2009 Coca-Cola 600 - Race

Race

Ryan Newman and Kyle Busch started at the front row followed by Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin in the second row, and Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne in the third row. Newman decided to start the race from the outside, switching positions with Kyle Busch.

At 12:12pm EDT, the green flag waved marking the start of the 50th running of the Coca-Cola 600.

After lap 1, Ryan Newman led the first lap with Kyle Busch in second and Mark Martin in third. Two laps later, Kyle Busch took the lead from Newman out of turn 4. On lap 7, the caution flag was waved for light rain. Before the caution, Brian Vickers was in fifth place after starting in eighth and Denny Hamlin was in eighth after starting in thirteenth place. Dale Earnhardt, Jr., starting in 27th, was in 31st place. Eleven drivers entered pit road. Among them were Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Michael Waltrip, Greg Biffle, and Matt Kenseth.

For the restart on lap 12, Kyle Busch was in first followed by Newman, Martin, Kahne, and Vickers. Shortly after, Harvick and Sam Hornish, Jr. made contact on the backstretch. On lap 17, Harvick made contact with the outside wall entering turn 1 causing damage to his car and bringing out a caution. Kyle Busch reported an electrical fire problem with his car.

On lap 19, the race restarted, with Kyle Busch, Newman, Martin, Kahne, and Gordon in the top five. By lap 35, Kyle Busch had opened a two-second lead over second place Mark Martin. Tony Stewart, starting in 28th, was in 15th. During the pit stops on lap 42 after a competition caution, Johnson exited in first place (gained sixteen positions), followed by Kyle Busch and Martin. Newman had to come back to pit road for a lugnut replacement. Mike Bliss drove his car to the garage.

The restart was on lap 45 with Johnson, Kyle Busch, Martin, Kurt Busch, and Denny Hamlin in the top five. On lap 51, Kyle Busch regained the lead from Johnson with Martin in second. By lap 55, Johnson, with a loose car, had fallen to the sixth position. Rain returned by lap 71, resulting in yet another caution. On the pit stops that followed, Carl Edwards gained ten positions, Jamie McMurray gained sixteen spots, Reutiman gained seven spots, and Martin Truex, Jr. gained thirteen positions. Vickers lost six spots. The crew of Mark Martin lost a tire from their pitbox resulting in a penalty for Martin. Robby Gordon stayed out and led a lap. Waltrip and Scott Riggs also stayed out. Approximately 55 minutes after the start of the race, the red flag was waved on lap 74 for rain. Robby Gordon, Waltrip, Riggs, Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Reutimann, McMurray, Joey Logano, Kahne, and Juan Pablo Montoya made up the top ten at that time.

This red flag period lasted 54 minutes before caution laps resumed. Robby Gordon, Waltrip, and Riggs made pit stops under the caution. Each of the three had a led at least a lap. The restart on lap 79 with Kyle Busch, Edwards, Reutimann, McMurray, and Logano in the top five. Martin was served a penalty from the last pit stop and dropped to 37th place. By lap 87, Kyle Busch opened a two-second lead over second place Reutimann. On lap 93, McMurray dropped from fourth to 10th and Reutimann fell two spots from second after making contact with the outside wall of turn 4. Meanwhile, Dale Earnhardt Jr. continued to fight an ill-handling car and on lap 111, leader Kyle Busch placed Earnhardt, Jr. a lap down. On lap 120, Vickers took the lead from Kyle Busch. As of lap 122, Joe Nemechek, Waltrip, Harvick, and Max Papis, running 38th through 41st respectively, were a lap down. Green flag pit stops began at that point. On lap 129, Montoya took second from Kyle Busch. Logano led lap 131. Reutimann and David Gilliland were deemed too fast on pit road and served penalties. Meanwhile, Dave Blaney led two laps under green flag pit stops. Blaney's stop on lap 134 ended the cycle and Kyle Busch regained the lead, followed by Vickers, Montoya, Kahne, and Johnson. Vickers took the lead on lap 146, and by lap 161, he had opened a 2.2 second lead over Montoya.