Defending NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson is back in the winner's circle.
The Hendrick Motorsports driver drove away from teammate Jeff Gordon down the stretch Sunday to win the exciting UAW-DAIMLERCHRYSLER 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Johnson's No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet survived a brush with the wall and battled back to the front in a race that changed direction so many times, a capacity crowd had no idea who would win it until the final laps