FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - That Texas-sized drought ended for Jeff Gordon in the most unexpected place.

After 47 races without a NASCAR Sprint Cup victory, the longest winless span in the four-time champion's career, Gordon finally found Victory Lane at one of the two active tracks where he had never won.

"This is probably the best place we possibly could have won, because it's eluded us for so long," Gordon said. "To break the streak not only here at Texas, but over the last 40-whatever races, it's pretty cool. ... I'm telling you, at Texas, I'm just lost."

Not only was it Gordon's first victory in the Lone Star State, it was the first time he had won anywhere in the No. 24 Chevrolet since October 2007 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte.

"I thought he was past his prime," third-place finisher Greg Biffle said with a smile. "I'm just kidding. No, there was never a doubt in my mind whether Jeff Gordon would win races again. The guy's a phenomenal driver."

Still, it took Gordon 17 tries to finally win at Texas, site of the only two last-place finishes in his 552 career starts. And one of those was last spring.

The only remaining track Gordon hasn't won at is Homestead. He will have to wait until the season finale in November for a chance to change that.

Gordon charged ahead and was still holding the lead with 39 laps left when he got caught in traffic and Edwards slid under him into first. Tony Stewart got past Gordon a few laps later. That was still the running order when Stremme spun out to set up the race-deciding pit stop.

Johnson needed only a few laps after the final restart to overtake Stewart for second, but never caught up with Gordon, who led six times for 105 laps in a race that featured 28 lead changes — nine more than any Cup race this year and one short of the Texas record.

Gordon hadn't forgotten how to celebrate, though he picked up a new trick watching other drivers do so over the past 18 months. After the obligatory frontstretch burnout, he stopped at the start-finish line for the checkered flag to take on the victory lap.

"It was the coolest. It was like winning for the very first time," Gordon said. "Things have changed since I won a race ... That's the first time I've ever carried a checkered flag in NASCAR. I used to do that in quarter-midgets when I was 8."

Car owner Rick Hendrick wasn't there, so Gordon tried to talk to him by cell phone. Also missing were his wife and daughter.

"I'm just thrilled. I can't wait to get home to Ingrid and Ella," Gordon said. "I know (Ella) was saying 'Go poppy go' all day long."