From the May, 2006 issue of Stock Car Insider

Last Week's Headlines

Recap of the Nextel All Star Challenge at Lowe's Motor Speedway:

One part of NASCAR's appeal is the drama that occurs off-track. The season long love affair between Matt Kenseth and Tony Stewart is continuing to blossom. The first seeds were probably planted late last year, but started to grow and flower at the Daytona 500 earlier this year (remember Tony intentionally ramming into the nose of Matt Kenseth and Matt Kenseth's subsequent retaliation coming off of pit road?). Saturday night's events at the Nextel All Star Challenge are sure to fertilize the relationship and guarantee more drama for us to enjoy the rest of the season.

Tony Stewart ran into Matt Kenseth in the final 20 lap segment causing both cars to wreck. After the race, Tony flipped Matt the "bird". Evidently, that is how Tony says I love you.

Tony and Matt's wreck was just one of several in the entire race. The biggest wreck happened when Kasey Kahne lost control coming out of Turn 2 and slid into Mark Martin. Both cars lost control down the back stretch, and caused a 8 car pile up that eliminated themselves and Kyle Busch, Jeremy Mayfield, Jamie McMurray, and Greg Biffle from the field.

Kyle Busch won the 40 lap, Segment 1, but the fans at home voted to invert 10 drivers in the field (thus sending Kyle to the back of the line to start segment 2). Between the first and second segment, the crowd was entertained with a crazy performance by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

The 30 lap, Segment 2 was perhaps the most action packed segment that included several lead changes and the monster wreck that took out 6 drivers. Kevin Harvick won Segment 2, and started in pole sitter's spot starting the final segment. However, Kevin opted to take only 2 tires in the final pit stop while the rest of the field took 4.

Jimmie Johnson, with fresh tires, quickly took over the lead from Kevin at the beginning of the final 20 lap segment and never shared it with anyone else for the rest of the race.

See complete 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Race Schedule