By Aaron Burns No one knew what to expect when Tony Stewart broke into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 1999. As a rookie with Joe Gibbs Racing, Stewart was tasked with the job of chasing a Winston Cup title while driving an orange No. 20 Home Depot Pontiac. The fact that Stewart began his career driving a Pontiac in the Winston Cup Series accurately dates just how long he’s been a part of NASCAR’s highest level of competition. But he’s been more than just a part of it. He’s played a lead role for the better part of two decades. It…

By Jared Turner 5 Lessons Learned At New Hampshire Kevin Harvick’s Back Is Against The Wall Kevin Harvick and crew chief Rodney Childers rolled the dice at New Hampshire by trying to stretch their final tank of fuel to the finish, knowing well that the strategy may not pay off. It didn’t. Harvick, who had the race’s dominant car and led 216 of 300 laps, ran out of gas with three laps to go and finished 21st. Instead of punching his ticket into the next round of the Chase, the defending Sprint Cup Series champion is ranked 15th among the 16 Chase…

By Aaron Burns I can’t remember the last time I didn’t watch a NASCAR Sprint Cup race. I can, however, remember the last time a non-Joe Gibbs Racing car won. It was Joey Logano at Bristol in late August. Before that? I don’t know, maybe Jimmie Johnson sometime last year. JGR has had a stronghold on victory lane for months now. The four-car team of Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth has combined to win 12 races this year, including nine of the last dozen. In that timespan dating back to late June, only two other drivers have won:…