Goody's Fast Relief 500

 

Jimmie Johnson wins at Martinsville! Kyle Busch and Kasey Kahne follow. Johnson has the points lead by two points.

Lap 499: Kyle Busch tags Jimmie Johnson's bumper right after the white flag.

Lap 498: Jimmie Johnson continues to hold the lead.

Lap 496: Jimmie Johnson pulls away to the lead. Kasey Kahne is challenging Kyle Busch for second. Brad Keselowski is falling back.

RESTART: Lap 495: Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch lead the field to the gren.

Radio chatter on Lap 494: Dale Earnhardt Jr. has a problem with his splitter hanging off. Crew chief Steve Letarte tells him not to race anyone.

Lap 494: Restart waved off as Juan Pablo Montoya getting into position as the free pass.

CAUTION 11 - Lap 489: Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Carl Edwards crash in Turn 2. Edwards had contact from Sam Hornish Jr.

Lap 489: Aric Almirola has a nose inside of Brad Keselowski in battle for fifth.

Lap 487: Jeff Gordon nudges Brad Keselowski, gets past him for fourth.

Lap 486: Kyle Busch also passes Brad Keselowski for second. Kasey Kahne gets by him for third.

Lap 485: Jimmie Johnson to the inside of Brad Keselowski, takes the lead.

Lap 484: Jimmie Johnson nudges Brad Keselowski at the front. Can't get inside him.

Lap 483: Jeff Gordon drops to the inside in fifth.

Lap 482: Jimmie Johnson on the bumper of Brad Keselowski.

RESTART - Lap 481: Brad Keselowski and Dale Earnhardt Jr., on older tires, lead the field. Earnhardt Jr. slow up to speed on outside, holds up Jeff Gordon as well.

Radio chatter on Lap 475: Brad Keselowski: "I got you a point."

Lap 474: Jimmie Johnson leads race off pit road. Only two cars remained on the track, so Jimmie Johnson will restart third.

Lap 473: Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and other leaders pit - except Brad Keselowski and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Lap 473: There are 18 cars on the lead lap. Will anyone pit?

Lap 472: Jimmie Johnson is leading, Brad Keselowski is sixth and Denny Hamlin is 31st.

CAUTION 10 - Lap 474: Kevin Harvick smoking on the track.

Lap 471: Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon are pulling away from the rest of the field.

Lap 469: Jeff Gordon is riding in the tracks of leader Jimmie Johnson, waiting for an opening to make his move.

Radio chatter on Lap 468: Kasey Kahne: "I have no (expletive) grip."

Radio chatter Lap 465: Spotter Brett Griffin tells Clint Bowyer not to overdrive the car. "Just be patient and let the 24 and 48 race each other."

Lap 456: Jimmie Johnson continues to set the pace. Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer follow. All have been strong throughout the race.

Radio chatter on Lap 451: AJ Allmendinger: "(Expletive) 43 car."

Lap 451: AJ Allmendinger comes to pit road with equipment hanging off his car. He was running t.

Lap 446: Kyle Busch is pressuring Jeff Gordon for second.

RESTART - Lap 445: Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon lead the field to the green. Johnson quickly jumps ahead.

Radio chatter on Lap 444: Clint Bowyer said it cooled off and he got real tight on that last run.

Radio chatter on Lap 442: Crew chief Chad Knaus: "Everything is fine, it didn’t hit the wheel, just the tire."  Jimmie Johnson: "It whipped the wheel out of my hands both times."

Lap 441: Jimmie Johnson edges Jeff Gordon in race off pit road.

Lap 440: Leaders head to pit road. Kurt Busch will be the free pass on the caution.

Radio chatter on Lap 438: Jimmie Johnson: "I've had my right front hit twice now."

CAUTION 9 - Lap 438: Juan Pablo Montoya spins. Johnson was trying to put him a lap down.

Radio chatter on Lap 436: Jimmie Johnson on Casey Mears: "He just KOed the right wheel."

Radio chatter on Lap 432: Clint Bowyer asks Brett Griffin what he’s doing wrong. Spotter replies, “You’re beating him through the center but he’s beating you on exit." Bowyer says he’s way tight.

Lap 430: Jeff Gordon is up to second, more than a second behind teammate Jimmie Johnson.

Lap 424: Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer and Jeff Gordon are the front three on the track.

Lap 421: Denny Hamlin's car is being pushed back out to pit road.

Lap 420: Jimmie Johnson laps fellow Chase for the Sprint Cup contender Kevin Harvick. Only 18 cars remain on the lead lap.

