The Chicagoland Speedway provided some thrills, chills and the first win for Tony Stewart in the 2007 season.

The relatively new facility wasn’t too kind in the opening days of practice and qualifications. Mart Martin and Elliott Sadler both had hard impacts with the wall during practice sessions, forcing them to go to the back of the field with untried backup cars. Paul Menard and Kurt Busch both changed engines prior the race, relegating them to the back as well.

Casey Mears sat on the pole and led the first few laps before Martin Truex, Jr. surged to the front. Menard was black-flagged for his smoking engine and retired to the garage. Jimmie Johnson lurked close behind, and on the 19th lap he overtook Truex to score the top spot. Johnson’s lead grew and the race stayed caution-free through the first round of green-flag pit stops.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. inherited the lead momentarily as Johnson pitted, but relinquished it quickly when he went to pit road but missed the entrance, sending him back onto the track. After pit stops cycled, Johnson was again credited as the leader but the first caution flew on lap 59 for a spin by Jeff Green.

The leaders returned to the pits for another quick stop and Kevin Harvick took the lead. He did not pit. Neither did Reed Sorenson, who lined up behind Harvick. Harvick led a long green run from lap 64 to lap 111, when he was forced to pit. Stewart, who had passed Sorenson for second, took the lead. After more pit stops are completed, it is Harvick in the top spot again.

Johnson crept behind Harvick and took the lead at lap 120. The race pace is fast, with only 17 cars on the lead lap at this point. Another long green run ended at lap 154, with last week’s winner Jamie McMurray hitting the wall with a possible tire problem.  Pit stops began with Stewart coming out on top once the cycle was complete.

A quick yellow flag flew for Robby Gordon who sustained major damage in a skirmish with the wall. A few leaders took advantage of the caution to top off, but the majority remained on-track. Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson swap the lead between laps 168 and 202. Another caution came over the track for Dave Blaney, whose accident collected Ward Burton, sending both to the garage.

Many cars went to pit road during the caution with Stewart scored as the leader on lap 207. Stewart extended his lead over the field and was running smoothly until Johnson cut a tire and slammed the wall on lap 223. Another flurry of pit stops commenced, with Stewart, among others, only getting fuel.

Matt Kenseth, the Bridesmaid of Chicagoland, worked his way to the front and sparred with Stewart, briefly taking the lead. Stewart’s teammate J.J. Yeley skimmed the wall on lap 245, bringing out another yellow flag. Just a few laps later on lap 252, Joe Nemechek, a lapped car, spun, causing the last caution of the day.

Stewart successfully kept leaders behind him to take the checkered flag at lap 267. The first win for Stewart in 2007 saw him climbing the flagstand and taking the checkered flag.

Stewart was followed by Kenseth in second and Carl Edwards in third, with early leader Harvick in fourth and polesitter Mears in fifth.

The top three in points remained unchanged, with Jeff Gordon leading the series, trailed by Denny Hamlin and Kenseth. Jeff Burton moved to fourth this week and Johnson fell three spots to eighth. Edwards moved into fifth.

This coming week is an off-week, so enjoy your vacation while our intrepid drivers most certainly do the same. Look for my return on Wednesday, July 25th! Get prepared for Indianapolis and new television coverage from the ESPN/ABC group.

Race Results

Overall Standings

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