Talladega: 'Little E' does it again

Meanwhile, the points race took another bizarre turn, with leaders Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin colliding on the pace laps, both having to pit immediately and falling out of contention.

Tony Stewart, third in points coming in, finished second to Earnhardt in the race and took over the top spot, becoming the fourth leader in five weeks. Sterling Marlin (now out for the year through injury) led to Richmond, with Martin leading the next two weeks and Johnson taking over last weekend in Kansas City.

Earnhardt and teammate Michael Waltrip predictably surged to the front by mid-race, but a bad pit stop on Lap 149 cost Waltrip the lead and allowed Junior to take the point. Earnhardt led the rest of the way.

The race was run without a caution, this being only the third event in track history to go yellow-free. The last previous was in April 2001.

At the end, attrition (all the Hendrick-powered cars had engine trouble), and the need by a few to pit late for fuel, thinned the lead draft to seven cars, all in single file.

Stewart tried to size up Earnhardt with five laps to go but realized he did not have the muscle and settled for second. Same for third-place Ricky Rudd and fourth-place Kurt Busch. Jeff Green was fifth.

Stewart leads Martin by 72 points, the largest lead by anyone since August.

Dale Earnhardt Jr Chevrolet
Tony Stewart Pontiac
Ricky Rudd Ford
Kurt Busch Ford
Jeff Green Chevrolet
Steve Park Chevrolet
Ryan Newman Ford
Michael Waltrip Chevrolet
Dale Jarrett Ford
Ward Burton Dodge