The Key Moment: The race was decided in NASCAR’s control room almost a minute after the event itself ended.
In a Nutshell: Yogi Berra once said, “It ain’t over until it’s over.” Apparently, sometimes it’s not over even when it is over.
Dramatic Moment: With fifteen laps to go, Carl Edwards got Greg Biffle’s car sideways and set off a field-decimating wreck that may have doomed a lot of contenders’ chances at a championship.
What They’ll Be Talking About Around the Water Cooler This Week
Yes, there’s a rule that states a driver may not advance his position at the plate tracks by passing under the yellow line. There’s also a rule that states a driver may not force another driver “out of bounds.” But more than once, NASCAR has stated a de facto “anything goes” policy on the last lap of the plate races. Should Stewart have been penalized? Should Smith have been given the win? If Smith had lifted out of the gas to let Stewart back by and drifted back up on the track, it might have set off another huge wreck and we’d have likely seen only one car finish the race (the 20). After the Daytona Truck Series race last February, a NASCAR spokesperson defended Johnny Benson’s “below the line” pass to take second by saying, “if you can see the checkered flag on the last lap, anything goes.” Anything but passing the driver of the “Official Home Improvement Center of NASCAR,” it would seem…
Jimmie Johnson himself stated that the drivers were told at their pre-race meeting on Sunday that with the checkers in sight, “anything goes.” I can’t help but feel Regan Smith got robbed. Being demoted to the last driver to finish on the lead lap (at least, that’s how the results read at this is being written) just rubs salt in that wound.
