DOVER, Del. - The one-mile, high-banked oval that is Dover International Speedway is generally unkind to rookies. Only once in 64 previous races had a rookie won at a track that is known as "The Monster Mile."

Yesterday, on a hot day, with veterans in full pursuit, rookie Jimmie Johnson not only won the MBNA Platinum 400, he also dominated it.

Nothing could slow him down. When a pit stop under caution forced him out of the lead on Lap 291 and another one on Lap 308 left him in 10th with 92 laps to go, Johnson said he decided he'd be happy if he could just make it into the top five.

Instead, he set off on a blistering run in which he picked off cars at an average of one every five laps, until, on Lap 362, he came onto the rear bumper of leader Ricky Rudd and sailed past him for the lead in Turn 1.

He led a total of 188 laps and averaged 117.551 mph.

"Davey Allison was one of my heroes growing up," said Johnson, referring to the only other rookie to win here. "To be in that class is stunning."

He, Allison and Richard Petty are the only drivers to win in their first Winston Cup races at Dover.

The win moved Johnson into second place in the Winston Cup points standings, 136 behind Sterling Marlin.

In 16 races this season, Johnson, 26, has won twice and sat on the pole three times.

Tony Stewart, who came home 11th here, set the record for wins by a rookie in 1999 with three victories that helped him to a fourth-place finish in points.

It was that same year that Johnson, whose Lowe's Chevrolet is co-owned by Rick Hendrick and driver Jeff Gordon, saw this speedway for the first time.

It was the biggest high-banked oval he'd ever seen. He was driving in the American Speed Association's stock car series at the time, and he went out, drove full throttle and won the pole.

"And it almost scared me to death," he said after yesterday's trip to Victory Lane, where he accepted a check for $152,400. "I remember I was shaking. I wondered at the time if I'd ever get comfortable on a track this big. What a difference four years make."

As the final laps dwindled down yesterday, Bill Elliott, who had hung around in the top five most of the day, was coming hard, trying to eat into Johnson's lead. But when the checkered flag flew, he was still .478 of a second behind.

Elliott was something of a surprise second-place finisher, as Ricky Rudd had the second-best car most of the afternoon before dropping from contention with a loose right rear wheel. Rudd finished 19th.

"I was doing everything I could there at the end to get to the 48 [Johnson's car number]," Elliott said. "I just ran out of time."

It was a performance that brought a smile to Elliott's team owner, Ray Evernham, who seemed almost overwhelmed by Elliott's efforts for a top finish.

"Bill's on a roll, and I just love the guy," Evernham said. "If it wasn't for him, some days I'd have to slit my wrist. I love him. I wish I had hooked up with him years ago."

Jeff Burton finished third, with a strong drive from the 33rd starting spot.

"We made up a lot of positions in the pits all day long," said Burton, who has yet to win this season. "When we were second, it became clear pretty fast that the 48 [Johnson] and the 28 [Rudd] were quicker than we were and that it would not be in my best interest to race Ricky and let the guys behind me close in.

"As it was, I beat Ryan Newman to the finish by six inches. You have to evaluate, and sometimes it's not always in your best interest to drive with your [backside] and foot. Sometimes you have to drive with your head."

It was, for the most part, an uneventful race, but there were moments of high anxiety.

Mark Martin, who won last week in the Coca-Cola 600, looked as if he had another winning drive going when, on Lap 124, Newman and Steve Park (39th) got together and Martin plowed into them. Martin finished 41st.

Johnson said he was determined to not make any mistakes. He felt he had made two - racing Jimmy Spencer in those late laps in Richmond three weeks ago and overshooting his pits while dominating in the Coca-Cola 600 - that had cost him victories, and he didn't want to do it again.

Yet, he did have one close call. He had just moved into ninth place and was pressing Casey Atwood into the fourth turn on Lap 319 when he dipped to the inside and got both of them loose.

"We wiggled, but we didn't hit anything," Johnson said. "Those laps seemed long, but then all at once I was past Ricky Rudd and a big weight was taken off my shoulders. Then another caution came out, and it started up again."

But it didn't last long. He and crew chief Chip Knaus were debating whether to come in for tires on that last caution on Lap 371, but car owner Hendrick came on the team radio with some veteran advice.

