The Associated Press

HAMPTON, Ga. - Jeff Gordon is back to his old winning ways, holding off a challenge from Tony Stewart on Monday at Atlanta Motor Speedway to earn his second straight victory.

The Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500, halted by rain Sunday after just 39 of 325 laps, was completed Monday under a caution after pole-winner Ryan Newman was sent spinning into the wall with a tap on the rear bumper by Dale Earnhardt Jr. four laps from the end.

Gordon had gone 22 races without a win before taking the checkered flag Oct. 19 at Martinsville. The four-time Winston Cup champion now has three wins this season and 64 in his career.

"Never count us out," Gordon said. "I know we haven't won a lot this year, but we're strong finishers."

The two latest wins followed four straight fifth-place finishes and have helped Gordon move to fifth in the season points, only 38 points behind second-place Earnhardt.

On Monday, Gordon passed six-time Atlanta winner Bobby Labonte for the lead on lap 277 and stayed out front the rest of the way.

Jimmie Johnson, who finished second to his car owner and Hendrick Motorsports teammate at Martinsville, was third. He was followed by Bill Elliott and Labonte, who faded after the final pit stops.

Series leader Matt Kenseth, who came into the race with a 240-point lead over Kevin Harvick, finished 11th.

Earnhardt's sixth-place finish Monday, combined with a 20th-place run by Harvick, moved Earnhardt to second place in the points race. He trails Kenseth by 258 points with three races remaining.