Radio chatter on Lap 418: Spotter Brett Griffin to Clint Bowyer: "Keep that pressure on him man, you got nothing behind you."

Lap 416: Jimmie Johnson has pulled back away and put a little distance on Clint Bowyer again.

Lap 414: Clint Bowyer is all over the bumper of leader Jimmie Johnson.

Radio chatter on Lap 413: Crew chief Chad Knaus: "Sorry bud, you got to let him go, you got to let him go."

Lap 410: Clint Bowyer offers Jimmie Johnson a welcome tap.

Radio chatter on Lap 407: Joey Meier: "Tire management here, we got to take these to the end."

Lap 403: Jimmie Johnson is back in command. He's looking to maximize points today - and wants to lead the most laps. Clint Bowyer has led 154, Johnson 101 at this point.

RESTART: Lap 400: Jimmie Johnson and Clint Bowyer lead the field to the flag; Johnson quickly jumps into the lead.

Lap 394: Jimmie Johnson leads the race off pit road. Clint Bowyer is second, followed by Kyle Busch.

Lap 394: Pit road is open; leaders pit.

Lap 393: Denny Hamlin is working inside his car in an effort to refire it. He is just stopped.

CAUTION 8 - Lap 391: Denny Hamlin's car is coming to a stop on the frontstretch, just past the start/finish line.

Lap 391: Jimmie Johnson bumps his way past Jeff Gordon for third.

Lap 389: Everyone is passing Denny Hamlin.

Lap 388: Clint Bowyer laps Denny Hamlin.

Lap 387: Denny Hamlin is working to keep his car going and fend off leader Clint Bowyer's challenge.

Radio chatter on Lap 384: Denny Hamlin: "It's going (expletive) haywire."

Lap 384: Suddenly, Clint Bowyer is lapping Denny Hamlin.

Lap 377: Denny Hamlin is slowing dramatically.

Radio chatter on Lap 376: Denny Hamlin: "Our battery is dying."

Lap 377: Kasey Kahne continues to lead; Denny Hamlin is eighth.

Radio chatter on Lap 373: Denny Hamlin said his gauges were going crazy. "Car has cut off."
Crew chief Darian Grubb: "Switch your battery." Hamlin: "13.5 battery two."

Lap 366: Kasey Kahne passes Matt Kenseth to retake the lead.

Lap 365: Juan Pablo Montoya, Martin Truex Jr. pit.

Lap 365: Matt Kenseth takes the lead, gaining a point in the Chase standings.

Lap 364: Brian Vickers gives up the lead to pit. Aric Almirola also pits.

Lap 362: Kasey Kahne is up to fourth. Brian Vickers, in the lead, has yet to pit.

Lap 360: Kasey Kahne, in sixth, is the top-running car that has already pitted.

Lap 359: Joey Logano, Tony Stewart pit.

Lap 356: Brian Vickers is the leader.

Lap 356: Denny Hamlin gives up the lead to pit. Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski pit.

Lap 353: Jimmie Johnson, AJ Allmendinger pit.

Lap 350: Denny Hamlin takes over the lead.

Lap 350: Clint Bowyer pits from the lead. Bowyer stalls it briefly coming out of his pits.

Lap 349: Jeff Burton, Marcos Ambrose pit.

Lap 347: Jeff Burton bounces off the wall, keeps going. Bobby Labonte pits.

Lap 346: Jeff Gordon passes Clint Bowyer at the front, to get a lap back lost while pitting.

Lap 345: Kasey Kahne pits.

Lap 343: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards pit. Earnhardt Jr.'s team makes a chassis adjustment.

Lap 341: Greg Biffle, Landon Cassill, Sam Hornish Jr. pit.

Radio chatter on Lap 340: Clint Bowyer says that he doesn't want any adjustments.

Lap 340: Clint Bowyer trying to lap Richard Childress Racing teammate Jeff Burton.

Lap 339: AJ Allmendinger pits.

Lap 338: Jeff Gordon pits.

Lap 336: Kevin Harvick pits.

Radio chatter on Lap 334: Kasey Kahne asks if there's weather coming. Crew chief Kenny Francis says it's overcast but nothing on the radar.

Lap 332: Paul Menard pits.

Radio chatter on Lap 329: Denny Hamlin says that he wants four tires on his next stop.

Lap 327: Brian Vickers is putting the pressure on Jeff Gordon and overtakes fourth.

