…Is showing signs of life.

With a thrilling last second see-saw finish, Tony Stewart fought his way to a win at Sonoma on Sunday. This was his first win since coming back from a spinal injury, in what will be his last season in NASCAR’s Cup series.

Stewart’s fortunes improved when Lady Luck gave the field a caution right after his green flag pit stop, and he took the lead for the first time. After two deft restarts. he held off Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin, in turn…until the very last lap. Stewart got loose and let Hamlin get around him, and it looked like it was all over (despite announcer and former race driver Jeff Gordon assuring the audience it was not).

Two turns later, Hamlin was paying more attention to Stewart in his mirror than negotiating the turn, and drifted too wide on entrance. Stewart dove underneath, taking the inside of the curve. They traded some paint, and Hamlin bounced off the wall. Stewart sped away and took the checkered flag seconds later.

Tony Stewart has got some bragging rights–the only driver to win championships in both NASCAR and Indy Car; and to win championships with three different Cup sponsors–Winston, Nextel and Sprint. He’s also got eight road course wins.

The race was not without its heartbreaks. Clint Boyer suffered a DNF (Did Not Finish) due to an electrical fire. A.J. Allmendinger took the lead for a while and looked very strong until a bad adjustment during a pit stop got him moving backwards through the field. And Dale Earnhardt Jr, who had a well-performing car and was moving forward all day (despite some pit stop setbacks), was on the receiving end of an automotive billiards shot resulting in a tire rub that yanked him out of the top ten.

Stewart was having a rough season, but now he’s in the Chase. Maybe this is the turning point in what will be a Cinderella season.

Sonoma (formerly Sears Point) and Watkins Glen are the two Cup Series road courses, and my favorite races of the season take place there.