptions!

Bits & Pieces: In Trivial Pursuit; Very Interesting

Does NASCAR Officials know something they are yet telling? Is there some kind of secret about Hendricks and his engines that they do not want us to know? Is there something different or that does meet template standards? Well they must know something cause for the third consecutive week, NASCAR officials will take Jimmie Johnson's and Mark Martin's cars to the Research & Development Center in Concord, N.C., for further inspection. Very Interesting!

Fontana, Auto Club Speedway. Not the most loved track on the circuit. They try to make I better, but? In fact, I have looked at boards from almost every single site out there and 98% of the fans posts mention how dis-liked the track is. They tried to fix it by adjusting dates so that the weather conditions were friendlier. The track and NASCAR has take steps to fix a problem it took them decades to notice. It did not, however, take the fans that long. They have repeatedly voiced their dis-like of the track itself as well as the staff who operates it. Repeated steps taken by a sport trying hard to accommodate a track that by actions displayed have shown they could care less. I have friends there. They have over and over again defended the track. They have hopes that soon someone will come along and do what is right, get the track back in shape and ran by people who care. Care about the track and the fans who visit. The location is superb; the fan base is awe inspiring which you would think would entice even the tightest pocketbook to open up and paint a prettier picture. They had today. The weather was great and the fans, the press, all were there hoping to find a different track than the one they left behind on their last occasion to visit what appears to be a Doomed Track. Only time and accountants will tell. If they made money, perhaps they will do what it is they know needs to be done. What NASCAR has told them to do. What fans have screamed for them to do. If they do not, there are tracks all across America waiting for their chance to become the next place to host a race but Fans that are close in proximity want it there. NASCAR wants it there. What NASCAR does not want is for the operators to leave it like it is especially when they have adjusted the schedule to see if it could be made a worthwhile venture. We will see if they listened, learned, or even care. Very Interesting!

Shark Attacking Fish Bait: Women Race Rights; The recent overkill of interests in a certain woman who has made it everyone's business to know hers, has possibly found someone who thinks as much of her as she does. She may well have talent in the sport from which she crawled out from under but, to assume that the talent, as little as it is, will just transfer into the stock car world is simply arrogant on her part as well as presuming by the garage showing interest. She has done nothing except to cause disruption in the driver's world by potentially taking a seat away from a driver who is more deserving as well as talented. I am just as inclined to have a woman driving in the series, but, doesn't anyone else see a need for her to be able to drive and not just look good sitting in the car. Sure she is pretty, but pretty ain't going to cut the mustard when time comes to pay them there bills. Beauty is great, glad she is pleasant to look at, but, she does not or at least has not shown she can drive in a stock car. Oh please don't give me all that about her driving in that other series. Everyone knows that if she was all that she would have done way better and probably still be there with bells on. She has hung out for any and all fish to bite on. Some have shown interests. Question is, "Is She the Shark or the Bait?" Very Interesting!

Second Class Citizen: Realization Frustration; New Sensation Bad Vibrations

"We're doing everything we can to be good enough, but it's just not there, so we've got to search and find something. We've got to be better than that. I felt like we were like in a second-class category, that's the only thing that bothers me a little bit. We're just not good enough. We're good, but we're not good enough."

The entire above are quotes by none other than Jeff Gordon. He is one driver who knows that finishing in second is just what Dale Earnhardt Sr. said it was the first loser. To some people he will always be the Champion that one day soon, history books will be kind to telling about all his achievements, all his trophies, all the wins, to those people he will always be their Champion, however, to Mr. Gordon, second is just not going to cut the mustard, not now, not ever.

Hopefully someday soon he will look back and see how he single handedly changed not only methods of racing both on the track and off. He made the marketing end what it is, sure he learned from others, they may have already been doing it, but none had done it the way that he did it. Now it is standard at every track and venue to do it the way he made famous, and profitable. His driving abilities have taken so many flags, enough to don any room to the ceiling. His talent, good looks, wry grin, and knowledge and skills on the track and in the board rooms are what legends are made of. He, even to those who do not adore him, was, is, and always will be that Rainbow Warrior, sure the colors may be different, but the Song Remains the Same. Play on Jeff,, Play On!