"I think you boys better stay on the race track," he said.

Johnson did, and a rookie came home the winner.

NASCAR

MBNA Platinum 400

At Dover, Del. (Starting position in parentheses)

1. (10) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 400 laps, 117.551 mph, $152,400.

2. (2) Bill Elliott, Dodge, 400, $139,106.

3. (33) Jeff Burton, Ford, 400, $134,267.

4. (38) Ryan Newman, Ford, 400, $103,425.

5. (31) Dale Jarrett, Ford, 400, $125,453.

6. (9) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 400, $116,558.

7. (6) Ricky Craven, Ford, 400, $72,485.

8. (12) Robby Gordon, Chevrolet, 400, $89,121.

9. (19) Bobby Hamilton, Chevrolet, 400, $85,310.

10. (8) Elliott Sadler, Ford, 400, $81,835.

11. (25) Tony Stewart, Pontiac, 400, $106,138.

12. (5) Kurt Busch, Ford, 400, $66,210.

13. (27) Sterling Marlin, Dodge, 400, $96,337.

14. (23) Casey Atwood, Dodge, 400, $67,360.

15. (37) Terry Labonte, Chevrolet, 400, $87,443.

16. (16) Bobby Labonte, Pontiac, 400, $98,938.

17. (21) Rusty Wallace, Ford, 400, $96,625.

18. (43) Todd Bodine, Ford, 399, $80,947.

19. (7) Ricky Rudd, Ford, 399, $96,352.

20. (11) Kyle Petty, Dodge, 398, $57,510.

21. (4) Michael Waltrip, Chevrolet, 398, $64,010.

22. (20) Mike Skinner, Chevrolet, 398, $63,149.

23. (18) Jimmy Spencer, Dodge, 398, $54,510.

24. (32) Stacy Compton, Pontiac, 398, $54,255.

25. (41) Steve Grissom, Dodge, 397, $54,380.

26. (40) Hut Stricklin, Dodge, 396, $61,830.

27. (3) Jerry Nadeau, Pontiac, 396, $80,030.

28. (34) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 396, $96,283.

29. (39) Dave Blaney, Ford, 396, $58,355.

30. (30) D.Earnhardt Jr, Chevrolet, 396, $87,492.

31. (17) Tony Raines, Chevrolet, 395, $50,055.

32. (42) John Andretti, Dodge, 395, $76,978.

33. (36) Chad Little, Chevrolet, 395, $49,745.

34. (26) Brett Bodine, Ford, 392, $49,570.

35. (24) Jeremy Mayfield, Dodge, 387, $57,420.

36. (15) Ken Schrader, Pontiac, 370, rear end, $57,305.

37. (14) Ward Burton, Dodge, 367, $92,195.

38. (35) Jeff Green, Chevrolet, 330, $49,085.

39. (22) Steve Park, Chevrolet, 305, $78,850.

40. (1) Matt Kenseth, Ford, 297, $72,845.

41. (13) Mark Martin, Ford, 283, crash, $82,553.

42. (29) D. Trickle, Dodge, 170, oil pump, $48,615.

43. (28) J.Nemechek, Chevrolet, 42, crash, $56,752.

Time of race: 3 hours, 24 minutes, 10 seconds.

Margin of victory: .478 of a second. Caution flags: 7 for 40 laps. Lead changes: 14 among 8 drivers. Lap leaders: M.Kenseth 0; R.Rudd 1-16; B.Elliott 17-19; J.Andretti 20; B.Elliott 21-34; R.Rudd 35-47; M.Martin 48-124; J.Johnson 125-126; J.Gordon 127-143; J.Johnson 144-216; R.Craven 217; J.Johnson 218-292; D.Jarrett 293-307; R.Rudd 308-362; J.Johnson 363-400.

Series points leaders:S.Marlin, 1,899; J.Johnson, 1,763; J.Gordon, 1,739; M.Kenseth, 1,731; R.Wallace, 1,688; M.Martin, 1,677; T.Stewart, 1,674; K.Busch, 1,656; B.Elliott, 1,612; R.Rudd, 1,606.