pandr
03-07-2011, 02:16 AM
Carl Edwards powers away, wins handily
By Jim Utter - charlotteobserver
Sunday, Mar. 06, 2011
LAS VEGAS – This time Carl Edwards has something to show for his speed. Edwards held off Tony Stewart to win Sunday’s Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and cashing in on a race-winning car, something he was unable to do last week.
Edwards was among the favorites at Phoenix last week but got hit by Kyle Busch and wrecked early in the race.
The win is Edwards first of the 2011 Sprint Cup Series season and third in the past five races dating back to the final two events of the 2010 season.
Juan Pablo Montoya finished third, Marcos Ambrose fourth and Ryan Newman fifth.
Pole-winner Matt Kenseth jumped out to a quick lead in the race but almost immediately ran into problems with a flat right-front tire on Lap 13 that forced him to make a pit stop under green.
Stewart moved into the lead on Lap 14 and the clean air was exactly what his No. 14 Chevrolet wanted as he ran out to a lefty lead.
Stewart led 113 of the next 124 laps and was the race leader at the halfway point of the 267-lap race.
Kyle Busch, who led the series points standings entering the race and appeared to have a car capable of contending for the win, blew a tire and hit the wall on Lap 108, bringing an early end to his day.
David Gilliland wrecked in Turn 2 on Lap 150 which brought out the sixth caution of the race and sent all the lead-lap cars to pit road for fuel and tires.
Three drivers, however, suffered penalties during the round of the pit stops – Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton were flagged for speeding on pit road and Stewart was penalized for dragging his air hose out of his pit box. All three had to restart the race from the tail end of the field.
On the restart on Lap 157, Edwards inherited the lead followed by Martin Truex Jr. Montoya, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Joey Logano.
Last week’s race winner, Jeff Gordon, blew a right-front tire and slammed the wall in Turn 4 on Lap 195, which brought an early end to his race as well.
During pit stops under the caution brought out by Gordon’s wreck, Stewart took only two tires and retook the race lead on Lap 202. He was followed by Montoya, Truex, Edwards and Earnhardt.
With 50 laps remaining, Stewart maintained a sizable lead followed by Montoya, Truex, Edwards and Earnhardt.
Drivers couldn’t make it to the finish without another pit stop and Stewart started a round of green-flag stops on Lap 235.
When the round of stops was completed on Lap 246, Edwards emerged as the race leader followed by Montoya, Stewart, Ambrose and Newman.
C/P Thats Racin
By Jim Utter - charlotteobserver
Sunday, Mar. 06, 2011
LAS VEGAS – This time Carl Edwards has something to show for his speed. Edwards held off Tony Stewart to win Sunday’s Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and cashing in on a race-winning car, something he was unable to do last week.
Edwards was among the favorites at Phoenix last week but got hit by Kyle Busch and wrecked early in the race.
The win is Edwards first of the 2011 Sprint Cup Series season and third in the past five races dating back to the final two events of the 2010 season.
Juan Pablo Montoya finished third, Marcos Ambrose fourth and Ryan Newman fifth.
Pole-winner Matt Kenseth jumped out to a quick lead in the race but almost immediately ran into problems with a flat right-front tire on Lap 13 that forced him to make a pit stop under green.
Stewart moved into the lead on Lap 14 and the clean air was exactly what his No. 14 Chevrolet wanted as he ran out to a lefty lead.
Stewart led 113 of the next 124 laps and was the race leader at the halfway point of the 267-lap race.
Kyle Busch, who led the series points standings entering the race and appeared to have a car capable of contending for the win, blew a tire and hit the wall on Lap 108, bringing an early end to his day.
David Gilliland wrecked in Turn 2 on Lap 150 which brought out the sixth caution of the race and sent all the lead-lap cars to pit road for fuel and tires.
Three drivers, however, suffered penalties during the round of the pit stops – Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton were flagged for speeding on pit road and Stewart was penalized for dragging his air hose out of his pit box. All three had to restart the race from the tail end of the field.
On the restart on Lap 157, Edwards inherited the lead followed by Martin Truex Jr. Montoya, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Joey Logano.
Last week’s race winner, Jeff Gordon, blew a right-front tire and slammed the wall in Turn 4 on Lap 195, which brought an early end to his race as well.
During pit stops under the caution brought out by Gordon’s wreck, Stewart took only two tires and retook the race lead on Lap 202. He was followed by Montoya, Truex, Edwards and Earnhardt.
With 50 laps remaining, Stewart maintained a sizable lead followed by Montoya, Truex, Edwards and Earnhardt.
Drivers couldn’t make it to the finish without another pit stop and Stewart started a round of green-flag stops on Lap 235.
When the round of stops was completed on Lap 246, Edwards emerged as the race leader followed by Montoya, Stewart, Ambrose and Newman.
C/P Thats Racin