Lap by Lap: Checker Auto Parts 500

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Here is a lap-by-lap account of the Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway:

Lap 315: Dale Earnhardt Jr. takes the checkered flag for his second victory during the 10-race playoff. Little E's finishes in the Chase: two wins, two third-place finishes, two ninth-place showings and two 33rd-place tallies.

• Kasey Kahne and Kevin Harvick have a pit-road fender bender and exchange words.

Lap 314: White flag waves as Jeff Gordon and Ryan Newman battle for second place -- with Newman claiming the spot.

Lap 313: Green flag flies -- and Dale Earnhardt Jr. takes an insurmountable lead.

Lap 310: Yellow-flag caution resumes with 24 cars on the lead lap.

Lap 309: Race is red-flagged to clean debris on the track. Restart will be single-file ... and it's beginning to rain again.

• Six Chase for the Cup contenders are in the top 10: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (1), Jeff Gordon (2), Ryan Newman (3), Jimmie Johnson (8), Tony Stewart (9) and Kurt Busch (10).

• Dale Earnhardt Jr. clinches the five-point bonus for leading the most laps.

• Three drivers -- Elliott Sadler, Matt Kenseth and Jeremy Mayfield -- are virtually eliminated from the inaugural Chase for the Nextel Cup. Sadler trails Kurt Busch by 322 points, while Kenseth is 336 back and Mayfield is 355 behind.

• Eight drivers are in the garage: Todd Bodine, Randy LaJoie, Morgan Shepherd, Ward Burton, Johnny Sauter, Matt Kenseth, Robby Gordon and Casey Mears.

Lap 307: After blowing a left-rear tire, Casey Mears slams into the wall to bring out the 11th caution of the race.

Lap 303: Jeff Gordon holds off Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the line, but Little E makes the pass to assume the lead. ... And he's checking out.

Lap 302: The restart is key for front-runners Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr., but the battle for fifth place is between Penske South teammates Rusty Wallace and Ryan Newman. ... Who's up for a Martinsville redux?

Lap 298: Jamie McMurray spins, slides up the track and crashes into the wall to bring out the 10th caution of the race.

Lap 294: Race restarts cleanly with Jeff Gordon, Casey Mears, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick and Robby Gordon in the top five.

• Eight Chase for the Cup drivers are in the top 20: Jeff Gordon (1), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (3), Ryan Newman (7), Kurt Busch (8), Tony Stewart (15), Jeremy Mayfield (16), Mark Martin (18) and Jimmie Johnson (19).

Lap 282: Yellow flag waves -- the ninth caution -- with 30 laps remaining because of concern for possibly oil on the track from Matt Kenseth's car. This is the second consecutive DNF for the No. 17 car.

Lap 280: Dale Earnhardt Jr. passes Kevin Harvick for third place -- and more rain is reportedly falling.

Lap 279: Kevin Harvick is battling to hold off Casey Mears' challenge for second place. Both are more than 3 seconds behind first-place Jeff Gordon.

Lap 276: Matt Kenseth has smoke plumes coming from underneath his car.

Lap 273: Robby Gordon, currently running second, has dropped a cylinder.

Lap 270: Dale Earnhardt Jr. continues to run fifth, but he remains about 6 seconds off Jeff Gordon's race-leading pace.

Lap 267: Light rain is reportedly dusting some parts of the track.

Lap 263: Six Cup contenders are running in the top 15: Jeff Gordon (1), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (5), Ryan Newman (7), Jimmie Johnson (11), Tony Stewart (12) and Matt Kenseth (14).

Lap 256: Robby Gordon is shadowing front-runner Jeff Gordon, trailing the first-place car by only 0.423 seconds, while Kevin Harvick, Casey Mears and Rusty Wallace round out the top five.

• Points standings right now: Jeff Gordon (6,165), Kurt Busch (6,157), Jimmie Johnson (6,120), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (6,110), Mark Martin (6,065), Tony Stewart (6,028), Ryan Newman (6,013), Matt Kenseth (5,915), Elliott Sadler (5,863) and Jeremy Mayfield (5,833).

Lap 249: Three Chase for the Cup hopefuls -- Jeff Gordon (1), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (7) and Ryan Newman (8) -- are in the top 10.

Lap 244: Jeff Gordon leads the restart, the best of nine Cup contenders in the top 23.

Lap 239: Johnny Sauter gets bumped, slides down the track and into the infield to bring out the eighth caution of the day.

Lap 232: Green-flag restart with Jeff Gordon leading Robby Gordon and Casey Mears. Kevin Harvick and Rusty Wallace are fourth and fifth, respectively.

Lap 230: Only two drivers in the Chase for the Cup -- Jeff Gordon (1) and Ryan Newman (10) -- are in the top 10. However, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is 11th. Only two other Cup contenders are in the top 20: Mark Martin (16) and Jimmie Johnson (18).

Lap 227: The race leader is Bobby Labonte, the seventh different driver to be on the point.

