Posted on Sun, Oct. 12, 2008
CONCORD, N.C. - Jeff Burton gambled on his final pit stop and was rewarded with a victory in the Bank of America 500 that pushed him into title contention.
Burton led heading into the final round of pit stops last night, then took gas only to ensure he would come out in front at Lowe's Motor Speedway. He staved off a brief challenge from points leader Jimmie Johnson when the Sprint Cup race resumed with 34 laps to go, but held on to snap a 25-race winless streak.
The victory, his second of the season, pushed Burton from fourth to second in the Chase for the championship standings with five races to go to decide the title.
Kasey Kahne, who swept the May races at the track, finished second and was followed by Kurt Busch.
Photographs of the scuffle between Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick during Thursday's practice session for last night's race show a more physical confrontation than witnesses described, with Edwards at one point grabbing Harvick by the throat.
The two NASCAR stars argued when Edwards confronted Harvick in his garage stall at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The photographs, obtained yesterday by the Associated Press, show the drivers clutching each other as their conversation grew heated.
In the five different frames, Edwards is shown grabbing Harvick by the throat, and Harvick is seen pushing him off and onto the hood of Harvick's car.
Witness accounts said the two argued, Harvick turned to walk away from Edwards, and Edwards grabbed his shoulder to turn him back around. Witnesses said Harvick responded by shoving Edwards onto the car, and crew members rushed in to separate the two.
Formula One
OMAYA, Japan - McLaren's Lewis Hamilton tightened his grip on the Formula One title, claiming the pole position for today's Japanese Grand Prix at Fuji Speedway.
The championship leader and winner here last year took his sixth pole of the season with a time of 1 minute, 18.404 seconds, and will start four grid positions ahead of his title rival, Felipe Massa of Ferrari.
Nationwide Series
CONCORD, N.C. - Make it 20 wins this season for Kyle Busch, NASCAR's dominant workhorse.
The victory was the ninth for the 23-year-old Busch.
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