His skills speak handsomely for themselves; no one, not me, and definitely not him need to give excuses as to why he is not winning as much as 'They' want him to. Problem is, is that he does not like this crud. Looking at the rear end of a car he is trying so hard to catch and not being able to, is driving him insane. You can see it in his eyes. The way his brow twists, his grin is not the same. He is driving, yes, he is driving, but question is, can he drive this out of his mind and drive his car to the winners circle at the next race? In my opinion, everyone need beware. For when you least expect it, when you count him out, down for the count, is when you need to beware. He did not get to where it is he is by just accepting second place. On the Track or as a Citizen, he could never be second, not now, not ever.

Simple Questions Deserve Simple Answers: DUH

"Can anyone stop Johnson and the No. 48 Chevy team from winning an unprecedented fourth consecutive Sprint Cup crown?"

This question is being asked in garages, board rooms, and over water coolers all over the US. Everyone wants to know if that 48 Lowes Home Improvement Car (nice to see the foundation's cause on it this week) can be caught. Is the Chase still steal-able? Steal, Theft, look, at this point; if Mr. Johnson does not win this chase Championship, it is due to theft. A Championship Stolen away from him and allowed to be taken away by none other than him, himself. He has the skill, the crew, the owner, the car, equipment, and the thing I see that is his best asset is his attitude. If he can hold strong in his believing in himself, nothing except him can stop him.

To Close for Comfort: Point Spread; Gap Narrows He cannot sit still though. The lead he has in the Championship is not as great as to where it cannot be caught, caught and overtaken by another one of them there fellers who are staring at him in his rear view mirror. They know that they too have a chance to take the Championship. They and their team (s) can be the ones sitting at that table come time to Crown the next Ruler in the Kingdom of NASCAR. They want it bad, some for the first time, for the first of many, many attempts in a career that has lasted for decades and none being able to produce the Crown. Others want it bad for reasons all their own, one wants to make his story history adding his name to a very short list of Owner/Driver to take a Championship. He may well achieve his goal, that is if his own teammate and employee does not prevent it or anyone of the other top six or seven drivers up there in that list of names that are in the hunt for the Crown. The Points are that Close, so Keep Racing Boys, We'll Keep Watching!

Keeping the Faith

Tony Stewart vs. Dumb Reporter

ikestephens — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:51:54 GMT

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Tony Stewart wins at Kansas, and clinches the Manufacturer's Title for Chevrolet

TMS Total Access — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:18:57 GMT

Tony Stewart wins at Kansas, and clinches the Manufacturer's Title for Chevrolet. Tony also says that this year's Chase is shaping up to be the most competitive ever

Stewart Gains Ground With Kansas Victory

TMS Media Relations — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:12:00 GMT

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(October 4, 2009)

KANSAS CITY, Kan.—He’s back.

After failing to finish better than ninth in his previous six races, Tony Stewart re-emerged as a factor in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with a victory in Sunday’s Price Chopper 400 at Kansas Speedway.

Stewart, who led the series through the first 26 races leading up to the Chase, beat Jeff Gordon to the finish line by .894 seconds to trim 39 points from his deficit to Chase leader Mark Martin, who ran seventh. With four victories this season, Stewart is fourth in the standings, 67 points behind Martin.

Crew chief Darian Grubb’s two-tire call on the final pit stop of the afternoon, under caution on Lap 238 of 267, put Stewart’s No. 14 Chevrolet out front for a restart on Lap 242. In the closing laps, Stewart held off Gordon, who took four tires on the stop and charged from sixth to second in the final 26 laps.

“Darian—you don’t question him when he makes a call,” Stewart said. “You know it’s the right thing to do, and then you go from there. The big thing was just not driving the tires off the thing, in case we got a (late) caution and a green-white-checker. We had a little bit left, but we didn’t leave too much out there.

“We got two tires earlier and were able to go really quick on ’em, so it was pretty much, I think in our opinion, a no-brainer what to do there. The guys who took four never could gain the track position back. We had a really good car on two tires, and Darian and the guys on the pit crew are the ones that got us the win. They got us track position, and I was able to pick which line I wanted on the restart, and that won us the race.”

Three-time defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson restarted third on two tires on Lap 242 but faded to ninth at the finish. Johnson is second in the Chase standings, trailing Martin by 18 points.

Greg Biffle opened a lead of as many as nine seconds before NASCAR called the sixth and final caution on Lap 236 because of fluid on the track, but Biffle overruled crew chief Greg Erwin and opted for four tires—instead of the two Erwin preferred—before the final restart.

