Tony Stewart wins Tums Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway – NASCAR news
Owner and driver of Stewart-Haas Racing team, Tony Stewart won the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event, Tums Fast Relief 500 held at Martinsville Speedway.
Stewart made a stunning pass in the penultimate lap and took the lead of the race from Jimmie Johnson. From that lap onwards, Stewart gained confidence to take the win that marked his third in the 2011 Sprint Cup season.
Stewart said, “I don't think anybody has ever passed Jimmie Johnson on the outside so, [it was] just determination, I don't think we had the best racecar today by any means. Carl Edwards had better be real worried. That's all I've got to say. He's not going
to sleep for the next three weeks.”
The two-time Sprint Cup Champion had a tough fight for winning the 23rd cup chase event of the season. Stewart had to head towards the pit stop for a suspected tyre puncture.
Later in the race a cautions allowed him to have an instant two-tyre change and return to the track in third position. It became his final visit to the pits.
On the other side, many drivers from the top pack took a pit stop for four-tyre change which helped Stewart to hope to the second place in the race.
A last moment caution pushed him back to the third place behind Jeff Burton of Richard Childress Racing.
The restart blessed him with a pass over Burton and allowed him to chase the Johnson, who had pulled a significant time gap over the rest of the pack.
However, the 18th and final caution of the race was due to the multi-car wreckage that shook the race. Many drivers had lost their temper over the short half-mile track.
From the restart after the last caution, Stewart had an opportunity to start the race from the outer side of the front row. He instantly took a shot on Johnson and gained the lead in the race.
As a fact it is hard to pass from outside at the Martinsville Speedway but Stewart had enough grip to attempt his trick while other drivers only struggled for the grip.
Currently, Stewart has gained a position in the season standings, while moving up to the second position eight points apart from the leader.
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