Lap-by-Lap: Talladega

Lap 188 -- CHECKERED FLAG: Kyle Busch wins the Aaron's 499 at Talladega under yellow.

Lap 187 -- WHITE / YELLOW FLAG NO. 8: Big crash near the back of the pack. Several cars go spinning and crashing. Jamie McMurray shot up the track and collected several cars, including:
• Jimmie Johnson
• Regan Smith
• Kasey Kahne
• Joe Nemechek
• David Stremme

Lap 187 -- Michael McDowell spins on the frontstretch but no caution.

Lap 187 -- Juan Montoya moves to second and trails Kyle Busch. Denny Hamlin follows.

Lap 186 -- Single-file once again as they cross the line.

Lap 185 -- Kyle Busch leads a string of single-file cars. Dodges follow Busch and Jeff Gordon.

Lap 184 -- LEAD CHANGE: Jimmie Johnson moves around Michael Waltrip, but Kyle Busch goes below Johnson and takes the top spot. Jeff Gordon follows.

Lap 183 -- GREEN FLAG: Michael Waltrip gets the race going once again.
1. Michael Waltrip
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Kyle Busch
4. Juan Montoya
5. Jeff Gordon

Lap 180 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 7: Debris is on the track, falling from Bobby Labonte's damaged car.

Lap 179 -- LEAD CHANGE: Michael Waltrip gets the lead with Jimmie Johnson pushing him.

Lap 178 -- Michael Waltrip and Jimmie Johnson get a line going on the high side, but it isn't enough to stay with Kyle Busch.

Lap 177 -- GREEN FLAG: Kyle Busch gets the race back under way.
1. Kyle Busch
2. Juan Montoya
3. Ryan Newman
4. Jeff Gordon
5. David Stremme

Lap 174 -- Tony Stewart and Martin Truex Jr. both pull their cars to the garage. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jamie McMurray are on pit road to repair damages.

Lap 173 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 6: Bobby Labonte gets turned sideways and heads up the track. He collects Tony Stewart, Martin Truex Jr., Kurt Busch and Jamie McMurray. Truex and Stewart have the most damage. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has some rear damage as well as he was the original car that got loose but was able to collect it. Cars involved:
• Dale Earnhardt Jr.
• Bobby Labonte
• Tony Stewart
• Martin Truex Jr.
• Kurt Busch
• Jamie McMurray

Lap 173 -- LEAD CHANGE: Kyle Busch takes the lead with Juan Montoya on his tail. Behind them is a four-wide battle.

Lap 170 -- Kyle Busch jolts to the outside in front of Jamie McMurray. In response, McMurray bangs into Busch and the two get sideways in the battle. But both are able to save their cars in the three-wide battle.

Lap 169 -- LEAD CHANGE: Denny Hamlin gets freight-trained by Ryan Newman and a second line of cars. Newman leads.

Lap 168 -- GREEN FLAG: Denny Hamlin gets the race back under way.
1. Denny Hamlin
2. Ryan Newman
3. David Ragan
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
5. Jeff Gordon

Lap 164 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 5: Debris is on the track. Brian Vickers' rear-end plate is on the track.

Lap 164 -- Ryan Newman leads a line that charges to leader Denny Hamlin's bumper.

Lap 163 -- GREEN FLAG: Denny Hamlin gets the race back under way.
1. Denny Hamlin
2. David Ragan
3. David Stremme
4. Juan Montoya
5. Ryan Newman

Lap 162 -- NASCAR has warned Juan Montoya and his teammate David Stremme about keeping their car above the yellow line. Montoya was below the yellow line when he made contact with Paul Menard.

Lap 160 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 4: Third-place Paul Menard goes for a spin and slides through the infield grass after some help from Juan Montoya. Menard's car slows enough to where it does not slide back up the track.

Lap 155 -- LEAD CHANGE: Denny Hamlin makes the inside work and takes the lead. He quickly moves to the high line.

Lap 154 -- LEAD CHANGE: David Stremme leads with a push from Robby Gordon as three distinct lanes motor around the high banks.

Lap 152 -- LEAD CHANGE: Paul Menard is the front man now as the rest of the pack is three-wide. Scott Riggs got pushed below the yellow line, but he collects himself and is OK.

Lap 151 -- LEAD CHANGE: Brian Vickers moves to the front to lead as the shuffling begins again.

Lap 150 -- LEAD CHANGE: Denny Hamlin takes the low line back to the front. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was kicked to the high side and when he crossed the line was in 19th.

Lap 149 -- LEAD CHANGE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. charges to the front and moves around Denny Hamlin.

