Earnhardt wins NASCAR Golden Corral 500

HAMPTON, Ga., March 14 (UPI) -- Racing on a track where his father is the all-time victory leader, Dale Earnhardt Jr. claimed Sunday's NASCAR Nextel Cup Golden Corral 500.

Earnhardt passed Jeremy Mayfield in the third turn, 15 laps from the finish. The Chevrolet Monte Carlo driver outran Mayfield's Dodge Intrepid to win by 4.584 seconds.

Earnhardt's father won at the Atlanta Motor Speedway a record nine times.

Rookie Kasey Kahne finished third. He placed second each of the previous two weeks.

Chevrolet driver Jimmie Johnson was fourth, followed by pole winner Ryan Newman in a Dodge.

Earnhardt led three times for 55 laps. Tony Stewart led four times for 127 laps -- the most of anybody in the 325-lap race.