TALLADEGA, Ala. — After too many Talladega mistakes to keep track of, Jimmie Johnson figured out the best strategy for restrictor-plate racing: Don't try to lead all the laps when the last is all that really counts.

Johnson executed it to perfection Monday, passing teammate Brian Vickers with one lap to go to win the rain-rescheduled race at Talladega Superspeedway. It made Johnson two-for-two at plate races this season — he also won the Daytona 500 — and proved he's come a long way from last year, when he was blamed for wrecking 39 cars in two Talladega races.

"There were so many times that I decided not to block somebody or make a move," Johnson said. "I'd get pushed back, but I just dealt with it and fought my way back through there."

It's a marked turnaround from last year, when Johnson was criticized for being too aggressive and not patient enough at Talladega. He was blamed for three accidents in two different races, including a 25-car pileup that led Dale Earnhardt Jr. to brand him an "idiot."

Johnson took the criticism seriously, and tried his best to figure out what he was doing wrong.

"I got into some situations last year, and I just felt in my heart that maybe I was being too aggressive on the track," Johnson said. "I really just stayed cautious. I didn't want to be aggressive. I didn't want to block anybody.

"And then at the end, got really aggressive and raced for the win."

It worked for him in Daytona, even though that victory was subject to intense scrutiny.

Crew chief Chad Knaus was suspended for cheating during race preparations, and even though Johnson rallied to win in a legal car he was forced to defend himself and his team from a wave of criticism that spoiled the victory.

So this win was redemption. It came fair and square, and proved he's learned how to race at Talladega.

Johnson stayed away from the front until the very end, when he powered to the front and past Vickers at the start/finish line of the final lap. Vickers knew the move was coming.

"You come down to the last couple of laps, and teammates or not, all bets are off," Vickers said.

Once out front, Johnson still had to contend with Tony Stewart.

Stewart was the leader with nine to go, was shuffled out of the draft and out of the top 10. He sliced his way through traffic and onto Johnson's bumper for the final lap.

He was right there coming out of the final turn, but Johnson used a huge block to hold him off and seal his third win of the season and move into first place in the points standings. He has a 21-point lead over Matt Kenseth.

Stewart wound up second — his sixth runner-up finish in the past 11 races at the track.