Lap-by-Lap: Darlington
May 10, 2010
01:10 PM EDT
Lap 367 -- CHECKERED FLAG: Denny Hamlin sweeps Darlington and earns his third win of 2010. Jamie McMurray finishes second and Kurt Busch is third.
Lap 366 -- WHITE FLAG: Denny Hamlin takes the white flag.
Lap 365 -- Jeff Gordon passes Juan Montoya for fourth but is running out of laps.
Lap 362 -- Five to go and barring a caution, Denny Hamlin looks like he will sweep Darlington.
Lap 359 -- Best racing on the track is for fourth between Juan Montoya, Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon.
Lap 357 -- Jeff Burton up to 11th after restarting 18th due to the penalty.
Lap 356 -- With 12 to go, Jeff Gordon passes Kyle Busch for sixth.
Lap 352 -- Jeff Gordon on the move as he passes Ryan Newman for seventh. Denny Hamlin leads by 1.1 seconds.
Lap 349 -- Kyle Busch falls to sixth as Kurt Busch, Juan Montoya and Kevin Harvick get around him.
Lap 348 -- Denny Hamlin jumps out to the lead. Jeff Gordon up to ninth.
Lap 347 -- GREEN FLAG: Denny Hamlin brings the field to the green.
1. Denny Hamlin
2. Kyle Busch
3. Jamie McMurray
4. Kurt Busch
5. Juan Montoya
Lap 346 -- Numerous cars are taking the wave-around including Tony Stewart, David Reutimann and Mark Martin.
Lap 345 -- LEAD CHANGE: Denny Hamlin wins the race off pit road and is back out front. Jeff Burton runs over the air hose and has to serve a pass-through penalty. Burton takes two left-side tires due to the penalty.
Lap 344 -- The lead-lap cars are on pit road.
• Kyle Busch with two tires
• Jeff Burton with two tires
• Denny Hamlin with two tires
• Kurt Busch with two tires
• Jeff Gordon with four tires
Lap 342 -- Jeff Gordon tried to get on pit road under green but was blocked by Tony Stewart. When Gordon finally got to pit road, the caution came out forcing him to skip his pit stop. Gordon is now the last car on the lead lap.
Lap 341 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 11/LEAD CHANGE: Jeff Burton gets around Denny Hamlin for the lead. Joey Logano spins after making his pit stop. Mark Martin and David Reutimann complete their pit stops.
Lap 340 -- Matt Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt Jr. on pit road for the final time.
Lap 339 -- Some of the lap-down cars are pitting.
Lap 336 -- We are about 15 laps away from green-flag stops to set up a 15-lap shootout for the win.
Lap 332 -- Jeff Burton and Denny Hamlin side-by-side for the lead.
Lap 330 -- Lap traffic has allowed Jeff Burton to catch leader Denny Hamlin.
Lap 326 -- As the race winds down, it's anyone's guess as to how these teams will handle their final stop. Gas only? Two tires? Four tires? This race is still up for grabs.
Lap 322 -- Jeff Burton passes Jeff Gordon for second.
Lap 320 -- Denny Hamlin puts Kasey Kahne a lap down.
Lap 315 -- Jeff Gordon is closing on Denny Hamlin as Gordon is now 1.1-seconds behind.
Lap 312 -- Martin Truex Jr. is faster than most of the lead lap cars but needs a caution soon if he is going to have a top-10 finish.
Lap 310 -- Kyle Busch falls to fourth as Jeff Gordon and Jeff Burton continue to work together and move up to second and third.
Lap 302 -- Juan Montoya brushes the wall as he loses eighth to Ryan Newman.
Lap 301 -- Jeff Gordon and Jeff Burton both pass Jamie McMurray for third and fourth.
Lap 300 -- After being multiple laps down early, David Ragan has worked his way back onto the lead lap and he currently runs 17th.
Lap 296 -- Brad Keselowski up to 12th as he passes Kevin Harvick.
Lap 293 -- Martin Truex Jr. nudges Joey Logano into the wall as Truex passes Logano to be the first car one lap down.
Lap 289 -- LEAD CHANGE: Denny Hamlin edges ahead of Kyle Busch for the lead.
Lap 287 -- Denny Hamlin gets around Jamie McMurray for second on the restart.
Lap 286 -- GREEN FLAG: Kyle Busch brings the field to the green.
1. Kyle Busch
2. Jamie McMurray
3. Denny Hamlin
4. Jeff Gordon
5. Jeff Burton
Lap 285 -- Sam Hornish Jr. and Scott Speed the wave-around cars but both are multiple laps down.
Lap 284 -- LEAD CHANGE: Kyle Busch wins the race off pit road and is back out front.
Lap 283 -- The lead-lap cars hit pit road.
• David Reutimann with four tires
• Jeff Burton with four tires
• Jeff Gordon with four tires in a slow pit stop
• Denny Hamlin with a track bar adjustment
• Kyle Busch with two tires
• Jamie McMurray with two tires
Lap 281 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 10: Bobby Labonte and David Gilliland get together on the backstretch and both hit the wall. Kasey Kahne gets the free pass and is back on the lead lap. Both Gilliland and Labonte go the garage.
Lap 278 -- Jeff Gordon puts Kasey Kahne a lap down.
Lap 275 -- Kyle Busch on the move as he has climbed to ninth.
Lap 272 -- Jeff Gordon is out front by 3.2 seconds as green-flag stops loom.
Lap 269 -- Scott Speed pits but has a commitment line violation and will serve a pass-through penalty.
Lap 266 -- Matt Kenseth passes Brad Keselowski for 13th.
Lap 265 -- David Stremme goes a lap down.
Lap 261 -- LEAD CHANGE: Jeff Gordon drives right by Jeff Burton in Turn 3 for the lead.
Lap 255 -- Jeff Gordon chipping into Jeff Burton's lead as Gordon now trails by 0.2 seconds.
Lap 251 -- Kevin Harvick gets around Ryan Newman for sixth.
