CUP: Johnson Wins As Harvick Slides At ACS

Sprint Cup

CUP: Johnson Wins As Harvick Slides At ACS

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson wins at California..

Mike Hembree | Posted February 21, 2010 Fontana, CA

Jimmie Johnson celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 500 at Auto Club Speedway. (Photo: Getty Images)

It was the 48th win for Jimmie Johnson and car 48, and it was an early-season sign that Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 1 team is rolling along just fine only two weeks into the long and winding Sprint Cup schedule.

RESULTS: Auto Club 500

Johnson led the final 24 laps and won Sunday’s Auto Club 500 at Auto Club Speedway as challenger Kevin Harvick slipped and slid into the outside wall in the closing laps.

Harvick, who chased Johnson over the final 20 laps, eliminated a two-second deficit and drove onto Johnson’s bumper with five laps to go. Harvick’s Chevrolet slipped and brushed the wall with three laps to go, however, killing his momentum and giving Johnson an open door to his 48th career win.

“Life is good, man,” said Johnson, who is pursuing his fifth straight Sprint Cup championship. “We’re right back in victory lane.”

Johnson won with the benefit of a well-timed caution with 27 laps remaining. He was on pit road when Brad Keselowski lost control of his car on the frontstretch and spun, bringing out the yellow. Johnson escaped pit road just in time, ultimately putting his car in front for the restart. He led the rest of the way.

“The fact that we were on pit road when the caution came out gave us track position, and we finally got the car turning,” Johnson said.

Harvick said he lost control of his car for an instant in pursuit of Johnson.

“The 48 saw me coming and moved up,” Harvick said. “I lost the nose of the car and got in the wall and knocked the right front fender in.”

Harvick rallied from a pit road speeding penalty to challenge Johnson.

Completing the top five were Jeff Burton, Mark Martin and Joey Logano.

“I think we have a little bit of work to do, although we won the race,” Johnson said. “We’ll just keep working hard. This is a good step in the right direction.”

The day saw a fair amount of competition near the front of the pack, thanks in part to NASCAR’s new aerodynamic package and a new tire compound. But the field was hammered with a string of pit-road speeding penalties and unusual engine problems.

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Mike Hembree

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