Lap 326: Kasey Kahne, in second, is the fastest on the track.

Lap 320: In the race for the Chase lead, Jimmie Johnson is sixth; Brad Keselowski is 10th.

Radio chatter on Lap 319: Spotter Earl Barban to Jimmie Johnson: "They're brewing something up to make you go faster, keep after it." Johnson is running sixth.

Lap 317: Kasey Kahne passes teammate Jeff Gordon for second.

Lap 313: After a spate of cautions, the field is enjoying a long green-flag run. That's allowing leader Clint Bowyer to add more drivers to those a lap down. He is currently the driver to have led the most laps in the race.

Lap 308: Clint Bowyer is smoothly working his way through traffic and slowly pulling away from the field.

Lap 304: Bowyer finally completes the pass on Stewart, with Jeff Gordon trying to follow him through.

Lap 301: Defending champion Tony Stewart is getting lapped by Clint Bowyer. Stewart is fighting to stay on the lead lap, making it tough for Bowyer to pass.

Lap 296: Denny Hamlin is working on Brian Vickers for fourth.

Lap 294: Jimmie Johnson, in sixth, is the fastest car on the track right now.

Lap 291: Clint Bowyer looks really comfortable at the front of the field. He's calmly working his way through lapped traffic.

Lap 288: Brian Vickers and Jeff Gordon are now in a battle for second, with Vickers on the outside. Gordon holds the spot.

Lap 284: Leader Clint Bowyer has a .492 of a second lead over Jeff Gordon. Bowyer has never won at Martinsville.

Lap 279: Denny Hamlin moves past Jimmie Johnson for fifth. 

Lap 278: Brian Vickers, in fourth, is fastest on the track.

Lap 275: AJ Allmendinger passes Greg Biffle for 12th.

Radio chatter on Lap 271: Jimmie Johnson reports that he is "real tight." He's now fifth after Brian Vickers completes the pass for fourth.

Lap 269: Brian Vickers is inside Jimmie Johnson, working to complete the pass in the battle for fourth.

Lap 267: Brian Vickers is working on Jimmie Johnson for fourth.

Lap 265: Brian Vickers is working back into the mix and is fifth.

Lap 264: Kasey Kahne, now in third, is the fastest on the track.

Lap 262: Denny Hamlin continues to show his strength and is up to eighth.

Lap 260: Brad Keselowski passes Carl Edwards for 10th after briefly dropping back.

Lap 254: The top Chase contenders are all in the top 10: Jimmie Johnson is running third, Brad Keselowski ninth and Denny Hamlin 10th.

Lap 253: Points leader Brad Keselowski is ninth. He's calmly worked his way into the top 10 today.

Radio chatter on Lap 250: Denny Hamlin, as he moves to 10th, says he is starting to get real tight in the center.

Lap 247: Clint Bowyer continues to set the pace in the field. Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson follow. The first six drivers on the track are Chase for the Sprint Cup drivers.

Lap 241: Clint Bowyer is running away at the front of the field. Bowyer has won a career-best three Sprint Cup races already this season.

Lap 239: Here come the Hendrick cars: Jimmie Johnson is second, followed by Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne.

Lap 237: Martin Truex Jr. serves a pass-through penalty after changing lanes at the start of the race.

Lap 235: Jimmie Johnson and Clint Bowyer still battling at the front. Johnson has the edge.

RESTART: Lap 234: Clint Bowyer and Jimmie Johnson lead the field to the green.

Lap 232: David Gilliland too fast on pit road.

Radio chatter on Lap 231: Joey Meier tells Brad Keselowski: "Welcome to the top 10."

Lap 230: Mark Martin, Jamie McMurray, Juan Pablo Montoya, Kurt Busch, Joey Logano, Ryan Newman, Jeff Burton, Aric Almirola, Bobby Labonte, Matt Kenseth and Casey Mears pit.

CAUTION 7: Lap 228: Kurt Busch spins after coming down on Kevin Harvick.

Lap 226: Clint Bowyer moves to the inside of Jeff Gordon and takes the lead.

Lap 224: Denny Hamlin is 23rd as he fights back from his second pit-road penalty of the day.

Lap 223: Brad Keselowski has clearly overcome his poor starting position. He's now 12th in the race.

Lap 220: Clint Bowyer stays low and keeps Jimmie Johnson on the outside to take second.

RESTART - Lap 219: Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson lead the field to the green. Jeff Gordon pulls away with the lead.

