Richmond has The Big One, too

A 12-car crash that brought out the red flag after 230 laps ruined the chances of seven Chase contenders last night at RIR, including defending champion Jimmie Johnson.

While Johnson managed to soldier on when the race restarted on Lap 231 under caution, five others accompanied their cars into the garage. Kurt Busch, David Gilliland, Patrick Carpentier, Matt Kenseth and Johnny Sauter all were KO'd.

South Boston native Jeff Burton, the Sprint Cup points leader, barely escaped the melee in Turns 2 and 3. Busch nearly made it, too, before getting clipped twice as he slid toward the infield apron.

"Things happen so fast, you don't know where to go," Busch said. "[Carpentier] was on the inside spinning around and he ricocheted back up into the group of us. I had my front brakes all locked up."

Carpentier said he didn't see the accident coming.

"It was a pinball ride," Carpentier said. "I was trying to go to the inside to avoid it, slowing down, and I think I got hit from behind, spun around and then hit the inside rail, almost accelerated back to Corner 3 and got into cars and everybody got into me."

The accident occurred when Dave Blaney and J.J. Yeley collided coming out of Turn 2.

Juan Pablo Montoya, Carl Edwards, Kenseth and Ryan Newman were among the other Chase contenders involved in the accident.

Gilliland's streak crashes to a halt

Gilliland saw his streak of three 15th-place finishes snapped when he was involved in the 12-car wreck at Lap 230. He finished 41st, completing 229 laps.

Gilliland, who spent part of the season without sponsorship, had improved at least 20 positions in those three races to vault from 22nd in points to 18th.

But in the big wreck, Gilliland's front end was crushed and fluids emptied from the engine, running down the track. He was listed in 20th at the time of the red flag, the third-to-last driver on the lead lap.

Gilliland, who had charged from 40th to 13th, saw one of his best efforts this season ruined when he couldn't evade a spinning Carpentier. For a moment, at least, this reminded him of last week's 15-car accident at Talladega Superspeedway.

"I was telling the guys that it was the Big One here at a three-quarter mile track," Gilliland said. "I had a great run going, but that's the way it goes."

Stewart battles balky alternator

Tony Stewart fought alternator problems for most of the night, switching between batteries. He wasn't sure if his car would restart after the race's red flag but managed to spend most of the race in the top 15.

After spending the middle part of the race around 10th, Stewart climbed into the top 10 and reached seventh at Lap 300.

Entering last night, Stewart had six top-10 finishes in his previous eight races at Richmond.

J. Gordon starts from back of field

Jeff Gordon, who finished fourth in both RIR races last season, started at the rear of the field after his engine misfired before the race, and his team changed the starter. RIR is an impound race, meaning engine adjustments before the race are not allowed.

Gordon, a five-time winner in Richmond, started in the front row in both 2007 races. He won the pole a year ago.

Gordon, who qualified 28th, has led more laps at RIR than any other active Sprint Cup driver. Teammate Jimmie Johnson swept the spring and fall races.

Hamlin Foundation raises $50,000

The Denny Hamlin Foundation raised $50,000 for cystic fibrosis thanks to his foundation's race at Southside Speedway this week. Denny Hamlin presented the check to Art Washburn, the chairman of the board for the Virginia chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, before last night's Dan Lowry 400.

Hamlin's foundation serves several children's charities, but its focus is on cystic fibrosis. A cousin of Hamlin's has cystic fibrosis, a disease in children that causes mucus to thicken to a glue-like state, according to WebMD.com. The buildup of that mucus often leads to lung problems. Nutrition, digestion, growth and development problems can also occur.

- From Staff Reports