HAMPTON, Ga. -- On a grim day for most of NASCAR's championship contenders, Jimmie Johnson took his third straight checkered flag.

Never has a victory seemed more appropriate. Johnson held off Mark Martin's dominating car to win Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, easing some of the pain after the tragedy that struck Hendrick Motorsports last weekend.

Martin had the best car in the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500, his Ford leading 227 of the 325 laps. But a late yellow flag cost him the top spot, and the 45-year-old Martin couldn't chase down Johnson at the end.

Johnson beat Martin by 0.293 seconds -- about five car lengths -- to become the first driver in six years to win three straight races.  More