Stewart wins first Cup points race as team owner

Stewart held secret midnight meetings, toiled during sleepless nights, and wondered how quickly it would take to build a championship contender.

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He shouldn't have worried about the result. Stewart has made this driver/owner job look easy.

Stewart used every trick available to stretch out his fuel during the final laps Sunday at Pocono Raceway, and came from the rear of the field in his backup car to win his first Cup points race with his new team.

"Sometimes you just need a change to get that little shot in the arm that you need," Stewart said. "It doesn't mean that you were not happy with what you were doing before. Sometimes it just means that you need a fresh start and a change."

While the car and crew changed for Stewart after 10 seasons with Joe Gibbs Racing, the results have stayed the same.

Stewart needed time to reach the front of the 500-mile race because of a practice accident that forced him into his backup car and dropped him to the back of the pack.

Stewart made his last pit stop with 41 laps to go and figured he could drive the rest of the way without another break. He took the lead in the No. 14 Chevrolet with 37 laps remaining and roared to a 6-second lead over Carl Edwards that gave him a crucial buffer down the stretch.

With a lead in the points standings and a spot in the Chase for the championship all but assured, Stewart could afford to take a risk.

Edwards was second, followed by David Reutimann and Gordon. Stewart's SHR teammate Ryan Newman was fifth.

The first Cup points race with double-file restarts finished without any confusion. The drivers meeting lasted nearly 30 minutes as final questions were answered on the new restart rules that line up the 43-car field following a yellow.

He's destroyed all expectations in his first season as owner and driver. It was the first points victory since he left JGR at the end of last year after two Cup championships and snapped a 19-race points winless streak.

This was the first points victory for the team since their 2002 debut as Haas CNC Racing.

His second-place finish last week at Dover allowed him to become the first driver/owner to lead the points since Alan Kulwicki won the 1992 Cup championship, a span of 556 races.

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Terra Autos / AP