Lap-by-Lap: Talladega

CHECKERED FLAG: Jeff Gordon survives a pit road penalty and passes Jimmie Johnson on the final lap to win the UAW-Ford 500!!!

Lap 187 -- WHITE FLAG: Tony Stewart goes to the outside with Jeff Gordon. Jimmie Johnson on the inside with Dave Blaney.

Lap 186 -- Tony Stewart has linked up with Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch on the outside.

Lap 185 -- The outside line of Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch and Juan Montoya has caught the inside line of Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon.

Lap 184 -- Tony Stewart tried to make a move on Jimmie Johnson but no one went to the middle with him.

Lap 183 -- LEAD CHANGE: Jimmie Johnson passes Ryan Newman for the lead. Casey Mears gets shuffled out of the draft.

Lap 182 -- Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Casey Mears and Tony Stewart are on the bottom and have caught Ryan Newman.

Lap 181 -- Ryan Newman still leads and Tony Stewart drops down to the bottom trying to form a second lane.

Lap 180 -- GREEN FLAG: Ryan Newman brings the field to the green.
1. Ryan Newman
2. Kurt Busch
3. Juan Montoya
4. Jimmie Johnson
5. Kasey Kahne

Lap 176 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 9: Michael Waltrip had a tire go down and he clipped Elliott Sadler collecting Greg Biffle and Tony Raines.

Lap 175 -- LEAD CHANGE: Ryan Newman is able to pass Tony Stewart as Stewart tries to block two lanes.

Lap 174 -- The rest of the pack has caught leader Tony Stewart and Stewart is trying to block.

Lap 173 -- The top five of Stewart, Newman, Busch, Montoya and Sorenson have separated from the rest of the pack. Behind them they are three wide.

Lap 172 -- Dave Blaney and Jimmie Johnson have formed a bottom line of about seven cars and they are gaining on the leaders.

Lap 169 -- The inside line has now caught and joined the lead outside line. The lead pack is now 20-plus cars deep.

Lap 168 -- The top 12 are in a single line, Jimmie Johnson in 13th leads a small line on the bottom trying to get their way to the front.

Lap 166 -- GREEN FLAG: Tony Stewart brings the field to the green.
1. Tony Stewart
2. Ryan Newman
3. Kurt Busch
4. Juan Montoya
5. Kasey Kahne

Lap 164 -- Clint Bowyer on pit road topping off on fuel and making an adjustment with the tape.

Lap 162 -- Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards on pit road. Hamlin making repairs to the right rear.

Lap 162 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 8: Kyle Petty hard into the wall after blowing a tire bringing out the caution.

Lap 158 -- Aric Almirola reporting he might have an engine problem. Clint Bowyer's team, the only RCR car without an engine problem yet are concerned.

Lap 157 -- The pack instantly fell into a single line with Tony Stewart up front.

Lap 156 -- GREEN FLAG: Tony Stewart brings the field to the green.
1. Tony Stewart
2. Ryan Newman
3. Kurt Busch
4. J.J. Yeley
5. Juan Montoya

Lap 155 -- Jimmie Johnson is on pit road taking four tires and topping off on fuel.

Lap 153 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 7: Ken Schrader hard into the wall after blowing a tire.

Lap 152 -- LEAD CHANGE: Tony Stewart is out in front as he passes Ryan Newman.

Lap 151 -- LEAD CHANGE: The top four go four wide on the restart looking for the lead. Ryan Newman, with help from teammate Kurt Busch, takes the lead. Jacques Villeneuve black-flagged due to no radio communication.

Lap 150 -- GREEN FLAG: Tony Raines brings the field to the green.
1. Tony Raines
2. Tony Stewart
3. Kasey Kahne
4. Ryan Newman
5. Kurt Busch

Lap 149 -- Jimmie Johnson gives up second to come in and top off on fuel.

Lap 147 -- LEAD CHANGE: Tony Raines is shown as the race leader. Jeff Gordon who moved up to fifth after pit stops comes in to top off on fuel.

Lap 146 -- Most of the lead cars are on pit road topping off on fuel to go the rest of the way. Kevin Harvick is on pit road with his hood up. They think he might have dropped a cylinder.

