HAMPTON, Ga. – Tony Stewart has a history of getting hot with the weather, but this year the two-time champion had to wait until summer was almost over to win.

            Stewart’s Emory Healthcare 500 victory was his first in almost a year – Oct. 4, 2009, at Kansas Speedway – and the 38^th of his NASCAR career. Three have occurred at Atlanta Motor Speedway, though this was the first since Oct. 29, 2006

“I've never been so happy to win a race in my life,” said Stewart. “It's been a while, and this is a place that hasn't been good to us lately. … I couldn't take off on restarts all night, and the final two, I just nailed it. We need those 10 points (bonus for race win in Chase for the Sprint Cup), and we need this momentum.”

            While Stewart was shedding his winless tag, runner-up Carl Edwards fell excruciatingly short. Edwards, whose most recent victory was even longer ago – Nov. 16, 2008 at Homestead – continued a streak that would be considered hot if only it included victory. Edwards has finished seventh or better in seven of the past eight races, a span during which is average finish is 5.0.

            Edwards has done everything but win in the past eight races.

            Denny Hamlin started on the pole and led 51 of the first 60 laps – Ryan Newman led the other nine before retreating – but his night was over before the halfway point. After suffering engine failure, Hamlin was dejected.

            “The ‘20’ (teammate Joey Logano) lost his (engine) first, and that was worrisome,” said Hamlin. “I noticed a vibration but didn’t think it would be a problem until (Logano) lost his.

            “I’m glad there’s just one more week (in the Chase after the race). If we had three more races, I don’t think I’d make the cut (Chase).”

            Stewart and Edwards benefited from Hamlin’s departure. Another contender disappeared on the 152^nd lap when Greg Biffle’s Ford tangled with Elliott Sadler’s. Newman’s Chevy was also in that fray.

            Jimmie Johnson took the lead on a restart at lap 162, though Stewart didn’t tarry long and regained it. Jamie McMurray experienced tire trouble in his Chevy on lap 178, dropping a lap behind. Corporate welfare had already restored Kyle Busch’s Toyota (early pit-road penalty) to the lead lap by that point.

            The next phase was Stewart’s domination. As the race stretched past the halfway mark, Stewart’s Chevy seemed consistently better than Edwards, whose Ford was similarly superior to Juan Pablo Montoya’s Chevy, which in turn held a stable advantage over Johnson’s Chevy.

            The so-called “start and parkers” didn’t do Hamlin any favors. Most of them returned to the track in the aftermath of his engine failure, relegating the five-race winner to 43^rd (last) place.

            An exploding tire – predictably, a Goodyear one – rid point leader Kevin Harvick of his left-front fender on lap 253. A great deal of black tape went into replacing the missing fender and getting Harvick back on the track.

            The race became something of a long night’s journey into day at this point as one yellow flag waved after another, ranging from spins through things blown – tires and engines – right on up to the obligatory sightings of minute debris.

            As the end neared, of course, the balance of power shifted, pretenders declining and contenders advancing. As lap 300 approached, the great triumvirate at the front consisted of Kasey Kahne, the winner a year earlier, Johnson and Edwards.

       Check that. After a caution flag, Kahne clashed with Kurt Busch’s Dodge, and … debris … from his damaged Ford … slowed the field yet again.

            Stewart, Edwards and Newman, Stewart’s teammate, led at lap 307 when racing resumed. Newman quickly faded. Stewart and Edwards sped away, with Johnson taking third from a distance. Edwards was faster than everyone else but had nothing for Stewart.

You may contact Monte Dutton at mdutton@gastongazette.com.