Lap-by-Lap: Martinsville (cont'd)

Lap 55 -- LEAD CHANGE: Jeff Gordon patiently gets around Denny Hamlin after trailing him for five laps.

Lap 50 -- LEAD CHANGE: Denny Hamlin drag races Elliott Sadler down the straightaway and goes by for the lead. Jeff Gordon moves by for second.

Lap 47 -- GREEN FLAG: Elliott Sadler gets the field up to speed.
1. Elliott Sadler
2. Denny Hamlin
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Kevin Harvick
5. Jamie McMurray

Lap 42 -- Elliott Sadler did not pit and inherits the lead when Mike Bliss makes his pit stop.

Lap 40 -- Mike Bliss stays out to lead a lap.

Lap 39 -- Leaders head to pit road:
• Carl Edwards is searching for grip and has a fast stop
• Kevin Harvick gets out in 14.2 seconds
• Denny Hamlin is battling a tight car and makes adjustments
• Jeremy Mayfield and Ricky Rudd get two tires and gain eight spots
• Kyle Petty gets the free pass

Lap 37 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 2: Bobby Labonte crashes hard into the wall in Turn 1. His entire left side is destroyed. Labonte touched Greg Biffle heading into the corner, but it was Labonte who went spinning into the fence. His brake pedal went to the floor.

Lap 25 -- Jeff Gordon goes on the outside of Jamie McMurray to take second position.

Lap 22 -- Leader Denny Hamlin has caught the back of the field and puts A.J. Allmendinger a lap down.

Lap 8 -- GREEN FLAG: Denny Hamlin gets the race going again.
1. Denny Hamlin
2. Jamie McMurray
3. Jeff Gordon
4. J.J. Yeley
5. Kevin Harvick

Lap 7 -- Casey Mears is on pit road making repairs. Reports say his sway bar broke, causing the spin.

Lap 3 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 1: Casey Mears spins it around in Turn 4. He gets turned around to stay ahead of leader Denny Hamlin. No damage.

Lap 1 -- Denny Hamlin goes low and takes the point to lead the first lap.

2:17 p.m. -- GREEN FLAG: Denny Hamlin and Jamie McMurray lead the field into Turn 1 at Martinsville.

2:12 p.m. -- Cars are on the track making their pace laps.

2:07 p.m. -- Grand marshal Richard Petty gives the command: "Gentlemen, start your engines."

2:01 p.m. -- B.J. Norris, director of music at Martinsville Middle School, plays the national anthem on the saxophone.

2 p.m. -- Tim Byrd of Raceway Ministries delivers the invocation.

1:30 p.m. -- FOX's pre-race coverage of the Goody's Cool Orange 500 is on the air.

12:50 p.m. -- It's less than an hour before the green flag, and all indications of showers have stayed away so far.

MARTINSVILLE WEEKEND HEADLINES
• Caraviello: Martinsville holds on, but for how much longer?
• Brake systems a concern for some at Martinsville
• Petty Enterprises doesn't want sympathy, welfare
• DEI's Earnhardt, Truex lead Saturday practices
• For Wood Brothers, home is where the pressure is
• Petty open to selling part of team to interested investor
• Schrader, Allmendinger overcome qualifying pressure
• Reutimann makes race at Waltrip's expense, again
• Hamlin bumps McMurray, Gordon to win pole
• Exhaust, ride height top NASCAR's worry with COT
• Notes: Biffle not penalized because there is no rule
• NASCAR still a Martinsville staple, just like hot dogs
• Martinsville paperclip has Roush short on success