Sprint Cup Series – Auto Club 500 Speedway

Win number 48 for the 48 Sunday at Auto Club Speedway.

photo credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR

“So weird how things work out,” Johnson said. “We come back here with the (Jimmie Johnson) foundation paint scheme on the car and have won a bunch.  There’s just something with this track, being in California for me.  I wish I could explain it.  But it’s nice to come out here.  I always love racing in my home state, being this close to the San Diego area where I grew up is really cool.  To keep taking trophies out of here, there’s nothing better.”

Luck was on Johnson’s side after NASCAR had to sort through the running order late in the race. During a set of green-flag pit stops, the 6th and final caution came out when Brad Keselowski took a spin off of turn 4. All of the leaders had come in to pit, but Johnson was the only one of the leading cars to make it on the track before getting trapped a lap down.

“Yes, we were lucky today,” Johnson said. “But you don’t get lucky and win four championships and 48 races.  Things went our way today with the pit stop.  But I had to go out there and hold Kevin off, 31, all that kind of thing. I’m not discrediting the fact we were handed a huge gift when we were on pit road and the caution came out.  It is what it is, and we’ve had plenty of races go the other way on us.  From how consistent we’ve been from the first races we’ve been in from eight seasons ago till now, it’s ’cause we’re a good race team.”

For the second and third place finishers, they both had to overcome a violation for speeding on pit road which sent them to the back of the pack.

“Just a great day,” runner-up Harvick said. “We got a speeding penalty early. The car was good enough to come back through the field. Put ourself back in contention in the end. Just came up one short. Good day and a lot of fun today.”

“That turned our day around right there,” Jeff Burton said about the pit road penalty. “I don’t know why. But we took off after that. Had to start last and got up to sixth quickly. That’s as quirk as I’ve seen anybody pass on this racetrack in a long time. There in the end, you know, when the caution came out, I slowed down. The 48 beat us out. Then they got a break there, but they did a really good job of making their car good when it needed to be good. They definitely got a break, but they executed on it. That’s what they do so well.”

Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray started from the pole, but faded quickly without leading any laps. He finished 17th. His teammate, Juan Pablo Montoya started alongside on the front row. Montoya jumped out early to lead the first 29 laps, but a blown engine after 140 laps ended his day. Montoya finished 37th.

For the (unofficial) race results, click here.

There were 6 cautions for 30 laps and 26 lead changes among 13 drivers: 0; J. Montoya 1-29; J. Johnson 30-37; B. Vickers 38-39; D. Blaney 40-42; J. Johnson 43-55; K. Harvick 56-59; J. Johnson 60-61; K. Harvick 62-81; J. Johnson 82-86; K. Harvick 87-89; J. Johnson 90-97; M. Martin 98-100; J. Johnson 101-134; Kurt Busch 135; J. Johnson 136-142; J. Gordon 143-153; J. Burton 154; Kyle Busch 155-165; J. Burton 166-181; C. Bowyer 182-183; M. Martin 184-185; B. Vickers 186-188; D. Hamlin 189-194; S. Speed 195-197; J. Burton 198-226; J. Johnson 227-250