MARTINSVILLE, Va. - Jimmie Johnson held off Ryan Newman and Jeff Gordon over the final laps to win a record-setting Subway 500 at Martinsville Speedway yesterday.
The yellow flag flew 21 times, more than in any other race at this track where NASCAR has been competing since 1949, so it was fitting that it came down to a green-white-checkered finish that was not a finish at all as David Ragan spun out in Turn 1 as the field came back up to speed.
NASCAR waited until the leaders were taking the white flag -- with Ragan's Ford sitting diagonally across the track -- but finally threw the yellow.
Since only one attempt is made at an "overtime" finish, that was it.
Johnson, who had passed Gordon to take the lead on Lap 458, completed a season's sweep at this .526-mile track, earning his seventh victory of the season. Newman held on for second with Gordon third.
Johnson and Gordon have now combined to win eight of the past 10 races here, and both have finished in the top 10 in all of those races.
The outcome leaves Gordon 53 points ahead of Gordon in the Chase for the Nextel Cup standings.