Lap 224: Jeff Gordon makes his green-flag stop ... and while he's on pit road Hendrick teammate Terry Labonte crashes to bring out the caution on Lap 226.

Lap 222: Race leader Kurt Busch heads to pit road for a green-flag stop. Car stalls but re-fires after a few sputters.

Lap 220: Four drivers are in the garage: Todd Bodine, Randy LaJoie, Morgan Shepherd and Ward Burton.

Lap 216: Elliott Sadler returns to the track, 62 laps down.

Lap 215: Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth and Jeff Gordon are running 1-2-3. Jeremy Mayfield and Robby Gordon round out the top five.

Lap 209: There have been six race leaders -- all of whom are in the Chase for the Cup: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (106 laps), Ryan Newman (59), Jeff Gordon (21), Elliott Sadler (16), Matt Kenseth (4), Kurt Busch (3).

Lap 203: Race leader Dale Earnhardt Jr. makes his pit stop -- and will have to make one more before the finish.

Lap 200: Green-flag pit stops begin with second-place Kasey Kahne.

Lap 197: Pole-sitter Ryan Newman is running in 20th place, but his lap speed is about a half-mile an hour faster than race leader Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Lap 193: Brian Vickers, who started third on the last restart, is falling back through the pack. He's currently 18th.

Lap 190: Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne are 1-2, followed by teammates Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle and Kyle Busch in the top five. Nos. 6-10: Jeremy Mayfield, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Robby Gordon and Bobby Labonte.

Lap 185: After starting in 16th place, Matt Kenseth has worked his way into the top three, passing Greg Biffle.

Lap 183: Matt Kenseth is challenging third-place Greg Biffle.

Lap 180: Only two drivers -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne -- have been in the top 10 for every lap so far.

Lap 176: Four drivers in the Chase for the Cup are outside the top 15: Mark Martin (17), Ryan Newman (22), Jimmie Johnson (30) and Elliott Sadler (38).

Lap 173: Six drivers in the Chase for the Cup are in the top 10: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (1), Matt Kenseth (4), Tony Stewart (5), Jeremy Mayfield (6), Kurt Busch (7) and Jeff Gordon (8).

Lap 168: Utilizing the low line, Kasey Kahne closes on leader Dale Earnhardt Jr., trailing by only 0.275 seconds.

Lap 160: Race restarts with Dale Earnhardt Jr. on point.

• Points standings right now: Kurt Busch (6,198), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (6,144), Jeff Gordon (6,127), Mark Martin (6,083), Tony Stewart (6,067), Jimmie Johnson (6,066), Ryan Newman (5,959), Matt Kenseth (5,950), Jeremy Mayfield (5,886) and Elliott Sadler (5,863).

Lap 154: Elliott Sadler cuts a right-front tire and slams the wall to bring out the sixth caution of the race. Ryan Newman picks up the "Lucky Dog" pass.

• Race reaches halfway -- Lap 156 -- under during caution period with Dale Earnhardt Jr. leading, followed by Kasey Kahne, Greg Biffle, Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth.

Lap 150: Green flag flies with Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kasey Kahne, Greg Biffle, Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth composing the top five.

Lap 144: Scott Riggs spins out for the fifth caution of the race. Dale Jarrett gets back on the lead lap via the "Lucky Dog" pass.

• Jeff Gordon and Elliott Sadler pit; Dale Earnhardt Jr. remains on the track. Greg Biffle now runs third -- up 20 spots from his 23rd-place starting position.

• Carl Edwards drives to the garage for a new radiator.

Lap 140: Jeff Gordon, Elliott Sadler and Brian Vickers continue running 1-2-3 followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne.

Lap 135: Ninth-place Jimmie Johnson takes an unscheduled pit stop of right-side tires and fuel.

Lap 133: Green-flag racing with Jeff Gordon showing the way.

Lap 128: Crash involving Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman, Mark Martin, Joe Nemechek and Kevin Harvick among others. Caution flies for fourth time. Points leader Kurt Busch in for tires; he flat-spotted them avoiding the fray.

• Points standings right now: Jeff Gordon (6,165), Jimmie Johnson (6,131), Kurt Busch (6,128), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (6,114) and Mark Martin (6,062).

Lap 124: Green flag displayed as Elliott Sadler continues to show the way -- but Jeff Gordon challenges at the line and takes the lead.

Lap 120: Caution flag flies as John Andretti strafes the wall. It is the third yellow of the day.

Lap 117: Ryan Newman is off the pace with a flat tire. Of note, Newman has 27 career poles, but has won only three of those races.

Lap 115: Racing resumes after a delay of 21 minutes, 27 seconds.

Lap 112: Drivers have returned to the track under yellow.

Lap 111: Red flag flies -- rain -- 45 laps from halfway. There have been three race leaders: Ryan Newman (59 laps), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (48) and Elliott Sadler (3).

