Defending points’ champion Tony Stewart won his first race of the 2006 season by winning NASCAR’s event at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday. Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt and Kyle Busch rounded out the top five.

The highest-finishing Missouri native was Joplin’s Jamie McMurray who was ninth on the short track. Carl Edwards of Columbia finished 16th and Fenton native Ken Schrader was 40th.

Edwards is 22nd in points, McMurray is 24th and Schrader is 29th.