Brian Vickers won the 2006 UAW-FORD 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, scoring his first career Nextel Cup victory in his 107th career start.
Vickers became the second first-time winner in 2006 joining Denny Hamlin, who swept both races at Pocono.
Vickers has scored three top-10 finishes in six races at Talladega
Vickers victory today was the 19th Chevrolet victory in 30 races in 2006.
Vickers won the race from the ninth-place starting position.
Vickers led the final lap in the 2006 UAW-FORD 500 at Talladega. Vickers led five times for 17 laps.
This is team owner Rick Hendricks 148th Nextel Cup victory. Hendrick has scored eight victories in 2006. It is Hendricks eighth victory at Talladega.
Hendrick Motorsports has won at least one race each season (1986-2006), 21 consecutive years.
Notebook Items
The 63 lead changes today were the most since there were 68 at Talladega in July 1984. The 63 lead changes ranks sixth all-time for the most in NASCAR history.
The 63 lead changes and 23 different lap leaders is the most in a race in 2006.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., led seven times for 32 laps, leading the most laps for the second time in 2006 and first time since Daytona in February.
Kasey Kahne (second) scored his 15th top-10 finish in 2006 and his first top-10 finish in six races at Talladega.
Kurt Busch (third) scored his 10th top-10 finish in 2006. It marked his ninth top-10 finish in 12 races at Talladega.
Matt Kenseth (fourth) scored his 14th top-five finish in 2006 and first in the last six races since he finished first at Bristol in August. It marked his sixth top-10 finish in 14 races at Talladega Superspeedway.
Martin Truex Jr. (fifth) scored his career-best finish. It was his first career top-five finish and fourth top-10 finish in 2006. It was his first top-10 finish in four races at Talladega Superspeedway.
Mark Martin (eighth) has been running at the finish in the last 37 races, the longest current streak. Martins streak began at Kansas City one year ago.
Martin Truex Jr, was the highest finishing rookie for the second time in 2006 – all in the last three races.
At least one of the Raybestos Rookie-of-the Year contenders has scored a top-15 finish in all 30 races this season.
Denny Hamlin (21st) ended a streak of 20 straight top-20 finishes that began at Richmond in May. His previous finish outside the top-20 came at Talladega in May where he finished 22nd.
Jimmie Johnson (24th today) has been ranked among the top 10 for 99 consecutive races. Johnson has gone six straight races without scoring a top-10 finish, the longest streak of his career. Johnson remained eighth in the point standings.
Tony Stewart (22nd) remained 11th in the point standings. He has a 236-point lead over 12th-place Carl Edwards who finished ninth. This is the first year that Stewart will not finish among the top-10 since 1999, ending a sevenyear streak. Stewart missed The Chase by 16 points. Stewart is chasing the $1 million bonus for finishing 11th in the final point standings. Jeff Gordon finished 11th in 2005 and Jamie McMurray finished 11th in 2004, the inaugural year of the Chase.
Jeff Burton (27th) ended a streak of four straight top-10 finishes that began at Richmond in September.
Race No. 30 at Talladega marked the fourth of the 10 races in the 2006 Chase for the Nextel Cup.
Four of the 10 Chase drivers finished in the top 10.
Seven of the 10 The Chase drivers changed point positions at Talladega.
Jeff Burton remained first in the point standings by just six points over second-place Matt Kenseth and just 10 points ahead of third-place Mark Martin.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(10-8-2006)
