The Rundown: Charlotte

6. Ryan Newman, No. 31 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Newman earned the beneficiary of the free pass during the final caution period and closed 11 places in the final 40 laps.

7. Brad Keselowski, No. 2 Ford, Team Penske. New father Keselowski told his team early that his “ride quality is on par with Kentucky.” He won at Kentucky last year, but had to settle for a top 10 (his eighth of the season) due to the fuel mileage game. | To hear more in-car audio, sign up for RaceView Premium today

8. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Hamlin, winner of the recent Sprint All-Star race, was pacing the 600 field with a migraine when a loose wheel prompted an unscheduled pit stop with 38 laps to go. | Hamlin visits media center after trip to infield care center

9. Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Harvick recorded his 11th top-10 result in 12 appearances this season to extend his grip on the points lead

10. Kurt Busch, No. 41 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Busch lined up 14th and posted the fastest lap of the race on Lap 143 (188.153 mph), which was one of the 118 laps he led on Sunday.

11. Kyle Busch, No. 18 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. In his first points race since the Daytona crash, Busch reassured his team he could run the full 600 miles. “Tell Erik (Jones, replacement driver) I feel good,” Busch radioed his team. “10-4,” crew chief Adam Stevens responded. “His bedtime’s in about 20 minutes anyhow.” | Busch passes big test at Charlotte

12. Kasey Kahne, No. 5 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Kahne was tagged near the halfway point for speeding on pit road, but rallied to earn the beneficiary of the free pass and run inside the top 10 with 50 laps to go.

13. Joey Logano, No. 22 Ford, Team Penske. The birthday boy shook off debris in the first 24 laps to lead twice for 17 circuits on Sunday.

14. Paul Menard, No. 27 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Menard quietly toured Charlotte’s 1.5-mile oval en route to his eighth top-15 result of the season.

15. Jeff Gordon, No. 24 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. After pacing the field to green in the Indy 500, Gordon lined up 18th in his Coca-Cola 600 finale and had a decent run until a loose wheel impacted his day. | Gordon leads Indy field to green

16. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Dillon drove a new chassis to his best 1.5-mile result of the season.

17. Aric Almirola, No. 43 Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports. Almirola earned the beneficiary of the free pass on the Lap 230 caution and found himself in position again for the free pass in the closing laps.

18. Chase Elliott, No. 25 Chevrolet. Hendrick Motorsports. Elliott, in his third Cup outing and first at a 1.5-miler, qualified 28th and mostly ran inside the top 25, despite dealing with a radio communication issue during the race.

19. Jamie McMurray, No. 1 Chevrolet. Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. The two-time Charlotte winner had a ho hum day, running middle of the pack in his 26th appearance at the 1.5-mile track.

20. Clint Bowyer, No. 15 Toyota, Michael Waltrip Racing. Bowyer’s frustration sparked a late-race decision to gamble on fuel mileage. “Might as well (gamble),” Bowyer radioed crew chief Brian Pattie. “Nothing to lose.” | To hear more in-car audio, sign up for RaceView Premium today

21. Tony Stewart, No. 14 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Stewart was running a lap down when he got into the back of Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who slid up the track ahead of him on Lap 302.

22. Danica Patrick, No. 10 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Patrick had to make two pit stops during the third caution flag after receiving damage from a dust-up with Clint Bowyer and Chase Elliott on pit road.

23. Casey Mears, No. 13 Chevrolet, Germain Racing. Mears battled a lack of air conditioning and tried to stay cool during the season’s longest race by taking ice bags during pit stops.

24. Sam Hornish Jr., No. 9 Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports. Hornish couldn’t climb back from an early handling issue although he later ran lap times comparable to those inside the top 15.

25. Kyle Larson, No. 42 Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. Larson qualified ninth, marking his first top-10 start at Charlotte, and ran as high as eighth before quietly fading.

26. Alex Bowman, No. 7 Chevrolet, Tommy Baldwin Racing. Encouraged early by crew chief Tommy Baldwin Jr. not to overdrive it, Bowman went on to post his best intermediate track finish of the year.

27. Trevor Bayne, No. 6 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing. Bayne’s tough night was further impacted when he hit the wall on Lap 230 to bring out the fourth caution flag and halt 89 laps of green-flag racing.

28. Cole Whitt, No. 35 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Whitt liked his car during practice and ultimately turned in his best 2015 result on a 1.5-mile track.

29. AJ Allmendinger, No. 47 Chevrolet, JTG Daugherty Racing. Allmendinger required an unscheduled pit stop around Lap 160 when a hot dog wrapper stuck to his grille and raised temps.

30. Michael McDowell, No. 95 Ford, Leavine Family Racing. McDowell spent the night looking for speed as he worked with his team on the handling of the No. 95 Ford.

31. Brett Moffitt, No. 34 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Spotter Tony Raines told Moffitt his car was faster than those ahead of him, but grip was a persistent problem.

32. Michael Annett, No. 46 Chevrolet, HScott Motorsports. Annett, who dealt with a tight-handling condition early on Sunday, spun on the backstretch on Lap 328 to bring out the caution flag.

33. David Gilliland, No. 38 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Gilliland, who honored The Unknown Soldier with his car, led Lap 28 after choosing not to pit during the competition caution.

34. Matt DiBenedetto, No. 83 Toyota, BK Racing. DiBenedetto, making his third 1.5-mile start and his first at Charlotte, complained early of a loose-handling condition.

35. Josh Wise, No. 98 Ford, Phil Parsons Racing. Wise lined up 38th and got behind early, but still held on to post his best Charlotte result in his last four outings at the 1.5-mile track.

36. Alex Kennedy, No. 33 Chevrolet, Circle Sport. Making his Charlotte debut, Kennedy improved upon his earlier intermediate result this season at Texas Motor Speedway.

37. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 17, Roush Fenway Racing. Stenhouse cracked the top 10 with 70 laps to go, but watched his second top-10 of the season slip through his fingers after he hit the wall eight laps later

38. J.J. Yeley, No. 23 Toyota, BK Racing. Yeley was mired in traffic after being penalized during the competition caution when a crew member went over the wall too early.

39. Landon Cassill, No. 40 Chevrolet, Hillman Smith Motorsports. Cassill followed the race on Sunday by physically running 14 miles to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in support of the Folds of Honor Foundation. | Cassill completes unique Memorial Day weekend double

40. Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Johnson spun on Lap 90 and saved his car in a move reminiscent of Kansas Speedway, where he was victorious. But he wasn’t able to save it a second time after he spun on Lap 274 and collided with the inside pit wall. | Second spin crunches Johnson’s No. 48

41. David Ragan, No. 55 Toyota, Michael Waltrip Racing. In the final third of the race, Ragan cited his water temperatures were fluctuating and ultimately was sidelined by an engine issue.

42. Ryan Blaney, No. 21 Ford, Wood Brothers Racing. Blaney cracked the top 11 on Sunday, but his strong run was halted on Lap 282 when his engine blew up.

43. Justin Allgaier, No. 51 Chevrolet, HScott Motorsports. Allgaier, in his third Charlotte start, retreated to the garage after getting into the wall between Turns 3 and 4 on Lap 136.