By Mike Kerchner
Senior Editor
CONCORD, N.C. — A boring caution-filled race came to a spectacular conclusion with Martin Truex, Jr. winning the NASCAR Nextel Open Saturday night at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Truex and Johnny Sauter both passed race-long leader Carl Edwards with two laps remaining in the 40-lap event and claimed the two transfer positions into the Nextel All-Star Challenge, which followed later in the night. Kenny Wallace, who finished 18th in the Open, was also voted into the all-star race via the vote of NASCAR fans around the country.
“I thought at any time I could hit the wall or blow a right front,” Truex said. “I was just hoping it would turn. It kept getting tighter and tighter. I was just hoping I could get around Carl because Johnny was coming fast. If we hadn’t gotten around Carl, Johnny would have won.”
Edwards led all the way in an event that was slowed by five caution flags, but he faded during the closing laps. Edwards, Truex and Sauter raced three wide off of turn two on lap 38, with Truex getting the upper hand.
Sauter, who started 20th in the field, had the fastest car on the track during the closing laps, settled for second and his first start in the All-Star Challenge.
“The car was very, very loose all weekend,” Sauter said. “Bootie (Barker, crew chief) told me it was going to be OK, and it was. I thought we had Truex, but Carl got a little loose there and he got away.”
Edwards came home third, while Dave Blaney and Ricky Rudd rounded out the top five.
Juan Pablo Montoya triggered a seven-car accident on the opening lap when he made a bonsai move into the second turn and got into the side of David Gilliland in the process.
The finish:
Showing driver, car, laps completed and money won: 1. Martin Truex, Jr. Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet, 40, $52,386; 2. Johnny Sauter, Yellow Transportation Chevrolet, 40, $42,369; 3. Carl Edwards, Office Depot Ford, 40, $38,094; 4. Dave Blaney, Caterpillar Toyota, 40, $35,994; 5. Ricky Rudd, Snickers Ford, 40, $34,994; 6. Clint Bowyer, Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet, 40, $32,994; 7. Sterling Marlin, Pep Boys Chevrolet, 40, $31,994; 8. Jeremy Mayfield, 360 OTC Toyota, 40, $31,394; 9. Tony Raines, DLP Chevrolet, 40, $30,894; 10. Jamie McMurray, Crown Royal Ford, 40, $30,644; 11. David Stremme, Coors Light Dodge, 40, $30,369; 12. Jeff Green, Best Buy Chevrolet, 40, $30,119; 13. J.J. Yeley, Interstate Chevrolet, 40, $29,869; 14. Kyle Petty, Coke Zero Dodge, 40, $29,769; 15. A.J. Allmendinger, Red Bull Toyota, 40, $29,689; 16. Robby Gordon, Jim Beam Ford, 40, $29,569; 17. Ward Burton, State Water Heaters Chevrolet, 40, $29,469; 18. Kenny Wallace, Furniture Row Chevrolet, 40, $29,369; 19. Kevin Lepage, Front Row Dodge, 40, $29,269; 20. Michael Waltrip, NAPA Toyota, 38, $29,169; 21. David Reutimann, Domino’s Toyota, 33, $29,044; 22. David Ragan, AAA Ford, 20, $28,919; 23. Reed Sorenson, Target Dodge, 20, $28,819; 24. Elliott Sadler, Dodge Dealers Dodge, 20, $28,719; 25. Mike Bliss, Paralyzed Veterans of America Dodge, 9, $28,619; 26. Boris Said, Huddle House Dodge, 9, $28,519; 27. Scott Riggs, Valvoline Dodge, 0, $28,419; 28. David Gilliland, M&Ms Ford, 0, $28,319; 29. Juan Pablo Montoya, Texaco-Havoline Dodge, 0, $28,219; 30. Paul Menard, Menard’s Chevrolet, 0, $28,119; 31. Joe Nemechek, Haier Chevrolet, 0, $28,019; 32. Jon Wood, Motorcraft Ford, 0, $27,869.