Lap 247 -- Denny Hamlin back in the top five as he passes Ryan Newman.
Lap 246 -- Kyle Busch up to 13th after his flat tire.
Lap 244 -- Denny Hamlin is climbing to the front as he passes Kevin Harvick for sixth.
Lap 242 -- Brad Keselowski falls to 10th as Denny Hamlin, Jamie McMurray and Kurt Busch all get around him.
Lap 241 -- Joey Logano and Martin Truex Jr. in a battle to be the first car one lap down.
Lap 238 -- Kevin Harvick up to sixth. Brad Keselowski in seventh.
Lap 237 -- GREEN FLAG: Jeff Burton brings the field to the green.
1. Jeff Burton
2. Jeff Gordon
3. David Reutimann
4. Juan Montoya
5. Ryan Newman
Lap 235 -- David Ragan, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Paul Menard and Sam Hornish Jr. on pit road. Busch has some front end damage. Truex with transmission problems and he goes a lap down.
Lap 234 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 9/LEAD CHANGE: Martin Truex Jr. has a problem on the restart stacking up the field, leading to David Ragan slamming the wall putting debris on the track. Jeff Burton was out front when the caution came out. David Stremme gets the free pass.
Lap 233 -- GREEN FLAG: David Reutimann brings the field to the green.
1. David Reutimann
2. Jeff Burton
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Juan Montoya
5. Ryan Newman
Lap 231 -- Kyle Busch back on pit road with a flat tire. Four tires for the No. 18.
Lap 230 -- LEAD CHANGE: David Reutimann wins the race off pit road and leads for the first time.
Lap 229 -- The lead-lap cars hit pit road.
• Kyle Busch with two tires
• Jeff Burton with two tires
• Kurt Busch with four tires and an air pressure adjustment
• David Reutimann with two tires
• Jamie McMurray with four tires
• Jeff Burton with two tires
• Jeff Gordon with two tires
• Kevin Harvick with two tires
• Ryan Newman with two tires
Lap 227 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 8: Bobby Labonte smacks the wall after blowing a tire on the backstretch bringing out the caution. David Ragan gets the free pass and is back on the lead lap.
Lap 226 -- Matt Kenseth is 20th and may have some brake problems.
Lap 222 -- Jeff Burton restarted 12th after pitting and is currently in sixth.
Lap 218 -- Kyle Busch out front by 1.6 seconds. Twenty-three cars on the lead lap.
Lap 212 -- Denny Hamlin up to sixth after pitting. Jeff Gordon currently 12th.
Lap 210 -- Regan Smith quietly having a great night currently 11th.
Lap 207 -- Juan Montoya gets loose and hits Kasey Kahne as they battle for 14th.
Lap 206 -- LEAD CHANGE: Kyle Busch rockets past Jamie McMurray to lead for the first time tonight.
Lap 205 -- A clean restart as the top five remain unchanged.
Lap 204 -- GREEN FLAG: Jamie McMurray brings the field to the green.
1. Jamie McMurray
2. Kyle Busch
3. Kurt Busch
4. Martin Truex Jr.
5. David Reutimann
Lap 201 -- Nine of the 22 lead-lap cars stay out while the rest pit.
• Jeff Gordon with two tires
• Brian Vickers with two tires and a chassis adjustment
• Denny Hamlin with two tires
• Jeff Burton with two tires
• Kasey Kahne with two tires
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. with four tires
Lap 200 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 7: Tony Stewart spins on the backstretch to bring out the caution. Sam Hornish Jr. also spins on the frontstretch. Carl Edwards gets the free pass and is back on the lead lap. Both Stewart and Hornish avoid the wall.
Lap 196 -- Tony Stewart gets his Darlington stripe in Turn 2 and is well off the pace.
Lap 193 -- Sam Hornish Jr. on pit road with a tire rub.
Lap 191 -- Kurt Busch bumps Denny Hamlin as they battle for fifth.
Lap 190 -- GREEN FLAG: After an extended caution, Jamie McMurray brings the field to the green.
1. Jamie McMurray
2. Kyle Busch
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Denny Hamlin
5. Brian Vickers
Lap 187 -- Ryan Newman, Matt Kenseth, David Reutimann and Paul Menard the only cars to pit.
Lap 186 -- Pit road remains closed due to debris. A.J. Allmendinger says his car lost its brakes and that's what caused his spin. He and Jimmie Johnson are both OK after the very hard crash.
Lap 184 -- Pit road remains closed as track workers try to get the No. 43 of A.J. Allmendinger off the track.
Lap 182 -- Kevin Conway takes his No. 37 to the garage after his brush with the wall. A.J. Allmendinger and Jimmie Johnson will both score a DNF.
Lap 180 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 6: A.J. Allmendinger spins in Turn 3 and slides up the track slamming into Jimmie Johnson totaling both cars. Kevin Conway also spins in Turn 2. Greg Biffle gets the free pass and is back on the lead lap.
Lap 179 -- Outside hurts Jeff Gordon again as Kyle Busch gets around him on the restart.
Lap 178 -- GREEN FLAG: Jamie McMurray brings the field to the green.
1. Jamie McMurray
2. Jeff Gordon
3. Kyle Busch
4. Denny Hamlin
5. Brian Vickers
Lap 176 -- Jimmie Johnson on pit road for a third time to repair his car.
Lap 175 -- David Stremme and David Ragan the wave-around cars. Both are now one lap down. Jimmie Johnson back on pit road for more work on his No. 48.
Lap 174 -- LEAD CHANGE: Jamie McMurray wins the race off pit road and is back in the lead. Jimmie Johnson with major repairs on pit road.
Lap 173 -- The lead-lap cars hit pit road.
• Kyle Busch with two tires
• Kurt Busch with an air pressure and track bar adjustment
• Jeff Gordon with two tires and adjustments
• Denny Hamlin with four tires
• Jamie McMurray with two tires
Lap 171 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 5: Debris in Turn 2 after Sam Hornish Jr. hits the wall brings out the caution. Jimmie Johnson gets the free pass and is back on the lead lap.