Radio chatter on Lap 219: While Kurt Busch waited on the restart, he tells the crew: "Trackbar on the 48 is like what we’ve been running on the mile and a halves."

Radio chatter on Lap 217: Denny Hamlin says the brakes are so good he could go an extra 20 mph.

Radio chatter on Lap 215: Kurt Busch says he keeps locking up the left front. Tells the crew that they need to get to the bottom of it. He says that something broke yesterday in the rear end. Asked the crew if they removed all the pieces. He is running fourth.

Lap 214: Tony Stewart has a long pit stop.

Lap 213: Lee Spencer reports that Denny Hamlin will pit. He might as well considering how much position he lost with the penalty.

CAUTION 6: Lap 212: Marcos Ambrose and Travis Kvapil spin while battling for the free-pass spot.

Lap 210: Jeff Gordon is facing a stout challenge from his teammate. Jimmie Johnson is all over Gordon and trying to look inside entering the turns.

Lap 208: Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer, Kurt Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. are the top five.

Lap 207: Things are getting wild on the restart at the front as everyone jockeys for position.

Lap 205: Jeff Gordon jumps ahead of Jimmie Johnson for the lead.

RESTART - Lap 204: Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon lead the field to the green.

Lap 203: Denny Hamlin will be 28th on the restart after serving his penalty. He's shown the ability to come from the back in this race - can he do it again?

Radio chatter on Lap 202: Denny Hamlin: "This is just (expletive) stupid."

Lap 201: Denny Hamlin too fast on pit road - again.

Radio chatter on Lap 201: Jimmie Johnson cannot hear his spotter on his radio.

Lap 200: Leaders pit. This should put everyone back on the same sequence - for now.

CAUTION 5 - Lap 199: Marcos Ambrose spins in Turn 2.

Lap 193: Kasey Kahne, in 10th, is the fastest driver on the track.

Lap 190: Brian Vickers has caught Jimmie Johnson. The two were not pleased with one another earlier in the race.

Lap 188: As the drivers battle for position, the coal train is rolling past the backstretch at the track.

Lap 186: Jeff Gordon, in sixth, is running the fastest laps on the track.

Lap 184: Denny Hamlin passes Jimmie Johnson for second; Jeff Gordon passes Kurt Busch for sixth.

Lap 183: Clint Bowyer is back inside Jimmie Johnson - and clears him for the lead.

Lap 182: Lee Spencer reports that Clint Bowyer is showing a lot of patience in trying to pass Johnson.

Lap 181: Clint Bowyer is looking inside of Jimmie Johnson for the lead; Johnson pulls back ahead.

Lap 180: Jeff Gordon to seventh.

Lap 180: Kevin Harvick is up to 11th. That's a recovery after struggling earlier in the race.

Lap 178: Jeff Gordon is eighth - and the fastest on the track.

Lap 174: Jimmie Johnson is once more leading at Martinsville.

Lap 166: Denny Hamlin takes the lead - that's two days in a row he's been on the point at Martinsville.

Lap 165: Denny Hamlin inside of Brian Vickers for the lead.

Lap 161: Brian Vickers continues to lead. Jimmie Johnson, in third, is the fastest on the track.

Lap 157: Brian Vickers takes the lead, Denny Hamlin and Dale Earnhardt Jr. follow. Jeff Gordon is 18th; points leader Brad Keselowski is 24th.

RESTART - Lap 156: Denny Hamlin and Brian Vickers lead the field to the green.

Lap 150: Travis Kvapil gets the free pass.

Lap 150: Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Juan Pablo Montoya, Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle, Brad Keselowski, Paul Menard, Jeff Burton and Matt Kenseth pit. 

CAUTION 4 - Lap 149: Kyle Busch spins in Turn 4 after dropping through the field. Busch manages to not hit anything - will pit.

Lap 147: Denny Hamlin to the inside and around Jeff Gordon as well.

Lap 146. Brian Vickers inside of Jeff Gordon and to the lead. Gordon drops in behind him for second.

Lap 146: Jeff Gordon, who did not pit, is feeling the heat from Brian Vickers, who did.

Lap 145: Dale Earnhardt Jr. to fifth.

Lap 142: Denny Hamlin also passes Kyle Busch - who did not pit - for third.

Lap 141: Brian Vickers slips past Kyle Busch for second.

Lap 140: Jimmie Johnson is working on Kurt Busch for 10th.

Lap 139: Kurt Busch, on four tires, easily passes Tony Stewart for 10th.

