Rewind: Quagmires, tires, key moments and more

Still collecting your thoughts after Sunday's race? Considering actions detrimental to stock car racing? We'd ask that you consider the following instead:

REAR-VIEW MIRROR/BRANT JAMES

Brad Keselowski artfully applied pressure on NASCAR to punish Carl Edwards for his apparent punting of his No. 12 Dodge on Lap 322.

Keselowski said the incident “could have killed someone in the grandstands,” a painful notion for a sanctioning body at any time. But it's an especially poignant one after a fan was killed at an NHRA event in Chandler, Ariz., just weeks ago.

The quandary for NASCAR will be reconciling its loudly proclaimed “have at it” mantra – by its vice president of competition, Robin Pemberton, and others – and a sense of propriety.

Nothing was done to Denny Hamlin when he followed through on a pledge to exact revenge on Keselowski last season.

Edwards was outwardly contrite on Sunday, but his wrong-way drive down pit road after being black-flagged and ordered to the NASCAR hauler could have been an act of insubordination.

NASCAR needs to wield a hammer.

Officially speaking, Ted Musgrave is the last driver to have merited NASCAR suspension for on-track conduct. Musgrave rammed the nose of his truck into the door of Kelly Bires’ truck under caution at Milwaukee in June, 2007.

NASCAR responded with a one-race suspension.

Robby Gordon was parked for the Cup race at Pocono that August after failing to have complied with NASCAR's command to restart 13th late in the Nationwide Series race at Montreal the previous day.

But NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said in an e-mail late Sunday that Gordon’s sanction was for “disobeying NASCAR directive.”

The tire – lauded by drivers before the race for its grip – became too much of the story on Sunday with at least a dozen failures. But Goodyear officials cited punctures and set-ups for most of them.

It’s time to recognize Scott Speed as more than just a Formula One refugee with a bold fashion sense and nimble Twitter fingers. His 10th-place finish moved him to 12th in driver points and he’s showing signs on making a difficult transition to stock cars after just 44 starts.

KEY MOMENTS

Lap 40: Carl Edwards got loose and veered up into Joey Logano in Turn 2 after a slight nudge from Brad Keselowski after a restart.

Lap 289: Kasey Kahne, who led eight times for a race-high 144 laps, loses the lead for the last time to Kurt Busch.

Lap 322: Carl Edwards bumped Brad Keselowski, who was running sixth, on the frontstretch, turning, then flipping the No. 12 Dodge. Keselowski’s car struck the wall on its right-front side, crushing it. Edwards was black-flagged and called to the NASCAR hauler. A caution flew with Kurt Busch in front.

Lap 331: Jamie McMurray’s loose No. 1 Chevrolet drifted up the race track and into Clint Bowyer, touching off a seven-car wreck that nullified the first attempt at a green/white/checker finish before leader Kurt Busch reached the flag stand.

Lap 341: Kurt Busch blasted away from the field – as Matt Kenseth zoomed from fifth place to second – winning the Kobalt Tools 500 for the second consecutive season.

NOTES

Exalted halted

Jimmie Johnson’s latest race-winning streak ended at two with a 12th-place finish. He still managed to climb a spot to fourth in points.

But even in a day of misadventure – including his slide through the pit box and need of a push back to avoid a penalty – the four-time defending series champion had wrangled himself back into a position to challenge until a rubbed fender with Ryan Newman on Lap 293.

The No. 48 crew labored through two long stops before sending Johnson back out 18th. A seven-car wreck on Lap 333 allowed him to scoot through and improve his position.

Kings for a day

Richard Petty Motorsports was more than Kasey Kahne on Sunday, with three of its four cars finishing sixth or better.

Kahne, an impending free agent – the team’s “lead dog” in Petty's view – was still the leader, finishing fourth. But Paul Menard placed a surprising fifth to improve to a career-best ninth in driver points. A.J. Allmendinger was sixth.

“I think Richard Petty Motorsports is back,” Menard said.

Teammate Elliott Sadler was 19th.

King for (at least) 13 more days

Kevin Harvick recovered from a miserable early portion of the race and an ill-handling No. 29 Chevrolet to finish ninth and maintain the points lead (by 26) over Matt Kenseth.

Harvick had finished second in consecutive races before Sunday, but still has four consecutive top-10s showing so far this season.

He was encouraged by the comeback after finishing 19th in points last season.

“If a ninth-place effort ever felt like a win, then that was it,” he said. “We just weren't very good all weekend. Gil (Martin, his crew chief) made a great call there late to not pit and take the wave around.

"We got a quick caution, which enabled us to get tires, and take a big swing at the chassis. Today was the kind of day that we just couldn't manufacture last year.”

NEXT RACE

Food City 500

Where: Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tenn.

When: 1 p.m., March 21.

TV: Fox.

Radio: Performance Racing Network.

Last year’s winner: Kyle Busch.