Lap 170 -- Denny Hamlin finally gets around Jimmie Johnson and puts him a lap down.
Lap 167 -- Martin Truex Jr. up to 11th and Jeff Burton climbs to 12th as they both get around Tony Stewart.
Lap 164 -- Denny Hamlin leads by 4.7 seconds as he closes on Jimmie Johnson to put him a lap down.
Lap 161 -- Denny Hamlin puts A.J. Allmendinger a lap down.
Lap 159 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 10th and Tony Stewart in 11th after being among the first cars to pit.
Lap 156 -- Twenty-four cars are on the lead lap. Jimmie Johnson is the last car on the lead lap. Greg Biffle is the first car one lap down.
Lap 154 -- The top five after green-flag stops:
1. Denny Hamlin
2. Jeff Gordon
3. Kyle Busch
4. Jamie McMurray
5. Kurt Busch
Lap 152 -- Kyle Busch challenging Jeff Gordon for second.
Lap 151 -- LEAD CHANGE: Scott Speed pits giving the lead back to Denny Hamlin.
Lap 148 -- LEAD CHANGE: Kevin Harvick pits giving the lead to Scott Speed.
Lap 147 -- LEAD CHANGE: Denny Hamlin pits giving the lead to Kevin Harvick. Hamlin with a wedge adjustment.
Lap 146 -- Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman and David Reutimann on pit road.
Lap 145 -- Jamie McMurray, Brian Vickers, Martin Truex Jr., Juan Montoya and Kyle Busch on pit road.
Lap 144 -- A.J. Allmendinger, Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, Elliott Sadler and Greg Biffle on pit road.
Lap 142 -- Brad Keselowski on pit road. Clint Bowyer back in the garage.
Lap 141 -- LEAD CHANGE: Denny Hamlin gets around Jeff Gordon and leads for the first time tonight. Dale Earnhardt Jr. passes the leaders and is now one lap down.
Lap 139 -- Greg Biffle has held up Jeff Gordon allowing Denny Hamlin to catch the bumper of the No. 24.
Lap 137 -- Mark Martin on pit road after hitting the wall. Four tires and a major track bar adjustment for the No. 5.
Lap 136 -- Green-flag stops are upcoming in the next six to 10 laps. Greg Biffle has an alternator issue.
Lap 133 -- Robby Gordon slams the wall in the corner. Mark Martin also earns a Darlington stripe.
Lap 131 -- Joey Logano and Dale Earnhardt Jr. on pit road. Earnhardt Jr. with a flat tire.
Lap 130 -- Tony Stewart in 32nd, one lap down, after his green flag stop.
Lap 129 -- Kevin Conway on pit road.
Lap 126 -- Jeff Gordon puts Marcos Ambrose a lap down. Gordon leads by four seconds.
Lap 125 -- Kyle Busch is on the move as he is up to seventh.
Lap 122 -- Travis Kvapil and David Gilliland on pit road after taking the wave-around on the last caution.
Lap 121 -- Tony Stewart on pit road for four tires and fuel.
Lap 120 -- Tony Stewart is going to have to pit under green since he missed his pit box during the last caution.
Lap 119 -- Jeff Burton off the pace as he falls to ninth. Clint Bowyer back on the track scored 19 laps down.
Lap 117 -- Travis Kvapil goes a lap down.
Lap 115 -- Martin Truex Jr. has found something after his crash as he has climbed to 22nd.
Lap 113 -- Jeff Gordon puts Bobby Labonte a lap down.
Lap 111 -- Jeff Burton gets around Tony Stewart for sixth.
Lap 108 -- Kevin Conway goes a lap down. Kyle Busch back in the top 10 after passing David Reutimann.
Lap 105 -- Clint Bowyer takes the No. 33 to the garage with possible brake issues.
Lap 104 -- Clint Bowyer remains on pit road. Jeff Gordon leads by more than three seconds.
Lap 101 -- Clint Bowyer with an unexpected pit stop with some issues. Bowyer will go at least two laps down.
Lap 100 -- Jeff Gordon leads Denny Hamlin by 2.6 seconds.
Lap 98 -- After the crash, Greg Biffle is 26th, Jimmie Johnson is 27th and Martin Truex Jr. is 28th. Thirty five cars are on the lead lap.
Lap 96 -- Kurt Busch one to watch as he is up to fourth.
Lap 95 -- Tony Stewart down to sixth after not pitting due to congestion at his pit box.
Lap 91 -- LEAD CHANGE: Tony Stewart gets up the track in Turn 4 and Jeff Gordon passes him for the lead.
Lap 89 -- Jamie McMurray falls to fourth on the restart after going three wide with Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon for the lead.
Lap 88 -- Tony Stewart brings the field to the green.
1. Tony Stewart
2. Jamie McMurray
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Kasey Kahne
5. Denny Hamlin
Lap 87 -- Joey Logano, Travis Kvapil, David Gilliland, Kevin Conway and Max Papis the wave-around cars. Kvapil, Gilliland and Conway back on the lead lap.
Lap 86 -- LEAD CHANGE: Tony Stewart wins the race off pit road and leads. Jimmie Johnson, Greg Biffle and Martin Truex Jr. back on pit road. All three remain on the lead lap.
Lap 85 -- The lead-lap cars are on pit road.
• Jeff Burton with two tires
• Kasey Kahne with two tires
• Jeff Gordon with two tires
• Jamie McMurray with a chassis adjustment
• Tony Stewart with no new tires
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. with four tires
Lap 84 -- Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr. both pit early.
Lap 83 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 4: Greg Biffle spins causing Martin Truex Jr. to spin and Jimmie Johnson hits Truex. Bobby Labonte gets the free pass and is back on the lead lap.
Lap 81 -- Bobby Labonte goes a lap down. Jamie McMurray out front by 1.5 seconds.
Lap 79 -- Jimmie Johnson 20th after his multiple pit stops to repair his No. 48.
