Back to School: NASCAR - Kevin Harvick

Heading into the fifth race of the NASCAR Sprint Race Cup Series at the Fontana Auto Club 400 in California.  The D Shaped, 2.0 mile oval will act fast in today's 50 degree temperature. 

Teams like Greg Biffle, Joey Lagano, Jeff Gordon, Billy Elliot and the like are looking to grab their first win today on the West Coast for a run and gun event that fans are on the edge of their seats, with headphones of their favorite driver and teams blaring through the microphones, the smell of the rubber, and the heat of the engines is all the draw that the Fonatana 400 has to offer.

Starting Top 5 in the Fontana 400:

Pole Position:  Juan Montoya - #42

2.) Denny Hamlin - #11

3.) Joey Lagano - #20

4.) Regan Smith - #78

5.) Tony Stewart - #14

"Gentleman - Start Your Engine...!"  Race fans favorite sound delivered by TV and movie star Christian Slater to start the big race, only 50 miles from Hollywood  The growl of the engines, driver's tucked into their vehicles, ready for 400 miles of Sprint Cup racing.  The race today has been dropped from the lengthy 500 mile mark to 400 benefiting some of the short dominant race teams.  43 driver's looking to be the "Star' today after capturing the checkered flag after a few hours of grind.

Joey Lagano's car running on a back up engine after some setbacks on the weekend, starting way back in the pack.  The points leader, Kurt Busch shakes his head before the race, knowing they don't have the car they want, looking to make bold moves that could make or break a good day on the track.

Fontana's Track width is unique, it's wide and will allow drivers to attempt different lines around the track, one thing to think about is slowing the car down into the pits, coming off the corner at over 180 miles per hour and having to drop down to 55 will surely show some pit tickets on the day at Fontana.

The "Curse" of the lap leader at Fontana.... Whoever has led the first 21 laps at this Southern California track has Never won here, on a track that reaches speeds over 200 miles per hour.

Sugar Ray Leonard on hand to wave the green flag as racer's hit it California Style!

Off the get go, cars already rolled four-wide, with lots of room.  Hard racing has been determined.  Three divers racing lines have shown on the track early, Trevor Bayne's car loses grip within the first 5 Laps and slides out into the wall showing a little front end damage, but saves it from a yellow flag.  Kasey Kayne grabs 10 spots right away with a fast car.

Denny Hamlin and Juan Montoya out to an early dominance, working around each other as the race leaders give the other 41 racers something to hunt down.  Soon after, Kyle Busch slipped into the #2 spot to gave Hamlin another veteran contender to think about.  Clint Bowyer gaining 10 spots, moving into the 5 spot by Lap 20.  Soon after, Kyle Busch, with a solid feel for the track, dipped underneath Hamlin to take over the lead the field.  Jeff Gordon, by Lap 25, also moves up 10 positions to settle him into the 17th spot at Fontana.

Brian Vickers stared to show some moves in his Red Bull car, with a faster lap than the leader, Vickers is reporting that his car is 'just where he wants it..'

On Laps 34-35, the entire field, but two, hits pit road.  Most drivers only choosing a four tire swap out, with few making minor tweaks on their vehicles.  With no cautions on the day so far, speed seemed to be the norm.  J.J. Yelley, one who didn't found himself rolling in two laps later on no fuel, Carl Edwards had to re-enter pits to put on a rear tire bolt that was missed by his team.

Martin Truex Jr, starting in the 26th position, finds himself in the 4 spot after the pits concluded and cars still ran green.  Kyle Busch drives up in attempt to Lap Bobby Gordon in the first 50 Laps.

Kyle Busch still in the lead with Martin Truex Jr. filling in the 2nd place spot after an amazing rise to the top of the pack, up 24 spots.  Brian Vickers and Denny Hamlin battle for third.  Busch gains a 4.5 second lead.

By Lap 60 Tony Stewart struggles to maintain his fifth place, showing slight wobble on the turns high sides.  The race track is starting to be active "Rubbering Up", rubber saturation on the turns, the pavement warming up a little is making the cars gain some time in the laps, but also beginning to act differently.

The fastest lap to this point was set by Denny Hamlin, with an average speed of 181 miles per hour.  Lap 65 started the next wave of cars driving down pit row.  "We need more grip..!" Racers yelled...

