Stewart, who failed to qualify for the ten-race Chase for the championship after winning his second Nextel Cup title last season, held off Chase driver Jimmie Johnson for his fourth victory of the season and second in the first seven races of the 2006 playoffs.
Afterward, he literally grabbed the checkered flag after a somewhat perilous climb up the flagstand in celebration.
The runner-up finish was just fine with Johnson, though, as he moved within 26 points of series leader Matt Kenseth with three races remaining.
Johnson got off to a slow start in the Chase and was eighth, 156 points behind then-leader Jeff Burton just four weeks ago. But a second-place finish at Charlotte followed by the wins in Martinsville and second place at Atlanta have put him right back into the mix for a shot at winning the one honor that has escaped him in his first four seasons in NASCAR's top stock car series.
Chase contenders Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kenseth fought it out for third place, with Earnhardt winning the battle by inches.
Here's the unofficial order of finish:
Finish-Chase Position-Car Number-Driver-Sponsor
1 11 #20 Tony Stewart Chevrolet The Home Depot
2 3 #48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Lowe's
3 6 #8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet Budweiser
4 1 #17 Matt Kenseth Ford DEWALT
5 13 #16 Greg Biffle Ford National Guard
6 9 #24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet DuPont/Nicorette
7 12 #99 Carl Edwards Ford Office Depot
8 4 #11 Denny Hamlin * Chevrolet FedExCup
9 31 #01 Joe Nemechek Chevrolet U.S. Army
10 29 #7 Robby Gordon Chevrolet Jim Beam
11 23 #88 Dale Jarrett Ford UPS
12 20 #43 Bobby Labonte Dodge Cascadian Farm/Cheerios
13 5 #31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet Cingular Wireless
14 16 #2 Kurt Busch Dodge Miller Lite
15 25 #38 David Gilliland Ford M&M's
16 30 #18 J.J. Yeley * Chevrolet GSK/Astellas VESIcare
17 37 #45 Kyle Petty Dodge Marathon American Spirit Motor Oil 18 26 #22 Dave Blaney Dodge Caterpillar
19 15 #25 Brian Vickers Chevrolet GMAC
20 35 #14 Sterling Marlin Chevrolet Ginn Clubs & Resorts
21 34 #19 Elliott Sadler Dodge Dodge Dealers/UAW
22 19 #10 Scott Riggs Dodge Valvoline/Stanley Tools
23 28 #66 Jeff Green Chevrolet Best Buys
24 32 #21 Ken Schrader Ford Little Debbie
25 18 #07 Clint Bowyer * Chevrolet Jack Daniel's
26 41 #49 Mike Bliss Dodge WhatsOnline.com
27 10 #5 Kyle Busch Chevrolet Kellogg's
28 14 #42 Casey Mears Dodge Texaco/Havoline
29 24 #41 Reed Sorenson * Dodge Target
30 17 #12 Ryan Newman Dodge Mobil 1
31 2 #29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet Reese's 75/5
32 38 #32 Travis Kvapil Chevrolet Tide-Downy
33 39 #55 Michael Waltrip Dodge NAPA Auto Parts
34 27 #96 Tony Raines Chevrolet DLP HDTV
35 43 #178 Kenny Wallace Chevrolet Furniture Row Racing
36 7 #6 Mark Martin Ford AAA 55/0 309
37 21 #1 Martin Truex Jr. * Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops/Tracker
38 8 #9 Kasey Kahne Dodge McDonald's / Dodge Dealers
39 33 #40 David Stremme * Dodge Coors Light
40 22 #26 Jamie McMurray Ford Crown Royal
41 36 #37 Bill Elliott Dodge Melling/Spring Mountain Farms
42 40 #4 Todd Bodine Chevrolet Hefty/Lucas Oil Products
43 42 #61 Kevin Lepage Chevrolet Oak Gloves/Smokey Bones
* Denotes Rookie
http://accesswdun.com/article/2006/10/101063