Lap 77 -- Jeff Burton and Kasey Kahne in a battle for fourth.
Lap 75 -- David Gilliland may have a tire rub as he has smoke coming from his No. 38.
Lap 72 -- Kevin Harvick up to 14th after starting 35th.
Lap 71 -- Juan Montoya passes Ryan Newman for eighth.
Lap 70 -- Brian Vickers falls to seventh as Kasey Kahne and Kurt Busch get around him.
Lap 68 -- Matt Kenseth up to 10th after starting 29th.
Lap 67 -- Denny Hamlin jumps to second as the outside lane again is slow on the restart.
Lap 66 -- GREEN FLAG: Jamie McMurray brings the field to the green.
1. Jamie McMurray
2. Jeff Gordon
3. Denny Hamlin
4. Brian Vickers
5. Jeff Burton
Lap 65 -- Max Papis too fast exiting pit road and will restart at the tail end of the field.
Lap 63 -- David Reutimann in 12th the highest-running car to pit. Jimmie Johnson, A.J. Allmendinger and Clint Bowyer also on pit road.
Lap 62 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 3: Paul Menard spins on the backstretch bringing out the caution. Menard keeps it off the wall and only suffers some flat tires. David Stremme gets the free pass and is back on the lead lap.
Lap 60 -- Brian Vickers and Jeff Gordon made contact on the restart and Vickers may have a tire rub.
Lap 59 -- Jeff Gordon and Denny Hamlin pass Brian Vickers for second and third on the restart.
Lap 58 -- GREEN FLAG: Jamie McMurray brings the field to the green.
1. Jamie McMurray
2. Brian Vickers
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Jeff Burton
5. Denny Hamlin
Lap 55 -- Tony Stewart in 17th the highest-running car to pit. Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards, Robby Gordon, David Gilliland and Marcos Ambrose also on pit road.
Lap 53 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 2: Bobby Labonte and Joey Logano both spin. Labonte doesn't hit anything, Logano slams the inside wall. Scott Speed gets the free pass and is back on the lead lap.
Lap 52 -- Jeff Gordon has a horrible start and drops to fourth. Bobby Labonte scrapes the wall.
Lap 51 -- Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne three-wide for fifth.
Lap 50 -- GREEN FLAG: Jamie McMurray brings the field to the green.
1. Jamie McMurray
2. Jeff Gordon
3. Brian Vickers
4. Kasey Kahne
5. Jeff Burton
Lap 49 -- David Ragan the wave-around car and will be scored one lap down.
Lap 48 -- LEAD CHANGE: Jamie McMurray wins the race off pit road and is back out front. David Gilliland too fast exiting pit road and will be penalized.
Lap 47 -- LEAD CHANGE: Robby Gordon stays out to lead a lap and collect five bonus points. Jimmie Johnson back on pit road for a second stop to repair rear damage.
Lap 46 -- The lead-lap cars hit pit road.
• Jeff Burton with four tires and an air pressure adjustment
• Brian Vickers with four tires
• Kasey Kahne with a chassis adjustment
• Jeff Gordon with a track bar adjustment
• Jamie McMurray with four tires
Lap 45 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 1: Michael McDowell hits the wall in Turn 2 bringing out the caution. Carl Edwards gets the free pass and is back on the lead lap.
Lap 44 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. up to 12th after starting 19th.
Lap 39 -- Dave Blaney takes his No. 66 to the garage.
Lap 38 -- LEAD CHANGE: Brian Vickers finally gets around Jeff Gordon and leads.
Lap 37 -- Michael McDowell goes a lap down. Jeff Gordon continues to lead.
Lap 35 -- Kasey Kahne has now joined the battle for the lead.
Lap 34 -- Carl Edwards goes a lap down and is complaining about the handling of his No. 99.
Lap 32 -- Martin Truex Jr. up to 22nd after starting 33rd.
Lap 30 -- Lap traffic has allowed Brian Vickers to close the gap on Jeff Gordon, who's lead has shrunk to 0.5 seconds.
Lap 29 -- David Stremme goes a lap down. Carl Edwards is next.
Lap 28 -- Jeff Gordon puts Travis Kvapil a lap down as Gordon continues to lead by more than two seconds in front of Brian Vickers.
Lap 27 -- Denny Hamlin has quickly worked his way up to fifth.
Lap 25 -- Kasey Kahne running third and one of the fastest cars on the track.
Lap 23 -- Dave Blaney on pit road and Todd Bodine takes his car to the garage.
Lap 22 -- Juan Montoya and Marcos Ambrose get together while battling for 15th.
Lap 20 -- Reed Sorenson hits the wall and takes his No. 32 to the garage.
Lap 19 -- Kevin Harvick up eight spots as he now runs 27th.
Lap 18 -- Jeff Gordon puts Max Papis a lap down.
Lap 17 -- J.J. Yeley and Kevin Conway go a lap down. David Ragan comes out of the pits two laps down.
Lap 16 -- David Ragan on pit road after slamming the wall.
Lap 15 -- It took 15 laps for Jeff Gordon to catch the rear of the field as Todd Bodine goes a lap down.
Lap 14 -- Kasey Kahne battling Jamie McMurray for fourth as Kahne continues to climb from his 10th-place starting position.
Lap 12 -- Jeff Gordon has checked out early, now leading by 2.9 seconds.
Lap 10 -- Kasey Kahne on the move as he passes Mark Martin for fifth.
Lap 9 -- Kyle Busch up to 33rd after starting from the rear. Carl Edwards up to 35th.
Lap 8 -- Kasey Kahne gets around Ryan Newman for sixth.
Lap 7 -- Jeff Gordon has jumped out to a 1.7-second lead.
Lap 6 -- Brad Keselowski passes Denny Hamlin for ninth.
Lap 5 -- Jimmie Johnson up to 17th after starting 22nd.
Lap 3 -- Jamie McMurray falls to third after his battle with Jeff Gordon.
Lap 1 -- LEAD CHANGE: Jamie McMurray gets a great start and jumps out to the lead but Jeff Gordon closes and beats McMurray to the line.
