JOHNSON SURVIVES SHOOTOUT.( )

Jimmie Johnson had a pretty good week at Daytona International Speedway. He was part of the runner-up team in the Rolex 24 sports car race, won the Budweiser Shootout six days later in his Lowe's Chevrolet, then was second in pole qualifying for the Feb. 20 Daytona 500. All that after winning eight races last year, including four of the last six en route to second in Nextel Cup points. Momentum? You think?

The Hendrick Motorsports star led the final 16 laps of the Bud Shootout, a two-part, 70-lap made-for-TV non-points sprint. The field included last year's 12 pole winners and eight previous Shootout winners. Pole-sitter (by a blind draw) Dale Jarrett led the first lap, Greg Biffle led the next 44, then Bobby Labonte and Casey Mears led briefly as pit stops cycled around. Ryan Newman, who took the lead with a quicker two-tire pit stop, led laps 51 to 54. He briefly held a huge lead, but was no match for Johnson, who led laps 55 to 70 for his first Daytona victory in 14 tries.

"I knew we had a pit stop coming [in the 50-lap segment], so we waited for it to cycle around,'' Johnson said. "My guys put in an incredible stop. They put me in front [of the drivers with four fresh tires], then the Hendrick car and power did its job. We kept the guys bottled up behind me. If they'd gone off through the grass, I would have gone off through the grass to keep them behind me.''

Newman held on for second, followed by Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Biffle. Reigning series champ Kurt Busch was sixth, followed by Dale Earn-hardt Jr., Mark Martin, Kasey Kahne and Labonte.

The next afternoon Jarrett and Johnson took the pole and outside pole for the season-opening Daytona 500. Starters three through 35 will come from two 150-mile heat races (increased from 125 miles) on Feb. 17. Starters 36 through 43 will come via qualifying speeds among the fastest eight drivers not in the top-35 in last year's Nextel Cup points.

"It's kind of nice to say we're not finished with this just yet,'' said the 46-year-old Jarrett, a three-time Daytona 500 winner and the 1999 series champion. "I think we've shown that we have the talent needed to win at these places.''

Jarrett's 188.312 mph, Johnson's 188.170 mph and Gordon's 188.155 mph were the only speeds in the 188s. Defending 500 champion Earnhardt Jr. was 39th, and DEI teammate (and two-time 500 champion) Michael Waltrip was 33rd.