Tony Stewart Wins NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship [PHOTOS]

NASCAR fans packed around their TV sets yesterday to witness the much ballyhooed dual between Smoke and the #99 car. The Race did not disappoint. Tony Stewart won the rain-delayed Ford 400 yesterday at Homestead-Miami Speedway and won the Sprint Cup Championship over race runner-up Carl Edwards.
They finished in a virtual tie in the overall standings, but Stewart won 5 times this year and Edwards won once, and that was the difference. It was Tony Stewart's 3rd Cup Title and ended 5 consecutive Championships by Jimmie Johnson. Stewart became the first owner/driver to win the championship since the late Alan Kulwicki in 1992.

Tony Stewart was a gracious winner and Carl Edwards was definitely a gracious loser.  After the race he said, "I told my wife, If I can’t win this thing, I am going to be the best loser NASCAR has ever had". Edwards gave Stewart full credit for the win saying, "We just got outraced tonight."

Stewart's quest for a third title was nearly derailed when debris  punched a hole in the grille of his No. 14 Chevrolet.  Smoke  fell to 40th in the running order, while his crew made repairs under caution on Lap 17.  He had to drive from the back of the pack twice. Stewart passed 118 cars on his way to the win.