Jimmie Johnson took the green flag to start the race and led for the first series of green flag runs. First ten laps we had 2 or 3 cars loose and hit the wall including Kurt Busch and Brian Vickers. The sun came out on lap 14 and took everyone by surprise, Lets hope it holds up for the whole race. Some rain is expected in the area about an hour into the race so the sun is a welcomed surprise.
Caution out for Joey Logano as he spins in turn 2 around lap 20. Most of the leaders didn’t pit as there will be a competition caution near lap 40. Jimmie Johnson has led every lap so far and he chooses the outside line for the restart on lap 25. Johnson pulls away from everyone. Carl Edwards is up to 3rd and he looks like he has a good car today. Kyle Busch is up 19 spots as he dropped to the back for an engine change.
Jimmie has over a one second lead and Carl Edwards is up to second, Harvick is third. Mike Skinner has parked his car and is the only car of track. Joey Logano is a lap down. Lap 40 and Jimmie Johnson is catching lapped traffic. Caution is out for competition caution at the completion of lap 40.Leaders are all coming to pit road.
Carl Edwards beats out Johnson from the pits and takes the lead. Some cars only took 2 tires it will be interesting to see how that makes out. Jimmie Johnson takes over the lead again and once again pulls away. Greg Biffle having issues and drops back to 40th.
AJ Allemdinger is running second and Carl Edwards is back to third. AJ seems to have a good car today as he has been near the top 5 so far. So far the Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch issue has been a non factor with Kyle fighting a bad car that is plowing in the 13th position and Kevin is running 4th as we approach lap 60.
Leaders are still the same as we approach lap 100 and it looks like a long green run is here. They just showed a weather radar of the area and it looks like storms are east and west of the track. So far Johnson has led all laps except for a few where some cars stayed out during the competition caution. There are 24 cars on the lead lap as Jimmie Johnson just put Ryan Newman a lap down. Green flag pit stops are under way with Montoya leading the way on lap 107.
Leader pits on lap 108 and David Ragan spins at the entrance of pit road and has blocked Jamie Mcmurray and Tony Stewart from coming down pit road clean. No caution as he gets back underway. Lap 110 brings a lot of the rest of the cars to pit road, looks like it will cycle through quickly. Jimmie Johnson back in the lead.
Approaching lap 130 and Jimmie Johnson is out in front by a second as the guys behind him are racing each other and helping the #48 pull away. Tony Stewart is having a bad day and is now 3 laps down. Lap 144 we have a new leader as Carl Edwards is the new leader with only 19 cars on the lead lap.
Track conditions are making the cars very slick and handling is going away. This was the main reason for Jimmie dropping back. Dale Earnhardt Jr has hit the wall but continues on. You can see that the track is starting to take rubber in one of the turns causing everyone to slide through the turn.
Another long green flag run but I think some guys are gonna come down early to work on their cars. Aj Almendinger seems to have blown his engine and is dropping back. Caution is out for rain at lap 163. Rain drops are all over the windshields and they had to throw a caution.
Carl Edwards is leader, Jimmie Johnson second and everyone is pitting. Kurt Busch has been in the wall again, they are having some bad luck. Jimmie Johnson beats Carl Edwards off pit road. Aj Allmendinger stayed out to lead a lap since he has a blown valve and probably won’t be racing much longer. Denny Hamlin to fast on pit road and will have to do a drive by penalty. Aj Allendinger heads to the garage.
Lap 170 puts us back under green and Jimmie Johnson once again gets a great start. He was told under caution that his tires looked great when they came off the car. Handling issue is just the rubber on the track making things slick. Kevin Harvick is 7th and Kyle Busch in 9th so that may be something to keep an eye on. Mark Martin has been in the top 10 since taking only two tires on the first stop to gain track positions.
Marcos Ambrose is up to second and his car looks good but Carl Edwards is right on his bumper. Marcos got loose and Carl passed him on lap 183. Martin Truex is having a good day and has been in the top 10 all day. He is up to 4th position as he passes Matt Kenseth. Carl Edwards takes the lead as Jimmie goes high in the corner. We have hit the halway point and it looks like the sun has come out again and rain will not be a factor anytime soon.
