Earnhardt win keeps slim title hopes alive

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. was having fun at Phoenix International Raceway on Sunday, and that was bad news for the rest of the field.

"My car just drove so good, I could pass and race with whoever I want to," Earnhardt said after winning the Checker Auto Parts 500, keeping his slim Winston Cup championship hopes alive.

Earnhardt passed Jimmie Johnson for the lead with 51 laps remaining and stayed out front through a series of restarts in a race marred by a track record-tying 10 caution flags.

The final restart came nine laps from the end of the 312-lap race on the 1-mile oval and Earnhardt easily pulled away from Johnson, beating the second-place car to the finish by 0.735 seconds -- about five car-lengths -- in the battle of Chevrolets.

"This was fun. We've been pretty good all year and we've improved in a lot of places," Earnhardt said. "If we don't win it this year, we're going to win it next year."

Matt Kenseth, the series points leader, finished sixth but saw his lead over second-place Earnhardt cut from 258 to 228 points. Kenseth can wrap up his first title by finishing in the top 30 in the final two races.

If he retains a lead of at least 186 points next Sunday at Rockingham, Kenseth will win the championship.