2011 Kevin Harvick #29 Budweiser Armed Forces Military Tribute Coca Cola 600 Raced Win Version 1:24 NASCAR Diecast

Harvick led only two of 402 laps and has led a grand total of nine laps in his series-leading three victories this season. At Auto Club Speedway, he passed Jimmie Johnson on the final lap, and he also beat Earnhardt last month at Martinsville Speedway by seizing the lead on Lap 397 of 400. It's led some to dub Harvick as "The Closer," but the Bakersfield, Calif., native says pouncing at the checkered flag always was his style. "I've never been a guy that's led a bunch of laps," Harvick, 35, said after his 17th career win. "We've always been around at the end. I feel like we can take the car to another level, and we always have something left. That's kind of the way I was taught to race. I was always taught save everything you had, keep all the fenders on it, and then when it's time to go, whatever you've got to do."

Sunday night's called for more slow than go as Harvick began conserving gasoline as soon as he made his final stop on Lap 345. Though crew chief Gil Martin calculated his car would be a lap and a half short of the scheduled distance, Harvick managed to keep the lead pack in sight while feathering the throttle. But he wouldn't have shot to win if five-time champion Jimmie Johnson's engine hadn't expired on Lap 396, triggering the only caution in the final 52 laps. After a few other contenders peeled off for fuel, Harvick restarted fifth on the final restart — but then Kasey Kahne, Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski all ran out of fuel.

That left only NASCAR's most popular driver, whose tank went dry on the backstretch of the last lap. "We were just fortunate to have enough momentum to carry us to the front straightaway," said Earnhardt, who coasted to seventh as his winless streak reached 105 races. "I'm disappointed, we came so close to winning, but I was looking at a 20th if we would have run out of gas sooner. This was probably the best turnout of events besides winning."

Harvick also felt fortunate after complaining loudly on the team radio about the handling of his Impala for much of the race — as he often has at Charlotte. Sunday was only his fifth top 10 and second top five in 21 starts at a "racetrack that just frustrates the hell out of me." His team, though, wasn't affected by his outbursts because "everybody knows who I am," Harvick said. "They don't get down on me, and nobody gets really down on each other."