Late Charge Gives Stewart All-Star Win
By Reid Spencer, Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

CONCORD, N.C. -- The celebration everyone knew was coming arrived Saturday night at Lowe's Motor Speedway against a background of exploding fireworks.

The real pyrotechnics, however, were reserved for the racetrack.

Tony Stewart passed Matt Kenseth through Turn 2 on Lap 99 of 100 to win the Sprint All-Star Race, his first victory in the annual non-points event and his first as an owner/driver.

Stewart did what he had threatened to do since the beginning of the season. He had parlayed five top-five finishes in the last six races into a second place in the Cup series standings, but victory had eluded the 37-year-old driver nicknamed "Smoke" -- until Saturday night.

Stewart, who led only the final two laps, streaked across the finish line .971 seconds ahead of Kenseth and pocketed the winner's share of $1,022,975.

Kurt Busch ran third, followed by Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards, Mark Martin and Kyle Busch.

"I can't believe he gave me the bottom," Tony said of his inside pass for the lead. "I just cannot believe he gave me the bottom. But I'll take it. Matt is a guy you can trust. We got to second there, got by the No. 18 (Kyle Busch) and I thought, 'All right, we have a shot at this thing.'

"We weren't that good until the last run. Darian Grubb (crew chief), I mean he made some awesome calls there at the end to get us where I could drive that thing the way I could. Man, it was fast."

Adjustments during the 10-minute break before the final segment made Kenseth's car better but not good enough to keep Stewart behind him.

"We were too loose all night, and we were really slow on restarts," said Kenseth, who led the field to the green flag with five laps remaining after caution for debris in Turn 3 slowed the field for the final time. "For long runs we were pretty good… During the break we had to tighten the car up a lot, which we did -- put more air in the tires and did all the things we needed to do for a short run.

"It was actually pretty good for five or six laps, but with all the short runs and cautions (three after the start of the final segment) and getting the body banged in a little bit, it just hurt it, and with three or four (laps) to go, it started getting really tight and wouldn't turn at all that last lap. And Tony just rolled on by."

As the cars worked Lap 93 of 100 -- the third in the final 10-lap shootout -- Ryan Newman's Chevrolet roared into the mix, pushing Kyle Busch past leader Jeff Gordon on the backstretch. As the cars sped three-wide through Turn 3, however, contact between Gordon's Chevrolet and Busch's Toyota sent the No. 24 Chevy spinning through the grass and ultimately into the wall.


Jeff Gordon's hopes of winning the '09 All-Star Race were dashed when he crashed on lap three of the final 10-lap segment, while battling Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth for the lead, three wide...

"Looks like a race broke out here," Busch quipped to spotter Jeff Dickerson under the caution that followed.

Since only green-flag laps counted in the final segment, the field restarted with Kyle Busch in the lead with eight laps remaining, but he soon surrendered the top spot to Kenseth.

With a car set up for the short run, Jimmie Johnson led every lap of the first 50-lap segment, opening a lead of more than three seconds before a required green-flag pit stop midway through the segment.

On new tires after the stop, Johnson again pulled away from Kurt Busch and Gordon, only to have those two drivers narrow the advantage to a car length by the end of the run. Johnson held off his pursuers but dropped to fifth for the restart on Lap 51 when Kyle Busch, Kenseth, Jamie McMurray and Sam Hornish Jr. took two tires under the competition caution between segments.

A spin during the final segment dropped Johnson to 13th at the finish.

Clean air proved beneficial to Kyle Busch, who led all 20 laps in winning the second segment. The driver of the No. 18 Toyota stayed out between the second and third segments and surrendered the lead to Gordon halfway through the run. With Busch and Kenseth battling for second, Gordon won the third segment going away, leading the final 10 of 20 laps.

Unofficial All-Star Race Results click here


Sam Hornish won the Sprint Showdown to advance to the All-Star race...

Unofficial Sprint Showdown Race Results click here

NASCAR Newscast - All-Star Race Recap click here


Country music superstars Montgomery Gentry performed as part of the pre-race ceremonies...

Green Flag Fast Facts - Sprint Showdown
The Date: Saturday, May 16
The Track: Lowe’s Motor Speedway, (1.5-mile quad-oval)
The Time: 8:30 p.m. AT
The Distance: 40 laps / 60 miles
TV: SPEED, 8 p.m. AT
Radio: PRN and Sirius Satellite
2008 Polesitter: Elliott Sadler
2008 Winner/Runner-up: AJ Allmendinger/Sam Hornish Jr.
Schedule: (all times local) Friday—Practice, 12-1:20 p.m. Qualifying, 5 p.m.

Green Flag Fast Facts - NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race
The Date: Saturday, May 16
The Track: Lowe’s Motor Speedway (1.5-mile quad-oval)
The Time: 10 p.m. AT
The Distance: 100 laps/150 miles
TV: SPEED. 8 p.m. AT
Radio: PRN and Sirius Satellite
2008 Polesitter: Kyle Busch
2008 Winner: Kasey Kahne
Schedule: (all times local) Friday—Practice, 1:30-2:50 p.m. 6:05—Qualifying.

