Jimmie Johnson Gets Win at Martinsville

Jimmie Johnson pulled away from a restart with eight laps to go to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday.

Johnson led a career-best 346 laps Sunday and pulled away on a restart with eight laps to go for his eighth career victory at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday.

Only Richard Petty with 15, and Darrell Waltrip with 11 have won more.

"It was just a long, fought day," Johnson said after climbing from his car in Victory Lane. "Martinsville, it stays the same over the years and you just have to dig in and get your own rhythm. Fortunately, the fastest car won the race."

The five-time champion picked the inside line for the restart with Clint Bowyer on the outside, teammate Jeff Gordon behind him and Kyle Busch to his outside, and Johnson got a clean break into Turn 1.

Bowyer was second and Busch, who tried to use the outside line, instead got hung up on the outside as Gordon and his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Kasey Kahne, who restarted fifth, went underneath to take fourth.

The victory made team owner Rich Hendrick's organization the most successful team in Martinsville history with 20, breaking a tie it had with the Petty organization.

"I think the last stop or two, we really got our car adjusted right," Johnson said.

The five-time series champion picked the inside line for the final restart with Clint Bowyer on the outside, teammate Jeff Gordon behind him and Kyle Busch to his outside, and Johnson got a clean break for the lead into Turn 1.

Bowyer slid into second and Busch, who tried to make a move on the outside line, instead got hung up out there as Gordon and his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Kasey Kahne, who restarted fifth, went underneath to take fourth.

Nothing changed the rest of the way and the top five finished in those positions.

Danica Patrick, whose boss, Tony Stewart, said earlier in the week he thought it would be funny to watch her try to navigate her way around the track, got passed by his rookie driver with 19 laps to go. Patrick finished 12, Stewart 17th.