Chicagoland recap: Gordon takes third in 600th start

JOLIET, Ill. (July 10, 2010) – Jeff Gordon earned his ninth top-five finish of the season and drew closer to points leader Kevin Harvick in the championship standings after Saturday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Chicagoland Speedway. Gordon lined up his No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet sixth for his 600th Cup start. He led twice for 47 laps before crossing the finish line third. He remains second in the driver standings – 103 points behind Harvick. Mark Martin, driver of the No. 5 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, rallied from his 21st starting spot to finish 15th, while Dale Earnhardt Jr. was scored 23rd in his No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet. Earnhardt now ranks 13th in the driver standings, and Martin is 14th. Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, opened Saturday’s race from the outside pole position and led the first 92 laps. He held steady in the top 10, but lost position after spinning on the backstretch on Lap 137. Johnson, who remains third in the driver standings, crossed the finish line 25th.