The fourth round on the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series calendar ended up with Jimmie Johnson on the top step of the podium for the second time this season; the 25th of his career. The reigning Cup champion took the lead from Tony Stewart with just three laps to go.

"We had a really strong car. We had solid race car drivers, solid pit stops and then at the end when it came time to race for the checkered flag, Chad make some great adjustments to help me on the short run," commented Johnson. "It really was challenging internally in my own head to drive that hard and get on the gas pedal that early and to try to chase Tony down and get by him so just a great, great race."

Two-time Cup champion Stewart was not going to ease up and went high to take back the lead. The outcome of the battle was similar to other finishes this year by the NASCAR racers, the bump and run or, in this case, a simple pinching move took place.

"Hard racing at the end of the race, that's what I'd really call it. I certainly wish I would have given him more room," Johnson said. "It is so fun racing with the best in the business and Tony Stewart is certainly that. The guy had so much speed and was so hooked up I was shocked I could hang with him and then started racing with him and put on a great race. Tony Stewart is a rock star. He is a great racer."

Johnson squeezed the 2005 champion, causing Stewart to rub against the wall and allowing Johnson to win by a mere 1.3 seconds. While the Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet driver celebrated doing the typical burnout, the driver in the Joe Gibbs Racing Monte Carlo was taking it calmly.

"He (Jimmie Johnson) was faster than us right there, I just wish he would have gave us enough room to race him for it. That is racing," remarked Stewart. "That is why everybody loves coming here, It is such a great feeling to go from racing like we had to last week to racing like we did here. I wish we could have won it obviously, but we had a run like we needed to day, gained a lot of points we needed today and gave this Home Depot Chevrolet team the boost they needed today."

At the end of the 325 laps and with the cat-seat to see the up-front action was another Cup champion, Matt Kenseth in his Roush Fenway Racing Ford. Kenseth ended third today and sits fifth in the standings while Johnson sits fourth and Stewart is in sixth.

"We were just too tight to run with Tony and Jimmie, but, overall, it was a good day. We had a great day in the pits," said Kenseth. "That's really what got us where we are or else we probably would have finished sixth or seventh, but those guys did a great job and we got another good finish out of it."

Mark Martin, who continues to stress that he will only run a limited schedule this year in his new role at Ginn Racing, still holds the points lead, eight over Jeff Gordon. Martin clinched tenth at Atlanta in his Chevy.

Fourth was Jeff Burton, third in the points chase, in his Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. His teammate Clint Bowyer ended sixth and giving GM six of the top ten placements was Dale Earnhardt, Inc.'s Martin Truex, Jr.

Kenseth's teammate Carl Edwards had the only other Ford in the top ten with a seventh place finish. Dodge had the other two top ten positions, while Toyota still searches for a high placing on the leaderboard.

Both Juan Pablo Montoya and Reed Sorenson race for the Chip Ganassi Racing stable. Montoya was the top rookie, finishing fifth while Reed Sorenson was ninth.