Teamwork is a funny thing. From birth, we are encouraged to play nicely with our fellow babies, which creates a base for “teamwork,” whatever the heck that is. Later, in school, it seems that no one can escape the dreaded group project which requires teamwork to complete. These group projects suddenly take on more meaning when you’re in the adult world and you’re working for a company, trying to deliver results and answers on time. It can be hairy at the workplace if these deadlines for teamwork aren’t met, and sometimes personalities clash. Sometimes you feel like an outsider, sometimes you’re the crown jewel of the group.

You probably wonder why I haven’t explained this in terms of sports, where teamwork applies in every instance of every game and every practice. I do consider NASCAR a sport, but the teamwork we saw on Saturday night at the last Pepsi 400 was definitely more suited to boardroom tactics than even the most junior of peewee football teams.

Our first example of teamwork? More like a classic example of how NOT to be a teammate. Tony Stewart bumped Denny Hamlin while Hamlin was leading the race in the opening laps, sending both cars spinning into the wall and rending both useless for the rest of the night. Stewart, who was interviewed first, lambasted his teammate, telling a live television audience that Hamlin had tried to wreck the No. 20 in Friday practice and couldn’t get the job done, so he picked the race to try and complete it. Stewart also went on to say that he didn’t think his teammate even knew the definition of team.

Hmm. Hamlin was leading the race. Stewart bumped Hamlin from behind, sending Hamlin into a spin from which he couldn’t recover, which happened to be right in front of Stewart’s second place car. I’ve seen the replay. It looks like Stewart is the one who doesn’t know the definition of teammate.

Our next example is young Kyle Busch, whose dominant car kept him near the front all night. He was able to push, he was able to pull and he was even working with his brother. You may remember that the elder KB works for a completely different team. As the laps wound down, Kyle found himself in a quandary; that is, his teammates were generally nowhere to be found.

Oh, they were nearby. They were in the top ten. All three of them. The help Kyle received from them was nil and his number one teammate, Jeff Gordon, helped push eventual winner Jamie McMurray toward the finish. Any of this sound familiar? Calling Brian Vickers? Is there a Mr. Vickers here? Kyle Busch is leaving the team. He hasn’t left the team. He has a lot of talent and nearly won the race. It’s possible he could have if he’d had a push or two from a teammate.

In some ways the treatment he is getting from his teammates is something he’s brought on himself. Even as a Kyle fan, he has taken his teammates to the cleaners once or twice in post-race interviews and in other forums. Maybe if he toned it down and concentrated on playing nice a little, he might get the help he needs before his time at Hendrick Motorsports is done. Let’s face it. A win for an organization is a win for everyone. It’s prestigious and it isn’t as if the honor is stripped from Kyle when he leaves the HMS compound in November.

Finally we come around to the best example of teamwork the whole night. Carl Edwards, fresh off a win in Michigan, could have made the race three-wide in the closing laps with Kyle Busch and Jamie McMurray, but ended up pushing McMurray as they circled the track.

It appeared to be all for naught at first, until scoring revealed the closest ever Daytona finish, and tied for second on the all-time photo finishes list. McMurray, who later thanked Edwards for staying in line and pushing him to the win, exhibited the very characteristics we like to see from teammates.

While I doubt Edwards was sitting in his car thinking, “Let’s let Jamie win one, okay, boys?” it probably crossed his mind. Maybe it was why he decided to stay in line. Maybe he didn’t think he had the power to muscle up in the front row with Busch and McMurray. Whatever it was, Edwards helped end one of the longest winless streaks in the modern era.

McMurray, emotional and full of praise for his teammate and his team, was the picture of a gracious, humbled and excited winner.

If there was ever an example to follow, McMurray set it Saturday night.

Until then, remember that rubbin’ is racin’.

Have a question or comment for Samantha? Email her at samanthamaynard@sportsgrumblings.com