Lap 145 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 6: The "Big One" has happened as a ton of cars have crashed including Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin, Jamie McMurray, David Reutimann Paul Menard, Bobby Labonte, Dave Blaney, Brian Vickers, David Ragan and Robby Gordon.

Lap 143 -- An inside line is starting to form led by Kyle Busch.

Lap 141 -- LEAD CHANGE: Tony Stewart now out in front as the main pack of cars drop into a single file line.

Lap 140 -- As the green flag drops, Jeff Gordon hits pit road due to a penalty for equipment on pit road.

Lap 140 -- GREEN FLAG: Johnny Sauter brings the field to the green.
1. Johnny Sauter
2. Elliott Sadler
3. Tony Stewart
4. Kasey Kahne
5. Ryan Newman

Lap 139 -- LEAD CHANGE: Johnny Sauter is the new leader as Kevin Harvick and the rest of the drivers who stayed out hit pit road.

Lap 138 -- LEAD CHANGE: Kevin Harvick stays out to lead a lap and collect five bonus points. Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards and Jacques Villeneuve also stay out.

Lap 137 -- All the leaders hit pit road.
• Kasey Kahne takes two right-side tires and fuel
• Brian Vickers with just fuel only and no tires
• Elliott Sadler with just fuel only
• Johnny Sauter wins the race off pit road

Lap 136 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 5: Dale Earnhardt Jr. has his engine go up in smoke and he is the third DEI/RCR engine to blow today. Dale Jarrett has some right front damage after trying to avoid cars and he sits on the apron.

Lap 135 -- LEAD CHANGE: Brian Vickers wins the race to the line on the inside and leads.

Lap 134 -- LEAD CHANGE: Tony Stewart is now out front as the field is three wide.

Lap 133 -- LEAD CHANGE: Bobby Labonte grabs the lead with help from Tony Stewart.

Lap 132 -- Jacques Villeneuve has scraped the wall and could have his right-front tire going down.

Lap 130 -- The pack has now created three lines and at times they are four wide.

Lap 122 -- The three Hendrick cars of Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch are all in the rear of the field and Chad Knaus says in about 15 laps they will get together and make their charge to the front.

Lap 119 -- The main pack of cars is single file with Elliott Sadler out front.

Lap 116 -- GREEN FLAG: Elliott Sadler brings the field to the green.
1. Elliott Sadler
2. Tony Stewart
3. Juan Montoya
4. Reed Sorenson
5. Kasey Kahne

Lap 115 -- LEAD CHANGE: Clint Bowyer hits pit road and gives the lead to Elliott Sadler who won the race off of pit road.

Lap 114 -- LEAD CHANGE: Clint Bowyer takes the lead and earns five bonus points after staying out when everyone else pitted.

Lap 114 -- Most of the lead lap cars hit pit road.
• Kasey Kahne takes two tires and fuel
• Reed Sorenson with a fuel only stop
• Brian Vickers with four tires and fuel
• Elliott Sadler with two tires and fuel

Lap 113 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 4: Martin Truex Jr. becomes the second Chase driver and second RCR/DEI engine to explode.

Lap 111 -- Jeff Gordon continues to be patient as he sits 36th and has been in the 30s all race long.

Lap 109 -- LEAD CHANGE: Elliott Sadler takes the lead as the main group of cars now go three wide. Kasey Kahne bumped Sadler to the lead on the inside.

Lap 104 -- Jeff Burton is the only car off the track. John Andretti is scored 38 laps down, David Gilliland is 23 laps down and Joe Nemechek is 21 laps behind leader Tony Stewart.

Lap 101 -- The three-wide racing has come to an end as the main pack of cars fall behind Tony Stewart and run single file.

Lap 99 -- LEAD CHANGE: Tony Stewart on the outside takes the lead and earns five bonus points.

Lap 98 -- LEAD CHANGE: Denny Hamlin is the first to the line as the lead group of cars spread to three wide.

Lap 96 -- GREEN FLAG: Michael Waltrip brings the field to the green.
1. Michael Waltrip
2. Kasey Kahne
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
4. Brian Vickers
5. Elliott Sadler

Lap 95 -- LEAD CHANGE: Michael Waltrip wins the race off pit road and takes the lead when Mike Wallace hits pit road.