7:45 p.m. -- GREEN FLAG: Jamie McMurray brings the field to speed for 367 laps at Darlington.
7:41 p.m. -- The cars are rolling off pit road for three warm-up laps.
7:37 p.m. -- Michael Waltrip introduces the Cup Series moms and the moms give the command: "Sons and gentlemen, start your engines!"
7:31 p.m. -- John Norman and Kenneth Shelton from Pope Air Force Base perform the national anthem.
7:30 p.m. -- Ken Sandifer, pastor at First Baptist Church of Darlington, delivers the Invocation.
7:16 p.m. -- Kyle Busch will drop to the rear of the field due to changing to a back-up car. He doesn't lose much -- he qualified 39th.
7 p.m. -- FOX's pre-race coverage of the Showtime Southern 500 is under way.
4:49 p.m. ET -- It's a scorcher at the Lady in Black with temperatures currently in the 90s. It's also windy, with winds gusting up to 21 mph. The good news -- temperatures are expected to drop into the 70s as the sun goes down and there is no rain in the forecast. Jamie McMurray is on the pole when the green drops for the Showtime Southern 500 at 7:45 p.m. ET.
CHECKERED FLAG: Mark Martin wins his second race of the season by taking the Southern 500. The win puts him into the top 12 in points. Four of Hendrick Motorsports' cars finish in the top seven.
Lap 366 -- WHITE FLAG: Mark Martin takes the green flag and is 1.366 miles away from victory.
Lap 364 -- This is Mark Martin's race to lose as we come up on the white flag.
Lap 360 -- There is some concern in Mark Martin's pit that he might not have enough fuel.
Lap 358 -- Jimmie Johnson tells Chad Knaus they don't have anything for Mark Martin so Knaus tells him to back off and protect the car.
Lap 356 -- Jeff Gordon challenging Ryan Newman for fourth.
Lap 354 -- Jimmie Johnson has caught the bumper of Mark Martin and will try for the lead again.
Lap 350 -- Greg Biffle passes Joey Logano for eighth.
Lap 348 -- Jimmie Johnson is trying to get a nose under Mark Martin for the lead but he can't complete the pass.
Lap 346 -- GREEN FLAG: Mark Martin brings the field to the green.
1. Mark Martin
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Tony Stewart
4. Ryan Newman
5. Jeff Gordon
Lap 342 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 17: Dale Earnhardt Jr. spins and hits the wall after contact with Reed Sorenson.
Lap 339 -- Mark Martin, Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart are nose-to-tail.
Lap 338 -- GREEN FLAG: Mark Martin brings the field to the green.
1. Mark Martin
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Tony Stewart
4. Ryan Newman
5. Brad Keselowski
Lap 336 -- Denny Hamlin in sixth is the highest-running car to pit. Elliott Sadler, Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt Jr. also pit.
Lap 335 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 16: Jamie McMurray and Brian Vickers get together bringing out the caution. A.J. Allmendinger gets the free pass.
Lap 333 -- Tony Stewart passes Ryan Newman for third. Jimmie Johnson is on the bumper of Mark Martin.
Lap 331 -- Tony Stewart passes Brad Keselowski for fourth.
Lap 330 -- Martin Truex Jr. up to eighth. Joey Logano up to ninth. Greg Biffle up to 10th.
Lap 328 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. gets into the wall but the race stays green. Brian Vickers also into the wall and he slows on the track.
Lap 327 -- Tony Stewart up to fifth in just two laps.
Lap 326 -- Ryan Newman and Jimmie Johnson are side-by-side for second.
Lap 325 -- GREEN FLAG: Mark Martin brings the field to the green.
1. Mark Martin
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Ryan Newman
4. Brad Keselowski
5. Denny Hamlin
Lap 322 -- LEAD CHANGE: Seven cars stay out led by Mark Martin. Martin, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman, Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, Elliott Sadler and Dale Earnhardt Jr. all stay out.
Lap 321 -- LEAD CHANGE: Tony Stewart passes Martin Truex Jr. on pit road to get credit for the lap.
• Martin Truex Jr. with two tires and fuel
• Joey Logano with two tires and a wedge adjustment
• Tony Stewart with two tires
• Jeff Gordon with two tires
Lap 319 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 15: Record-tying caution is for debris. Bobby Labonte gets the free pass.
Lap 317 -- Sam Hornish Jr. gets loose and hits the wall in the backstretch damaging the No. 77. The race stays green.
Lap 316 -- Jeff Gordon gets around Matt Kenseth for third.
Lap 314 -- Kevin Harvick has fallen to eighth as Mark Martin and Jimmie Johnson pass him.
Lap 309 -- Joey Logano passes Kevin Harvick for fifth.
Lap 307 -- Martin Truex Jr. leads by 2.2 seconds.
Lap 306 -- Jimmie Johnson passes Brian Vickers for eighth.
Lap 304 -- Joey Logano passes Mark Martin for sixth.
Lap 301 -- Tony Stewart passes Matt Kenseth for second.
Lap 300 -- GREEN FLAG: Martin Truex Jr. brings the field to the green.
1. Martin Truex Jr.
2. Matt Kenseth
3. Tony Stewart
4. Kevin Harvick
5. Jeff Gordon
Lap 297 -- LEAD CHANGE: Martin Truex Jr. stays out and leads as everyone else hits pit road. Matt Kenseth also stays out.
• Joey Logano with two tires and fuel
• Ryan Newman with two tires
• Tony Stewart with two tires and fuel
• A.J. Allmendinger pits sideways after contact with Kurt Busch
Lap 295 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 14: Greg Biffle spins and hits the wall in Turn 4. Jeff Burton gets the free pass.
Lap 291 -- Greg Biffle up to fifth after passing Martin Truex Jr.
Lap 290 -- Sam Hornish Jr. goes for a spin after contact with Mark Martin on the frontstretch but he is able to save it and the race stays green.
Lap 289 -- Greg Biffle passes Elliott Sadler for sixth.
