CONCORD, N.C. -- Jimmie Johnson's 2007 spring win at Martinsville was one for the ages after he managed to avoid a bumper tap in the final lap that could have derailed his victory.
Interestingly, that tap came from fellow Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon, who was forced to settle for second place.
The bump happened as Johnson rounded the last corner of the track. Johnson's car wiggled with the movement, but he remained steady and crossed the finish line first.
"I’m speechless for that,” Johnson said after the race. “I’ve looked up to (Gordon) my whole career, before I was even actually racing.
"That was amazing there at the end. That was the hardest driving I have ever done. Then to have my bumper beat off by my teammate in a way that didn’t jeopardize either one of us, really class act by Jeff."
Gordon started in third place for the race, while Johnson rolled off the grid in 20th. Despite his starting place, Johnson led 346 of 500 laps at the .526-mile track.
The Martinsville victory marked the third win of the season for Johnson. At that point only six races had occurred. Johnson won the 2007 fall race at Martinsville, as well.
Gordon said at the time the only way he could have won the race was to pin Johnson against the wall and risk causing an accident for the both of them, which is something he didn't want to do.
That season, Johnson would go on to win his second championship in a row, which made him the first driver to win back-to-back titles since Gordon accomplished the feat during the 1997-98 seasons.
