Darlington: Johnson's day

Bobby Labonte was leading from Kurt Busch when the yellow flags flew for Kyle Petty's blown engine 19 laps from the end of the 293-lap race. All the leaders pitted for new tyres, but it was Johnson's crew who did the best job, and he emerged from the pit lane just inches ahead of Labonte.

The green flag came out on lap 283 but there was another caution almost immediately after Tony Stewart tapped the back of impressive rookie Kasey Kahne's car, sending him slithering through turns three and four.

When the green flag finally flew again, the race was reduced to a four-lap dash to the finish, and Johnson defended hard to hold off a charging Labonte by just 0.132 seconds.

Johnson said: "These guys got me the lead early in the race, and they got me out in front again when it really mattered. I knew he [Labonte] was coming. I knew I had to protect the high side. He got inside me a couple of times but luckily, I had momentum."

A disappointed Labonte, who won the Southern 500 race at Darlington back in 2000, tried everything to re-take the lead from Johnson in the closing laps, but the No 48 Chevrolet driver's defence was just too good. Labonte was not helped, he claimed, by the installation of the new SAFER 'soft walls' at the narrow track, which took almost 30 inches out of the old racing groove.

"We were able to get close to him, but not able to pass," explained Labonte. "It's a pretty narrow place, you know. It was harder to pass and you really had to pick and choose your places a little more."

Ryan Newman came back from being penalised for hitting a marker cone during a pit stop, which lost him a lap, to finish third, ahead of Robby Gordon, Elliott Sadler and Kurt Busch.

Championship leader Matt Kenseth, who has scored four top 10 finishes already this season, had a terrible afternoon, and finished 31st. He ran in the top 10 early in the race, but a massive tank-slapper on lap 161 slowed him up and he hwas hit from behind by Ricky Rudd, and that caused a six-car accident.

Kenseth survived with minimal damage but was later penalised one lap for passing under yellows and then lost more time when he pitted, thinking he had a puncture.

Tony Stewart lost second in the standings thanks to his 17th place. He too had run in the top 10 during the first half of the race, ut was not helped by his clash with Kahne on lap 283. Dale Earnhardt Jr was the man who took second in the points off Stewart after coming back from being a lap down and struggling with handling throughout the race. He now lies 21 points behind Kenseth.

Poleman Kahne also suffered an afternoon of problems, and had to settle for 13th in the race. His problems began when Newman hit the marker cone at the entrance to the pit lane, forcing Kahne to dodge round him, miss the pit lane and have to go round again. Later, he also cut one of his tyres, causing one of nine caution periods.