Gordon escalates Johnson feud

Gordon was involved in a multi-car wreck moments after Johnson had closed the door on him while he was trying to make a pass on lap 183. The pair made contact, despite Gordon backing off from the move and moving below the double-yellow line, only to get caught up in the chain reaction.

Jeff Burton, who had led the most laps up to that point, lost control of his car after making contact with Mike Bliss and got sideways and into Gordon, with Scott Speed also involved.

"I got a huge push down the back straightaway, I don't know who it was, Ryan [Newman] maybe, but somebody gave me a big shove and I was coming 10mph faster than anybody," said Gordon.

"The #48 [Johnson] is testing my patience, I can tell you that," Gordon said. "It takes a lot to make me mad, and I'm pissed right now. When a car is going that much faster... I don't know what it is with me and him right now... whatever."

"You turn the wheel left like that when a car is coming and somebody's going to have a problem," Gordon added. "I did everything I could to keep from wrecking him. I did. I saw what he was doing and I know I couldn't go underneath the yellow line to pass him so I did everything I could to check up but somebody was still pushing me and turned me, and I actually got into him.

"But he's been testing my patience and it's about reached its boiling point."

Despite dropping a lap down, Gordon went on to finish 22nd and on the lead lap with a badly battered car.

Meanwhile Johnson was unable to make the checkered flag, following a crash after making contact with Greg Biffle, on the second of three attempts at a green-white-checkered finish.