Daytona 500: Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch wrecked while running 1-2 in dominant cars, and Mark Martin loses the Daytona 500 by inches in a heartbreaker as a last-lap crash occurs coming off turn 4, and Clint Bowyer flips onto his roof.

 

Auto Club 500: Matt Kenseth earns Ford it's first of only three victories so far this season, and David Reutimann endures a wreck of record proportions. Brian Vickers earned Toyota it's first top-10 in his first start of the season.

 

UAW Daimler-Chrysler 400: The new surface was the story at Las Vegas, with cars slipping and sliding, causing wrecks. Jimmie Johnson went on to claim his third strait win at the track.

 

Kobalt Tools 500: Jimmie Johnson earned his second consecutive victory. Mark Martin led the NEXTEL Cup Series points, but wouldn't race the next week.

 

Food City 500: The Car of Tomorrow debuted at the "World's Fastest Half Mile", and provided a fantastic finish, with it coming down to a green-white-checkered finish, and Jeff Burton racing Kyle Busch to the line. Kyle Busch took the victory, which was also Hendrick Motorsport's 200th victory.

 

Goody's Cool Orange 500: The COT was used once again, and again there was a door-to-door finish, with Hendrick Motorsports teammates battling for the win. Jimmie Johnson edged out Jeff Gordon for Hendrick Motorsport's fourth consecutive victory.

 

Samsung 500: Jeff Burton passed Matt Kenseth on the last lap to win his first race of the season. Meanwhile, after an accident involving Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr., Earnhardt Jr. drives the #5 after Busch leaves the track.

 

 

Subway Fresh Fit 500: The third COT race saw Jeff Gordon tie the late Dale Earnhardt in career wins by earning his first career victory at Pheonix. Tony Stewart was upset by debris cautions during the race, and later compared Nascar to wrestling on his radio show.

 

Aaron's 499: Jeff Gordon passed Dale Earnhardt on the all-time victories list on what would have been the Intimidator's birthday. Gordon's victory sparked a shower of debris thrown by distraught fans. 10 fans were arrested and banned from buying tickets at Talladega.

 

Jim Stewart 400 presented by Crown Royal: The COT ran in it's fourth race at Richmond, and a rain delay pushed the night race into Sunday afternoon, and it came down to Hendrick teammates Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch at the end, with Johnson prevailing.

 

Dodge Avenger 500: The COT ran on the track "Too Tough to Tame", and due to yet another rain delay, the race ran on Mother's Day. Dale Earnhardt Jr. failed pre-race inspection, and was docked 100 driver and owner points, and crew chief Tony Eury Jr. was fined $100,000 dollars and put on probation. Jeff Gordon won the race despite having overheating problems.

 

Coca-Cola 600: Two early multi-car wrecks took out many contenders, and late race fuel strategy allowed Casey Mears, who ran in the top-10 all day, to earn his first career victory. Brian Vickers earned Toyota's first top-5.

 

Autism Speaks 400 presented by Visa: The COT was used at Dover, and for the first time a COT race was won by a non-Hendrick driver, with Martin Truex Jr. winning the rain-delayed race. Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch again had an encounter on the track, an incident that inspired Kurt Busch to nearly hit one of Stewart's crew members. Nascar fined him $100,000 and docked him 100 driver and owner points.

 

Pocono 500: Jeff Gordon won a race that was delayed and ended by rain. It was close at the end however, with the final caution coming out as Ryan Newman tried to pass Gordon in turn 2 as rain downpoored on the Long Pond Straitaway.

 

Citizen's Bank 400: Carl Edwards earned his first victory since November of 2005, much to the delight of crew member Tom Giacchi, who hadn't shaved his beard since Edwards last win. The win was only the second of the season for Ford, both belonging to team owner Jack Roush.

 

Toyota/Savemart 350: Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson failed inspection on Friday, and had to start at the back, and were eventually docked 100 points, and their crew chiefs, Steve Letarte and Chad Knaus, were fined $100,000 and suspended for 6 races. In the race, rookie Juan Pablo Montoya earned his first career victory on the twisting road course in the COT. His victory was the first COT victory not claimed by Chevrolet.

 

Lenox Industrial Tools 300: Denny Hamlin earned his first victory of the year, racing in the COT. Kyle Busch and Johnny Sauter failed post-race inspection, and each lost 25 driver and owner points, and their crew chiefs, Alan Gustafson and Robert "Bootie" Barker, were fined $25,000 and put on probation.

 

Pepsi 400: Daytona once again provided a fantastic finish, with Jamie McMurray edging out Kyle Busch for the victory by only 0.005 seconds, tied for the second closest finish since Nascar started using electronic scoring in 1993. The victory was just McMurray's second victory, with his first coming all the way back in 2002 in just his second start at Charlotte. The victory was Ford's third of the year, all to Jack Roush's credit. 

 

 

Halfway Mark Top 12 in Points:

 1. Jeff Gordon

 2. Denny Hamlin

 3. Matt Kenseth

 4. Jimmie Johnson

 5. Jeff Burton

 6. Carl Edwards

 7. Tony Stewart

 8. Kurt Busch

 9. Kevin Harvick

 10. Martin Truex Jr.

 11. Clint Bowyer

 12. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

 

Wins by Manufacturer:

Chevrolet    Ford    Dodge    Toyota

      14             3           1             0