Lap 287 -- GREEN FLAG: Joey Logano brings the field to the green.
1. Joey Logano
2. Ryan Newman
3. Tony Stewart
4. Jeff Gordon
5. Martin Truex Jr.
Lap 285 -- None of the lead lap cars make a pit stop. Carl Edwards takes his car to the garage.
Lap 283 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 13: Carl Edwards hits the wall again after contact with Greg Biffle and can't get to pit road so the caution flies. Paul Menard gets the free pass. Edwards will be held a lap for pulling a U-turn on the track to get to pit road.
Lap 282 -- Carl Edwards hard into the wall but the race stays green.
Lap 281 -- GREEN FLAG: Joey Logano brings the field to the green.
1. Joey Logano
2. Ryan Newman
3. Tony Stewart
4. Jeff Gordon
5. Martin Truex Jr.
Lap 279 -- Jamie McMurray with a very long pit stop trying to fix their issues.
Lap 278 -- LEAD CHANGE: Joey Logano wins the race off pit road and leads for the first time tonight.
Lap 277 -- LEAD CHANGE: Ryan Newman passes Greg Biffle on pit road to inherit the lead as all the leaders hit pit road.
• Martin Truex Jr. with two tires
• Greg Biffle with four tires
• Ryan Newman with two tires and adjustments
• Joey Logano with two tires
Lap 275 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 12: Jamie McMurray blows a tire and he says he has no brakes. McMurray leaves a trail of debris as he goes around the track. Denny Hamlin is back on the lead lap with the free pass.
Lap 273 -- Kyle Busch slams the Turn 1 wall after cutting a tire but he is able to get to pit road and the race stays green. Busch is taking his car to the garage as the No. 18 has no brakes.
Lap 272 -- Greg Biffle leads by 2.6 seconds on Joey Logano.
Lap 266 -- Kyle Busch has fallen to ninth.
Lap 264 -- David Reutimann is dragging his rear lid and gets black-flagged.
Lap 259 -- Jamie McMurray in 11th could have a tire rub on the left side.
Lap 257 -- David Reutimann has dropped something off his car and he slows but he can't get down to pit road because the field has caught him. There were numerous close calls but no one hit him and the No. 00 is on pit road.
Lap 255 -- Kyle Busch passes Martin Truex Jr. for seventh.
Lap 253 -- GREEN FLAG: Greg Biffle brings the field to the green.
1. Greg Biffle
2. Joey Logano
3. Ryan Newman
4. Matt Kenseth
5. Mark Martin
Lap 251 -- LEAD CHANGE: Greg Biffle wins the race off pit road and retakes the lead.
Lap 250 -- All the leaders hit pit road.
• Martin Truex Jr. with four tires
• Jamie McMurray with four tires
• Kyle Busch with four tires
• Tony Stewart with four tires
• Joey Logano with a two-tire stop
• Matt Kenseth with a two-tire stop
• Kevin Harvick with a two-tire stop
Lap 249 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 11: Debris in Turn 4 brings out the caution. Sam Hornish Jr. gets the free pass.
Lap 247 -- Greg Biffle is closing on Tony Stewart for fourth.
Lap 244 -- Jeff Gordon passes Jimmie Johnson for 13th.
Lap 242 -- Jeff Gordon is up to 14th. Carl Edwards moves to 12th after passing Jimmie Johnson.
Lap 238 -- Greg Biffle continues to climb to the top as he passes Elliott Sadler for fifth.
Lap 236 -- David Reutimann has plummeted and is close to going a lap down.
Lap 234 -- Greg Biffle passes Brian Vickers for sixth.
Lap 228 -- David Reutimann slid up into the wall causing a bumper-car effect throughout the field but every one is able to save their cars. Reutimann is dragging something after the contact.
Lap 226 -- GREEN FLAG: Martin Truex Jr. brings the field to the green.
1. Martin Truex Jr.
2. Kyle Busch
3. Jamie McMurray
4. Tony Stewart
5. Elliott Sadler
Lap 225 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. will move to the rear of the field because a tire escaped his pit box.
Lap 224 -- Jeff Burton remains on pit road and goes a lap down.
Lap 223 -- Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt Jr. among the lead lap cars to pit.
Lap 222 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 10: A.J. Allmendinger and Clint Bowyer get together causing Bowyer to spin and slam into the inside wall and then up the track into the outside wall. David Stremme gets the free pass.
Lap 220 -- Kevin Harvick falls from sixth to eighth in one lap after his fuel-only stop.
Lap 219 -- GREEN FLAG: Martin Truex Jr. brings the field to the green.
1. Martin Truex Jr.
2. Kyle Busch
3. Jamie McMurray
4. Elliott Sadler
5. Tony Stewart
Lap 217 -- LEAD CHANGE: Matt Kenseth pits giving the lead to Martin Truex Jr., who won the race off pit road.
Lap 216 -- LEAD CHANGE: Matt Kenseth stays out to lead as all the leaders hit pit road.
• Martin Truex Jr. with two tires
• Greg Biffle with four tires
• Mark Martin with four tires and no changes
• Tony Stewart with two tires
• Jimmie Johnson gets spun by Kevin Harvick on pit road
Lap 214 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 9: Kurt Busch spins in Turn 4 after rubbing the wall but the field avoids him and there is no contact with anyone. Jeff Gordon gets the free pass and is back on the lead lap.
Lap 212 -- Jeff Gordon is challenging Bobby Labonte for the first car one lap down.
Lap 208 -- Joey Logano and David Reutimann are battling for fifth.
Lap 205 -- After contact with David Stremme, Kasey Kahne has a tire going down and he makes a green-flag pit stop.
Lap 201 -- GREEN FLAG: Greg Biffle brings the field to the green.
1. Greg Biffle
2. Martin Truex Jr.
3. Jamie McMurray
4. Kyle Busch
5. David Reutimann
Lap 199 -- After getting the free pass, David Stremme will be black-flagged and held a lap for speeding.