TV Broadcast Times*

Practice: Friday May 15 at 1 p.m./SPEED

Qaulifying: Friday May 15 at 6 p.m./SPEED

RaceDay, Pre-Race Show: Saturday May 16 at 5 p.m./SPEED

Race: Saturday May 16 at 8 p.m./SPEED

*Times shown are AT - one hour ahead of ET, i.e. if it's 2 p.m./AT - it's 1 p.m./ET...

Practice, Qualifying, Starting Lineup & More...


Jimmie Johnson won the Coors Light Pole Award for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race with a lap of 121.416 seconds, 44.475 mph.

• This is his first pole in eight NASCAR Sprint All-Star Races.
• Johnson's previous best start in the all-star race was second in both 2006 and 2007.
• This is his fourth top-10 start.
• Johnson has two wins in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (2003 and 2006).
• Kurt Busch (second) posted his best start in the all-star race. His previous best start was third, in the last three races.
• Matt Kenseth (third) posted his sixth top-10 start in nine all-star races.
• Starting Lineup - so far click here
  
  
• Three more drivers will qualify to start the All-Star Race - the two top finishers in the Sprint Showdown "heat race" featuring all those drivers not already qualified, and one fan vote - to be announced during the pre-race ceremonies...
• Qualifying for the Sprint Showdown was rained out - the field will be lined up according to the order they would have qualified - which was set by a random draw....
• Complete Starting Lienup stay tuned
  
  
• NASCAR Newscast - All-Star Preview click here

*Does not reflect adjustments that may be made prior to the race start because of the cars that need to go to the rear of the field due to engine and/or transmission changes or practice wrecks...

NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race All-Stars

The following drivers are pre-qualified for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race with their starting positions to be determined in time trials...

Driver: Greg Biffle
Team: Roush Fenway Racing
Car: No.16 3M Ford
Previous All-Star Appearances: 5
Best Finish: 2nd (2008)
Why He’s in: Won at N. Hampshire, Sept. 2008

Driver: Clint Bowyer
Team: Richard Childress Racing
Car: No. 33 BB&T Chevrolet
All-Star Appearances: 1
Best Finish: 18th (2008)
Why He’s In: Won at Richmond, May 2008

Driver: Jeff Burton
Team: Richard Childress Racing
Car: No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet
All-Star Appearances: 11
Best Finish: 4th (1998, 2007)
Why He’s In: Won at Bristol, April 2008

Driver: Kurt Busch
Team: Penske Racing
Car: No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge
All-Star Appearances: 7
Best Finish: 2nd (2003)
Why He’s In: Won at N. Hampshire, June 2008

Driver: Kyle Busch
Team: Joe Gibbs Racing
Car: No. 18 M&M’s Toyota
All-Star Appearances: 3
Best Finish: 16th (2006)
Why He’s In: Won at Atlanta, March 2008

Driver: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Team: Hendrick Motorsports
Car: No. 88 Nat’l Guard/Amp Energy Chevrolet
All-Star Appearances: 9
Best Finish: 1st (2000)
Why He’s In: Won at Michigan, June 2008

Driver: Carl Edwards
Team: Roush Fenway Racing
Car: No. 99 Aflac Ford
All-Star Appearances: 3
Best Finish: 4th (2006)
Why He’s In: Won at Auto Club, Feb. 2008

Driver: Jeff Gordon
Team: Hendrick Motorsports
Car: No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet
All-Star Appearances: 15
Best Finish: 1st (1995, ‘97, 2001)
Why He’s In: Won at Texas in April

Driver: Denny Hamlin
Team: Joe Gibbs Racing
Car: No. 11 FedEx Toyota
All-Star Appearances: 2
Best Finish: 17th (2007)
Why He’s In: Won at Martinsville, March 2008

Driver: Kevin Harvick
Team: Richard Childress Racing
Car: No. 29 Pennzoil Chevrolet
All-Star Appearances: 8
Best Finish: 1st (2007)
Why He’s In: Won 2007 all-star race

Driver: Jimmie Johnson
Team: Hendrick Motorsports
Car: No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet
All-Star Appearances: 7
Best Finish: 1st (2003 and ‘06)
Why He’s In: Won at Phoenix, April 2008

Driver: Kasey Kahne
Team: Richard Petty Motorsports
Car: No. 9 Budweiser Dodge
All-Star Appearances: 5
Best Finish: 1st (2008)
Why He’s In: Won 2008 Coca-Cola 600

Driver: Matt Kenseth
Team: Roush Fenway Racing
Car: No. 17 DEWALT Ford
All-Star Appearances: 8
Best Finish: 1st (2004)
Why He’s In: Won Daytona 500 in February

Driver: Brad Keselowski
Team: Phoenix Racing
Car: No. 09 Miccosukee Indian Gaming & Resort Dodge
All-Star Appearances: None
Best Finish: n/a
Why He’s In: Won at Talladega in April

Driver: Bobby Labonte
Team: Hall of Fame Racing
Car: No. 96 ASK.com Ford
All-Star Appearances: 14
Best Finish: 2nd (1997 and ‘98)
Why He’s In: Won 2000 series championship