"I can barely hang onto this car," Regan Smith reports, "We need to tighten her up..!"

Kyle Busch makes a visit on Lap 67, the rest of the field tailing Busch for their necessary tires and small chassis and air-pressure adjustments.

Martin Truex Jr. loves his car, "It's loose under throttle," but no repairs were made.  

Tony Stewart was making steps,  every stop making the car a little better at the Fontana 400.  

The first 'Speeding Ticket' issued to Jeff Burton, and with no cautions, slowing the team down a little more.

Debris on Turn 3 puts out the first caution on the day on Lap 75.  This caution offered a chance for drivers to visit their teams for fuel and a mixed bag of tires.  Tony Stewart stayed out on the track leaving his car with 6 laps less fuel than the competition, TV announcers wondering if "Stewart had painted himself into another box."

Restart at Lap 80 led to problems with Denny Hamlin "Something is definitely wrong..!" as Hamlin dipped down for another revisit to the pits on Lap 84.  Ryan Newman, Busch, and Stewart file out the top 3, Newman is the ninth different leader so far.

By Lap 91, Tony Stewart passes Kyle Busch for Fontana's Race leader.  "Yeah, Baby..!" Stewart exclaimed...

Busch and Stewart swapped leads for a few laps after.  Kyle Busch slowly got out to a half second lead at the 100 Lap mark.

Kurt Busch saw his little brother in his rear view mirror, then through his windshield as Kyle Busch passed big brother for a comfortable lead over Tony Stewart. The next 25 laps was clean, but leaving some drivers wishing they had more from their cars.

Pit Lane got active with 33 Laps left. Many teams took this time in hopes this would be the last time they would have to make the visit. Jimmy Johnson made no adjustments, just tires. Kyle Busch gained a 2.2 second lead over Stewart.

Yellow flag, the #71 car loses 'self-control', trying to maintain a straight line until physics took hold and spun the rookie driver into the infield. Again, few cars pit under this caution.

26 Laps to go under green flag, Tony Stewart had plenty of fuel and one last run to take over the blazing Kyle Busch. The pack again chose to race four wide as Lagano and friends use every inch of the track to gain any position they could. Some high, some rubbing, some even in the apron trying to find the best line to get ahead, Trevor Bayne found himself into the wall again, maintained it to keep going. Individual point battles took place all over the track at the Auto Club 400.

The lead now was only at 0.7 seconds over Stewart with a few other close behind, but Bobby Labonte smashes into the turn 2 wall causing extensive damage to his car with 14 laps to go, creating a last chance opportunity at another visit to the pits, but pit row remained closed while Labonte's car remained disabled on the entrance.

As Kyle Busch stayed out on the track, the TV cameras zoomed in on plastic debris covering half of his grill, but quick thinking, Busch zoomed up and drafted the Pace Car and the plastic was blown off, another veteran decision, and as the pit re-opened, Busch, Stewart and the leaders stayed out while most others made a home trip.

9 Laps to go on the restart, Stewart dropped to 5th, Jimmie Johnson hits 2nd, as Busch flew out with several car lengths distance.  Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne fill in the 3 and 4 spot with Carl Edwards made moves.

Jimmie Johnson decreased the lead and really put the heat on Busch.  The fans cheered as Johnson started to shows signs he could make a pass on the inside.  With 3 Laps to go, Jimmie Johnson got side by side and made the pass on turn #2.

2 Laps to go, Kyle Busch tapped the wall and dropped into third with Kevin Harvick on hand.  

White flag, Johnson in the lead, Harvick tries the outside, tapped Johnson's rear end and slingshot passed Jimmie Johnson across the checkered flag, the first time we heard from Kevin Harvick all day.  On the day, Harvick led 1 lap, the final lap.

"That was quite a show there, buddy!" as Kevin Harvick wins the Auto Club 400 at NASCAR's Fontana Speedway.

1. Kevin Harvick
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Kyle Busch
4. Matt Kenseth
5. Ryan Newman
6. Carl Edwards
7. Clint Bowyer
8. Brian Vickers
9. Kasey Khane
10. Juan Pablo Montoya