Stewart Dominates Bass Pro Shops 500

Stewart led a race-high 146 laps.

Tony Stewart might not win the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Championship trophy this year, but he did take home is first Crown Royal IROC championship Friday at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

HAMPTON, Ga. - Tony Stewart pulled away from Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth to win the Bass Pro Shops 500 under the lights at Atlanta Motor Speedway Sunday.

"I told (Bass Pro Shops founder) Johnny Morris how bad I wanted that trophy," Stewart said referring to "Big Roar", the 280 pound, 8-foot-tall bronze grizzly bear trophy. "I am building a log house in Columbus, Ind., and that trophy is going somewhere really, really special in it."

Major fireworks came on lap 309 when a wreck collected six cars, including Chase for the Cup contender Mark Martin. On old tires, Dale Earnhardt Jr. led the field to the green flag following the final caution of the evening, but was no match for eventual race winner Stewart, who got four new tires during the last pit stop.

"We had a really good car on new tires and a really bad car on old tires," Earnhardt Jr. said after beating fellow Chaser Matt Kenseth to the finish line for third-place by inches. "We tried to set the car up for the long run, but it took a lot of the speed away from the car."

Greg Biffle finished fifth, with Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Joe Nemechek and Robby Gordon rounding out the top-10.

Following the showdown under the lights at AMS, Kenseth leads the NEXTEL Cup championship points by just 26 markers over Jimmie Johnson. Rookie Denny Hamlin sits third, trailing Kenseth by 65 points. Earnhardt Jr. and Kenseth are tied for fourth, 85 points behind the leader.

Bass Pro Shops 500 Results:

1 #20 Tony Stewart Chevrolet The Home Depot Running

2 #48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Lowe's Running

3 #8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet Budweiser Running

4 #17 Matt Kenseth Ford DEWALT Running

5 #16 Greg Biffle Ford National Guard Running

6 #24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet DuPont/Nicorette Running

7 #99 Carl Edwards Ford Office Depot Running

8 #11 Denny Hamlin* Chevrolet FedExCup Running

9 #01 Joe Nemechek Chevrolet U.S. Army Running

10 #7 Robby Gordon Chevrolet Jim Beam Running

11 #88 Dale Jarrett Ford UPS Running

12 #43 Bobby Labonte Dodge Cascadian Farm/Cheerios Running

13 #31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet Cingular Wireless Running

14 #2 Kurt Busch Dodge Miller Lite Running

15 #38 David Gilliland Ford M&M's Running

16 #18 J.J. Yeley * Chevrolet GSK/Astellas VESIcare Running

17 #45 Kyle Petty Dodge Marathon American Spirit Motor Oil Running

18 #22 Dave Blaney Dodge Caterpillar Running

19 #25 Brian Vickers Chevrolet GMAC Running

20 #14 Sterling Marlin Chevrolet Ginn Clubs & Resorts Running

21 #19 Elliott Sadler Dodge Dodge Dealers/UAW Running

22 #10 Scott Riggs Dodge Valvoline/Stanley Tools Running

23 #66 Jeff Green Chevrolet Best Buy Running

24 #21 Ken Schrader Ford Little Debbie Running

25 #07 Clint Bowyer * Chevrolet Jack Daniel's Running

26 #49 Mike Bliss Dodge WhatsOnline.com Running

27 #5 Kyle Busch Chevrolet Kellogg's Running

28 #42 Casey Mears Dodge Texaco/Havoline Running

29 #41 Reed Sorenson * Dodge Target Running

30 #12 Ryan Newman Dodge Mobil 1 Running

31 #29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet Reese's Running

32 #32 Travis Kvapil Chevrolet Tide-Downy Running

33 #55 Michael Waltrip Dodge NAPA Auto Parts Running

34 #96 Tony Raines Chevrolet DLP HDTV Running

35 #178 Kenny Wallace Chevrolet Furniture Row Racing Running

36 #6 Mark Martin Ford AAA 55/0 309 Out of Race

37 #1 Martin Truex Jr. * Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Running

38 #9 Kasey Kahne Dodge McDonald's / Dodge Dealers Out of Race

39 #40 David Stremme * Dodge Coors Light Out of Race

40 #26 Jamie McMurray Ford Crown Royal Running

41 #37 Bill Elliott Dodge Melling/Spring Mountain Farms Out of Race

42 #4 Todd Bodine Chevrolet Hefty/Lucas Oil Products Out of Race

43 #61 Kevin Lepage Chevrolet Oak Gloves/Smokey Bones Out of Race

* Denotes Rookie

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