Kahne Drives Past Johnson to Win Coca-Cola 600

Jimmie Johnson’s reign ended in frantic -- but fruitless -- pursuit of Kasey Kahne.

There’s a new Coca-Cola 600 winner, and somebody other than Johnson celebrated in Victory Lane at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., for the first time in six races.

Kahne took the lead with 29 laps to go and pulled away. Johnson, the winner of the last three Coca-Cola 600s and seven of the last 10 races at Lowe’s, finished second.

“It’s a weird race, a long race, and I’m very proud of the stats that I’ve had -- and slightly disappointed that it’s come to an end,” Johnson said.

It was Kahne’s third victory this season and the first win for a Dodge at Lowe’s since Richard Petty won in 1977.

Carl Edwards, Mark Martin and Matt Kenseth finished third through fifth for Roush Racing, followed by Jeff Burton, then Greg Biffle and Jamie McMurray in the other two Roush Fords. Denny Hamlin and Reed Sorenson rounded out the top 10.

Defending series champion Tony Stewart wrecked early in the race and was taken to a hospital for evaluation. He was examined and released, with no update on his condition provided by NASCAR.

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Formula One defending champion Fernando Alonso won the Monaco Grand Prix in Monte Carlo, his first victory in the race.

Alonso, in a Renault, has won four events this season and two in a row. Juan Pablo Montoya of McLaren-Mercedes was second, and David Coulthard of Red Bull was third, followed by Rubens Barrichello of Honda, Michael Schumacher of Ferrari and Giancarlo Fisichella of Renault.

Alonso has 64 points and Schumacher has 43 going into the June 11 British Grand Prix.

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Funny car points leader Ron Capps made it three for three in 2006 final rounds against John Force, speeding past the NHRA star in the final round in the O’Reilly Summer Nationals at Topeka, Kan.

Capps, who extended his lead to 109 points, was joined by top fuel winner Doug Kalitta and pro stock racer Dave Connolly in the winner’s circle at Heartland Park Topeka in the $1.9-million event.

The first repeat winner in the pro stock class, Connolly has won two of the last three races and has moved from 12th to fifth place in the rankings.

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Ricky Carmichael won both motos to take the Kawasaki/Monster Energy High Point National at Mount Morris, Pa., the second round of the Toyota AMA Motocross Championship series.