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What an amazing year, unquestionably the biggest year in sports for Dallas-Fort Worth ever! No community in America has likely ever had a year in sports like the one we just enjoyed in 2011.

The Mavs won the NBA world championship. TCU won the Rose Bowl. A Baylor football player -- RGIII -- won the Heisman Trophy. The Rangers played in the World Series. The Super Bowl was played here. Two PGA golf tournaments were played here. Two NASCAR races were run and twin IndyCar races were held in the same night. High school sports gave us unlimited stories of success and failure, opportunities and created memories for a lifetime. The Sporting news named us the nation's top sports city!

As you try to wrap your arms around the most amazing year any city has enjoyed in sports, I would argue that the greatest individual performance by any athlete occurred here at Texas Motor Speedway in November when Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards began an emotional three-race battle for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

Stewart won here at TMS while Edwards, the points leader, finished second. One week later in Phoenix, Edwards finished second and Stewart third. In the season finale at Homestead, Stewart's stubborn competitive drive proved too much as he won the race with Edwards finishing a close second. The two ended the season tied in the points standings. A tiebreaker -- the driver with the most wins -- gave Stewart his third championship.

What more can you ask for in sports? And it all started right here.

Why do we watch sports? To see competitors win or lose. To see who has the strongest will. To find out who will refuse to lose. To see who is the most determined. To see who has the most grit. To see who can conquer their own fears and insecurities. To see who is mentally tough. TO SEE WHO HAS THE BIGGEST HEART.

In a sport that must blend man and machine, the big, strong, determined heart that beats in Tony Stewart's chest was bigger than the 600 horsepower engine in Edwards' car. Stewart's will won out. And that come-from-behind run in the final three races of the season started right here at Texas Motor Speedway. All that is good in sports was on display right here that day in November.

As you consider a remarkable year in sports for Dallas-Fort Worth, I wanted to remind you that Stewart and Edwards shined in the purest of ways that day. Fittingly, a simple race between two tough men was beautiful in the most graceful of ways.

It may well be the highlight of the greatest year in sports for Dallas-Fort Worth. Ever.

FORT WORTH, Texas -- After eight drivers tried to play the fuel mileage game -- and lost -- Tony Stewart found his way to Victory Lane to cap a dominating performance at the AAA Texas 500 on Sunday afternoon.

It was Stewart's fourth victory in eight Chase races, and his 17th top-10 finish of the season. He led a race-high 173 laps in the No. 14 Office Depot Chevrolet.

"I told you last week ... nobody listens to me when I talk anymore" Stewart said in Victory Lane as he fired off the winner's pistols. "We're set on it [winning the title], man. This is just the way it's going to be."

Finishing second, however, was points leader Carl Edwards -- who still holds a three-point lead as the Sprint Cup series heads to Phoenix and, ultimately, to Homestead-Miami Speedway for the season finale.

"He better be worried," Stewart said of Edwards after last week's victory at Martinsville. "That's all I'm saying."

He backed up those words Sunday.

"We are doing exactly what we need to do," Stewart said. "I am really confident right now."

Stewart's winning margin over Edwards was 1.092 seconds. It was his second victory in 20 career Cup races at TMS. He last won here in Nov. 2006.

"I just told him, 'Good job," said Edwards, who leaned into Stewart's window after the race. "I'm proud of my guys for hanging on and for still having the points lead. It really looks like it's truly gonna come down to Tony and I, and that's going to be a lot of fun.

"I give those guys credit. They've done a good job, but now we get to kind of pull out all the stops here. ... I think folks ought to stay tuned. It's gonna get pretty exciting, and I'm just glad Tony and I are out there and we can race for this thing."

Edwards won the final two races of the season in 2010.

Kasey Kahne finished third at TMS on Sunday, and Matt Kenseth and pole-sitter Greg Biffle rounded out the top five.

"Tony was definitely the best car throughout the whole race," said Kahne, who earned his fourth top-10 finish in 15 races at TMS. "We were pretty close.

"Tony and Carl were going for it. It's intense trying to win these races right now. It's super close."

Stewart finished with an average lap speed of 152.707, breaking Edwards' track record of 151.055 -- set in Nov. 2005.

