LAS VEGAS (AP) — Matt Kenseth won on his 41st birthday in just his third start for the Joe Gibbs Racing, barely holding off Kasey Kahne at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday for his 25th career victory.

“I was real nervous all day,” Kenseth said. “(Kahne) had the best car. I told (crew chief) Jason (Ratcliff) with about 12 to go that I was sorry we were going to lose. We were just too tight. ... We didn’t have the fastest car there, but we had it where we needed it to be.”

Kenseth took charge by taking only fuel on the final pit stop during caution while almost everybody else replaced two tires. He took the lead and held onto it, using his veteran savvy — and a few screamed instructions at his new spotter — to keep Kahne’s impressive Chevrolet behind him to the finish.