Gordon's runner-up finish leads Hendrick Motorsports at Richmond

RICHMOND, Va. – Jeff Gordon started Saturday night’s race at Richmond International Raceway in second place – and that’s exactly where he finished.

Gordon ran in the top five for virtually the entire race, and though he never led a lap, he took the checkered flag as the runner-up in the final race before the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Jimmie Johnson made it two Hendrick Motorsports in the top 10 with his eighth-place finish, and all four Hendrick Motorsports teammates took the checkered flag in the top 20. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was next in 12th and Kasey Kahne crossed the finish line in 17th.

The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup begins next week in Chicago, and all four Hendrick Motorsports drivers are among the 16 drivers in contention for the championship.

Below is a recap of how each driver fared at Richmond International Raceway.

KASEY KAHNE, NO. 5 FARMERS INSURANCE CHEVROLET SS
Finished: 17th
Standings: 13th
Recap: After clinching his spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup last week, Kahne began Saturday night’s race in 21st. He remained in the 20s for the first portion of the race, emerging from a Lap-50 competition caution in 23rd. Falling a lap behind during a long stretch of green-flag racing, Kahne emerged from a Lap-124 caution for debris in 22nd. At Lap 220, he found his way to 20th, and after a round of green-flag pit stops he settled in to 21st position. On a restart with 130 laps to go, Kahne remained in 21st. He continued moving up the pack while remaining a lap down, making his way to 17th place and in position as the lucky dog by Lap 348. Another caution would not come, and Kahne finished the race in 17th.

JEFF GORDON, NO. 24 DRIVE TO END HUNGER CHEVROLET SS
Finished: 2nd
Standings: 1st
Recap: A second-place start helped Gordon stay in the top five for the entire first half of the race. When a caution flag was thrown at Lap 124, Gordon entered pit road in fourth position. A speedy performance by the No. 24 team allowed Gordon to exit pit road in second position, gaining two spots. “Nice job, guys,” Gordon relayed over the radio. He settled in to second position and remained there past the halfway point of the event. After a cycle of green-flag pit stops, Gordon settled into fourth position at Lap 234. On a restart with 130 laps to go, Gordon remained in fourth. At Lap 290, he moved up to third, and at Lap 318 he was once again in second position. After a caution at Lap 331, he nearly beat the leader off pit road but remained in second place. “Almost, guys. Great job,” Gordon told his pit crew over the radio. He remained in second place for the remainder of the race, and took the checkered flag as the runner-up.

JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S CHEVROLET SS
Finished: 8th
Standings: 5th
Recap: Starting in third position, Johnson dropped to seventh position by Lap 34. After a competition caution at Lap 50, Johnson ran near 10th position for the next portion of the race, entering pit road after a caution flag waved at Lap 124 for debris in 11th place. He left pit road in ninth, gaining two spots thanks to a quick performance by the No. 48 team. “That was a good pit stop, boys,” Johnson said over the radio. At Lap 138, he settled into 10th place before moving back up to ninth on Lap 155. At Lap 217, he moved into eighth place, and made it up to sixth position before he headed to pit road during a cycle of green-flag pit stops. He emerged from that cycle in 11th. On a restart with 130 laps to go, Johnson had moved up to 10th. He fell just outside of the top 10 in the ensuing laps before breaking back in at Lap 346. With 25 laps to go, he ran in ninth place, and 11 laps later he passed a competitor for eighth position. He finished the race in eighth.

DALE EARNHARDT JR., NO. 88 NATIONWIDE CHEVROLET SS
Finished: 12th
Standings: 2nd
Recap: Rolling off the grid in 24th position, Earnhardt gained two positions in the first 14 laps. He continued moving up the standings, making his way to 20th by Lap 23, 19th by Lap 33 and 18th in time for a competition caution at Lap 50. At Lap 81, Earnhardt passed teammate Johnson for 13th position, and by Lap 111 he had made his way into the top 10 for the first time all race. He stayed near 10th position for the next portion of the race, emerging from a cycle of green-flag pit stops in ninth position. On a restart with 130 laps to go, Earnhardt had moved up to eighth. He fell to ninth by Lap 276, and was in 11th during a caution at Lap 331. He finished the race in 12th.