Checkered Countdown: Top-Five Talladega Finishes

No. 2 The closest finish in NASCAR history: Johnson beats Clint Bowyer in a four-wide finish (2011).

The record for the closest finish in the modern scoring era of NASCAR is held by two different races, tied. At Darlington in 2003 Ricky Craven beat Kurt Busch by o.oo2 seconds, the same time difference that Johnson needed to beat Bowyer at Talladega in 2011. At the beginning of the last lap the tandem made of Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr was following the leaders. The two tandems in front were running side by side, slowing each other down and allowing them to close.

Johnson though was not impulsive and waited for the right moment to make a move. While entering the tri-oval he took advantage of a gap left by Jeff Gordon to move to their inside. It was now a three-wide drag race to the finish. Earnhardt kept close to Johnson’s bumper to push him and that propelled the driver of the #48 in front. When they crossed the line it was too close to call: the photo finish proved that the Hendrick duo had beaten the tandem made of Bowyer and Harvick.