Lap by Lap: Coca-Cola 600 (cont'd)

Lap 93 -- Ryan Newman's car is "extremely tight" and he's dropping like a stone. He's eighth.

Lap 83 -- GREEN FLAG: Ready to go again.

1. Kurt Busch
2. Matt Kenseth
3. Ricky Rudd
4. David Ragan
5. Brian Vickers

Dale Jarrett's engine may have let go on the restart.

Lap 79 -- Leaders are on pit road:

• Busch and Kenseth stay out.
• Junior stops for two tires.
• Hamlin gets adjustments and fuel.
• Newman stops for a track bar adjustment and a new shifter ball.

Lap 78 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 4: Jeff Burton hard into the wall. On the radio: "Something broke."

Lap 73 -- Robby Gordon in the middle of the track, getting passed on both sides. Perhaps a tire going down?

Lap 70 -- GREEN FLAG: Kurt Busch brings 'em around again.

1. Kurt Busch
2. Denny Hamlin
3. Matt Kenseth
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
5. Kyle Busch

Lap 67 -- Gordon interviewed on television: "I'm OK. It looked worse than it was."

Lap 66 -- Some of the mid-pack cars come in for service. Eleven cars in the garage area from the two accidents.

Lap 64 -- Jeff Burton's in for service after driving through the middle of that wreck, with just minor contact.

Lap 63 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 3 : Jeff Gordon slams hard into the wall after contact with Tony Raines, sliding through the grass and getting drilled by A.J. Allmendinger. Many others spin to miss the melee. Gordon's car is little more than a pile of parts as it goes off on the wrecker.

Lap 62 -- GREEN FLAG: Busch will be the leader. Tony Raines gets the free pass.

1. Kurt Busch
2. Denny Hamlin
3. Matt Kenseth
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
5. Jeff Gordon

Lap 58 -- Johnson's back in 18th, Stewart is 25th.

Lap 54 -- Johnson in the pits for repairs, same with Stewart. Clint Bowyer, Sterling Marlin, Elliott Sadler, Jeff Green, David Gilliland, Johnny Sauter, Juan Montoya all off the track after being involved.

Lap 53 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 2: Multi-car accident in the front stretch, perhaps caused by a tire tread that came off Jimmie Johnson's No. 48 following contact with A.J. Allmendinger. Elliott Sadler, Tony Stewart, Dave Blaney, Kevin Harvick some of those involved.

Joe Nemechek has gone to the garage area with brake problems.

Lap 52 -- GREEN FLAG: Kurt Busch continues to lead.

1. Kurt Busch
2. Denny Hamlin
3. Matt Kenseth
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
5. Jimmie Johnson

Lap 47 -- The leaders come to pit road for the first time:

• Kurt Busch with a 10.4-second stop (no tires, just fuel)

Bobby Labonte gets the free pass. Reed Sorenson gets a speeding penalty and is sent to the back of the pack.

Lap 46 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 1 -- Greg Biffle hits the wall. Heavy damage to the right side of the No. 16 Ford.

Lap 43 -- Hamlin gets around Junior for second, 1.2 seconds behind the leader.

Lap 40 -- The top five at this point: Ku. Busch, Earnhardt Jr., Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson and Kenseth. Could green-flag pit stops be far away?

Lap 32 -- Denny Hamlin's gaining ground. He's up to third.

Lap 24 -- Junior passes Newman for second, 1.591 seconds behind the leader.

Lap 20 -- Kurt Busch, Newman, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth and J.J. Yeley are your top five.

Lap 11 -- LEAD CHANGE: Kurt Busch passes Ryan Newman.

Lap 8 -- Jimmie Johnson has gone from 21st to 15th.

5:52 p.m. -- GREEN FLAG: Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch bring the field to the green flag and we're under way.

5:50 p.m. -- Clint Bowyer, David Ragan and Kevin Harvick go to the back.

5:41 p.m. -- In the immortal words of Sir Richard Petty, "Crank 'em up, boys!"

5:34 p.m. -- Leann Rimes with tonight's national anthem.

5:31 p.m. -- Dr. Thierfelder delivers the invocation.

5:19 p.m. -- Today's honorary starter is Arizona Sen. John McCain. Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen will give the command to start engines.

5:12 p.m. -- By the way, the race record for 600 miles is just a tick under four hours, so expect to be here awhile. At least the weather appears to be cooperative, partly cloudy and 87 degrees, dropping to 70 by 11 p.m.

5 p.m. -- FOX's pre-race coverage is on the air.

4 p.m. -- Welcome to Lowe's Motor Speedway and tonight's running of the Coca-Cola 600.

CHARLOTTE HEADLINES

• Exhibit takes fan through stock-car history to COT
• Johnson trying to regain edge at Charlotte track
• Rudd looking racy heading into Sunday's 600-miler
• Roush upset with NASCAR approach to COT testing
• Petty surprises fans with ride-along offer at Lowe's
• CART passing on Gordon the greatest error in racing
• Drivers taking notice of Martin's part-time success