Smith still thinks he won at Talladega
Thursday, Apr. 23, 2009
Getty Images
TALLADEGA, AL - OCTOBER 05: Regan Smith, driver of the #01 DEI/The Principal Financial Group Chevrolet crosses the finishline with Tony Stewart, driver of the #20 Subway/Home Depot Toyota at the end of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Amp Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 5, 2008 in Talladega, AL. Stewart won the race after NASCAR Officials reviewed the finish and found Smith crossed below the yellow line to pass. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Regan Smith still believes he won the last NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway.
Smith, who drove last year for Dale Earnhardt Inc., will return to the Alabama track for this weekend's Cup race, driving the No. 78 Chevrolet for Furniture Row Racing.
"It's hard not to think about that last lap," said Smith, who led the field to the checkered flag in last October's Talladega race only to see the victory taken away when NASCAR ruled that he illegally passed Tony Stewart on the final lap. The penalty relegated last year's top Cup rookie to an 18th-place finish.
"I was being blocked and it was either passing Stewart or crashing the field," explained Smith. "I felt I made the proper move and won the race."
Though it would have been his first career Cup win, Smith harbors no ill feelings toward Talladega. In fact, the 25-year-old driver said he enjoys Talladega's 2.66-mile oval and looks forward to the three- and four-wide racing.
"Talladega brings out all of the emotions," Smith said. "I've always liked racing there. It's 500 miles of excitement and mind games, an incredible rush."
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