Restart on Lap 137: Jeff Gordon jumps out to the lead. He did not pit on this stop.

Radio chatter on Lap 135: Spotter Joey Meier says if Brad Keselowski saves gas he thinks they could make it on two stops. Keselowski laughs, "But I don't think the tires would."

Lap 135: Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch will lead the field on the restart. Denny Hamlin is fifth, Jimmie Johnson is 12th and Brad Keselowski is 15th.

Radio chatter on Lap 130: Jimmie Johnson's team changed four tires and made a panhard bar adjustment. He'll restart 12th. Crew chief Chad Knaus: "We're the only ones on four so you should drive right on by (them)."

Lap 129: Several of the drivers who pitted took two tires.

Lap 128: Jeff Gordon stays out but several behind him pit. Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. pit.

CAUTION 3 - Lap 127: Travis Kvapil spins.

Lap 123: Matt Kenseth has fallen to 30th.

Lap 118: Denny Hamlin, now in eighth, is the fastest on the track. For the second straight day, he has worked his way from outside the top 30 and into the top 10 in a NASCAR race at Martinsville.

Lap 114: Brian Vickers slips past Kyle Busch for third.

Lap 113: Brad Keselowski is running 21st. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is running eighth.

Lap 112: Denny Hamlin bumps past Ryan Newman to take 10th.

Radio chatter on Lap 110: Jimmie Johnson spotter Earl Barban: "Shake it off, one lap at a time" as the driver shows his displeasure to Brian Vickers.

Lap 109: Jimmie Johnson drops in behind Brian Vickers, beats on Vickers' bumper as he slides into fourth.

Lap 107: Jimmie Johnson is stuck on the outside. He and Brian Vickers make contact fighting for position.

Lap 106: Jeff Gordon gets a nose inside of Jimmie Johnson to take the lead.

Lap 104: Jimmie Johnson holds the lead on the restart. Jeff Gordon stays to the inside and holds Kyle Busch outside to take second.

Lap 104: RESTART: Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch lead the field to the green.

Radio chatter on Lap 102: Steve Letarte: "Tire wear is still pretty high, that's why we're sticking with four."

Lap 100: Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon lead the race off pit road.

Lap 99: Leaders pit.

CAUTION 2 - Lap 98: David Gilliland crashes after right front tire flat.

Lap 95: Juan Pablo Montoya, in 10th, is the fastest car on the track right now. There are 30 cars on the lead lap.

Lap 92: Denny Hamlin is up to 14th - and getting back into the heart of the race.

Lap 91: Denny Hamlin is up to 15th.

Radio chatter on Lap 89: Spotter Joey Meier to Brad Keselowski: "We need about 100 more laps on these tires."

Lap 88: Brad Keselowski has fallen to 20th.

Lap 86: Matt Kenseth, in 25th, is the deepest Chase driver in the field.

Lap 84: What a comeback: Denny Hamlin just passed Brad Keselowski for 19th.

Lap 82: Jeff Gordon has a lead of more than a second over Jimmie Johnson now.

Radio chatter on Lap 78: Dale Earnhardt Jr. says he's getting tighter. Crew chief Steve Letarte says 10-4. Earnhardt Jr.: "Thank you."

Lap 77: Hendrick Motorsports is showing its standard strength at Martinsville now. Jeff Gordon leads, Jimmie Johnson is second and Dale Earnhardt Jr. fourth.

Lap 74: Lee Spencer reports that the crowd goes wild as Dale Earnhardt Jr. passes Brian Vickers for fourth.

Radio chatter on Lap 70: Brad Keselowski: "Really bad, the car doesn't want to take a set with the rear."

Lap 70: Jeff Gordon has seven wins at Martinsville, most of any driver in this race. He has an average finish of 7.077 in Martinsville races - and entered today having led 3,423 laps here.

Lap 69: Jeff Gordon passes teammate Jimmie Johnson for the lead.

Lap 67: On two tires, Brad Keselowski is sliding back a little. He's now 19th in the field.

Lap 64: In his first race back after being sidelined for two, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is running sixth - and just turned the fastest lap on the track.

Lap 61: Jeff Gordon moves back around Brad Keselowski for second.

Lap 56: Brad Keselowski will try to make up more ground following his two-tire stop.

Lap 55: Brad Keselowski is now 16th.

Lap 54: Jeff Gordon drops behind Kyle Busch, in to third.

Lap 53: Jimmie Johnson clears Jeff Gordon for the lead. Gordon is stuck on the outside with Kyle Busch to the inside. Denny Hamlin is 32nd after the penalty.

