"Smoke'd" Em!

Last night 'Smoke' won his third Bud Shoot Out. He stayed with Kyle Busch until he got close enough to take the air off Busch's car and got him loose enough to make the pass for first place. Tony stayed out front, holding off a hard last-minute charge by rookie driver David Gilliland. Just as Stewart was about to cross the line and take the checkered flag, there was a crash behind. Dale Earnhardt Jr. got into the back of his friend Elliot Sadler, who got into Denny Hamlin, and so on. But that didn't keep Tony Stewart from a first place finish and a prize of $215,000. Not to shabby for a little over an hour's work.

Is this win a sign of what we can expect from the number 20 car this season? I'd like to think so. Last year Tony missed he Chase for the Championship by 116 points. Given this fact, he still went on to have an incredible last ten races...which included two wins. Not having made the chase last year could be the fuel that drives him to his 3rd Nextel Cup Championship.