How the race was won

Stewart A handful of drivers were dominant on Sunday, including Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon. Those first three were in the mix for the win late, and pit strategy helped set up a battle between Stewart and Johnson – which Stewart won handily.

Story of the race

Stewart trying to upstage the Chasers.

A points battle (almost) becoming a bit clearer.

Title hopes being dashed.

Give 'em credit

Stewart, Johnson and Junior. With the exception of Junior's vibration problems early, the trio spent virtually the entire race running up front. Some remarkable performances – and clutch for the 48 and 8. Anyone else get a little nervous when Stewart tried to get from the top of the fence to the flag stand, though? Incidentally, nice pit bluff/non-bluff from Stewart, who had himself a great weekend overall.

Jeff Gordon. He could fall under the "Better luck next time" category, but a fine comeback effort left him with a solid sixth-place finish.

How the race was won

Johnson Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin were strong all day, and they found themselves – partly thanks to a late caution – in a terrific two-car battle in the waning laps. Hamlin made a move, Johnson fought back on the outside and held Hamlin off, allowing the 48 car to motor on to victory.

Story of the race

Johnson vaulting back into title contention.

The points shakeup – mainly thanks to the No. 31's engine.

The troubles of youth.

Give 'em credit

Johnson. The 48 sure looks like a title-contending team, doesn't it? Incidentally, the back-and-forth between Johnson and Hamlin (Hamlin moved Johnson, Johnson answered with some banging) was tremendous.

Hamlin. He just won't go away. Good for him … and good for NASCAR. In bumping Johnson, attacking Jeff Gordon (that also was a good battle) and slamming into Kyle Petty, Hamlin also showed himself to be a hard-nosed rookie. Thing is, he's talented (or measured?) enough to get away with it. Not all young drivers can boast

How the race was won

Kahne This essentially became a two-driver race between Kasey Kahne and Jimmie Johnson. There were a few others who set the pace for a while, but the 9 and 48 were head and shoulders above – with the 9 actually being another notch above that. Johnson led off a late restart, but Kahne ran him down quickly and drove away to the win – and with the season sweep at Lowe's, he completed his very own wing on Jimmie's house.

Story of the race

The Chase race not tightening – at least not at the top.

A few key wrecks.

Give 'em credit

Kahne, Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. – and, to an extent, Kyle Busch. Each came in needing a big performance, and each got one. Unfortunately for them …

Points leader Jeff Burton also came up big, driving hard to get back and stay on the lead lap and then coming around after the caution to finish top-three. He gave away very few points Saturday.

Bobby Labonte continues to impress (maybe there is hope for that team in '07?), and nice showings

How the race was won

Vickers Brian Vickers crossed the finish line first. That was pretty much it. OK, there was a little more to it than that. Jimmie Johnson, with teammate Vickers' help, was poised to pass Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the final lap for the win. But Vickers tapped Johnson's Chevy, sending him into Earnhardt and knocking them both into the grass, allowing Vickers to drive on to his first Cup win.

Story of the race

The finish.

The Big One.

Some "friendly" disagreements.

And, of course, as always, a bit of a points shakeup.

Give 'em credit

Vickers. He wanted to win one before leaving Hendrick, and he did. Dedicating the win to Ricky Hendrick was a nice gesture, and the meaning of Vickers and that team winning a race shouldn't be lost in the controversy shuffle. Of course, it wasn't all positive for Vickers. More on that later. But regardless of what happened on that last lap, he did drive a heck of a race and deserved to be in the mix for the win.

Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick

One big Busch Series win practically made David Gilliland a rock star within NASCAR.

Now he has a chance to show his stuff on the Cup side.

Gilliland, set to make just the ninth start of his Cup career – and eighth since joining Robert Yates Racing in August – won the pole Saturday and will lead the field to the green flag for the UAW-Ford 500 at Talladega on Sunday.

"I'm real excited and proud of this team," Gilliland told SportsTicker. "To be able to start on the pole here the first time I've raced here is very exciting."

While it might be surprising for a rookie to claim the pole at Talladega – it hadn't happened since Jimmie Johnson in May 2002 – Yates' No. 38 Ford is accustomed to setting the pace during qualifying at the Alabama track. The car's previous driver Elliott Sadler – who left Yates this summer to drive Ray Evernham's No. 19 Dodge – won three Talladega poles in the No. 38, including at this race last year and in the May race earlier this season. He also started third

How the race was won

Stewart Tony Stewart and the No. 20 team gambled that they'd have enough fuel to make it to the end without one final pit stop. They were wrong – but it didn't matter, as Stewart had such a big lead that he was able to coast through the final turns and across the line to take the checkers first.

Story of the race

The wild fuel finish.

Some big Chase disappointments.

Give 'em credit

Stewart. Also, Casey Mears, Dale Jarrett and everyone else who successfully played the fuel game. Well played.

Mark Martin. Loses a lap early, gets back in the mix, works out a third-place. Suddenly, he's a contender.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Sure, some damage slowed what had been a great car, but watching him dodge Jarrett and then blow by a slowing Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne, then later race a little out of control – it was entertaining. He certainly doesn't lack his father's flair.

Denny Hamlin. He encounters all sorts of problems, including some of his own doing, yet still manages to jump

How the race was won

Burton Jeff Burton pit late, Matt Kenseth did not. Burton eventually ran down Kenseth, and the two engaged in a terrific battle in the waning laps before Burton finally made the pass and drove on to his first Cup victory in nearly five years. After being passed, Kenseth ultimately ran out of gas.

Story of the race

The dramatic finish.

Burton finally sealing the deal.

Outside of a select few, the Chasers' relative lack of success at Richmond. In fact, a couple of them essentially fell by the wayside when it comes to the title race – one doing so in a very memorable wreck.

Give 'em credit

Burton. Yes, the winless streak is over, but perhaps more importantly, the No. 31 team proved it can finish a race as well as it starts one. A top-five might have been enough to prove as much, but a win – and the points lead that came with it – carries far more weight.

Jeff Gordon. It had been about a year since he scored back-to-back top-three finishes, and more than 16 months

How the race was won

Harvick Fresh off his victory at Richmond, Kevin Harvick came to New Hampshire and promptly won the pole. He spent all of Sunday's race at or near the front of the pack (he easily led the most laps), survived a couple of late restarts and other teams' varying pit strategies, and drove away from Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon on the final restart to win the 2006 Chase opener and assume the Cup points lead for the first time in his career.

Story of the race

Harvick. The 29 must be considered the best team in NASCAR right now.

Hendrick Motorsports' woes. Gordon aside, it was not a good day for a couple of the Hendrick Chasers.

Give 'em credit

Harvick, of course.

Gordon. Some believe he's lost his drive. Really, it's probably that the competition is a little tougher now. Still, Sunday's performance put Gordon in good position early in the Chase – and that's where he'll stay if the 24 isn't bit by bad luck as it somewhat often has been the last couple of years.

Stewart.