Kurt Busch and Jimmie Johnson have genuine dislike for one another, and while Johnson has routinely outperformed Busch throughout his 10-year career, Sunday's round went to Busch, who won the AAA 400 at the Dover International Speedway. Johnson took second ahead of Carl Edwards, Kasey Kahne, and Matt Kenseth.
Kyle Busch finished sixth, followed by A.J. Allmendinger, Clint Bowyer, Marcos Ambrose, and Kevin Harvick.
Tony Stewart, who entered the race looking for his third-straight victory, finished a dismal 25th and saw his one-week stay atop the point lead end. Harvick and Edwards - who fought back from a pit-road speeding penalty under green flag conditions - stand tied atop the standings, nine points ahead of Stewart and Kurt Busch. Johnson's runner-up effort boosted him to fifth in the standings, 13 markers off the pace.
Denny Hamlin was likely joined by Ryan Newman and Dale Earnhardt Jr. as drivers without much hope remaining for a championship. Earnhardt finished 24th, two laps down after a broken right-front swaybar mount early in the race and cutting a right-front tire midway through the event. Newman, meanwhile, had a terrible day like his owner/teammate Stewart and finished 23rd.