With fresher tyres Johnson was soon harrying the rear bumper of Gordon's car and on lap 172 he completed an excellent drive up the top ten as he grabbed second place before Gordon had the chance to lead a lap and when Kenseth made a green flag pitstop on lap 190 it was Johnson who inherited first place and five precious championship bonus points. Gordon had to pit just shy of the 200 lap mark leaving Johnson in front until he made his way down pit road on lap 218.
With the stops completed Kenseth found himself with a gigantic eleven second lead over Johnson although with 30 lap fresher tyres Johnson was soon eating in to that advantage. Johnson had closed to within six seconds of the #17 Roush-Fenway Ford when Dave Blaney's spin brought the safety car back out on lap 233 and sent everybody scuttling down pit road.
Taking fuel only Ryan Newman picked up the lead with Kenseth second and Tony Stewart and Clint Bowyer, who both took two tyres, third and fourth but when racing resumed Kenseth quickly retook the lead. With Stewart moving into second place Kenseth maintained a comfortable two second lead with Newman now desperately trying to hold Johnson off in the fight for third. Gordon's day was getting worse however as he engaged in some rough and ready racing with defending Checker Auto Parts 500k winner Kevin Harvick over eighth place and damaged his front bumper, which caused it to start rubbing his left front tyre.
The tenth and final caution of the day came out on lap 269 and gave everybody the opportunity to grab one final set of new tyres as the majority of the track fell into shade as the sun set behind the turn one grandstands. Two drivers, Truex Jr and Johnny Sauter, gambled on staying out and too the lap 273 restart in first and second places with Kenseth third, Stewart fourth and Johnson fifth but crucially the first driver with four, as opposed to just two, fresh tyres.
![Jimmie Johnson - Kobalt/Lowe's Chevrolet [pic credit: GM media]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/300233.jpg)
