Stewart leads Pontiac attack.

Sunday's crash-filled Protection One 400 at the Kansas Speedway took its toll on the five-strong Pontiac 'Wide Track' attack team with only Tony Stewart and Mike Wallace emerging unscathed.

Stewart finished in eighth-place after 267-laps of the 1.5-mile tri-oval on Sunday to draw closer than he's ever been to his first Winston Cup championship. The driver of the #20 Joe Gibbs Racing Home Depot Pontiac was the only 'Grand Prix' mounted driver to finish on the lead lap and one of only two Pontiac's to finish inside the top 20.

Although Sunday's effort might not have brought Stewart a much wanted top five finish, the former Indy Racing League Champion now finds himself ranked third overall, just 36 points behind new series leader Jimmie Johnson with seven races left in the 2002 season.

After the third race of the 2000 season, Stewart was 48 points out of the lead, which was the closest he had ever been to the top spot prior to Sunday.

Still, Stewart reflected first on the end of Sunday's race, which saw him battle for a top five finish before ending with his 17th top-10 of the year.

"We had a good car, but I honestly don't believe it was a top five car," said Stewart, who also started from the eighth position. "The guys did a great job on the pit stop (near the end of the race) and got us track position. If it went to the end (without another caution) we were going to finish fifth or sixth.

"But, of course, the caution late in the race for that debris that wasn't in anybody's way or anything like that - I mean, that's the part that's hard - not knowing what to do when you're that far back, as far as whether you come in and pit."

#10 MBV Motorsports Valvoline Pontiac driver Johnny Benson also looked to be on his way to a top 10 finish as his season finally begins to improve. But, a tangle with Jimmy Spencer with seven laps to go left Benson with a DNF and a 23rd place finish.

"It just looked like the '41' (Spencer) wanted to take me down in the grass," said Benson. "Then, I went underneath him and got on the apron. I slid up into him after that. We were just sliding and got hit. Guys just do a lot of blocking. I don't know, maybe he was moving down to the grass to let me by on the outside. But, I was already committed underneath him. Then, I ran into him after I hit the apron."

AJ Foyt Racing's Mike Wallace persevered through the wreck-filled 400-miler for a 19th place finish, virtually the last car to reach the chequered flag without some form of major drama.

Stewart's JGR teammate Bobby Labonte was involved in the initial caution of the day after starting from the rear of the field following his heavy Happy Hour accident, but fought back for a 22nd place finish, six laps adrift. Ken Schrader was also involved in that first caution of the day and was later involved in another accident with Morgan Shepherd and Jack Sprague in his #36 Pontiac. Schrader crossed the line in 28th place after completing 230 laps.

The NASCAR Winston Cup series continues next weekend at Talladega Superspeedway where Stewart could win an extra $250,000 in the Winston Cup Leader program if he wins the EA Sports 500 AND takes the overall Winston Cup points lead.