Tony Stewart's encore at Indy didn't turn out as planned, but it wasn't all bad, either. Credit: Autostock

Stewart, Hamlin turn near disasters into solid runs

Yeley's 'perfect' day goes sour with last-lap contact with Kahne

SPEEDWAY, Ind. -- Tony Stewart began his day by calling Carl Edwards "Eddie Haskell" during the pre-race television show for Sunday's Nextel Cup race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Tony Stewart had to make an extra pit stop to tighten some lugnuts. Credit: Autostock

Allstate 400 Official Results Pos. Driver Make 1. Jimmie Johnson Chevy 2. Matt Kenseth Ford 3. Kevin Harvick Chevy 4. Clint Bowyer Chevy 5. Mark Martin Ford 6. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevy 7. Kyle Busch Chevy 8. Tony Stewart Chevy 9. Carl Edwards Ford 10. Denny Hamlin Chevy • Complete results, click here • Official standings, click here Top FinishersHear from the top finisher at The Brickyard 400 Sign up for TrackPass now BUY THE NEXTEL i836

It continued with Edwards referring to the defending champion of the Allstate 400 as a moron.

It ended with Stewart in eighth, one spot ahead of the driver he compared to the old television series character on Leave It To Beaver.

It could have been a lot worse for both.

Kasey Kahne was trying to pass Stewart on the final lap with Edwards tight in his rearview mirror. As they got close, Kahne got loose and hit the wall to finish 36th and fall out of the top 10 in points (11th).

Stewart and Edwards avoided the last-lap accidents in which Greg Biffle, Robby Gordon, Tony Raines and Denny Hamlin also were involved.

Stewart, who knocked Clint Bowyer and Edwards out of the points race when he intentionally took out Bowyer two weeks ago at Pocono, moved up a spot to ninth in points.

"It is kind of hard to pass, so when you get guys in a two-wide situation, a lot of times you can get a really big run and go three-wide to get by," Stewart said. "That's about the only time that we had to take any chances.

"For the most part, it was a fun day."

It wasn't as fun as it was a year ago, when Stewart won on the 2.5-mile track an hour from his Columbus, Ind., home to fulfill a childhood dream.

But it was good day in points for a driver that has finished 28th or worse in six of the past 10 races.

"I think we passed 60 cars or more [Sunday], so we're pretty happy with it," said Stewart, who started 32nd. "We had an air gun break. Versus taking a chance, [crew chief Greg Zipadelli] brought us back to make sure the lugnuts were tight.

"We went to the back and battled our way back into the top 10, so we're pretty happy."

	Denny Hamlin was part of the last-lap wreckage. Credit: Autostock
	Final lapsJimmie Johnson avoids last-lap wreck taking the win Sign up for TrackPass now BUY THE NEXTEL i836

Hamlin, Stewart's Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, thought he had a chance to win when he restarted fifth with 13 laps to go. He had two fresh tires while the drivers ahead of him were on old tires because they didn't pit.

But a faulty fuel pump kept causing the engine to shut down on the straightaways, leaving Hamlin satisfied with 10th that kept him seventh in points.

"We had the best-handling car, by far," he said. "That issue down the straightaway, it's just one of those mechanical failures you try to eliminate and try to get into the Chase."

Hamlin said a part of Kahne's car flew off on the final lap and "took out my entire right side." Because they froze the field for caution when winner Jimmie Johnson took the checkered he didn't lose many positions.

"I had high emotions at one time, figuring we were going to win the race," Hamlin said. "It's just so frustrating all day to have that motor shutting down on us."

JGR's third car driven by Yeley also was headed for a solid finish until being caught up in the final accident that left him 34th.

"Kasey had a run on the outside, but I don't know if he was going to try to split me and the 32 [Travis Kvapil], but in order to do that you have to have someone cleared," Yeley said.

"He turned down and hit me in the right front with his door and got me sideways into the fence. It killed a perfect day."