Kyle Busch got a bump from Jeff Gordon and pushed him out of the grove and he almost hit the wall. Jeff is 12th Kyle is 14th on lap 206. Harvick is reporting a vibration, probably blaming Kyle for it. There are only about 18 cars on the lead lap. Caution is out for debris on lap 217. All the leaders are on pit road and Carl Edwards gets out in from followed by Marcos Abrose, Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson. Jimmie dropped 2 spots on pit road as they made an adjustment.
So far we have had 8 leaders, with most of them coming during pit stops. 18 cars on lead lap so far. Kasey Kahne is up to third and Johnson is catching Carl Edwards who is the leader for now. 150 laps to go and Carl Edwards is catching lap traffic as he pulls away again. It seems like whoever is in the lead they get a 1 second lead. Leaders are still the same Edwards, Johnson,Kahne and Bowyer. We seem to be into another long green run and the sun is still out making the track slicker.
Lap 262 and its still Carl Edwards who has led 97 laps and Jimmie has led 160 of the laps so far. It has been these two cars all day and at this point I see no one challenging them for the win. Carl has a 2 second lead over Jimmie and he has a 2 second lead over Clint Bowyer. Dale Jr is up to 8th and seems to have his car working better. Tony Stewart is very loose and not having a good day. His teammate Ryan Newman is doing the same thing. Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch are trading paint. Jeff bumped Kyle early in the race and it looks like Kyle just returned the favor.
Green flags stops should be coming soon. The tire wear has been minimal but the rubber on the track has cars taking the turn higher for grip. David Reutimann is the first car to take to the pits. Rest of the leaders should be on pit road soon. Lap 284 brings the leaders to pit road, small adjustment for him as he likes his car. Juan Pablo takes the lead but he has not pitted yet. Johnson is ahead of Edwards as they spent extra time making sure Carl got all his fuel in. Johnson passes Montoya on the track to take the lead. Andy Lally spins coming to pit road but no caution.
100 laps to go and Johnson is in the lead Edward second followed by some Richard Childress cars, Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick. There are 19 cars on the lead lap but Johnson is quickly catching last weeks winner Regan Smith.
Carl Edwards was passed by Clint Bowyer and then the two traded paint and Clint was knocked out of the grove. Jimmie is in the lead with 75 to go and green flag stops are expected with about 50 laps to go. Jimmie and Carl are battling again for the lead but Jimmies car is running better in the high grove. They are coming up on slower cars of Kurt Busch and Brad Keselowski. Caution out for Kasey Kahne as he has a tire go down. Kasey was running in 8th at the time. Pit road is open.
Clint Bowyer wins the race off pit road with Carl and Jimmie right behind. The TV broadcasters are saying the cars can make it from here but I am not so sure with 63 to go. Clint Bowyer takes the green and quickly jumps out to the lead. Paul Menard brushes Montoya and has a tire go down but makes it to pit road. Kyle Busch is 6th and Harvick is 7th. %0 laps to go its Bowyer, Edwards,Johnson, Kenseth and Jeff Burton.
Caution out for Juan Pablo Montoya spinning right in front of the leaders on lap 362. 6 cars only took 2 tires and Mark Martin did not pit. This should be interesting restart. I don’t think Mark can make it on fuel. Clint Bowyer is in 8th Edwards is 9th and Johnson is 11th. This race is anyone’s at this point.
Kyle Busch making good time on four fresh tires. Mark Martin on old tires is hanging on for second with 25 to go. Looks like the right call if he can make it on fuel.
7 laps to go and Matt Kenseth still in the lead and not much has changed in the front. Mark Martin still holding to second. Logano hit the wall but made it to pit road without a caution. Looks like maybe Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson should have stayed out on the last caution.
Matt Kenseth wins Mark Martin second. Lots of second guessing going on after this race.
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