If you are a fan of anything, then you loved the finish yesterday (November 20th, 2011) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Homestead. There were two drivers in the running to win the championship, two time winner Tony Stewart and never before winner Carol Edwards. Edwards, who started on the pole thought his chances were good with the car he had at the track yesterday. Steward on the other hand was starting in the 15th position, and would have to fight to make it to the front. The race started with Edwards taking the lead and not looking back. Tony fought to get to the front when trouble stuck it's evil head out. Kurt Bush blows a transmission bringing out the caution. When the pack come down to the pits Tony had a hole in his grill. The crew had to work very hard in order to get this problem fixed and keep him on the lead lap. Stewart had to go all the way to 40th and once again, would have to fight to make his way to the front of the pack. He would work his way all the way up into the 15th spot when the caution came out again. This time for the rain that hit the track, this would not be the only time the race was delayed for rain. Stewart once again has to make long pit stops to fix his grill and once again would have to go back to 40th and work yet again to the front. He would do just that, and just knife through the field and work his way back to the front of the pack. Carol mean while has been leading the race throughout all of this. But lap 110 of 267 the red flag would come out for rain and the race would be stopped until it stops. After an extensive break the race would get back under way with Carol in the lead. After a long green flag run, it was time for scheduled green flag stops. Carol would make his scheduled stop, and Tony would stay out and take the lead and lead some laps to get the bonus points needed to take the lead in the points standing. This would play out to be the best decision Tony has made all season long. Stewart would come go into the pits for his scheduled green flag stop, but the caution would ream it's ugly head once again. Now Stewart has a full tank of gas, four fresh tires, and is good to go till the finish. Edwards on the other hand, does not have the gas to make it 'till the end. He would have to come down pit row under caution and fill up to make it to the end. This puts Kyle Bush in first, Martin Truex Jr. in second, Tony Stewart in third, and would leave poor Carol Edwards in fifth, starting right behind Tony Stewart on the restart, with 40 laps to go. Once the green flag dropped Stewart took off like a bat outta hell moving around Bush to take the lead and Carol was right behind him. Stewart's four fresh tired were better than Edwards two and Stewart would hold the lead to the end to win the race. This meant that there was a tie in points between Edwards and Stewart for the Championship. Stewart had one 5 races in the chase for the cup to give him the tie breaker over Edwards to win, and be the first man in 5 years to beat Jimmy Johnson for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship. Tony is the first Owner Driver to win the chase since 1962. This was a huge win for Stewart and his entire team since he thought he was just going to "take up space in the case" with the way he ran in the regular season not winning one race. It was a great way for the season to end and made for a great race for the last race of the NASCAR season. I'm already excited for next season to see what unfolds and how Carol Edwards handles losing in the way that he did. As always keep doing what you do, and I'll keep you up to date with everything sports. Until next time readers
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