Johnson steals win on race's final lap
LAS VEGAS — So far this season, Jimmie Johnson is doing just about everything right.
The Hendrick Motorsports driver has two victories and a second-place finish in the NASCAR Nextel Cup's three races.
Johnson was in the top five throughout the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400, but led only the final lap Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
"That was a lot of fun, but I know how aggravating losing like that can be," Johnson said after a late caution flag gave him the chance to catch and pass Matt Kenseth in a two-lap overtime sprint to the finish.
Johnson's No. 48 Chevrolet surged past Kenseth's No. 17 Ford on the outside after the two sped side-by-side through the third and fourth turns on the 1.5-mile oval for the final time. The winner crossed by finish line 0.115 seconds — about half a car-length — ahead as he led a lap for the only time in the race.
Johnson sympathized with Kenseth, noting he lost to Carl Edwards on the same kind of move last spring in Atlanta and then edged Bobby Labonte with an outside pass on the last lap last May at Charlotte.
But that experience definitely helped him strategize Sunday.
"I was slowly catching Matt before that last caution," Johnson said. "I think we could have got up there to race with him but, if it stayed green, I believe Matt had it in the bag. Then we got that last yellow.
Kenseth led a race-high 146 laps.