Biffle restarted fourth and finished third. Juan Pablo Montoya came home fourth, his third straight top-four finish in three Chase races, and trails Martin by 51 points. Denny Hamlin ran fifth and Kasey Kahne sixth, as Chase drivers grabbed the top seven positions and 10 of the top 11.

Despite fighting an ill-handling car to start the race, Gordon also gained ground on Martin, moving up one position to seventh in the standings.

“I started really running out of steam towards the end, with the tires,” said Gordon, who trails Martin by 103 points. “I had just used them up so much trying to catch him. … We were really far off when this race started. I thought there’s no way we’ll ever finish second. … We just kept tuning on it.”

Notes: Dale Earnhardt Jr. led 41 laps early, the first time he has been out front in a Cup race since Aug. 16 at Michigan and only the second time he has led since April 26 at Talladega. But a dropped lug nut forced Earnhardt back into the pits on Lap 58 for a second stop under green, and the day went from bad to worse from there. Ultimately, his engine failed, dropping Earnhardt to 36th at the finish. … Stewart’s win was the 37th of his career, tying him with Bobby Isaac for 18th on the all-time list. … Chase drivers claimed nine of the top-10 positions, a record for a Chase race. … Gordon’s runner-up finish was his seventh of the year, a career-high for a season.

Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth are in favor of NASCAR's testing policy

TMS Total Access — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:09:20 GMT

NASCAR announced the 2010 testing policiy, which is similar to this year's, but with a few tweaks. Hear from Tony Sewart and Matt Kenseth on their view of the policy

Stewart Will Try To Recapture The Magic At Dover

TMS Media Relations — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 19:25:00 GMT

By Jim Pedley
Special to the Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(September 24, 2009)

It was not just the axle cap of the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet that crew members were scrambling to fix in the pits during Sunday’s race in New Hampshire, it was also the magic.

The magic, that is, that had carried Tony Stewart to the top of the standings during the pre-Chase portion of the Sprint Cup schedule but had wavered in recent weeks and appeared to be vanishing in Sunday’s playoff-season opener in Loudon.

This weekend at Dover International Speedway, Stewart and his team will continue trying to patch up that magic and resuscitate their hopes for winning a Sprint Cup championship in their debut season.

“We had some definite lows (at New Hampshire) because of the mechanical issue with the car,” Darian Grubb, crew chief for Stewart, said this week. “We’ll just go to Dover ... and try to get the win.”

A win in Sunday’s AAA 400 would be most welcome in the Stewart-Haas shop. It would be welcome for the points it would bring, but also for the emotional lift.

Emotional lifts had not been a problem around the Stewart-Haas operation for the first 22/36ths of the season. The team and its drivers were exceeding expectations on a weekly basis back then.

Nine times in the first 13 weeks of the season, Stewart finished in the top 10. And when he finished second at Dover in Week 13, he found himself on top of both the standings and the story-of-the-year list.

A week later at Pocono, Stewart won his first race as an owner/driver and the surge was on. He won twice more in the next eight races, and his average finish in his 10-race blitz was 3.6.

The dude was running away with the points lead.

In early August, after winning at Watkins Glen for his eighth top five in 10 races, Stewart was asked if he was thinking championship.

His answer was wise and understandable. It was also prophetic.

“That’s way too early to do that,” Stewart said. “There’s so much that can happen still. I feel like we’re in a good shot to be a contender for it. I’m not sure I feel like we’re a dominant contender yet. It’s hard because there’s so many good teams.”

The next week, Stewart finished 17th at Michigan. It was his worst finish since May in the Coca Cola 600, and it was not a hiccup.

Stewart has not had a top-10 finish since.

At Dover this weekend, Stewart not only will be attempting to rediscover the success of his early season, but also be out to rediscover the success of his early career at the concrete, high-banked 1-mile track.

The first 12 times Stewart raced at Dover, he had two victories and nine top-five finishes. Only once did he finish out of the top 10 and he was 11th that day in the spring of 2002.
In the past nine races, he has no victories, three DNFs and two top-10 finishes.

Perhaps the best news on that front is that his best finish at Dover in recent years came earlier this year when he was second.