Jeff Burton, Ryan Newman and Mark Martin were among the eight cars trying to gamble on fuel and get the victory.

Newman and Martin had to pit with 10 laps to go. Burton ran out of fuel with five laps to go, and he finished 27th.

"I've never rooted for Burton so hard in my life," Edwards said. "If I could've lended him some fuel, I would have."

Michael McDowell, who filled in for suspended Kyle Busch in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 Toyota, finished 33rd.

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Joey Logano took his No. 20 to the garage after blowing an engine on Lap 263 of the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

With 73 laps to go, Tony Stewart was the race leader. However, after yellow flag pit stops, points leader Carl Edwards now is in front after most took just two tires. Matt Kenseth will restart third.

Kasey Kahne is the first car in line that took four tires. He's restarting eighth.

Now, we'll just see how things play out once the green flag drops.

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Five-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson got loose coming out of Turn 4 and went into the grass with just under 100 laps to go.

He was able to keep the car from hitting the wall. He drove straight to his pit box and did get across the start-finish line before the pace car to stay on the lead lap. But he did have a commitment line violation, meaning he started at the tail end of the lead lap.

Tony Stewart remains the leader with Kasey Kahne in second and Marcos Ambrose in third. Matt Kenseth is in fourth with Carl Edwards, the Chase leader, in fifth.

FORT WORTH, Texas -- We have reached halfway of the AAA Texas 500, meaning the race is now official (though it doesn't appear we've got any weather issues to worry about).

Stewart pitted under green and everyone else cycled through, allowing him to re-take his lead. Matt Kenseth, who has a long and successful history at Texas Motor Speedway, is second. Carl Edwards, the Chase for the Sprint Cup leader, was seventh.

The top-10:

Tony Stewart
Matt Kenseth
David Ragan
Jimmie Johnson
Marcos Ambrose
Brad Keselowski
Carl Edwards
Casey Kahne
Kevin Harvick
Jeff Gordon
HALFWAY

14, 17, 6, 48, 9, 2, 99, 4, 29, 24, 88, 56

FORT WORTH, Texas -- After the first caution of this race occured on Lap 113 because of debris in Turn 2, Tony Stewart took advantage and handled the restart perfectly.

Stewart, second in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, got around Matt Kenseth and into the top spot. Carl Edwards, the Chase leader, currently sits third.

We still have more than 200 laps to go and the sun broke through the clouds here. It's still a bit hazy out there and we'll see what the temperature does later in the day.

But right now, this is setting up with three key Chase contenders fighting it out for the lead.

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Kyle Busch, parked for the weekend after he deliberately wrecked Ron Hornaday in the truck race on Friday, is watching the AAA Texas 500 from the No. 18 M&M pit box.

Busch has been watching Michael McDowell struggle in the early going as he's been hovering around 30th place.

The leader is Matt Kenseth, no stranger to running well at Texas. He has two wins, four runner-up performances and an average finish of 6.8 in his last 13 races here, the best of any driver in that span.

The first group of green flag pit stops have just started.

FORT WORTH, Texas -- TMS president Eddie Gossage has played up the idea of Tony Stewart talking trash with Carl Edwards in regards to the Sprint Cup championship.

Gossage put lockers with boxing gloves in the media center and there's been a "bout" theme to many of the non-racing festivities.

Stewart decided to have a little fun, too. During the pre-race introductions, Stewart walked out and playfully kicked his leg at Edwards. Both laughed.

The engines have started and we are just about ready to race at TMS. Stay tuned here for updates.

FORT WORTH, Texas -- It's overcast at Texas Motor Speedway a few hours before the green flag and according to weather.com, there's a 50 percent chance of rain at 3 p.m., about an hour after the race begins.

But the chance of rain drops after that, so we'll see. It certainly hasn't dampened any of the prerace activities and we are still on track for a 2:18 p.m. green flag drop.

To keep an eye on the weather, click here.

Sage Steele and Shannon Spake preview the AAA Texas 500 on Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway.

