Martin Truex Jr and Johnny Sauter took the top two finishing positions in a wreck-filled Nextel Open and will go forward into the million-dollar All Star Challenge main event.
In a two-part 40-lap accident filled event the 32 starters were whittled down to just 19 finishers after no less than four accidents in 20 laps but even with the 1.5-mile Lowe's Motor Speedway proving to be just as treacherous as ever when matched with the current extra hard tyre compound, the final 19 green-flag laps culminated in a great grandstand finish.
For 35 of the 40 laps the race looked like it belonged to pole sitter Carl Edwards but after the early flurry of cautions, the final segment ran largely untroubled, which resulted in the #99 Roush-Fenway Ford running into severe tyre troubles. From holding a comfortable lead at the 30 lap mark, Edwards soon found the #1 DEI Chevrolet of Truex Jr and a fast rising Sauter honing in on his rear bumper.
As the trio entered lap 37 Truex Jr dove to the outside of Edwards and with Sauter ducking low at the same time, the crowd held its breath as the leaders went through turns one and two three-wide. Truex Jr forged ahead coming off the corner and with Sauter also completing the pass on Edwards going into turn three, the entire complexion of the race changed in an instant.
On the surface it seemed as if Sauter had the car to pass Truex Jr for the win but instead the driver of the #70 Haas CNC Chevrolet erred on the side of caution and dutifully followed Truex to the chequered flag as the second automatic All Star qualifier.
![Martin Truex Jr - Tracker/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet [pic credit: GM media]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/289120.jpg)
