Earnhardt wins at Richmond

RICHMOND, Va. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his team are making all the right calls and showing why he's NASCAR's biggest star.

Gambling that he could win on tires and fuel with 54 laps to go, Earnhardt made it happen Saturday night, outrunning Jimmie Johnson and Bobby Labonte over the last 45 laps for his third victory of the season.

"It was a great race car, just had a great long-run setup on it," Earnhardt said after his 12th career victory and second at Richmond International Raceway. "I passed (Johnson) on the outside. I don't know where that came from. I told him I felt like my daddy for five minutes."

Earnhardt took the lead when Tony Stewart and most of the other contenders pitted for tires and fuel during the ninth and final caution on the 344th lap. Johnson and Jeff Gordon also stayed out.

Earnhardt made the move look brilliant, beating Johnson by 1.481 seconds.

Earnhardt also padded his lead over Johnson in the Nextel Cup championship race. He came in leading by 25, and now leads by 40.