RESTART: Lap 52: Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon lead the field to the green.

Radio chatter on Lap 50: Crew chief Chad Knaus tells Jimmie Johnson he's the fastest car out there with Jeff Gordon second.

Radio chatter on Lap 48: Brad Keselowski spotter Joey Meier, after team takes two tires on stop: "We picked up 10 spots."

Lap 48: Denny Hamlin penalty! Too fast on pit road in section 5. That will be costly at Martinsville.

Lap 48: Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Clint Bowyer are the first five off pit road.

Lap 46: Leaders pit.

Radio chatter on Lap 46: Sam Hornish Jr. says his car isn't turning well in the center.

Radio chatter on Lap 46: Brad Keselowski: "I don't turn well into the corner, it's taking away my driving advantage."

CAUTION 1 - Lap 4: David Stremme crashes in Turn 2.

Lap 43: Jeff Gordon is now just a second off Jimmie Johnson's pace - and running the fastest laps on the track.

Lap 40: Clint Bowyer and Denny Hamlin pass Brian Vickers as well. Vickers is fifth.

Radio chatter on Lap 37: Spotter Joey Meier to Brad Keselowski: "Six cars between you and the leader ... a straightaway back." He is running 28th.

Lap 35: Greg Biffle passes Brad Keselowski for 26th - a deep-field battle among Chase for the Sprint Cup contenders.

Lap 33: Jeff Gordon passes Denny Hamlin for second. Now he sets his teammate Jimmie Johnson in his sights.

Lap 33: Jimmie Johnson has lapped seven cars already.

Lap 30: Clint Bowyer and Denny Hamlin are now fourth and fifth, passing Kyle Busch.

Lap 29: Jimmie Johnson has begun lapping cars at the tail of the field. Points leader Brad Keselowski has been making up ground and is running 27th.

Lap 27: Although he is two seconds behind leader Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon remains fastest on the track.

Lap 25: Jeff Gordon passes Kyle Busch for third.

Radio chatter on Lap 22: Kevin Harvick: "It's (expletive) terrible." He is currently running 23rd.

Lap 20: Jimmie Johnson's lead is now eight-tenths of a second over Brian Vickers.

Radio chatter on Lap 18: Jimmie Johnson: "It's good, a little free through the center but pretty darn good."

Lap 17: Jeff Gordon slips around Denny Hamlin for fifth.

Lap 16: Kevin Harvick has been shuffled back in the pack and is running 23rd.

Lap 12: Jimmie Johnson has a half-second lead over Brian Vickers at the front. Vickers announced on Friday that he will continue to drive for Michael Waltrip Racing, sharing the No. 5, in 2013.

Lap 9: The field is starting to string out single file on the track. Passing will be difficult today - and will often involve a little contact.

Lap 7: Jeff Gordon, in eighth, is the fastest driver on the track right now.

Radio chatter on Lap 2: Crew chief Chad Knaus: "Take it easy on those tires."

Radio chatter Lap 1: Earl Barban as Jimmie Johnson clears Brian Vickers: "All clear, very nice work."

Lap 1: Jimmie Johnson is off and running. The six-time Martinsville winner and five-time champion enters this race just seven points behind points leader Brad Keselowski.

Green flag!

Prerace radio chatter: Brad  Keselowski: "Keep your heads up, I really believe it's going to be good."

Prerace radio chatter: Roger Penske: "Brad a little bit of work today ... Keep going head down, take care of your tires and we'll see you down in Victory Lane." Keselowski: "I like it RP, you betcha. I believe."

Prerace radio chatter: Points leader Brad Keselowski: "Don't know where the 47 (of Bobby Labonte) qualified today, but hopefully he'll give us a little bit of love." Keselowski starts 32nd.

Polesitter Jimmie Johnson has six wins at Martinsville. If he wins today, he'll tie teammate Jeff Gordon with seven.

Which drivers have the best history at Martinsville? Check them out.

Which Chase drivers have the best shot today at Martinsville? Check out their history at this track.

Denny Hamlin is already off to his winning Martinsville ways this weekend. Miss his Truck victory? Check it out here.

Miss any of the weekend action? Check it all out here.

Welcome to the FOXSports.com coverage of NASCAR Sprint Cup racing at Martinsville Speedway.

The race is scheduled to start shortly after 1:30 p.m. ET Sunday.

Jimmie Johnson will start from the pole position. Check out the full lineup here.