Lap 148 -- GREEN FLAG: Denny Hamlin gets the race back under way. Tony Stewart will restart 31st, the last car on the lead lap.
1. Denny Hamlin
2. Ryan Newman
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
4. Greg Biffle
5. Kasey Kahne

Lap 147 -- Ken Schrader is in the garage and is officially out of the race.

Lap 146 -- LEAD CHANGE: Denny Hamlin takes the lead when A.J. Allmendinger makes his stop.

Lap 145 -- LEAD CHANGE: A.J. Allmendinger stays out to lead.

Lap 144 -- Leaders on pit road:
• Jeff Burton gets four tires and fuel
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. gets right-sides and stalls the car
• Kevin Harvick gets four tires and fuel
• Denny Hamlin is out first and gets two tires
• Greg Biffle gains 10 spots and is out fourth

Lap 144 -- "Pass on to Junior that he did nothing wrong; my tire was going down," Tony Stewart tells his crew. He's on pit road to get repairs to the right side of his car.

Lap 143 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 3: Leader Tony Stewart has damage, and the caution is waved for debris. Patrick Carpentier also gets into the wall.

Lap 143 -- LEAD CHANGE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. takes the lead from Tony Stewart when Stewart slides into the wall and gets damage.

Lap 142 -- LEAD CHANGE: Tony Stewart moves around his drafting partner to take the lead.

Lap 141 -- LEAD CHANGE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. calms things down and takes the top spot with Tony Stewart on his tail.

Lap 140 -- LEAD CHANGE: Kasey Kahne joins the action and becomes the new leader with Dodge drivers stacked behind him.

Lap 139 -- LEAD CHANGE: Elliott Sadler goes back to the front as the shuffle continues.

Lap 138 -- LEAD CHANGE: David Stremme is the new leader as the three-wide battle continues in the tight pack.

Lap 137 -- LEAD CHANGE: Tony Stewart takes the lead with a push from David Gilliland. It's three- and four-wide behind them.

Lap 136 -- LEAD CHANGE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. uses his push from Tony Stewart to take the top spot back.

Lap 135 -- LEAD CHANGE: Elliott Sadler makes his line go back to the front.

Lap 134 -- LEAD CHANGE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. takes the lead back when Elliott Sadler's high line falls back.

Lap 133 -- LEAD CHANGE: Elliott Sadler uses the draft to move into the top spot.

Lap 129 -- Elliott Sadler leads a charge of Dodges to the front, then ducks behind leader Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Lap 128 -- LEAD CHANGE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. goes around Denny Hamlin on the outside. The pass allows Tony Stewart to catch the two and make it a three-car dance.

Lap 127 -- LEAD CHANGE: Denny Hamlin takes the lead on the bottom line with a push from Dale Earnhardt Jr. The two break away from everyone.

Lap 126 -- LEAD CHANGE: Jeff Gordon gets the high line going fast with help from Juan Montoya to take the lead. Denny Hamlin leads the bottom lane.

Lap 124 -- Denny Hamlin is in third. He says his strategy for late in the race is to push someone to the front, then make his move as late as possible; his car has trouble running out front by itself.

Lap 121 -- GREEN FLAG: Dale Earnhardt Jr. gets the race back under way.
1. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2. Tony Stewart
3. Juan Montoya
4. Denny Hamlin
5. Martin Truex Jr.

Lap 119 -- LEAD CHANGE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. takes the lead when Regan Smith pits.

Lap 118 -- LEAD CHANGE: Regan Smith stays out to lead.

Lap 117 -- Leaders head to pit road:
• Jeff Burton gets four tires and no adjustments
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. gets gas only
• Tony Stewart takes two tires
• David Ragan gets left-sides
• Denny Hamlin gets two tires
• Martin Truex Jr. gains six spots and is off fifth
• Kyle Busch gets the free pass

Lap 116 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 2: Carl Edwards cuts a right-front tire, slides up the track and smacks the wall. He has major right-side damage.

Lap 112 -- LEAD CHANGE: Denny Hamlin pushes Ryan Newman past Dale Earnhardt Jr., then drops low to take the lead.

Lap 110 -- LEAD CHANGE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. makes his way to the top spot. Jamie McMurray follows.

Lap 109 -- Denny Hamlin is complaining of a vibration inside his car that is making his right foot go to sleep.

Lap 107 -- Tony Stewart maintains the lead after pit stops:
1. Tony Stewart
2. Denny Hamlin
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
4. Jamie McMurray
5. Ryan Newman

Lap 106 -- LEAD CHANGE: Because of his position coming off pit road, Tony Stewart is scored as the leader.

