NASCAR: Johnson Edges Gordon to Win Goody's Cool Orange 500

The top seven finishers all drove Chevys.

Jimmie Johnson edged Jeff Gordon to win the Goody's Cool Orange 500. Photo courtesy: martinsvillespeedway.com

MARTINSVILLE, VA - Teammates Jimmy Johnson and Jeff Gordon duked it out over the final 18 laps of the Goody's Cool Orange 500 at Martinsville Speedway Sunday afternoon, with Johnson holding on for a .065-second win.

Gordon slammed Johnson's rear bumper in the third and fourth turns on the final lap, pulled halfway alongside his teammate before the two slammed together. Both kept their Chevrolets under control and Johnson edged ahead for the win.

"Jeff would give me a shot every couple laps and as the race went on the shots got harder," said Johnson. "It was hard racing. I don't know how he could have hit me any harder. I would just put my head back on the head rest and wait for it to come.

"The bottom line was Jeff couldn't get up inside of me outside of the turns. I don't know how we could have raced any harder."

Gordon was upset after the race, but not with his teammate.

"I would congratulate him," Gordon said after being asked what he would say to Johnson. "He did exactly what he should have done. I'm mad, but not at him. If I had hit him harder and wrecked him, it would have been an issue."

Denny Hamlin, who started on the pole and led 125 laps, finished third with Kyle Busch fourth.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., who led a race-high 137 laps, finished fifth. Jeff Burton was sixth and Tony Stewart seventh.

The top seven finishers all drove Chevys.

Scott Riggs, in a Dodge, was eighth, followed by Jamie McMurray and Matt Kenseth, both in Fords.

"At the beginning of the race, we had a great car," said McMurray, who started second. "I drove too hard at the beginning. I told myself to take it easy on the brakes, but I couldn't help it."

The race was red flagged for just over 31 minutes on lap 354 when the track was hit with a light rain shower.

There were 13 caution periods for 93 laps.

Twenty-one cars were running on the lead lap at the end and 42 of 43 starters were running at the end.

Goody's Cool Orange 500 Results:

1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Jeff Gordon
3. Denny Hamlin
4. Kyle Busch
5. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
6. Jeff Burton
7. Tony Stewart
8. Scott Riggs
9. Jamie McMurray
10. Matt Kenseth
11. Clint Bowyer
12. Kurt Busch
13. Ricky Rudd
14. Ryan Newman
15. David Ragan
16. Juan Pablo Montoya
17. Carl Edwards
18. Reed Sorenson
19. Ken Schrader
20. Tony Raines
21. Sterling Marlin
22. Kyle Petty
23. J.J. Yeley
24. Elliott Sadler
25. Kasey Kahne
26. Regan Smith
27. Joe Nemechek
28. Dale Jarrett
29. Martin Truex Jr.
30. Mike Bliss
31. Johnny Sauter
32. Greg Biffle
33. David Reutimann
34. Robby Gordon
35. David Stremme
36. Jeff Green
37. Dave Blaney
38. AJ Allmendinger
39. David Gilliland
40. Jeremy Mayfield
41. Kevin Harvick
42. Casey Mears
43. Bobby Labonte

Hey, i dont like to read but it has nascar so i readed it and im prod of all of yall that get out there and try that it looks skarey but fun at the same time maby one of these days i will be a nascar driver !! one of my drems.. ok i just wanted to say that im happy for yall me f... nascar driver is Dale Earnhardt Jr. good lock next time

Adding comments to these stories has been disabled. View the current sports stories Salem-News Sports