Jeff Gordon's bid for his second victory of the 2011 season is over.
The four-time series champion was one of several drivers involved in a major crash on the race's 301st lap. Gordon, who had led four laps and been in contention all night, slammed the inside wall as Matt Kenseth, Paul Menard, and others tangled against the outside wall along the backstretch. Gordon's Chevy then pinwheeled across the track where it was struck by David Reutimann, who had run into Mark Martin a second prior.
Jeff Burton of Richard Childress Racing is the current race leader. Riding a winless streak of 85 races, Burton previously won at Richmond in 1998. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Greg Biffle, and the dominant Joe Gibbs Racing duo of Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin round out the top-five.
Tony Stewart, who was a lap down at one point of tonight's race, has cracked the top-ten. The two-time Cup champion is a three-time winner at Richmond, including his first career win in September 1999.