The part-time Michael Waltrip Racing driver had the Loudon race in the bag after passing long-time leader Tony Stewart with 14 of the 301 laps to go.

But for the 12th time the race went under a full-course caution, and Vickers had to survive a green-white-chequer finish to end his 75-race losing run.

Stewart had moved to the front by non-stopping during one of those many cautions at roughly three-quarter distance. The Stewart-Haas team stuck with its gamble despite the many opportunities to pit, but fell short when Stewart’s Chevrolet ran dry just after the final restart.

This left early race leader Kyle Busch to take up the charge, but there was no time left to deny Vickers his win.

On a day when numerous teams tried something different to get track position, Jeff Burton enjoyed one of his strongest races in years, taking third place for Richard Childress Racing.

Kurt Busch appeared to have the pace to win, but was shuffled down the order by taking four tyres when most of the rest took two. A tap from Matt Kenseth sent him spinning into Ryan Newman, effectively ending both their races.

Poleman Brad Keselowski took fourth, Aric Almirola was fifth, while Jimmie Johnson, who started last when his second-place qualifying time was disallowed, fought his way up the order to claim sixth.