Race
The 2008 Coca Cola 600 proved to be one of the most competitive in recent memory. A record number of green flag passes was set, as the COT car platform proved that it could provide good racing at someplace besides a superspeedway. Kyle Busch got off to the early lead, although he faded and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. took the lead in the early going. In much the same style as last year's 600, Earnhardt, Jr. had a very strong showing in the first half of the race, only to fade in the second. In a manner indicative of his entire season, Brian Vickers dominated the field halfway in, and appeared to be on the verge of ending his winless streak, when a cut tire sent him into the Turn 4 wall while leading the field by an entire backstretch. Vickers limped to the pits to repair the damage, never to contend for the lead again that night. Kasey Kahne, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, and Kyle Busch then traded the lead amongst themselves several times after Vickers fell out of contention. Jimmie Johnson, who was leading late in the race, fell out of the race with an engine failure. In the final stages of the race, fuel mileage came into play, as the leaders were just shy of making it on fuel. After pit stops cycled through with 10 laps to go, Tony Stewart led the second place car of Kasey Kahne by a large margin, and it appeared that it would be a cakewalk to the checkers for Stewart. However, luck was not on his side as in the same manner as Vickers, and Stewart cut a tire while leading with 2 laps to go, putting the victory in the lap of Kasey Kahne. With the win, Kahne completed the Charlotte sweep by following up his All Star race win with a win in the 600. Greg Biffle finished second, Kyle Busch finished third, while Jeff Gordon and Earnhardt, Jr. rounded out the top five.
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Famous quotes containing the word race:
“It now appears that the negro race is, more than any other, susceptible of rapid civilization. The emancipation is observed, in the islands, to have wrought for the negro a benefit as sudden as when a thermometer is brought out of the shade into the sun. It has given him eyes and ears.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.”
—C.S. (Clive Staples)
“We set this nation up ... to vindicate the rights of man. We did not name any differences between one race and another. We opened our gates to all the world and said: “Let all men who want to be free come to us and they will be welcome.””
—Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924)