RIDGEWAY, Va., Oct. 30 (UPI) -- Tony Stewart made a big move in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship Sunday by winning the Tums Fast Relief 500 in a wild finish.
Stewart zipped past Jimmie Johnson for the lead following a restart with three laps left, then fended off a furious challenge from Johnson down the stretch to wrap up a dramatic victory at Martinsville Speedway.
The victory -- his third in the Sprint Cup Chase series -- pulled him to within eight points of Carl Edwards, who finished ninth Sunday after running one lap behind for most of the 500-lap event.
Stewart also won the first two playoff races last month at Chicagoland and New Hampshire.
Jeff Gordon overcame an early-race accident to finish third. Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin rounded out the Top 5.
Five-time defending champion Johnson now trails Edwards by 41 points with just three races to go.
