TALLADEGA, Ala. -- How competitive was Sunday's Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway, from a standpoint of official leaders and lead changes? It would be easier to list those drivers who didn't find their way to the front than it would be to list the names of the 29 drivers who swapped the lead 88 times over the 200-lap distance, setting series records in both instances.

No driver had led more than three consecutive laps all day until Brian Vickers stayed out front from Lap 120 until 127. And Jamie McMurray led 22 consecutive laps before Kevin Harvick beat him to the line to win by .011 seconds. Otherwise, the leaders seemed to shuffle positions up and down the scoring pylon with every circuit of the 2.66-mile oval.

It was the first restrictor-plate race with spoilers bolted onto the back of NASCAR's current chassis design. That, coupled with a restrictor-plate size that allowed for significant closing rates, resulted in massive amounts of bump-drafting.

"It was the biggest yo-yo effect that I've ever seen as far as the front to the back to the middle," fourth-place finisher Denny Hamlin said. "You just couldn't keep your track position. As hard as you tried to stay up front, there's nothing you could do to stay up there.

"From the competitive standpoint, I don't know what else you can ask for. Anybody can win this race. There's no doubt about it. Any car can win this race and it's just who's going to put themselves in the position with 10 to go."

It might also have been a preview of coming attractions. With Daytona International Speedway to be re-paved following July's race, it's possible what occurred Sunday at Talladega could be the norm on a smoother, faster racing surface for the 2011 Daytona 500.

"It was a little too draggy, it seems like," said Greg Biffle, who wound up 17th. "You can get slowed down and speed back up a little too easy, but it was pretty fun. I can't wait to see how it drives at Daytona and we get that chance."

David Ragan was the driver who eventually broke the previous record of 75 lead changes -- set in the 1984 Winston 500 at Talladega, one year before Ragan was born -- when he took the lead on Lap 143. (Continued)