Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe’s Patriotic Chevrolet, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 18, 2013
Photo – Geoff Burke

For the fourth time in his career, Jimmie Johnson scored victory and a million dollars in the Sprint All-Star Race. He did it in classic Jimmie Johnson fashion by not coming alive until the last segment and then doing an all-out blitz to the finish. The race was rather calm, but the historic run by Johnson makes up for some of the vacant storylines of the race.

The race didn’t get far when the green-flag fell because of rain invading the track and causing a red-flag rain-delay for 41 minutes and 28 seconds. Before the delay, Brad Keselowski broke a transmission, taking himself out of contention for the victory. When the delay ended, Kurt Busch was able to stay up front and win the first segment.

Segment two started out a little chaotic when Clint Bowyer made it three-wide for the lead. Bowyer was able to stay out front until a yellow-flag flew for Mark Martin spinning through the infield grass, after Ricky Stenhouse Jr. bounced off the wall and into Martin in turn four. Just a few laps after the restart, Kyle Busch was able to make his way to the lead for the first time of the night. He won the second segment, then the third for two straight segments of Rowdy domination.

New faces rose to the front for the fourth segment with Kasey Kahne out front as the green-flag fell. Kahne managed to stay up front for about half the segment, then Kurt Busch found his way back to the lead by lap 72. Kurt Busch went on to win his second segment of the night, for the best average finish throughout the first four segments; so he was first on pit road for a mandatory stop.

The Busch brothers entered pit road one-two, but didn’t leave that way. Hendrick teammates Kasey Kahne and Jimmie Johnson had now taken over the top spot and were in prime-position for the million dollars.

A ten-lap shootout to decide the race ran very cleanly and once it started, Jimmie Johnson took off with only the million dollar prize on his mind. There was no contest for the victory with Johnson sailing through the last laps. It was his second straight year taking the All-Star win with authority and absolutely owning the last ten laps tonight.

Ultimately, this race means nothing and Johnson is the only one leaving the track with pride and one million dollars. It may have been a nice non-points race for the No.48 team, but for all drivers, the points season resumes next weekend with the Coca Cola 600. The intensity picks-up as drivers battle for points throughout 600 miles under the lights at Charlotte.

Results via ESPN.com