Race Summary:

After a disappointing start to the defense of his 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup championship, a visit to Las Vegas came at the perfect time for Jimmie Johnson. After all, he had won the last two races in Sin City. When the green flag dropped, it looked as though Johnson would be denied his Vegas threepeat by his mentor and teammate, Jeff Gordon. Gordon led 111 of the race's 267 laps, easily the most of anyone on the day. But a pair of late race cautions set up a two-car shootout for the win, and Johnson pulled away from Gordon to capture his 24^th career victory and 150^th for Hendrick Motorsports.