Lap 105 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads a large group onto pit road:
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. gets four tires on his stop
• Kyle Busch gets right-sides only and a chassis adjustment
• Tony Stewart gets two tires only
• David Ragan gets just two tires
• Juan Montoya gets right-side tires only

Lap 104 -- Greg Biffle and Paul Menard make their stops for tires and fuel. Kasey Kahne joins them on pit road.

Lap 103 -- Kevin Harvick is in for his pit stop. He gets four tires and fuel. Martin Truex Jr. joins him to get four tires. Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Joe Nemechek join him.

Lap 100 -- Plans are being made for green-flag pit stops. The target is likely Lap 105.

Lap 99 -- Michael McDowell is on pit road for tires and fuel.

Lap 97 -- Michael Waltrip is on pit road for a flat left-rear tire. He nearly crashed in the draft, but collected it and brought it in for fresh rubber.

Lap 94 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin as the race reaches its halfway point.

Lap 90 -- LEAD CHANGE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. gets the lead again, and this time Tony Stewart drops behind him.

Lap 89 -- LEAD CHANGE: Tony Stewart reclaims the lead when his line gets the better push.

Lap 88 -- LEAD CHANGE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the new leader after charging to the front. Tony Stewart is second. Jeff Burton heads to pit road for fuel.

Lap 86 -- Pole-sitter Joe Nemechek has rebounded back to the front. He's drafting with Dale Earnhardt Jr. in eighth.

Lap 85 -- Jeff Burton is planning to pit within five laps. His crew may have not gotten the fuel cell filled on the last stop.

Lap 84 -- Carl Edwards is on pit road for tires. He has battled a camber issue for much of the race.

Lap 83 -- LEAD CHANGE: Tony Stewart is the new leader as Hendrick drivers Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. fall back.

Lap 82 -- LEAD CHANGE: Jimmie Johnson takes the lead with Dale Earnhardt Jr. behind him.

Lap 80 -- The first six cars are paired by teammates. First and second are Gibbs teammates Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin. Third and fourth are Hendrick cars Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Fifth and sixth are DEI cars Paul Menard and Martin Truex Jr.

Lap 77 -- Jeff Burton breaks the single-file line of cars and moves to the outside in 12th.

Lap 75 -- Travis Kvapil and Michael Waltrip are having good runs. Kvapil is running fifth, with Waltrip in seventh.

Lap 73 -- Tony Stewart leads a long line of single-file cars.

Lap 66 -- After the pit-road miscue, Kyle Busch is running 35th and almost a lap down.

Lap 65 -- LEAD CHANGE: Tony Stewart takes the lead after pit stops.
1. Tony Stewart
2. Denny Hamlin
3. Paul Menard
4. Martin Truex Jr.
5. Travis Kvapil

Lap 63 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads another group onto pit road:
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. gets two tires and fuel
• Jeff Gordon gets two tires and fuel
• Kyle Busch is in for right sides and a chassis adjustment

Lap 62 -- Tony Stewart leads a huge group on to pit road:
• Tony Stewart gets left-side tires and two cans of fuel
• Denny Hamlin gets two tires and fuel
• Brian Vickers spins out as he leaves pit road
• Kyle Busch misses his pit stall and continues on

Lap 61 -- Kyle Petty and Michael Waltrip lead a group onto pit road. Two tires for Waltrip. Paul Menard and Elliott Sadler pit with them.

Lap 61 -- LEAD CHANGE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. takes the top spot on the outside lane as Denny Hamlin slows on the bottom in preparation for his pit stop.

Lap 60 -- Jeff Burton dives out of the groove to make his pit stop. Kevin Harvick pits, too. Both get two tires.

Lap 59 -- Same Hornish Jr. makes a pit stop as green-flag stops approach.

Lap 58 -- LEAD CHANGE: Denny Hamlin is back out front as he gets his lane motoring by Kevin Harvick.

Lap 57 -- LEAD CHANGE: Kevin Harvick is the new leader, moving around Ryan Newman.

Lap 56 -- LEAD CHANGE: Ryan Newman takes the high groove into the lead. Denny Hamlin is second on the bottom lane.

Lap 54 -- LEAD CHANGE: Denny Hamlin is credited as the leader as he moves around Juan Montoya and leads the bottom lane. Dale Earnhardt Jr. drops back again after getting into the middle lane.

Lap 53 -- LEAD CHANGE: Juan Montoya takes the top spot with drafting help from Denny Hamlin. Paul Menard and Dale Earnhardt Jr. drop into third and fourth.

Lap 52 -- Aric Almirola slides into the wall and makes hard contact. He heads to pit road.

