CONCORD, N.C. - Looking at the big picture worked for Jimmie Johnson, who won The Winston on Saturday by focusing only on the final segment of NASCAR's $1-million all-star race.
The strategy worked, but by laying back in the first two parts Johnson defied the racer's mentality of winning every time on the track.
Not everyone put their competitiveness on hold like that - Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch both set out to win every portion - but The Winston'a bizarre rules create special circumstances and a fair share of complaints and criticism.
The race doesn't award Winston Cup points, just money.
"I think next year I'm going to take the weekend off and somebody else can drive this thing," said Stewart, eliminated in a wreck at the end of the second segment. "I'll take the night off. It's starting to become not worth it.
"I want to be racing a long time, and I don't want to get wrecked on a non-points race that has turned out to be a hackfest every year."
Car owner Chip Ganassi also said he would consider skipping all-star races because the losses are greater than the gains, though his three drivers' cars were intact at the end of the night.
"It's certainly a possibility that we wouldn't race there next year, because it's a considerable expense for the car owner," he said. "I mean it's great to have a $1-million purse. But what about second place? It needs some tweaking."
Eight of 24 cars wrecked, with drivers overly aggressive in their quest for a record $1-million first prize.
Busch earned $265,104, including a $50,000 bonus for winning the second segment. Johnson took home $1,017,604 for winning the final 20-lap sprint.
The 90-lap race is run under a format in which cars are eliminated after every segment.
The 24-car field was trimmed to 20 after the first 40-lap segment, so the best racing was at the back, where Ricky Rudd beat Rusty Wallace for 20th as Stewart coasted to an easy win and a $50,000 bonus.
The field is trimmed again after the next 30 laps, so again the racing was in the back.
But because the field is inverted for the third segment, Johnson and plenty of others hung around 10th most of the second segment.
It created a dangerous situation in which defending winner Ryan Newman was knocked out; then on the final lap Stewart ignited a six-car accident as drivers jockeyed for position.
A year ago, Johnson won the first two segments as a rookie. But when the field was inverted, he went from first to 10th and had only worked his way back up to fifth by the end of the race.
"Last year we won the first two segments, and it meant nothing at the end of the night," Johnson said.
Because of the accident, only 12 cars were left for the final segment instead of the 14 that were scheduled to advance.
Johnson, seventh at the end of the second segment, was moved to fourth for the restart and went on to win.
Busch worked to second in the final segment but didn't like the way the ending unfolded.
"Why don't we put up money for passing race cars? I think that's what puts on a good show," Busch said. "I don't think playing possum puts on a good show."
