After the longest green-flag run of the Chicagoland race thus far – a stretch that moved NASCAR past the halfway point of the Geico 400 – Carl Edwards was the leader over Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch.

But following pit stops during a debris caution at lap 146, Ryan Newman emerged with the lead after taking just two tires.

Edwards came off pit road second and Johnson was third.

Chase drivers have held the top eight spots for most of the middle portion of the race, but the story so far is those drivers who haven't been doing well.

Denny Hamlin had struggled all day and had to pit for a loose wheel at one point, which has put him two laps down and in 32nd place.

It's been a similar story for Jeff Gordon, who was already having a hard time before he had to pit for a flat tire. Gordon was also lapped and is now in 23rd place.

Currently, there are 147 laps complete and 120 laps to go.