CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Brad Keselowski held off Kyle Busch on one late restart, and Jimmie Johnson on another. Doing it a third time was just too much to ask during a tense closing sequence at Texas Motor Speedway.

It was Johnson who won that final frantic battle to the finish line, holding steady as Keselowski slammed into the side of his car. Keselowski took it all the way to the edge — refusing, though, to cross a line and wreck the competition — and Johnson never blinked.

The five-time champion nudged ahead, got some separation and pulled away for the win. Johnson now holds a seven-point lead over Keselowski in the standings with two races remaining in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.