MARTINSVLLE -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. left Martinsville Speedway frustrated with a fifth-place finish that nearly put him into the top 10 in the points standings.

Earnhardt led a race-high 137 laps, but his car wasn't as strong late, finishing behind race-winner Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch.

"We just didn't have the car there at the end," Earnhardt said of his season-best finish. "We are kind of tired of running well here and not getting [a win]. We will take fifth."

He had to overcome debris in his eye late in the race.

Rain stopped the race for 31 minutes on lap 357 of the 500-lap race. After the drivers returned to the cars, a jet blower drying the track blew debris and sand into Earnhardt's car and his eye.

"I think they could alleviate those kinds of problems a little better than that," said Earnhardt, who is 11th in the points.

"We don't need to get in the car until they have the track completely dry in a place like this where they can blow sand and dirt all over you. That was ridiculous. I got something in my eye and it hurt like heck for a long time."

Rolling

Hendrick Motorsports continues to dominate. Jimmie Johnson's victory gave the organization four wins in the first six races. Hendrick placed three drivers in the top four Sunday with Johnson, Jeff Gordon (second) and Kyle Busch (fourth). This is also the fourth time this season Hendrick has placed at least two cars in the top five.

"It is kind of one of those starts that you dream about," Hendrick said. "We have got a lot of momentum, everybody is working well together and the breaks have kind of gone our way. We want to just keep building that momentum and get ready for the Chase."

Improving

After finishing 30th or worse the first two races, Jamie McMurray scored his fourth consecutive top-15 finish. He placed ninth after starting second.

"I drove too hard at the beginning," he said. "I told myself to take it easy on the brakes, but I couldn't help it. I just kept kind of hustling the car and I wore my stuff out too quick."

McMurray has climbed from 36th to 12th in the points during this run.

Investigation

NASCAR officials took Kevin Harvick's car to its research and development center to study why the energy-absorbing foam started smoking in his car. It's a problem other drivers, including Matt Kenseth, said they had at Bristol last weekend.

"Smoke just started coming out the right-side door," said Harvick, who finished 41st after a series of mechanical woes. "This thing just started burning up. It's almost turning it into a joke now."

Rookie runner

David Ragan, who was involved in three cautions at this track last fall, finished 15th and was the top-placing rookie. He finished a spot ahead of Juan Pablo Montoya.

"We got some more points and now we have to regroup and try to get to where we can be a little more competitive on the big tracks," Ragan said.

Montoya ran well but also was involved in a late incident with Tony Raines. Montoya's contact sent Raines into the wall.

"He needs to learn to race," Montoya radioed his crew.

"If he races clean, I'll race him clean. If he races like that, I'll race him the same ... way."

Pit stops

NASCAR took Johnson's car and McMurray's car to its research and development center in its continuing process of studying how a race affects the Car of Tomorrow. Both teams are expected to have their cars back today. ... Kasey Kahne on his 25th-place finish: "Bad car, bad adjustments, and bad driver." ... Johnson collected $198,736 for the victory.