NASCAR Chicagoland Results: Tony Stewart Wins 2011 Chase Opener

The 2011 NASCAR Chase opener resulted in a fuel-mileage race. Go figure.

In a season full of strategy races, Monday's delayed Chicagoland Speedway race was another in a series of events in which drivers needed to stretch their gas as long as possible – and, as usual, some failed.

Tony Stewart didn't, though. Stewart made his fuel last to the finish and won his first race in nearly a year.

Not bad for a guy who had counted himself out of the Chase as recently as Thursday.

Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. also had enough gas to make it to the finish – and finished second and third as a result – but five-time defending NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson didn't.

Johnson finished 11th and was among the drivers who were bitten by fuel strategy. Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon also ran out of gas before the finish.

Check out the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings here.

Here are the NASCAR Chicagoland Speedway race results for Monday (Chase driver names in bold):

1. Tony Stewart
2. Kevin Harvick
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
4. Carl Edwards
5. Brad Keselowski
6. Kurt Busch
7. Clint Bowyer
8. Ryan Newman
9. Mark Martin
10. Jimmie Johnson
11. David Ragan
12. Kasey Kahne
13. Brian Vickers
14. Juan Pablo Montoya
15. Jeff Burton
16. Joey Logano
17. Regan Smith
18. Martin Truex Jr.
19. Marcos Ambrose
20. Paul Menard
21. Matt Kenseth
22. Kyle Busch
23. Trevor Bayne
24. Jeff Gordon
25. Mike Bliss
26. Greg Biffle
27. AJ Allmendinger
28. Andy Lally
29. Casey Mears
30. Landon Cassill
31. Denny Hamlin
32. David Reutimann
33. Dave Blaney
34. JJ Yeley
35. Scott Speed
36. David Gilliland
37. Bobby Labonte
38. Jamie McMurray
39. Robby Gordon
40. Joe Nemechek
41. David Stremme
42. Josh Wise
43. Michael McDowell