NASCAR: Stewart At Wrong Place At Wrong Time
Apr 28, 2008
CIA Stock Photo, Inc.
One day after finally breaking through for his first win on the high-banked oval in a Nationwide Series race, Stewart started from the outside of the front row and spent much of the Aaron’s 499 running up front Sunday. But a huge crash with 14 laps to go knocked out the No. 20 car, leaving Stewart to ponder why he just can’t seem to win a Cup race at this place — even when he’s got the strongest machine.
“If it was my fault, I’m sorry,” Stewart said. “By looking at the video, though, I don’t feel like I did anything wrong really.”
While Kyle Busch celebrated his second Cup win of the season, Stewart got a chance to beat the traffic.
His problems started after he had surrendered the lead to Dale Earnhardt Jr. The two were racing hard when Stewart had a problem with his right front tire, sending the car sliding along the outside wall.
The yellow came out, and Stewart hobbled to the pits for repairs. He managed to stay on the lead lap and was working his way back toward the front when the first big crash of the day finished him off on lap 174.
Running in the middle of a huge pack of cars — typical Talladega stuff — Stewart got pinched in a gap that just got smaller and smaller. He made contract with Bobby Labonte, skidded toward the wall and smashed into Martin Truex’s sideways machine. In all, six cars were involved.
“I thought we were all right,” Stewart said. But “the closer we got to turn one, the smaller that hole got, so I was as close to Bobby as I could get right there and the hole closed up. It’s just what happens late in these races.”
Stewart just looked to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
“The majority of the day we had a great day going,” he said. “We were really in good shape with this Home Depot car until I had the right front go down. ... As late as it is in the race, with 15 laps to go, you’ve got to do what you can to get those spots back.”
Busch won the race under caution after another big crash on the final lap. He sure was glad he didn’t have to fend off Stewart at the end.
“The Toyota was strong, but not quite as strong as we wanted,” the winner said. “It was not as strong as the 20.”