After deliberately wrecking Camping World Truck Series points leader Ron Hornday during a caution just 15 laps into Friday night's race at Texas Motor Speedway, NASCAR has come down hard on Kyle Busch.

Busch, a participant in NASCAR's Chase for the Cup, has been suspended from the Nationwide Series race on Saturday AND for the Sprint Cup race on Sunday.

"After a good deal conversation and discussion, NASCAR decided to maintain the parked position for the balance of the weekend," Helton said during a news conference Saturday morning. "Kyle will not be participating today and tomorrow in Texas."

For more on the story, click here.

Busch has long been a polarizing figure in NASCAR, with fans either loving or hating the brash driver of the M&M's No. 18. So, after NASCAR's famed declaration of "Have at it, boys," do you agree with the sport's decision to park Busch for the weekend?

Click here to comment.

Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage comments on some of the promotions leading up to this Sunday's race, including an interesting challenge posed to him by Jimmy Johnson.

 

The Chase gallops into Texas as Carl Edwards tries to stay ahead of Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick. Plus, Danica Patrick is set to make a big announcement with Michael Waltrip Racing.

 

Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage is more than happy to hype this Sunday's Sprint Cup race -- the AAA Texas 500 (2 p.m., ESPN).

In fact, ESPN.com writer Ed Hinton has put together a top-10 list on why it promises to the best event -- ever!

Here's #9: Because TMS draws 8.5 million fans in 3.4 million luxury motor coaches to every single race, and every race gets bigger. (No, Gossage doesn't disclose attendance. You have to go by his insinuations.)

Click here to read the full list.

Matt Kenseth joins SportsNation for a chat Tuesday morning, and he discussed the Chase for the Championship as the Sprint Cup series roars into Texas Motor Speedway this weekend. Kenseth, who wheels the No. 17 Ford for the Roush Fenway Racing, sits fifth in the points race with three races left.

Here are a few highlights of his chat:

Is Texas Motor Speedway a good track for you? How confident are you heading into this weekend?

Kenseth: It's been a good track for us, maybe the best statisically speaking. I love going there but past success doesn't mean much for future success. But I like going there.

Do you feel like this year's Chase was more open than in past years?

Kenseth: It has felt like that. There have been many different guys in contention and just like you say, much more wide open. Not sure if it is the point system or Jimmie not being as dominant or what. I'm not really sure.

Do you still feel as if you have a legitimate shot at winning the Sprint Cup?

Kenseth: I was more confident two and a half weeks ago. We're far down but not out. We would have to have a spectacular few weeks and have the top guys have a down few weeks to get back in it.

It seems the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup has woken a sleeping giant. Tony Stewart picked up his third win in the Chase yesterday at Martinsville and jumped from fourth to second in the championship standings. He now trails leader Carl Edwards by a mere eight points.

“Carl Edwards had better be real worried,” said Stewart in Victory Lane yesterday. “That’s all I’ve got to say. He’s not going to have an easy three weeks.”

Edwards responded with, “He's wound up. He won the race. We'll see what happens (this week) at Texas.”

Here’s Stewart who was almost a non-contender entering the Chase and now he’s made a complete 180 degree turn -- a perfect example of how quickly a team can rebound in the new Chase points system when it find that competitive edge. The luck can turn the opposite way just as fast, but now Stewart can taste a third NASCAR Sprint Cup championship and he’s not going down without a fight.

You couldn’t have picked two better guys to be battling in this Chase. Stewart was the last champion before Jimmie Johnson began his title-winning spree and Edwards is hungry for his first. I think of Ali vs. Frazier, the Yankees and the Red Sox, Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady.

This championship battle has a feel for the makings of a classic, epic slugfest. In fact, if you offered them a boxing ring to have at it after 500 miles of hard racing, I don’t think either one would turn the offer down. (Hey, that’s an idea!)

The AAA Texas 500 on Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway is perfect timing for this rivalry to get heated up. Wild and crazy things have been known to occur at this place during the Chase. Last year we saw crew guys being shuffled, a fight on the backstretch and an official served with a hand gesture. The intensity of this year’s Chase is even higher, so I can only imagine what this race has in store for us.

LAAA-DIES AND GENTLE-MEN! IN THIS CORNER …