Tulsa World: NASCAR Notebook: Into the fire

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NASCAR Notebook: Into the fire

Kurt Busch waves a checkered flag after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Fort Worth, Texas. AP PHOTO

By Associated Press
Published: 11/9/2009 2:27 AM
Last Modified: 11/9/2009 5:55 AM

It didn't take Dave Rogers long to face a huge decision as crew chief for the volatile Kyle Busch.

Rogers said it wasn't much of a decision at all. He was sure Busch had enough fuel to stay in front to the finish Sunday in Texas, where Rogers made his debut atop the pit box for the No. 18 Toyota.

Rogers was wrong by three laps. That's when Busch ran out of gas just as he was starting another trip around the 1 1/2-mile high-banked oval. He sputtered through the backstretch and was passed by older brother Kurt Busch and quite a few others. Kyle Busch finished 11th.

"Welcome to the club, huh?" Rogers said.

Rogers replaced Steve Addington after an inconsistent season kept Busch out of the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. Those points standings played a role in Rogers' choice. He said it would have different if they had been racing for points.

"We really didn't have anything to lose," Rogers said.

Rogers said he didn't face the wrath of Busch, who disappeared without talking to reporters after losing despite leading 232 laps.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. joined Kyle Busch among a group of several trying to push their fuel to the limit. He ran out, too.

Earnhardt ended up stalled on pit road after creeping up the standings while others ahead of him pitted. He ended up 25th.

Still winless: Carl Edwards' oh-fer season continued.

The nine-time winner from a year ago was knocked out about halfway through the race when he pulled alongside Juan Pablo Montoya just before Montoya lost control and grazed Edwards, sending him into the wall.

Edwards took the optimistic outlook before the race when he said he preferred to view things as nine wins over two seasons rather than the big zero of 2009. He had the same rosy outlook after the wreck, too.

"I guess I'll win the race home," Edwards said. "I get to go home and see the wife. That's a good thing."

More tributes: Fort Hood soldiers played a prominent role in NASCAR's prerace ceremonies just 170 miles from the site of the massacre that left 13 dead at the Army post.

There were 40 Fort Hood soldiers displaying the huge American flag during the national anthem Sunday. The number was supposed to be 45, but five soldiers scheduled to attend were among the 29 injured in Thursday's shootings, track officials said.

A moment of silence was also observed.

A U.S. Army logo with the words "God Bless Our Fort Hood Troops" was pained on the infield grass Friday.

NASCAR Sprint Cup-Dickies 500

Sunday at Fort Worth

Lap Length: 1.5 miles

(Start position in parentheses)

Car maker abbreviations: C=Chevrolet, D=Dodge, F=Ford, T=Toyota

1. (3) Ku. Busch, D, 334 laps, 190 points, $440,575.

2. (25) D. Hamlin, T, 334, 175, $368,900.

3. (30) M. Kenseth, F, 334, 165, $267,515.

4. (7) M. Martin, C, 334, 160, $207,800.

5. (24) K. Harvick, C, 334, 155, $219,078.

6. (4) T. Stewart, C, 334, 150, $181,098.

7. (10) C. Bowyer, C, 333, 146, $153,225.

8. (8) G. Biffle, F, 333, 142, $149,925.

9. (42) J. Burton, C, 333, 138, $170,631.

10. (16) A. Allmendinger, F, 333, 134, $124,025.

11. (5) Ky. Busch, T, 333, 140, $172,748.

12. (26) R. Newman, C, 333, 127, $142,454.

13. (1) J. Gordon, C, 333, 129, $164,376.

14. (27) M. Truex Jr., C, 333, 121, $143,640.

15. (19) M. Ambrose, T, 333, 118, $125,098.

16. (13) D. Reutimann, T, 333, 115, $129,298.

17. (17) D. Ragan, F, 332, 112, $114,575.

18. (31) S. Speed, T, 332, 109, $119,148.

19. (14) J. Logano, T, 332, 106, $149,076.

20. (22) J. McMurray, F, 332, 103, $114,975.

21. (36) C. Mears, C, 332, 100, $119,250.

22. (33) E. Sadler, D, 332, 97, $112,300.

23. (40) M. Waltrip, T, 331, 94, $112,950.

24. (41) J. Andretti, C, 331, 91, $112,050.

25. (9) D. Earnhardt Jr., C, 331, 88, $118,900.

26. (15) B. Vickers, T, 331, 85, $131,523.

27. (29) R. Gordon, T, 331, 82, $121,760.

28. (21) D. Gilliland, T, 331, 79, $99,800.

29. (39) P. Menard, F, 331, 76, $132,506.

30. (38) E. Darnell, F, 331, 73, $127,529.

31. (28) B. Labonte, C, 331, 70, $99,200.

32. (32) R. Smith, C, 330, 67, $98,975.

33. (2) K. Kahne, D, 330, 64, $143,173.

34. (43) B. Elliott, F, transmission, 311, 61, $99,575.

35. (35) Bra. Keselowski, D, 262, 58, $130,865.

36. (18) R. Sorenson, D, 248, 55, $135,501.

37. (20) J. Pablo Montoya, C, 231, 52, $132,523.

38. (12) J. Johnson, C, 205, 49, $151,901.

39. (6) C. Edwards, F, accident, 174, 46, $146,406.

40. (11) S. Hornish Jr., D, accident, 88, 43, $116,110.

41. (37) M. McDowell, T, overheating, 20, 40, $97,125.

42. (34) J. Nemechek, T, electrical, 13, 37, $96,925.

43. (23) M. Skinner, C, brakes, 6, 34, $97,218. By Associated Press

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