Racebeat
by Rich Romer

DOVER, DE--NASCAR Winston Cup: When Jimmie Johnson looked in the mirror, Mark Martin was almost too close to see. So, the rookie figured he was going to have trouble keeping the lead in the waning laps at Dover International Speedway. But he held off a late rush by points leader Martin and tied the Winston Cup record for most victories by a rookie when he got his third of the season. The 27-year-old Californian matched Tony Stewart's 1999 mark for victories by a first-year driver. He also became the first since Stewart in 2000 to sweep the races on The Monster Mile, where Johnson won in June. Johnson joined Richard Petty as the only drivers to win their first two races at Dover, but feels like he has considerably more to do before he's established. Crashes and mistakes, particularly early in the season, have humbled him. Although he qualified 19th, Johnson won the $3.9 million MBNA All-American Heroes 400 by a half-second over Martin for the eighth sweep in track history.

Johnson took the lead for the final time on the 245th lap, and Martin closed to within a few car-lengths, but was never able to get alongside Johnson. Martin started 32nd in a field of 43. After the Ford of Martin came the Fords of Dale Jarrett and Matt Kenseth. Stewart was fifth in a Pontiac. The winner led four times for 170 of 400 laps on high-banked concrete oval. He averaged 120.805 mph in a race slowed six times by cautions covering 37 laps. There were 15 lead changes among seven drivers. Hideo Fukuyama of Japan, the first Asian to compete in NASCAR's top division, finished 39th. Jeff Burton, Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman, Ricky Craven and Johnny Benson completed the top 10.

NASCAR Busch Grand National Series: Scott Wimmer used a quick stop to beat Mike McLaughlin off pit road during a late caution in the NASCAR Busch series race and drove to his first career victory. Wimmer was third after a four-car crash that involved points leader Greg Biffle on the 139th of 200 laps in the MBNA All-American Heroes 200 at Dover International Speedway. Two laps later, Wimmer's Pontiac easily beat McLaughlin's Pontiac and defending champion Jeff Green's Chevrolet off pit road. Then the 26-year-old driver from Wausau, Wis., pulled away and was not threatened again. Wimmer started 26th and moved up steadily to reach third, before Biffle crashed after being forced from his line by another car. Wimmer, in his second full season on the circuit, won in his 63rd career start. McLaughlin, a former winner at The Monster Mile, wound up second. Two accidents, one involving Biffle, brought out a caution on the next-to-last lap, and the race ended under yellow. Kevin Lepage had the pole, but was passed by Green on the 11th lap. McLaughlin went in front by beating Green off pit road 66 laps later. Biffle finished 17th, and leads fifth-place finisher Jason Keller by 35 points with seven races remaining. Wimmer averaged 118.266 mph in a race slowed four times by cautions covering 19 laps. There were three lead changes among four drivers. Jack Sprague finished third, with Green fourth. After Keller came Jimmy Spencer, Randy LaJoie and Tim Sauter. Kenny Wallace and Shane Hmiel completed the top 10.