Labonte wins finale dominated by Elliott

HOMESTEAD, Fla. (AP) -- A blown tire on the last lap cost Bill Elliott a second straight victory and gave Bobby Labonte the win Sunday in the era-ending Winston Cup race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

	Bobby Labonte celebrates his second victory of 2003. Credit: AP

Elliott had a dominating victory a week ago at Rockingham and was even stronger in the Ford 400, leading 189 of 267 laps on the reconfigured 1.5-mile Homestead oval.

He held off Labonte on a restart nine laps from the end and pulled away, driving into the first turn of the last lap leading Labonte by about five car-lengths and apparently on the way to an easy win.

As Elliott drove off turn two on the track newly changed from a nearly flat 6 degrees of banking to 20 degrees, his Dodge wiggled and slowed as his right rear tire came apart. That sent pieces of sheet metal and rubber flying and ignited a fire in the wheelwell.

Labonte, who struggled early in the race and had not led a lap all day, shot past Elliott on the backstretch and beat runner-up Kevin Harvick to the finish line by 1.749 seconds -- half the front straightaway.

Crew chief Michael "Fatback" McSwain kept telling Labonte on the radio in the final laps not to give up, but Elliott's problem caught the winner by surprise.

	Three cars were involved in an accident early in Sunday's race. Credit: AP

"Oh man, I couldn't believe it, I just couldn't believe it," Labonte said, shaking his head. "Fatback kept saying, 'Keep going, he'll make a mistake.' But I told him Bill was just playing with me.

"The beginning of the race was just terrible for me, but the track came back to me and we finally got some luck."

Elliott, a former series champion, held on to finish eighth and took the loss in stride.

"Our Dodge ran so well today and it's just an unfortunate thing," he said. "I don't know if I've ever won one like that, but I've sure lost them like that. Obviously, it wasn't our day."

Despite the disappointment, Elliott appeared to spike the season-long rumors that he will retire.

Ford 400 Bobby Labonte celebrates his second win of '03. Play video Kenseth is officially crowned Winston Cup champion Play video Bill Elliott dominates, but cuts a tire on the final lap Play video Hear from the top finishers in Sunday's finale. Play video Newman and Busch get the worst of an early crash Play video  •  Results  •  Standings

Asked how soon he might have a decision on whether to retire or race in 2004, Elliott said, "I ain't got no decisions to make. I'm ready to go."

Elliott's was just the last of a series of tire problems in the race. Goodyear spokesman Mike Stucker said, "It's just the nature of a new, repaved racetrack. A new fresh asphalt, black racetrack, makes a lot of heat and we're seeing some blistering."

This was the last race for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. after 33 years as a major sponsor for NASCAR. Beginning in 2004, NASCAR's top stock car series will be sponsored by Nextel Communications and will be known as the Nextel Cup.

It was not a good day for Matt Kenseth, who wrapped up the last Winston Cup championship at Rockingham. He had an engine failure and finished last in the 43-car field Sunday.

Jimmie Johnson was third in the race and easily held onto second place in the season standings, finishing a deceptively close 90 points to Kenseth, who led from the fourth race of the 36-event season.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished 24th on Sunday and wound up third in the points, 117 behind Johnson.

Johnny Benson had a season-best fourth-place finish. It gave Pontiac, also leaving NASCAR, its top finish in the race.

	Matt Kenseth, already assured of the Winston Cup title, finished last Sunday after an engine failure. Credit: AP

Harvick's second-place finish came despite being involved in a three-car crash on the fourth lap of the race. Harvick was trying to pass Ryan Newman and defending race winner Kurt Busch in a three-wide move, but hit Newman. Newman and Busch then hit the wall and Harvick spun himself into the grass in turn two.

Busch and Newman eventually got back into the race after repairs to their battered cars, but finished 36th and 37th, respectively. Busch wound up losing 10th-place in the standings to Terry Labonte by 12 points. Labonte finished 15th in the race.

Newman, who came into the race fourth in the points, saw both Jeff Gordon, who was fifth Sunday, and Harvick move past him in the standings.