Bodog Beat

Brian Vickers shocked NASCAR bettors by winning the second race of his career over the weekend. (AP Images)

After a surprising gamble on gas by his crew chief, Brian Vickers drove conservatively to conserve fuel. Then he pounced when race leader Jimmie Johnson’s tank ran dry, taking the lead with two laps to go and holding on to win Sunday’s Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway.

Vickers won his second career race, boosted his chances of making the Chase, and delivered the first checkered flag for Red Bull Racing.

Jeff Gordon finished second, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, and Sam Hornish Jr. Series points leader Tony Stewart, who clinched his spot in the Chase by starting Sunday’s race, finished 17th.

Johnson has never won at Michigan despite leading laps in each of his last six races there. That includes 133 laps on Sunday and 146 laps in June, only to run out of gas both times.

Vickers is listed at +4000 to win the Sprint Cup Championship this year.

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