After New Hampshire and his 14th-place finish there, some people were talking about how great it was that Stewart and his team were able to patch together a mediocre finish on a day that could have been disastrous.

They said that dropping from second in points to just sixth represented a moral victory.

Stewart was saying nothing. He dropped from sight after the race and left Grubb to try to put things in perspective.

"I haven’t seen him yet,” Grubb said postrace. “I’m sure he is upset, just as much as I am. He should be. We let him down. We have to assemble that car to the utmost of our abilities, and we missed it. We are a new organization. We are going to have to fix all those problems and keep getting stronger."

Stewart knows a thing or two about magic. He knows how temperamental it can be and how talking about it can upset it.

And he knows that what he needs to do at Dover is go out and re-establish it.

Five to watch

Mark Martin, No. 5: Is the 50-year-old kid setting himself up for another huge letdown or his first Cup championship? We could have a much better feel for that after Dover. He is a four-time winner there and has finished in the top five at Dover a remarkable 21 times.

Jeff Gordon, No. 24: It began to look like Gordon was going to make a run at his fifth championship when the Chase started last week. Now, he’s hanging on to those hopes—he is 10th in points and 102 back. He can’t afford another mediocre finish.

Clint Bowyer, No. 33: Too bad he had those two bad races at Bristol and Atlanta because he is driving like he could have been a contender these days. He is also interesting to watch as a barometer for how Richard Childress Racing will do next season.

Jimmie Johnson, No. 48: Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but the Chase is starting and Johnson is in the thick of it. He is second in points this week, 35 back, and headed to a track where he has won four times in 15 starts.

Carl Edwards, No. 99: A year ago, he was this close to winning the championship. This year he is this close to being eliminated from contention just two races into the Chase. Go figure.

Track chatter

Greg Biffle: “I will be disappointed if we are not in contention for the win this weekend at Dover. We led several laps there in the spring and won this race last year. We need a good finish there to keep Mark Martin in our sights. If we can keep gaining a little every week, we’ll be right there in contention for the title at Homestead.”

Kyle Busch: “We’re just trying to steal points from these guys to help out the 11 (Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin). Like I said, I’m going to try to help out my teammate as much as I can to win this championship. But, I also feel like we’ve got some good tracks coming up that we could do some damage at and finish off the year with some more wins, including this weekend. … We’ve also got Charlotte, California, Talladega, which have been good places for us in the past.”

Mark Martin: “I said … in New York City that each race of the Chase only counts for 10 percent. You can’t win one race, or have a DNF and think that that one outcome is going to change everything. Whether we did really good at Loudon or not so good, I was still going to leave that track knowing that was only 10 percent. I knew that a lot would be made of that race, but the reality is that you can’t start getting a clear picture of the outcome of all of this until about four races to go.”

Fast facts

What: AAA 400
Where: At Dover (Del.) International Speedway
When: Sunday, 2 p.m. ET
TV: ABC, 1 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN/Sirius Satellite Ch. 128
Track layout: 1-mile oval
Race distance: 400 laps/400 miles
Estimated pit window: 72-78 laps
Qualifying: Friday, 3:10 p.m. ET
2008 winner: Greg Biffle
2008 polesitter: Jeff Gordon
Points leaders: 1. Mark Martin, 5,230; 2. Jimmie Johnson, 5,195; 3. Denny Hamlin, 5,195; 4. Juan Pablo Montoya, 5,175; 5. Kurt Busch, 5,165; 6. Tony Stewart, 5,156; 7. Ryan Newman, 5,151; 8. Brian Vickers, 5,140; 9. Greg Biffle, 5,138; 10. Jeff Gordon, 5,128; 11. Carl Edwards, 5,117; 12. Kasey Kahne, 5,069.

Three-wide: What To Look For In Sunday's AAA 400

TMS Media Relations — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:56:00 GMT

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

1. Stewart rebounds. NASCAR’s regular-season points leader got there by avoiding costly glitches, but a loose rear axle cap necessitated a lengthy pit stop and dropped him to 14th at New Hampshire. Stewart and crew chief Darian Grubb will make sure there aren’t any snafus at Dover.

2. Gordon’s last stand. Already 102 points behind Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon needs more than a problem-free weekend at Dover. He needs a solid top-five run at the track that bit him during qualifying in May if he wants to keep his hopes for a fifth title alive.

