Tony Stewart celebrates winning at Talladega Superspeedway (CIA Stock Photo)
Stewart held off hard-charging rookie Regan Smith, who made a last-lap daredevil pass below the yellow line in trying to beat the two-time champion.
NASCAR rules prohibit passing below the yellow line that separates the racing track from the apron.
News from the Backstretch
ON RE-SIGNING WITH DEI:
TRUEX JR: “I’m excited and I’m glad to put an end to all the rumors and get rid of all the speculation and solidify my position at DEI. I’m looking forward to running the Bass Pro Shops No. 1 the rest of this year and next year. I’m looking forward to doing great things with the company and moving forward. This season has been kind of up and down for us, but I really believe in my race team. I believe in the things we’re doing at the shop that we can contend to win races and get back to the forum we had last year. I’m looking forward to starting that off this weekend here at Watkins Glen. We’ve run well here in the past. I’ve always had good success here in everything we’ve ever driven. Last year was a really good race for us here, probably one of the best I’ve ever driven at this race track. So I’m looking forward to the weekend. So hopefully we’ll start this thing off and have a good run this weekend and keep things going throughout the rest of the season and get prepared good for next year.”
Aric Almirola (Getty Images)
It will be the sixth Cup race of the season for the 24-year-old rookie and his first since last month’s announcement that he will pilot the No. 8 entry full-time for Dale Earnhardt Inc. in 2009.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 8, 2008) – As expected, NASCAR has issued penalties, fines and suspensions to the car No. 1 team that competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, as a result of rules infractions found last week at Daytona International Speedway.
The car driven by Martin Truex Jr., was found to be in violation of Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment used do not conform to NASCAR rules); and 20-3.8A (roof of the car does not conform to the specifications) of the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rule book.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola
Daytona International Speedway
Qualifying Fast Facts
Coors Light Pole Winner: Paul Menard
Age: 27
Team: No. 15 Menards/Vertis Chevrolet
Owner: Teresa Earnhardt
Crew Chief: Doug Randolph
Almirola to Pilot No. 8 Car Full Time in 2009
Rookie driver promoted to full-time Sprint Cup status next season: After spending two seasons sharing a car with veteran Mark Martin, 24-year-old Aric Almirola will take over the No. 8 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chevrolet full time in 2009. …Almirola, from Tampa, Fla., began sharing the Sprint Cup ride with Martin during the second half of the 2007 season and has continued in that role in 2008. During his 11 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts, the rookie driver has shown vast improvement, posting a top-10 finish in his debut this season at Bristol and qualifying third a week later at Martinsville.
BAM Racing withdraws No. 49 Toyota entry for Texas
One week after announcing a sponsorship program with Microsoft Small Business and qualifying seventh at Martinsville, BAM Racing’s No. 49 Toyota was withdrawn from this weekend’s Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.
No details were available as to the reasons behind the decision by owner Beth Ann Morgenthau, who has operated a team in NASCAR’s premier series since 2002.
The No. 49 was 42nd in owner points following a 37th-place finish at Martinsville, having made three of six races this season. Driver Ken Schrader finished 21st at Las Vegas and 41st at Bristol earlier in 2008.
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