Jimmie Johnson Passes Kurt Busch to Win at New Hampshire

LOUDON, N.H. -- So much for the talk of seasoned scores to settle and high drama.

For the fifth time this season and second consecutive week, four-time Sprint Cup Series champ Jimmie Johnson won the trophy in what's becoming NASCAR's recurring theme.

Far from the retaliatory free-for-all everyone predicted after a series of run-ins in last week's race, Sunday's Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway came down to the final three laps and a test of wills between two champions -- Johnson and 2004 champ Kurt Busch, who nudged Johnson out of the lead with seven laps remaining and then had the favor returned with three laps left.

Tony Stewart, Busch, Jeff Gordon and points leader Kevin Harvick rounded out the top five.

''I was pretty pissed off there for a minute there, I thought he took one from us,'' Johnson radioed to his crew after taking the checkered flag.

"Kurt [Busch] knocked us out of the way on the restart and I said, 'I don't care if I don't win this race, I'm going to run back into him,' " Johnson said afterward.

Busch, who was pleased with a third place finish in what he characterized "a 10th place car," said he fully expected Johnson to come back at him in the waning laps. From his perspective, it wasn't so much blatant payback but assertive and respectful racing.

"The 48 (Johnson) is strong and I was trying to beat them with some raw short track racing, but he beat us with some raw speed,'' Busch said smiling. "At the end of this race you saw champion drivers rubbing each other and still bringing it home.

"It's every man for himself, but ultimately you've got to bring it home for your team. To finish third considering where we were with 60 laps to go (fifth), this was an over-achievement.''

As the mostly green-flag race wound down, it looked like veteran Jeff Burton would collect his first victory in nearly two years. He was one of three drivers -- including Kasey Kahne and Kyle Busch -- who paced the field for much of the day.

Kahne, who led a race best 110 laps, retired on lap 236 of the 301-lap race with engine problems on his Ford. It was primarily Burton and Busch exchanging the lead after that, only to have their fates ultimately intertwine again.

Burton, who led 89 laps, was the only lead lap car that did not pit during a caution period with 17 laps remaining -- leaving him a sitting duck.

Left to fend off the field on old tires, he spun into Busch with 12 laps remaining, eliminating both from contention. Busch ended up 11th and Burton 12th.

"That didn't work out for us today,'' Burton said simply of the decision to stay on track and forgo tires.

For the second consecutive week, it took a late race move for Johnson to cinch the win.



"At the end of the day, that's what fans want to see,'' Johnson said of the late race contact.

"If I was in the grandstands I'd want to see bump-and-run, I understand that from that standpoint, but I have to say I was a little shocked. If it was his (Kurt Busch) intention (to wreck me) that's the first time in nine years I've had that with him.

"I hate the fact that he didn't think I was going to wreck him because that was my goal, to wreck him,'' Johnson explained.

"My thought process was to wreck his ass, but then I thought, you can't do that. But I don't want people to think they can knock the 48 out of the way because 'he's not going to wreck me.' "

"Strike that out from the record,'' Johnson's crew chief Chad Knaus interrupted, triggering a room full of laughter.

With the victory, Johnson trimmed a few more points off Kevin Harvick's championship lead. He's second in the standings trailing Harvick by 105 points entering Saturday night's Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway. Johnson's five wins ties him with Denny Hamlin for the most in the series -- a 50-point bonus when the points are re-set for the Chase for the Championship following the Sept. 11 Richmond (Va.) 400.

Nine races remain to set the 12-driver Chase playoff field. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ryan Newman and Clint Bowyer are ranked 13th-15th and only 16 points currently separate 15th place Bowyer from 12th place Carl Edwards.