Game Over

Tony Stewart set the No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet on stun Sunday night, and blasted his way to a third NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title.

Not to flog a run-down equine, but it was perhaps the finest moment in a career filled with big moments for Stewart, and it was definite vindication for NASCAR.

Stewart entered Championship Week loose as a goose, needling the more strait-laced Edwards at every opportunity. I’m not saying it was the reason that Stewart beat him, man-up, but it probably made a difference somewhere along the way.

What really beat Edwards on Sunday was Stewart’s absolute determination and grit, coming from deep in the field twice to regain the lead. When he got the lead for the last time, Edwards followed in second and the two point leaders had 40 laps or so to lay it all out and decide the title.

After a few laps, it became apparent that Stewart had a slightly better car than Edwards did, and he began creeping out a tenth or two a lap until the margin was 1.5 seconds. Edwards gained by tenths, but never could get to Stewart’s bumper.

How draining it must have been for Edwards, who was driving for all he was worth, to see the 14 car stay in front, pulling slowly away. Stewart drove his butt off over the final 42 laps, after having passed 118 cars on the day, and Edwards couldn’t catch him.

That’s what it boiled down to. Edwards couldn’t catch him, and Stewart wasn’t about to be caught.

To put Stewart’s title drive in perspective, here are a few numbers for you.

After Richmond in September, Stewart was ninth in points, 12 behind Kyle Busch after the points were reset.

He had no poles, no victories, three top-five and 11 top-10 finishes.

After Sunday night, that line was first, three poles, five wins, nine top-five and 19 top-10 finishes.

Edwards’ line after Richmond was: two poles, one win, 12 top-five and 17 top-10 finishes. After Homestead, it read three poles, one win, 19 top-five and 26 top-10 finishes.

Over the final 10 races, Stewart added all five victories, six top-five and eight top-10 finishes. Five wins in 10 races? And he still tied for the title?

Edwards was a machine, averaging 4.9 for a finish in the Chase. That means he finished an average of fifth in every race.  Stewart’s was 6.2 over 10 races. After the first five, of which he won two, his average was 10.0, including finishes of 25th, 15th and 8th.

Take out the four races—Dover, Kansas, Charlotte and Talladega—where he stumbled, and it was 1.16. That’s how you win the title.

On Sunday, he was loose, cheering on the radio, cracking jokes…back in his second title run, in 2005, he was that way a lot. That’s where “here, kitty, kitty” came from, on that memorable day when he won the Brickyard for the first time.

As a NASCAR fan, and I am one, you couldn’t ask for a better title race. The top two in the points, separated by three points, racing each other for the crown in the last race of the season. There was finally a reason to care about the season finale.

Good TV ratings, a huge upswell in interest and a thrilling finale should lead NASCAR out of a temporary doldrums…and Daytona is just under three months away!

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