Lap 94 -- LEAD CHANGE: Mike Wallace stays out and leads a lap collecting five bonus points.

Lap 94 -- All the lead lap cars hit pit road.
• Tony Stewart takes four tires for the first time today and makes an adjustment
• David Reutimann takes four tires
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. with right side tires
• Kasey Kahne gains eight positions on pit road
• Martin Truex Jr. gains 10 positions

Lap 92 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 3: Jeff Burton is heading to the garage as his engine has just blown spewing oil and debris on the track.

Lap 91 -- LEAD CHANGE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. is back in front as he retakes the lead on the outside.

Lap 89 -- LEAD CHANGE: David Reutimann is out front as the field has now spread out to three lines of racing.

Lap 88 -- LEAD CHANGE: Michael Waltrip is back out in front and his teammate David Reutimann is second after joining the bottom line.

Lap 82 -- Joe Nemechek has smoke and fluid coming out of his car and he is being black-flagged.

Lap 81 -- The front 15 are single-file but behind them they are running two lines of the draft.

Lap 76 -- Denny Hamlin continues to lead as there is one long line of 42 cars on the top of the track.

Lap 68 -- The leaders are single file but from 10th to 20th they are running two and three wide.

Lap 67 -- GREEN FLAG: Denny Hamlin brings the field to the green.
1. Denny Hamlin
2. Tony Stewart
3. Kyle Busch
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
5. Tony Raines

Lap 66 -- Martin Truex Jr. suffered some damage after hitting the wall. He has been on-and-off pit road during this caution period.

Lap 65 -- Pit sequence is now off for about half the field as the cars in the middle of the pack hit pit road. David Gilliland is now on pit road with the hood up as they make repairs to his No. 38 Ford.

Lap 63 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 2: Greg Biffle and David Gilliland get together bringing out the caution. Biffle on pit road and changes two tires but didn't hit anything after spinning and suffered very minimal damage. Gilliland however suffered some front-end damage and will need to make repairs when pit road opens.

Lap 63 -- LEAD CHANGE: Denny Hamlin is back in front as green flag pit stops have cycled through.

Lap 62 -- LEAD CHANGE: Jeff Green inherits the lead as Michael Waltrip hits pit road.

Lap 61 -- LEAD CHANGE: Michael Waltrip takes the lead when Brian Vickers slows to hit pit road. Jimmie Johnson and Vickers each take four tires.

Lap 60 -- LEAD CHANGE: Brian Vickers grabs the lead when Dale Earnhardt Jr. hits pit road.

Lap 59 -- LEAD CHANGE: Kyle Busch takes the lead when Dale Earnhardt Jr. slows to hit pit road. Tony Stewart, Busch and Junior all take four tires.

Lap 58 -- Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne with their pit stops.

Lap 57 -- Matt Kenseth and Dave Blaney both penalized for exiting pit road too fast and will serve pit road penalties. Martin Truex Jr., Reed Sorenson, Bobby Labonte all on pit road.

Lap 56 -- Carl Edwards is on pit road and takes two tires. Greg Biffle also on pit road taking two tires.

Lap 55 -- Green flag pit stops have started as Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton are on pit road.

Lap 49 -- 42 cars are on the lead lap and on the track. John Andretti is the only car off the track.

Lap 45 -- There hasn't been any position changes as all the cars are following leader Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the top of the track.

Lap 40 -- Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch and Matt Kenseth are Chase drivers in the rear of the field just logging laps.

Lap 37 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. is leading one long single-file line which is at least 20 cars deep.

Lap 31 -- LEAD CHANGE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. is out front for the first time today and the crowd is going crazy.

Lap 30 -- LEAD CHANGE: Martin Truex Jr. uses the outside lane than drops to the inside to take the lead for the first time today.

Lap 28 -- Some drivers are starting to create a middle lane creating three-wide racing.

Lap 27 -- LEAD CHANGE: Denny Hamlin brings the inside lane to the front and he is back out front.

Lap 26 -- There are two lanes on the racetrack with Elliott Sadler leading the inside lane and Denny Hamlin leading the outside lane.

