OK, trophy engravers, you can put your guns down. All week long it’s been "Jimmie Johnson this," and "Jimmie Johnson that", with a little, "It’s a two man chase" thrown in for good measure.
Tony Stewart reminds us with his victory at Kansas that this Chase is FAR from over. With his fourth win of the 2009 season, Smoke cuts his deficit to points leader Mark Martin in half to 67 points, and he also gains a position, now sitting fourth in the points standings.
Stewart also ties runner-up Jeff Gordon for career wins at Kansas with two. It sure looked for a period of time like it would be third place Greg Biffle getting the win. Like Jimmie Johnson, Biffle went with four tires on the final pit stop of the race after he had set the pace earlier in the race, battling hard with Johnson for the lead after a two tire stop.
Gordon battled hard to catch Stewart in the final moments of the race, but he simply ran out of laps. It was another day where the "24" team battled through with a troublesome machine. Finishing behind the four-time champion were Biffle in third, Montoya fourth, Denny Hamlin in fifth and Kasey Kahne. The "9" fought off a fierce challenge from points leader Mark Martin to take sixth place. Finishing two places ahead of Johnson- who finished ninth- Martin extends his points lead from 10 points to 18.
David Reutimann was the meat in the HMS sandwich to finish 8th. Carl Edwards quietly took 10th.
A mere 103 points separates 7th place Denny Hamlin in the 
standings from the first place Martin. As the Sprint Cup tour heads next for Auto Club Speedway in California, we’ve suddenly got a competition on our hands again.
For me personally, it was a lot of fun picking the winner correctly two weeks in a row, making 5 correct picks for the 2009 season. I’m not sure I’m the guy you want picking your lotto numbers, but when you consider that picking one winner from 43, versus one out of two, I’ll take it.
Even better, I’ll take the fact this chase has a little more life in it thanks to the day’s results.
PHOTO CREDITS- Stewart celebration by Geoff Burke/ Getty Images for NASCAR. Stewart and Kasey Kahne by Jerry Markland/ Getty Images for NASCAR.
