Martin Wins All-Star Challenge

Ryan Newman took the lead from pole position at the start of segment one and led until the compulsory pitstops. After the stops, Elliott Sadler took over ahead of Rusty Wallace.

A debris caution late in the race saw Martin take the lead after the restart, but before the lap was over, half the field was crashing down the frontstretch after contact coming off turn four. Those involved included Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Kasey Kahne and Kevin Harvick, some able to repair their cars during the subsequent red flag while some like Harvick were out for the night.

When the race finally restarted on the final lap, lap 40, Martin held on to win the first segment before the draw was taken to see how many places were to be reversed. The result of the draw saw that the top six places would be reversed. This dropped Martin to sixth while Brian Vickers was the new leader with Ryan Newman alongside him.

Segment two saw Newman take the lead on lap one and never lose it throughout the 30 lap distance. Sadler moved ahead of Vickers ten laps into the segment but there was little other change at the front of the field.

At the end of the segment an optional pit stop saw the whole field pit, Sadler and Jeff Gordon taking the top two places by taking two tyres, while Mark Martin moved up to third ahead of Newman.

The start of segment three saw Sadler lead, Martin moving ahead of Gordon who was slow at the restart who bottled up Newman behind him. Lap two saw a caution as Newman spun in turn one trying to pass Gordon, with Newman's teammate Wallace also a victim.

The race restarted with nineteen laps remaining, with Sadler and Martin side by side. Martin and Jimmie Johnson passed Sadler into turn one before Sadler retook second three laps later.

Sadler chased Martin hard the rest of the way but he couldn't quite get close enough, Martin taking the win, and a million dollars to go with it. Third was Brian Vickers, while Jeff Gordon took fourth from teammate Jimmie Johnson on the run to the chequered flag.

Result of Nextel All-Star Challenge:

Pos  Driver               Make      Laps
 1.  Mark Martin          Ford        90
 2.  Elliott Sadler       Ford        90
 3.  Brian Vickers        Chevrolet   90
 4.  Jeff Gordon          Chevrolet   90
 5.  Jimmie Johnson       Chevrolet   90
 6.  Dale Jarrett         Ford        90
 7.  Kurt Busch           Ford        90
 8.  Jeremy Mayfield      Dodge       90
 9.  Bobby Labonte        Chevrolet   90
10.  Dale Earnhardt Jr    Chevrolet   90
11.  Matt Kenseth         Ford        89
12.  Ryan Newman          Dodge       71
13.  Rusty Wallace        Dodge       71
14.  Greg Biffle          Ford        69
15.  Carl Edwards         Ford        57
16.  Kasey Kahne          Dodge       35
17.  Tony Stewart         Chevrolet   35
18.  Kevin Harvick        Chevrolet   35
19.  Terry Labonte        Chevrolet   35
20.  Michael Waltrip      Chevrolet   35
21.  Joe Nemechek         Chevrolet   35
22.  Martin Truex Jr      Chevrolet   35