3. Double-file, chaos-style restarts. This is the first visit to Dover since NASCAR implemented double-file restarts. With its high banks and tight corners, the Monster Mile gives competitors little margin for error. Restarts late in the race—with positions and points at stake—are guaranteed to be intense, with the potential for major wrecks that could scramble the standings.

Track analysis by Michael Waltrip

“Dover is a mile in length, exactly like New Hampshire, but it’s totally the opposite. It’s really wide through the corners with all the banking. At Dover there’s plenty of room to pass, so if it’s a choice of pitting for new tires or staying out, you’re probably going to opt for the tires.” — Michael Waltrip

Past winners of Dover Chase races

2004: Ryan Newman
2005: Jimmie Johnson
2006: Jeff Burton
2007: Carl Edwards
2008: Greg Biffle

Sporting News’ pick: Tony Stewart

Smoke came close in May but fell victim to Jimmie Johnson’s late pass and ran second. That started Stewart’s streak of 10 straight top 10s, which included three victories. It’s hard to argue against Johnson here, but Stewart needs it more. Last week: Greg Biffle finished ninth. — Reid Spencer

The last time around: Johnson rallies for win at Dover

May 31, 2009: Restarting eighth on Lap 374 of 400, after NASCAR called the 10th caution of the race, Jimmie Johnson atoned for a slow pit stop and charged through the field to run down Greg Biffle and Tony Stewart and win the Autism Speaks 400. It is his fourth Sprint Cup win at Dover.

Johnson, who led 298 laps, cleared Stewart for the lead through Turns 3 and 4 on Lap 398 and pulled away to finish .861 seconds ahead of the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Chevrolet. Having taken two tires to Johnson’s four during the final pit stops for each team, Stewart repeatedly ran high through the corners to try to block Johnson’s line.

But Johnson finally found room to the outside through Turns 1 and 2 and completed the winning pass through the final two corners.

Biffle finished third, followed by Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch. Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards, Ryan Newman, Casey Mears and Mark Martin completed the top 10.

“Fortunately, I had such a good car that I could run around the top,” Johnson said. “My hat’s off to Tony Stewart. That was one heck of a race. I had to drive so far over my head to get by him. I’m just very proud of what we did out there on the racetrack today.

“I wasn’t going to give up. I had no idea what was going to happen, but I knew I had a great racecar. I knew there were some laps left, and it was just time to go—and I got it done. To have to run that hard to pass that many good cars to get the lead, that’s a challenge. I really had to suck it up and get going. I thought I was going to pound the wall a couple of times on the top. I cooked it off in there too fast and slid right up to the crumbs, and I’m like, ‘Please stay, please.’ And it stuck, and I made it back around.” — Reid Spencer

NASCAR on TV

Thursday

NASCAR Classics: 2006 Dover, noon, Speed
NASCAR Now, 5 p.m., ESPN2

Friday

Sprint Cup, AAA 400 practice, 11 a.m., Speed
NASCAR Live, 12:30 p.m., Speed
Nationwide, Dover 200 final practice, 1:30 p.m., ESPN2
Sprint Cup, AAA 400 qualifying, 3 p.m., ESPN2
NASCAR Now, 4:30 p.m., ESPN2
NASCAR Live, 4:30 p.m., Speed
Inside the Headsets, 5:30 p.m., Speed
Trackside at Dover, 7 p.m., 11 p.m., Speed

Saturday

Nationwide, Dover 200 qualifying, 10:30 a.m., Speed
Nationwide Countdown, 3 p.m., ESPN2
Nationwide, Dover 200, 3:30 p.m., ESPN2
Sprint Cup, AAA 400 final practice, 7 p.m., ESPN
Camping World Truck Setup, 9 p.m., Speed
Camping World Truck, Las Vegas 350, 9:30 p.m., Speed
NASCAR Performance, midnight, Speed
NASCAR Smarts, 12:30 a.m. Speed

Sunday

NASCAR Smarts, 10 a.m., Speed
NASCAR Now, 10 a.m., ESPN2
NASCAR in a Hurry, 10:30 a.m., Speed
NASCAR RaceDay, 11 a.m., Speed
Sprint Cup Countdown, 1 p.m., ABC
Sprint Cup, AAA 400, 2 p.m., ABC
NASCAR Victory Lane, 8 p.m., Speed
NASCAR Now, 10 p.m., ESPN2