ROCKINGHAM, N.C. -- You are not supposed to be able to win a race at North Carolina Speedway when the rest of the field is in front of you at the drop of the green flag.Bill Elliott didn't seem to care.
Starting last after making an engine change, Elliott led for the first time on lap 186, then held off Jimmie Johnson and Ryan Newman for his first victory of the season in Sunday's Pop Secret 400.
Elliott used good fortune on two long green-flag segments, the second of which left a number of the top teams down a lap.
With only seven cars on the lead lap after spins by Larry Foyt and Tony Stewart brought out the caution, Elliott's crew -- which won Saturday's pit crew championship -- came through when it counted, putting the No. 9 Dodge out in front of Jimmie Johnson's No. 48 Chevrolet.
On two restarts, Elliott was able to put some distance between himself and Johnson, winning by 1.230 seconds.
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