The Aaron's 499 from the Talledega Motor Speedway was an exciting race -- except for the ending, that is. After a full day of 3-wide racing and a record-setting number of lead changes, the race ended under caution. With 4 laps to go, a spin by Brian Vickers brought out the yellow flag. At the moment of the wreck, Dale Jr. and Jeff Gordon were side-by-side, racing for the lead. Under new NASCAR rules, racing back to the flag is now banned. Instead, the field is frozen as of the moment the yellow flag comes out. NASCAR determined that Gordon was the leader when the yellow dropped. Many fans were apparently not thrilled with the yellow flag finish and NASCAR's scoring decision. As Gordon celebrated with a burn-out in front of the front-stretch grandstands, his #24 Chevy was pelted with Budweiser cans and other trash.
Despite the disappointment of being denied a trip to victory lane, it was a strong points day for the Budweiser Chevrolet team. At the end of the day, Earnhardt increased his lead in the championship standings to 84 points. This is the largest lead that anyone has held so far this season. A wreck on lap 82 ended Kurt Busch's day, and engine troubles knocked Matt Kenseth out of the race at lap 59. This dropped both men to fourth and fifth in the standings, respectively. Jimmie Johnson moved into second place, and Jeff Gordon's victory moved him into third.
Next week: California.
