Short-lived Nextel moniker had memorable moments (cont'd)

Smoke fails to make the Chase
Tony Stewart was the defending series champion but he failed to make the Chase in 2006, finishing 11th in points after Richmond where the 10-driver field was set. Stewart played the role of spoiler in the 10-race playoffs, winning three times down the stretch.

The Kid passes the Intimidator
Jeff Gordon uses a Dale Earnhardt-like charge in the final laps to win at Talladega on April 29, 2007 -- on what would have been Earnhardt's 56th birthday -- and pass the seven-time champ on NASCAR's all-time list with 77 victories.

Junior leaves DEI
On May 10, 2007, Dale Earnhardt Jr. made the announcement many believed would never come: "After a year of intense negotiations and intense efforts on behalf of Dale Earnhardt Inc. and JR Motorsports, we decided that it's time for us to move on and seek other opportunities for me to drive for a new team in 2008."

Yes, Dale Jr. would be leaving his father's organization.

On June 13, Junior announced he would join Hendrick Motorsports, beginning in 2008. That move pushed Kyle Busch out the garage door and into a Joe Gibbs Racing car for next season. That move led to J.J. Yeley signing with Hall of Fame Racing and pushed Tony Raines out the garage door.

Tony Stewart goes home
A native of Indiana, Smoke captured an emotional (and elusive) victory in the Brickyard 400 on Aug. 7, 2005, at Indianapolis. The win was part of a run of 18 top-10s in Stewart's final 21 starts that secured his second series title.

You picked the fine time to leave me, loose wheel
Kurt Busch had the right-front wheel come off the No. 97 during the season finale on Nov. 21, 2004, at Homestead, but he maneuvered onto pit road and eventually salvaged a fifth-place finish and claimed victory in the first -- and closest -- Chase. He won the championship by eight points over Jimmie Johnson.

Rising Phoenix
Jimmie Johnson won his fourth consecutive race on Nov. 11, 2007, at Phoenix, and all but secured his second consecutive Cup championship with a series-high 10th victory of the season. No other driver in the Nextel Cup era registered double-digit wins in a season.

Open-wheel migration
Juan Montoya made his NASCAR debut on Oct. 28, 2006, at Memphis in the Busch Series, then jumped to the Cup Series for the season finale at Homestead on Nov. 19. In 2007, he won the Busch Series race at Mexico City and the Cup Series race at Sonoma.

What followed: open-wheel stars Dario Franchitti, Jacques Villeneuve, Sam Hornish Jr. and Patrick Carpentier all joined the fray -- and almost certainly more are on the way (remember the name: Scott Speed).

It don't mean ... what?
Earnhardt was docked 25 points and fined $10,000 for cursing during a TV interview after his victory at Talladega on Oct. 3, 2004. Asked by NBC about the significance of his fifth victory at Talladega, Junior said: "It don't mean s--- right now. Daddy's won here 10 times."

After the win, Earnhardt led Kurt Busch by 13 points. After the point penalty, Junior trailed by 12 with seven races left in the season. He finished fifth in the Chase, 138 points behind Busch.