Bakemono
08-16-2008, 11:01 PM
http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/headlines/bg/08/16/cedwards.wins.michigan/index.html
Edwards, the defending series champion, had a lead of more than three seconds when Efland crashed with less than a lap remaining. Brian Vickers (http://www.nascar.com/drivers/dps/bvickers00/cup/index.html) finished second, followed by Tony Stewart (http://www.nascar.com/drivers/dps/tstewart00/cup/index.html), who ran his last Nationwide event for Joe Gibbs Racing. Mark Martin (http://www.nascar.com/drivers/dps/mmartin00/cup/index.html) was fourth, and Greg Biffle (http://www.nascar.com/drivers/dps/gbiffle00/cup/index.html) came home fifth.
Stewart made his ninth and final start in Gibbs' No. 20 Toyota. Five of those starts have ended in Victory Lane.
"It's not like I won't ever get to see those guys [the No. 20 crew] again, but I know it's the last time I'm going to drive that car for those guys," Stewart said. "When you're that successful, you hate to see it end."
Vickers gave up time to Edwards on short runs but gained as his tires began to wear. Though the race went green for the final 25 laps, Vickers wasn't able to make a substantial dent in Edwards' advantage.
"On old tires, when handling was more important, we could run the top [of the track] and keep our engine wound up," said Vickers, who will start from the pole for Sunday's 3M Performance 400 Sprint Cup race at MIS. "I felt like we had something for 'em, but, unfortunately, we just ran out of time."
Vickers also thought a recent NASCAR rule change that diminished the size of holes in the tapered spacer on Toyota engines made a difference.
"I think we had a better car [than Edwards did]," Vickers said, "but with the new Toyota restrictor plate NASCAR put on us, he definitely had us beat on power. There's not a lot we can do about that."
Notable Toyota finishers:
2.) Brian Vickers
3.) Tony Stewart
7.) Joey Logano
8.) Jason Leffler
Edwards, the defending series champion, had a lead of more than three seconds when Efland crashed with less than a lap remaining. Brian Vickers (http://www.nascar.com/drivers/dps/bvickers00/cup/index.html) finished second, followed by Tony Stewart (http://www.nascar.com/drivers/dps/tstewart00/cup/index.html), who ran his last Nationwide event for Joe Gibbs Racing. Mark Martin (http://www.nascar.com/drivers/dps/mmartin00/cup/index.html) was fourth, and Greg Biffle (http://www.nascar.com/drivers/dps/gbiffle00/cup/index.html) came home fifth.
Stewart made his ninth and final start in Gibbs' No. 20 Toyota. Five of those starts have ended in Victory Lane.
"It's not like I won't ever get to see those guys [the No. 20 crew] again, but I know it's the last time I'm going to drive that car for those guys," Stewart said. "When you're that successful, you hate to see it end."
Vickers gave up time to Edwards on short runs but gained as his tires began to wear. Though the race went green for the final 25 laps, Vickers wasn't able to make a substantial dent in Edwards' advantage.
"On old tires, when handling was more important, we could run the top [of the track] and keep our engine wound up," said Vickers, who will start from the pole for Sunday's 3M Performance 400 Sprint Cup race at MIS. "I felt like we had something for 'em, but, unfortunately, we just ran out of time."
Vickers also thought a recent NASCAR rule change that diminished the size of holes in the tapered spacer on Toyota engines made a difference.
"I think we had a better car [than Edwards did]," Vickers said, "but with the new Toyota restrictor plate NASCAR put on us, he definitely had us beat on power. There's not a lot we can do about that."
Notable Toyota finishers:
2.) Brian Vickers
3.) Tony Stewart
7.) Joey Logano
8.) Jason Leffler