WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. - Tony Stewart was more stunned than anyone.

With just two laps remaining in Sunday's Centurion Boats at The Glen at Watkins Glen International, Jeff Gordon had a two car-length lead on Stewart. NASCAR's top two road racers were preparing for a final clash.

It never happened. Gordon spun out on his own heading into the first turn, Stewart zoomed past, held off a late charge from Carl Edwards, and won for the third time in four races.

''Trust me, I was probably the most shocked person,'' Stewart said after his 36th career victory, tying him for 19th all-time with Dale Jarrett. ''Our only shot of getting by him was to keep the pressure on him and hope he'd make a mistake.

''I think our car was a tick better than Jeff's, but if Jeff doesn't make that mistake, we run for second,'' said Stewart, who has won four of the last five Cup races at Watkins Glen and finished second a year ago to Kevin Harvick. ''You were going to have to be a bunch faster to get by him. Whoever was in the lead with 10 to go was probably going to win the race.''

A dejected Gordon finished ninth.

''I was driving hard,'' he said. ''I just overdrove going into one. It was just stupid. I knew I had to push because Tony was really good.''

For Stewart, who spun out in the same place while leading earlier in the race and dropped to 19th, it was his sixth win on a road course, tying him for second behind Gordon's record nine.

''I saw Jeff lose it just like I lost it,'' Stewart said. ''I had to keep fighting back. Jeff has won four championships and 79 races. He's the last guy you expect to have a problem like that.''

All but assured of a spot in the Chase for the Nextel Cup championship, both Stewart and Edwards fought hard for the victory. The top 12 drivers in the standings after 26 races will race for the title and the points for every driver will be reset at 5,000, but each win counts for an extra 10 points once the Chase begins. Gordon and Jimmie Johnson lead the series with four wins, Stewart has three and Edwards one.