Lap 197 -- Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Juan Montoya among the lead lap cars to pit.
Lap 196 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 8: David Ragan has a tire go down and he slams into the wall in Turn 3. David Stremme gets the free pass.
Lap 193 -- Jimmie Johnson gets loose but saves it.
Lap 190 -- The top 13 are all on two new tires. Ryan Newman in 14th is the first car with four tires.
Lap 189 -- GREEN FLAG: Greg Biffle brings the field to the green.
1. Greg Biffle
2. Martin Truex Jr.
3. Jamie McMurray
4. Kyle Busch
5. David Reutimann
Lap 186 -- All the lead lap cars hit pit road.
• Martin Truex Jr. with a two-tire stop
• Greg Biffle with a two-tire stop
• Tony Stewart with a four-tire stop and a track bar adjustment
Lap 185 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 7: David Ragan spins in Turn 2 and slams the wall bringing out the caution. Brian Vickers gets the free pass.
Lap 179 -- Greg Biffle has opened up a 3.9-second lead on Kasey Kahne.
Lap 173 -- Some notables as we come up on half way: Kevin Harvick is 11th; Brad Keselowski is 12th; Clint Bowyer is 16th; Jimmie Johnson 19th; Matt Kenseth 22nd; Jeff Gordon is 26th.
Lap 167 -- Ryan Newman up to fifth after passing Jamie McMurray.
Lap 166 -- On the restart Paul Menard gets loose in Turn 2 but saves it.
Lap 165 -- GREEN FLAG: Greg Biffle brings the field to the green.
1. Greg Biffle
2. Tony Stewart
3. Kasey Kahne
4. Martin Truex Jr.
5. Jamie McMurray
Lap 163 -- LEAD CHANGE: Greg Biffle wins the race off pit road and retakes the lead. Mark Martin has a missing lug nut and has to come back to pit road.
Lap 162 -- LEAD CHANGE: Kasey Kahne passes Greg Biffle on pit road for the lead. All of the lead lap cars hit pit road.
• Martin Truex Jr. with a wedge adjustment
• Greg Biffle with four tires and no adjustments
• Kasey Kahne with a track bar adjustment
Lap 160 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 6: Denny Hamlin and David Ragan get together when Ragan tries to pass Hamlin sending Hamlin around. Elliott Sadler gets the free pass.
Lap 158 -- Greg Biffle puts Bobby Labonte and Elliott Sadler a lap down.
Lap 152 -- After being a lap down, Jimmie Johnson has worked his way up to 17th.
Lap 150 -- David Reutimann passes Mark Martin for sixth.
Lap 146 -- Kasey Kahne passes Tony Stewart for second.
Lap 138 -- Greg Biffle leads by 6.2 seconds.
Lap 132 -- Carl Edwards has worked his way up to 13th. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has made it up to 16th.
Lap 125 -- Greg Biffle explodes out to the lead and is out front by one second. Kyle Busch, David Reutimann and Matt Kenseth are three-wide for eighth.
Lap 123 -- GREEN FLAG: Greg Biffle brings the field to the green.
1. Greg Biffle
2. Tony Stewart
3. Martin Truex Jr.
4. Matt Kenseth
5. Kasey Kahne
Lap 122 -- LEAD CHANGE: Greg Biffle wins the race off pit road and takes the lead when Bobby Labonte pits.
Lap 121 -- LEAD CHANGE: Bobby Labonte stays out to lead a lap and collect five bonus points.
Lap 120 -- All the lead lap cars hit pit road.
• Martin Truex Jr. with four tires and no adjustments
• Greg Biffle with four tires and he's happy with his car
• Mark Martin with a chassis adjustment
• Kasey Kahne with a track bar adjustment
Lap 118 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 5: Sam Hornish Jr. gets loose and spins but doesn't hit anything. Jimmie Johnson gets the free pass.
Lap 117 -- Greg Biffle passes Tony Stewart for third.
Lap 116 -- LEAD CHANGE: Martin Truex Jr. passes Kasey Kahne for the lead.
Lap 112 -- Kasey Kahne puts David Stremme a lap down as Martin Truex Jr. has caught Kahne's bumper and is challenging for the lead.
Lap 110 -- Kasey Kahne and Martin Truex Jr. lead third-place Tony Stewart by six seconds.
Lap 108 -- Greg Biffle passes Matt Kenseth for fourth.
Lap 106 -- After the tire change Jeff Gordon is still reporting a vibration.
Lap 105 -- Jeff Gordon had a loose wheel and had to pit under green to get it fixed.
Lap 100 -- Tony Stewart passes Matt Kenseth for third.
Lap 97 -- Ryan Newman falls to eighth after getting passed by Mark Martin.
Lap 96 -- Kyle Busch and the No. 18 team think they might have a flat tire. Busch is currently 13th.
Lap 94 -- The battle on the track right now is for sixth through ninth. Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman, Mark Martin and Greg Biffle are in a pack.
Lap 90 -- Tony Stewart moves up to fourth.
Lap 89 -- Kasey Kahne passes Jimmie Johnson putting him one lap down.
Lap 86 -- Jimmie Johnson and Brian Vickers didn't pit under caution and restart in front of the leaders.
Lap 85 -- GREEN FLAG: Kasey Kahne brings the field to the green.
1. Kasey Kahne
2. Jeff Gordon
3. Martin Truex Jr.
4. Matt Kenseth
5. Ryan Newman
Lap 84 -- LEAD CHANGE: Elliott Sadler pits giving the lead to Kasey Kahne, who won the race off pit road.
Lap 83: LEAD CHANGE: Elliott Sadler stays out and leads a lap.
Lap 82: Most of the lead lap cars hit pit road.
• Martin Truex Jr. with a track bar adjustment
• Greg Biffle loses a spring rubber
• Ryan Newman with four tires and a small adjustment
• Kasey Kahne with four tires
Lap 81 -- Denny Hamlin hits pit road while it is still closed.
Lap 76 -- Jimmie Johnson is a lap down after being trapped on pit road.