Lap 51 -- LEAD CHANGE: Paul Menard charges to the front with some help from Dale Earnhardt Jr., who rebounded from his position in the middle lane. The two run nose-to-tail and break away.

Lap 50 -- Jeff Gordon was running second, but drops to the middle and gets sandwiched. He falls back, as does Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Lap 48 -- Denny Hamlin pulls to the front but can't make it stick to lead the lap.

Lap 47 -- LEAD CHANGE: Brian Vickers leads after moving by Jeff Burton. Dale Earnhardt Jr. runs second.

Lap 46 -- LEAD CHANGE: Jeff Burton takes command after passing Dale Earnhardt Jr. David Ragan follows in second as the low line motors to the front.

Lap 44 -- Kyle Busch is having difficulties. "This is a bad sign," Busch says to his crew. He is running on the outside line in 20th. His teammates Tony Stewart (19th) and Denny Hamlin (17th) are on the inside line.

Lap 42 -- Carl Edwards is on pit road and has a vibration. He thinks he has a right-front tire going down.

Lap 39 -- LEAD CHANGE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. flies by Denny Hamlin for the lead and brings the outside lane with him. Jeff Gordon follows in second.

Lap 38 -- The outside lane has caught the leaders, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. pushes to challenge for the lead.

Lap 37 -- Jeff Gordon leads a group of Brian Vickers, Paul Menard and others on the outside line and clicks off cars to get into the top 10. Dale Earnhardt Jr. slides in front of Gordon.

Lap 34 -- LEAD CHANGE: Denny Hamlin takes the lead from Tony Stewart, the first time Stewart has been passed under green-flag conditions.

Lap 33 -- Jamie McMurray leads a two-car train with Denny Hamlin and takes second place behind Tony Stewart.

Lap 30 -- The first pack is a single-file snake of 24 cars.

Lap 28 -- After adjusting his car during pit stops, pole-sitter Joe Nemechek is now running 35th.

Lap 23 -- GREEN FLAG: Tony Stewart gets the race back under way. Matt Kenseth is in the garage.
1. Tony Stewart
2. Kyle Busch
3. Elliott Sadler
4. Jeff Gordon
5. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Lap 22 -- LEAD CHANGE: Tony Stewart takes the lead back when Ken Schrader makes his pit stop.

Lap 21 -- LEAD CHANGE: Ken Schrader stays out to lead.

Lap 20 -- Leaders hit pit road:
• Kyle Busch has broken brackets on his mirror; he takes two tires
• Tony Stewart takes just two tires on the right
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. takes right-side tires only
• David Ragan gets four fresh tires and fuel
• Scott Riggs gains 12 spots and is out 10th
• Joe Nemechek has the hood up as the crew puts on an alternator belt left off from qualifying

Lap 19 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 1: Matt Kenseth slams the wall in Turn 2 after a blown right-front tire.

Lap 16 -- The field has separated into three distinct packs: a lead group of single-file cars that is 12 cars deep; a second group of two- and three-wide racing; and a third small group running single-file.

Lap 14 -- Jon Wood is back on the track after his crew spent eight laps working on the car.

Lap 11 -- Second just five laps ago, Denny Hamlin has dropped to 12th. David Ragan now follows Tony Stewart in second.

Lap 7 -- Kyle Busch is upset that he dropped from second to seventh after teammate Denny Hamlin, third at the time, lifted Busch's rear wheels off the ground in the draft.

Lap 5 -- Reed Sorenson pulls onto pit road smoking. "I blew a motor guys. Wow," he says to his crew.

Lap 3 -- Jon Wood pulls his No. 21 car to the garage.

Lap 2 -- Jimmie Johnson goes to the high side and starts dropping to the back to get out of the three-wide racing.

Lap 1 -- Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch draft around Joe Nemechek to lead the first lap as the rest of the pack fans to three-wide.

2:21 p.m. -- GREEN FLAG: Joe Nemechek and Tony Stewart get the Aaron's 499 under way.

2:11 p.m. -- Cars are rolling onto the track. Cars going to the rear:
• No. 7 (driver change, P.J. Jones to Robby Gordon)
• No. 40 (driver change, Dario Franchitti to David Stremme)
• No. 31

2:08 p.m. -- Ken Butler, president of Aaron's, delivers the command along with the fans: "Gentlemen, start your engines!"

2:01 p.m. -- Taylor Hicks from American Idol sings the national anthem.

2 p.m. -- Dr. Richard Alford of Alabama Raceway Ministries delivers the invocation.

1 p.m. ET -- Pre-race coverage of the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on FOX is under way.

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