TALLADEGA, Ala., April 25 (UPI) -- A yellow flag denied Dale Earnhardt Jr. a chance at another victory at Talladega as Jeff Gordon went home with a controversial triumph.
Brian Vickers spun in the third turn four laps from the finish and Gordon was just a few feet ahead of Earnhardt. With the field frozen, Gordon was ruled the leader and, with the final four laps run under caution, won Sunday's NASCAR Aaron's 499.
With many of the 200,000 spectators cheering for Earnhardt, the decision to end the race was not popular.
On the cool-down lap, Tony Stewart and Terry Labonte were involved in a collision. Stewart attempted to track Labonte down with his car before NASCAR officials intervened.
Gordon's victory broke a streak of five victories by DEI cars at the 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway. Earnhardt had won four straight with his teammate Michael Waltrip winning here last October.