Lap 75 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 4: Michael Waltrip is on fire and hits the wall after something exploded on the car. He gets his car onto pit road and looks to be OK as he exits the car. Paul Menard gets the free pass.
Lap 74 -- Jimmie Johnson drops to pit road to make a green flag pit stop. Four tires and a chassis adjustment for Johnson.
Lap 71 -- LEAD CHANGE: Kasey Kahne passes Ryan Newman at the start/finish line to take the lead.
Lap 68 -- Jeff Gordon gets back around Greg Biffle for fifth.
Lap 67 -- Martin Truex Jr. and Greg Biffle pass Jeff Gordon for fourth and fifth.
Lap 64 -- Brian Vickers is heading to pit road with a flat tire.
Lap 61 -- Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne have opened up a two-second lead.
Lap 57 -- Jeff Gordon has caught the bumper of third-place Jimmie Johnson.
Lap 52 -- Brian Vickers is up to 14th after starting 35th. Martin Truex Jr. passes Greg Biffle for fifth.
Lap 49 -- Dave Blaney takes his car to the garage.
Lap 47 -- Ryan Newman, Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne are battling for the lead.
Lap 46 -- Jeff Gordon passes Greg Biffle for fourth.
Lap 41 -- Sterling Marlin's No. 09 is being pushed to the garage.
Lap 40 -- Jeff Gordon passes Matt Kenseth for fifth.
Lap 39 -- Sterling Marlin is on pit road.
Lap 37 -- GREEN FLAG: Ryan Newman brings the field to the green.
1. Ryan Newman
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Kasey Kahne
4. Greg Biffle
5. Matt Kenseth
Lap 35 -- Carl Edwards back on pit road for more adjustments to his car. He remains on the lead lap.
Lap 34 -- Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin, Juan Montoya and Dale Earnhardt Jr. among the drivers to hit pit road. Major changes for Busch's No. 2 car.
Lap 32 -- Casey Mears has taken his car to the garage. Denny Hamlin and A.J. Allmendinger are still on the track. Carl Edwards has made two pit stops despite pit road being closed.
Lap 30 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 3: Casey Mears bumps Brian Vickers and Mears slides up the track collecting Denny Hamlin and A.J. Allmendinger. Michael Waltrip gets the free pass.
Lap 29 -- David Gilliland has taken his car to the garage.
Lap 27 -- Marcos Ambrose slams into the wall but he saves it.
Lap 25 -- LEAD CHANGE: Ryan Newman passes Jimmie Johnson on the frontstretch to take the lead.
Lap 24 -- GREEN FLAG: Jimmie Johnson brings the field to the green.
1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Ryan Newman
3. Kasey Kahne
4. Greg Biffle
5. Matt Kenseth
Lap 23 -- LEAD CHANGE: Jimmie Johnson stays out and takes the lead.
Lap 22 -- Most of the lead lap cars hit pit road.
• Sam Hornish with a track bar adjustment
• Kyle Busch with a track bar and air pressure adjustment
• Kurt Busch with major adjustments
• Matt Kenseth with a track bar adjustment
• Kasey Kahne with a two-tire stop
• Ryan Newman with a two-tire stop
• Kevin Harvick with a fuel-only stop
Lap 21 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 2: Michael Waltrip spins on the frontstraightaway bringing out the caution. No free pass will be given.
Lap 20 -- Kurt Busch continues to slide backward, now down to 16th.
Lap 18 -- Kurt Busch falls to 12th as Greg Biffle, Casey Mears and Tony Stewart pass him.
Lap 17 -- LEAD CHANGE: Jeff Gordon passes Matt Kenseth with ease in Turn 1 to take the lead.
Lap 15 -- Kyle Busch continues to climb -- now up to seventh.
Lap 14 -- Ryan Newman is challenging Sam Hornish Jr. for third.
Lap 12 -- Jeff Burton has dropped from sixth to 12th since the restart.
Lap 11 -- Kurt Busch is up to sixth. Kyle Busch is up to ninth.
Lap 9 -- Robby Gordon gets up into the wall but continues on.
Lap 7 -- GREEN FLAG: Matt Kenseth brings the field to the green.
1. Matt Kenseth
2. Jeff Gordon
3. Sam Hornish Jr.
4. Ryan Newman
5. Joey Logano
Lap 6 -- Max Papis takes his car to the garage.
Lap 5 -- Bobby Labonte, Reed Sorenson, David Stremme and Jimmie Johnson among the cars to pit. Johnson makes a small chassis adjustment.
Lap 4 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 1: Scott Speed taps Max Papis sending both cars around in Turn 1. No free pass will be given.
Lap 3 -- Joey Logano gets loose and falls to fifth behind Ryan Newman.
Lap 1 -- Matt Kenseth gets a great start and leads the first lap.
7:36 p.m. -- GREEN FLAG: Matt Kenseth brings the field to the green and the Southern 500 is under way.
7:31 p.m. -- The cars are rolling off pit road.
7:27 p.m. -- The moms of the Cup Series drivers give the command: "Sons, start your engines!"
7:21 p.m. -- Country artist Billy Currington performs the national anthem.
7:20 p.m. -- Darlington race historian, Harold King, delivers the Invocation.
7 p.m. -- FOX's pre-race coverage of the Southern 500 is under way.
6:03 p.m. -- NASCAR announces Jeremy Mayfield and two crew members have been suspended indefinitely for violating the sport's substance abuse policy (read more).
5:52 p.m. -- Reed Sorenson will move to the rear of the field for an engine change and the No. 87 will also move to the rear due to a driver change. Scott Speed will drive the No. 87 for Joe Nemechek.
5:50 p.m. -- There is a news conference coming from NASCAR at 6 p.m. ET.
5:45 p.m. ET -- It's a beautiful day in Darlington for the return of the Southern 500. Right now it's 90 degrees at the track under sunny skies. Temperatures will drop into the upper 70s once the sun goes down and there is no rain in the forecast. Green is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. ET.