• Moving up: Greg Biffle is eighth, started 23rd. Kurt Busch is 11th, started 28th.

• Moving down: Kevin Harvick is 28th, started fifth. Joe Nemechek is 18th, started third.

Lap 110: Dale Earnhardt Jr. is sixth with Kasey Kahne, Greg Biffle, Jamie McMurray and Jimmie Johnson rounding out the top 10.

Lap 107: Pit road opens, leaders enter for tires, fuel. Benefiting from a two-tire stop, Elliott Sadler assumes lead, followed by Jeff Gordon, Brian Vickers, Ryan Newman and Robby Gordon. Randy LaJoie is in the garage.

Lap 105: Light rain falling. Yellow flag -- race's second caution -- for debris on track as Matt Kenseth lost a left-rear tire.

Lap 101: Chase drivers' running position -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. (1), Ryan Newman (2), Kurt Busch (3), Matt Kenseth (5), Jimmie Johnson (6), Tony Stewart (8), Elliott Sadler (11), Mark Martin (12), Jeff Gordon (14) and Jeremy Mayfield (23).

Lap 98: Top five -- Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch, Kasey Kahne and Matt Kenseth.

Lap 95: Kurt Busch overtakes Kasey Kahne for third place. Early front-runner Brian Vickers has fallen into 13th place, while Jeff Gordon is 14th.

Lap 91: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne and sixth-place Tony Stewart are the only cars to run in the top 10 all 90 laps.

Lap 88: Ryan Newman continues to hold off the challenge from Kasey Kahne for second place.

Lap 85: Chase contenders Elliott Sadler and Mark Martin run 11th and 12th, respectively.

Lap 80: Green flag drops. Top 10 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch, Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle and Casey Mears.

Lap 77: First round of pit stops. Leaders take four tires and fuel as Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads the pack back on the track with Ryan Newman second and Kasey Kahne third.

Lap 75: Hermie Sadler runs out of gas. First caution of the race. Michel Waltrip gets the "Lucky Dog" pass.

Lap 73: Kevin Harvick, 27th overall, falls a lap down to Dale Earnhardt Jr., who has almost a 2-second lead over Ryan Newman.

Lap 70: 42 cars remain on the track (Todd Bodine went to the garage on Lap 13).

Lap 68: Kurt Busch runs eighth behind teammate Matt Kenseth.

Lap 65: Ryan Newman and Dale Earnhardt Jr. battle through traffic with Little E remaining in front.

Lap 63: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne are running 1-2-3, but Jimmie Johnson is moving up, taking fifth place with a pass of Brian Vickers.

Lap 60: With Ryan Newman closing in on traffic, Dale Earnhardt Jr. pulls within 0.280 seconds of the lead -- and then overtakes Newman for first place.

Lap 58: Matt Kenseth is running ninth.

Lap 55: Ryan Newman, who has led every lap, continues to lead Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart and Brian Vickers.

Lap 52: Mark Martin runs in 13th place, while Jeff Gordon falls into 15th.

Lap 50: Tony Stewart climbs past Brian Vickers into fourth place.

Lap 48: Chase for the Cup contenders Jimmie Johnson and Elliott Sadler continue running seventh and eighth, respectively. Points leader Kurt Busch is 11th.

Lap 45: Dale Earnhardt Jr. trails race leader Ryan Newman, while Kasey Kahne, Brian Vickers and Tony Stewart round out the top five.

Lap 40: Kevin Harvick continues to fall back, dropping to 23rd. Third-place Dale Earnhardt Jr. turns the fastest lap at 125.5710.

Lap 35: Mark Martin, who started 22nd, moves into 17th. Roush Racing teammate Greg Biffle is on the cusp of the top 10, racing in 11th.

Lap 32: Dale Earnhardt Jr. moves past Brian Vickers into third place behind Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne.

Lap 28: Kevin Harvick drifts to 11th as Matt Kenseth closes to 12th and Jimmie Johnson is seventh.

Lap 25: Kurt Busch moves into the 17th position, while Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne and Brian Vickers remain 1-2-3.

Lap 22: Elliott Sadler and Jeff Gordon make contact -- no damage to either car.

Lap 20: Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. enter the top five.

Lap 16: Joe Nemechek has drifted from third to ninth, while Jeff Gordon has moved into seventh place.

Lap 13: Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne and Brian Vickers continue to show the way. Todd Bodine enters the garage.

Lap 10: Dale Earnhardt Jr. charges from 14th to eighth, while Kurt Busch advances from 28th to 21st in the first 10 laps.

Lap 6: Joe Nemechek falls from third on the starting grid to fifth, while Kevin Harvick advances from fifth to fourth.

Lap 3: Ryan Newman, Brian Vickers and Kasey Kasey Kahne running 1-2-3 after three laps.

Lap 1: Ryan Newman starts from the pole for the fourth consecutive race and leads Brian Vickers after the first lap on the one-mile oval.