Nascar sometimes doesn’t let drivers race back to the finish line, but once in a while, leaving the race under green is just to good a oppurtunity to miss. This year’s Geico 500 started with Jeff Gordon winning his 80th career pole position. And all of his other teammates started with him in the top-five.

Talladega is a track with racing that changes throughout the race. Sometimes drivers will all be lined up single file, and then ten laps later they will be three-wide for eight rows in a row. Such is the case at Dega. The race started pretty calmly, but soon trouble hit. Brian Scott blew his engine, and oil spilled onto his tires, spinning him onto the bottom of the racing surface. He was then hit by Michael Waltrip, and no one else.

The race progressed with little trouble over the next couple laps, but much fighting for the lead. There were four drivers who constantly were changing the lead amongst themselves. Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Tony Stewart. All four lead multiple laps throughout the race, Jr. leading the most with 61.

Not long after the restart, trouble struck. Normally what we call the “big one” occurs late in the race, but not this time. Trevor Bayne was racing Kurt Busch and Paul Menard near the front, when he was spun nose first into the outside wall. Chaos ensued after that, with multiple drivers, and several big names, taking damage from the wreck. All added up, 14 different cars were involved in this wreck.

After the clean up the race resumed, but without any more big wrecks. However, that’s not to say that there was no hard racing. For the rest of the drivers were driving like there was no tomorrow. When the final set of pit stops began, several drivers went to pit road, when suddenly Austin Dillon’s right front tire caught fire, forcing a caution to fly. This caution left Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon mired deep in the pack, while Dale Jr. and Johnson were at the front.

The race resumed, and cars surprisingly formed a single file line. The front-runners were content to ride around until the end arrived, and then make a last-minute move. However, one driver was not content to wait.

Tony Stewart flew to the bottom groove, were no one else would run, and he brought a few drivers with him. Soon he was closing on a ten car break away of leaders. Stewart reached them, but suddenly everyone behind him left him out to dry, moving back to the top lane. Without help Tony fell back in the running order, and finished a dismal 19th. His finish by no means showed how well he ran all day.

Dale Jr. retained the lead while all this happened behind him, and finally the last lap arrived. Running in the top-five, Carl Edwards was poised to make a move for the win, but was foiled when he was spun to the inside apron of the track. Then, as the pack exited turn two, a wreck broke out behind the leaders. Sometimes a caution flag would fly in that situation, but not this time. Jr. gave every thing he had, blocking second place Jimmie Johnson. Then, several drivers behind Jimmie began to go for the lead. But, in all the confusion, no one was able to pass Dale Jr., and Earnhardt won his sixth Talladega race.