After finishing second in last season's Kobalt Tools 400 with what was clearly the dominant car, Tony Stewart was out to win Sunday's edition of the 267 lap event. And after finishing 16th at Daytona after leading just two laps and winding up 22nd two laps down in Phoenix after experiencing problems with Nascar's new electronic fuel injection system, a win would definitely lifted the spirits of the No. 14 team.
Kasey Kahne scored the pole in Vegas, but it was his Hendrick teammate, Dale Earnhardt, Jr, who led the first lap and the 42 that followed and showed that this might just be the week he snapped that pesky 100+ race winless drought.
Junior led a total of 70 laps, but was relegated to tenth after a run-in with Mark Martin off turn two. Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth and Kevin Harvick all showed they were contenders. But as the race wore on, Smoke rose... to the front of the field that is.
On a late race restart, Stewart showed just how determined he was to get the win that alluded him last season. After starting third, Smoke made it three wide for the lead in turn one and came out ahead of the field off turn two. Just more proof that, love him or hate him, Tony Stewart is a race car driver. He's a wheelman, plain and simple.
Jimmie Johnson had a few shots at Stewart late in the event to try and score his fifth Vegas victory, but Stewart's was the dominant car. He held off the five-time champ and scored his first win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, making Darlington Raceway the only track the Indiana native has yet to claim victory on.
Fans could tell how much this win meant to Smoke because he lived up to his nickname after claiming the checkered flag. He burned his tires down to the cords doing donuts on the frontstrech before pulling into victory lane for a Gatorade shower.
Now it's on to the high banks of the Bristol Motor Speedway. This is the first short track race of the year and it's going to be anybody's race to win. Stewart will be a serious threat to win his second race in a row. Johnson, Carl Edwards and Junior will also be threats to score their first wins of 2012. Sunday's race in "Thunder Valley" is going to provide fans some of the most exciting, action-packed racing of the year. It's going to be fun to see who will conquer the "World's Fastest Half Mile."
Kasey Kahne scored the pole in Vegas, but it was his Hendrick teammate, Dale Earnhardt, Jr, who led the first lap and the 42 that followed and showed that this might just be the week he snapped that pesky 100+ race winless drought.
Junior led a total of 70 laps, but was relegated to tenth after a run-in with Mark Martin off turn two. Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth and Kevin Harvick all showed they were contenders. But as the race wore on, Smoke rose... to the front of the field that is.
On a late race restart, Stewart showed just how determined he was to get the win that alluded him last season. After starting third, Smoke made it three wide for the lead in turn one and came out ahead of the field off turn two. Just more proof that, love him or hate him, Tony Stewart is a race car driver. He's a wheelman, plain and simple.
Jimmie Johnson had a few shots at Stewart late in the event to try and score his fifth Vegas victory, but Stewart's was the dominant car. He held off the five-time champ and scored his first win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, making Darlington Raceway the only track the Indiana native has yet to claim victory on.
Fans could tell how much this win meant to Smoke because he lived up to his nickname after claiming the checkered flag. He burned his tires down to the cords doing donuts on the frontstrech before pulling into victory lane for a Gatorade shower.
Now it's on to the high banks of the Bristol Motor Speedway. This is the first short track race of the year and it's going to be anybody's race to win. Stewart will be a serious threat to win his second race in a row. Johnson, Carl Edwards and Junior will also be threats to score their first wins of 2012. Sunday's race in "Thunder Valley" is going to provide fans some of the most exciting, action-packed racing of the year. It's going to be fun to see who will conquer the "World's Fastest Half Mile."
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