The STP 400 is 20 laps young and polesitter Kurt Busch is back out front at the Kansas Speedway, having overhauled Juan Pablo Montoya for the lead to complete the race's 18th lap. Montoya runs second, followed by Kyle Busch, point leader Carl Edwards, and Joey Logano.
Kurt Busch dropped back as far as sixth in the opening laps of the race before moving through the field to retake the lead. His brother and Montoya are the only other leaders of the race thus far.
Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson are both on the move after poor qualifying efforts. Kenseth is up to the eighth position after starting 21st, while Johnson has climbed from a 31st-place starting effort to run 20th. Backsliding is Brian Vickers, who started fourth and has dropped outside the top-10.
There have been no cautions, but Travis Kvapil and Scott Riggs have both had contact with the wall. Riggs took his Dodge behind the wall.