TALLADEGA, Ala. — Jimmie Johnson's jaw was locked tight, the emotion in his eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses. He searched for the right words to explain the breach of trust he'd just experienced, but wasn't sure what to say.

"I just can't believe it," he offered. "I had a great chance to make up some points, and I end up getting wrecked by a teammate."

That's how it unfolded Sunday on the final lap at Talladega Superspeedway, when Brian Vickers stole his first Nextel Cup victory by nudging Johnson, his teammate, into race leader Dale Earnhardt Jr., then skirting by the two spinning cars on the last lap at Talladega Superspeedway.

It robbed what looked to be a victory for Earnhardt and a solid chance for Johnson to resurrect his fading Nextel Cup title hopes. And it certainly spoiled what should have been a crowning moment for Vickers, who has just six races left in his Hendrick ride before his impending defection to a Toyota team.

"I got into Jimmie and I hate it," Vickers said. "The last thing I wanted to do was wreck either one of those guys, but what happened, happened. It wasn't intentional.

"It's definitely mixed emotions for me, being my first win, but also what happened with Jimmie because he is my friend and also a teammate, as well."

But a rift has apparently been brewing since Vickers asked out of his Hendrick contract in June, and was locked out of team meetings shortly after.

Johnson, who wasn't going to finish lower than second, wound up 24th and struggled to understand why the accident happened.

"Knowing the situation we're all in, I would hope that someone would be a little more patient than they were back there," he said. "I know he was trying to get his first win, but he was in a position to finish second or third the way that was, and he gave me one hell of a push from behind and pushed me into (Earnhardt) and off we went."

The dramatic ending capped what had been a curiously calm event on Talladega's sleek new asphalt. The race was incident free until 50 laps to go, when an 11-car melee crippled Jeff Gordon's championship hopes.

A second accident set up a final restart with 10 laps to go and Earnhardt out front. Then points leader Jeff Burton got a flat tire and had to make a desperate pit stop while the championship board tightened up considerably.