Lap 25 -- LEAD CHANGE: Elliott Sadler, with help from Kevin Harvick, brings the inside lane to the front and Sadler leads a lap.

Lap 22 -- GREEN FLAG: Denny Hamlin brings the field to the green.
1. Denny Hamlin
2. Kasey Kahne
3. Martin Truex Jr.
4. Elliott Sadler
5. Reed Sorenson

Lap 21 -- LEAD CHANGE: Jimmie Johnson hits pit road as does Kurt Busch giving the lead to Denny Hamlin. Johnson and Busch take four tires. Matt Kenseth on pit road with the hood up and he will go a lap down.

Lap 20 -- LEAD CHANGE: Jimmie Johnson takes the lead as the cars who stayed out are now on pit road.
• Jeff Gordon takes four tires
• Jacques Villeneuve making major adjustments

Lap 19 -- LEAD CHANGE: Kyle Petty stays out and collects five bonus points.

Lap 18 -- Most of the cars come down pit road.
• Reed Sorenson takes four tires and fuel
• Kyle Busch with four tires and an adjustment
• Two tires and fuel for Denny Hamlin
• Kasey Kahne with fuel only

Lap 17 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 1: Caution is out when John Andretti has his right-front tire blow. Matt Kenseth just went a lap down but he gets the free pass and is back on the lead lap.

Lap 15 -- Matt Kenseth is on pit road due to a right-front tire going down. He takes two right-side tires and is out.

Lap 14 -- Kyle Busch has been warned about aggressive bump-drafting. He is second behind leader Denny Hamlin.

Lap 13 -- The outside lane seems to be the quicker one early in this race.

Lap 12 -- LEAD CHANGE: Denny Hamlin with help from John Andretti moves his way to the front.

Lap 9 -- LEAD CHANGE: Brian Vickers is now back out front. Denny Hamlin has moved all the way to fourth.

Lap 6 -- LEAD CHANGE: Robby Gordon gets a good jump and leads his first lap of the day.

Lap 5 -- LEAD CHANGE: Bobby Labonte wins the race to the line and leads another lap.

Lap 5 -- Ryan Newman was forced outside and out of the draft and he falls way back.

Lap 4 -- LEAD CHANGE: Michael Waltrip brings the outside lane to the front and is out front again.

Lap 3 -- LEAD CHANGE: Brian Vickers jumps out front and leads the third lap.

Lap 2 -- LEAD CHANGE: Bobby Labonte makes it three wide at the line and leads the second lap.

Lap 1 -- LEAD CHANGE: Dave Blaney inches ahead of Michael Waltrip to lead the first lap and collect five bonus points.

2:21 p.m. -- GREEN FLAG: Michael Waltrip brings the field to the green and the UAW-Ford 500 is under way.

2:13 p.m. -- The cars are rolling off pit road and on the track.

2:11 p.m. -- Two cars are going to the rear at the start. Casey Mears for making adjustments and Jamie McMurray for an engine change.

2:08 p.m. -- Grand Marshal Dave Sparks gives the command: "Gentlemen, start your engines."

2:02 p.m. -- Miss University of Alabama Stephanie Shelton performs the national anthem.

2:01 p.m. -- Frank Stark delivers the Invocation.

2 p.m. -- There is a moment of silence at the track for Bill France Jr.

1 p.m. -- NASCAR Countdown has started on ABC.

12:54 p.m. -- We are less than two hours away from the green flag flying at Talladega Superspeedway for the UAW-Ford 500. The weather is gorgeous in Alabama, sunny skies with a few clouds. Michael Waltrip is on the pole and the green is scheduled to drop at 2:20 p.m. ET.

TALLADEGA HEADLINES
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Drivers who had to qualify left mark on race lineup
Jarrett knows his future, world will learn Thursday
Drivers feel COT may lead to more accidents at 'Dega
Import Villeneuve hopes to silence critics at Talladega
Knaus says competition stiff, refutes favorite's role
Alabama racing isn't what it used be, says the Gang
Rear wing on COT creating vision issues for drivers
Franchitti fitting in at track one pant leg at a time
COTs ready, Chase drivers brace for 'Dega unknowns