Leading at Indianapolis is nothing new for Jeff Gordon. His four Brickyard 400 victories are an event record, and he had led 440 laps entering today's race.
Gordon has added 25 laps and counting to that total, as he leads the 18th-annual 400 just past the halfway point. Gordon's Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson, himself a three-time 400 winner - runs second. The top-five is filled out by Dale Earnhardt Jr. in a third Hendrick Chevrolet, Kasey Kahne's Toyota which dominated early on, and the Ford of Matt Kenseth.
Polesitter David Ragan lost the lead on the opening lap and has yet to lead a circuit on the day, but he currently runs a solid sixth. Juan Pablo Montoya, who has already had an interesting day with contact with Jeff Burton and Mark Martin, runs seventh, followed by Kyle Busch. A.J. Allmendinger and Denny Hamlin, who started shotgun on the field after having to change engines earlier in the weekend, round out the top-10.
Hometown hero Tony Stewart has had a tough day thus far. The two-time Brickyard champ was penalized for hitting the commitment cone on the opening cycle of green-flag pit stops, then brushed the outside wall. Currently he runs 25th, which would be his worst Brickyard 400 finish if he can not improve.