Driver: Mark Martin
Team: Hendrick Motorsports
Car: No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolet
All-Star Appearances: 19
Best Finish: 1st (1998 and 2005)
Why He’s In: Won at Phoenix in April

Driver: Ryan Newman
Team: Stewart-Haas Racing
Car: No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet
All-Star Appearances: 7
Best Finish: 1st (2002)
Why He’s In: Won 2008 Daytona 500

Driver: Tony Stewart
Team: Stewart-Haas Racing
Car: No. 14 Office Depot Chevrolet
All-Star Appearances: 10
Best Finish: 2nd (1999)
Why He’s In: Won at Talladega, October 2008

Track Map



Event Preview

• Short-But-Sweet Final Segment Makes All-Star Return...A note to fans watching Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race: Settle back — and hold on. Come to think of it, same thing goes for the drivers. The inherent and inevitable drama of the event is getting a shot of adrenaline. Make that 10 shots — in the form of 10 laps, the short-but-sweet segment that will end the 25th running of the all-star race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. “From a fan standpoint, it really drives the race,” said Mark Martin (No. 5 CARQUEST/Kellogg’s Chevrolet). “A 10-lap shootout is a huge, huge deal. It puts a lot of excitement in it, a sense of urgency. I think it's a good move. Sparks will fly once again at Lowe's Motor Speedway.” What goes around has come around in this case. The all-star race used to have a 10-lap final segment and it produced some of the most thrilling finishes in the history of the event and NASCAR overall for that matter. That includes Martin’s 1998 all-star victory, when he weaved his way through the pack over the course of the 10-lap final segment, and then got the win when Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet) ran out of gas on the last turn of the last lap. Borrowing from some time-tested short-track terminology, this amounts to NASCAR’s ultimate “dash for cash.” The all-star champion will win $1,022,975. Twenty-one drivers will vie for those seven figures which will mean trying to position themselves well for the final segment. This will not be easy. It will be somewhat tricky, which to some stock car purists is the true beauty of the all-star race, 10 all-out closing laps notwithstanding. Here’s how the 100 laps/150 mile race is broken down: First segment — 50 laps; Second segment — 20 laps; Third segment — 20 laps; Final segment — 10 laps There also are some special pit-stop conditions, and resulting challenges that make the all-star race a true team event. During the first segment, there will a mandatory green flag stop on Lap 25, with teams required to change all four tires. Between the first two segments there will be a yellow flag period allowing for fuel, tire changes and normal chassis adjustments. Between the third and final segments, a 10-minute pit stop will allow for the same work to be done. And this final note: During the fourth and final segment, only green flag laps count, which means fans in all likelihood are going to get 10 good ones.
• Surprise Talladega Winner Is Sole All-Star Rookie — For Now...Brad Keselowski (No. 09 Miccosukee Indian Gaming & Resort Dodge) was clearly enjoying the moment several weeks ago after getting his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win at one of the series’ most historic tracks, Talladega Superspeedway. During the post-race press conference his enthusiasm was evident. Then he was reminded of some more good news: the victory earned him a berth in Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. “I didn’t know that,” Keselowski said. Keselowski is the only all-star rookie to have qualified for the event, although that could well change before the green flag drops. In addition to the current list of 16 2008 and ‘09 race winners, 2007 all-star champion Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Pennzoil Chevrolet) and 2000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Bobby Labonte (No. 96 Ask.com Ford), the all-star field also will have the top-two finishers in Saturday night’s Sprint Showdown, a 40-lap event for series drivers who haven’t qualified for the all-star race. There also will be one more driver: Whoever wins the Sprint Fan Vote, a nationwide balloting that affords one final all-star entry. Last year, Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge) won the fan vote then went on to win the all-star race.
• Sprint Showdown: An Extraordinary Preliminary...When talking about the Sprint Showdown, one must again borrow from good ol’ fashioned short-track action, for a quick description of appeal. The Showdown is NASCAR’s “last chance race,” affording its top-two finishers 11th-hour berths into the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. The Showdown, which has various names and incarnations through the years, invites all NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers who have not qualified for the all-star race. Typically, the race features some major teams and drivers. This year is no different. Five drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings’ top 20 will start the 40-lap event. Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42 Target Chevrolet), who is 14th in the standings and a mere 16 points out of 12th place. David Reutimann (No. 00 Aaron’s Toyota), 15th in the standings and only 39 points out of 12th. Brian Vickers (No. 83 Red Bull Toyota), 17th in the standings. Martin Truex Jr. (No. 1 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet), 19th in the points. Marcos Ambrose (No. 47 Kingsford/Clorox Toyota), who is 20th. There’s also Michael Waltrip (No. 55 NAPA Toyota), who made all-star history in 1996. Back then, the Showdown transferred its top-five finishers to the big show. Waltrip finished fifth in the prelim, and went on to win the all-star event in impressive fashion, becoming the first all-star champion who had to advance from the Showdown.

IMPORTANT: All information, schedules and/or scheduled events is/are subject to change without notice. Please check local listings or host before making plans.