Despite tagging the wall in an incident with Carl Edwards earlier in the race, Jeff Gordon’s No. 24 Chevrolet is out front at the midpoint of the Subway Fresh Fit 500.
Gordon, who started 20th, first took the lead at lap 77. Tony Stewart passed him just before halfway before Gordon reassumed the lead at lap 124. A vicious accident by David Ragan drew a caution flag, and under the cycle of pit stops, Stewart got out first. Gordon retook the top spot at lap 141, however, and is out front at the 156-lap mark.
Stewart runs second, followed by Jimmie Johnson and Kurt and Kyle Busch.
The race, thus far, has been marred by a series of major accidents. Trevor Bayne crashed his Ford just 50 laps into the race after contact with Travis Kvapil.
Two subsequent accidents involved nearly 20 cars between them. The first, triggered by contact between Kyle Busch and pole-sitter Edwards, also collected Gordon, Kevin Harvick, and Mark Martin.
A second, much larger crash, involved 13 cars after Matt Kenseth and Brian Vickers made contact, cutting the tire on Vickers No. 83 Toyota.
Twenty-four drivers, more than half the starters in the field, have been involved in an accident of some kind.