CONCORD, N.C., May 18 (UPI) -- Jimmie Johnson took the checkered flag and the $1 million prize Saturday night at The Winston, NASCAR's annual all-star event.
Driving a Chevrolet Monte Carlo co-owned by Jeff Gordon, Johnson took the lead from Gordon and led the last 15 laps of the 20-lap final segment. He finished seventh in the second segment and runner-up to Tony Stewart in the opening 40-lap segment.
"We're going back to victory lane, we did it," said Johnson, who won the first two segments as a rookie last year before finishing sixth.
It was the fifth win in The Winston for team owner Rick Hendrick.
Track president Humpy Wheeler made Johnson his pre-race pick, and Johnson made him right for the ninth time in 15 tries.
"We're all here for Humpy, so this is for you, Humpy," Johnson said. "To come out and win on our home track and win $1 million is great. Last year, we thought we had it after the first two segments, but it didn't work out."
Kurt Busch won the 30-lap second segment in a Ford Taurus and challenged Johnson in the final dash before settling for second place and $265,104.
Busch started the closing run 10th after fans voted on NASCAR's web site to invert the order of the first 10 cars in the 12-car field.
The Chevrolets of Bobby Labonte, Joe Nemechek and Michael Waltrip rounded out the top five.
While the opening 40-lap sprint was accident-free, the second segment ended with a six-car chain-reaction crash that started when Stewart ran into the back of Terry Labonte's Chevrolet. Others taken out were Mark Martin, pole-sitter Bill Elliott, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Dale Jarrett.
Elliott was taken to a local hospital with a sore foot.
Stewart led from laps 13-16 and and again from laps 22-56, while Earnhardt was up front from 17-21.
Kevin Harvick also led the first 12 laps and again for seven laps before finishing seventh.
Five laps into the second segment, Gordon bumped Sterling Marlin, who spun but was able to continue. Midway through the segment, brothers Jeff and Ward Burton made contact but maintained control of their cars. However, Ward Burton was given a little nudge by Gordon on lap 55 that sent him into the wall and ended his night.
Before the multi-car incident, defending race winner Ryan Newman was tapped by Martin in a battle for position and was
eliminated from the race.
The Winston is in its 19th year and featured a field of 24 drivers who have won Winston Cup races in the past year, previous winners of this event and former Winston Cup champions.
Jeff Burton, who finished ninth overall, was the last driver to make the field after winning the 30-lap Winston Open that began the evening's festivities.
The Winston Cup returns to regular competition next week, when Lowe's Motor Speedway hosts the Coca-Cola 600.
