Brian Vickers (25) drives past Mike Bliss en route to the checkered flag in the Nextel Open on Saturday night. Credit: Autostock

Vickers' last gasp earns berth in all-star event

CONCORD, N.C. -- Brian Vickers bumped his way into the Nextel All-Star Challenge, driving past the sliding Mike Bliss on the final lap of the Nextel Open on Saturday night a Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Vickers' victory earned him a berth in the 21st annual all-star event. He finished third.

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Martin Truex Jr. won the fans' voting and was the 22nd driver in the $1 million race. He was involved in a 10-car accident on Lap 35 and placed 22nd.

Vickers was unapologetic for his last-lap dash to get under -- and around -- Bliss.

"Oh, man, that was exciting," Vickers said. "I knew we had to get [Bliss] on the bottom [of the track]. He was blocking, he was doing his job, but this GMAC/ditech.com Chevrolet team did an awesome job. The team gave me such a good car. ... I hate it for Mike. I'm sorry that we got together. He came down and I was there. I don't know what else to do. When he started to spin, of course, I went [to the] right to try to miss him.

"You know, I'm sure he's upset but that's racing, you know, in the Open. That's how it is-that's the only thing that counts."

For his part, Bliss took the late-race fireworks in stride.

"I was getting extremely tight and I lost some ground because I got tight on the exit," Bliss said. "[Vickers] got a good run and I didn't expect to get wrecked. I expected him to maybe do a crossover move, go to the outside or something. Not just to get wrecked.

"That's what we got -- we got wrecked and we're out of the game and he's in it. So, that's the name of this game, I guess."