Jeff Gordon leads NASCAR Brickyard 400 at halfway point

It was all Hendrick Motorsports leading the Brickyard 400 at the halfway point Sunday as Jeff Gordon led teammates Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Gordon, seeing a record fifth Brickyard 400 victory, held a 1.2-second lead over Johnson, the five-time Sprint Cup Series champion who also is a three-time winner of the Brickyard 400.

Kasey Kahne, who led nearly 40 laps early in the race, was running fourth and Matt Kenseth fifth.

Earnhardt also led several laps earlier in the 160-lap race moments after it appeared he had suffered a big setback.

He was forced to pit his No. 88 Chevrolet because it was overheating, which dropped the fan favorite to 29th. But the caution flag came out a few laps later and, when most of the 43-car field made pit stops, Earnhardt stayed on the track to gain back positions.

When the race restarted, Earnhardt -- who has gone 112 races with a victory -- took the lead and the crowd erupted on the front straightaway.

--Jim Peltz in Indianapolis

Photo: Kasey Kahne leads the field early in the Brickyard 400 on Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Credit: John Harrelson  /Getty Images

David Ragan wins pole for NASCAR's Brickyard 400

David Ragan, who won at Daytona early this month for his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory, won the pole position for Sunday's Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Ragan, driving a Ford prepared by Roush Fenway Racing, turned a lap of 182.994 mph around the famed 2.5-mile Indianapolis track Saturday.

Kasey Kahne of the Red Bull team was second with a lap of 182.927 mph and will start next to Ragan on the front row.

Reigning Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, a three-time winner of the Brickyard 400, qualified third and Kurt Busch of Penske Racing was fourth.

Jeff Gordon, who has won a record four Cup races at Indy, qualified eighth while Dale Earnhardt Jr., his teammate at Hendrick Motorsports, qualified 22nd.

Meanwhile, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway said Hope Solo, goalkeeper of the U.S. women's national soccer team, would drive the pace car at Sunday's race, which starts at 10 a.m. PDT.

--Jim Peltz in Indianapolis

Photo: Dale Earnhardt Jr. drives his No. 88 Chevrolet through the garage area at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday before qualifying for the Brickyard 400. Credit: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

NASCAR from Daytona to Irwindale on tap for July 4 weekend

Most major motor-racing series are idle over the July 4 weekend, but NASCAR's top series returns to its most famous track, Daytona International Speedway, on Saturday night while one of its minor-league series does the same at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points leader Carl Edwards leads the field for the Coke Zero 400 at the high-banked, 2.5-mile Daytona super-speedway.

Drivers again are expected to pair up in two-car drafts as they did in the season-opening Daytona 500 in February, when Trevor Bayne, who had just turned 20, won the race in a huge upset.

Bakersfield native Kevin Harvick, who won the July race at Daytona a year ago, is in second place in the Cup standings, 25 points behind Edwards, and reigning champion Jimmie Johnson is 33 points behind in third.

NASCAR's second-level Nationwide Series also is racing at Daytona on Friday night, where Danica Patrick will again take a weekend off from her IndyCar schedule to drive in a Nationwide event.

Patrick already has driven in more than a dozen NASCAR races and there is widespread speculation that Patrick will leave IndyCar next season to race stock cars full-time.

Also on Saturday night, the half-mile Irwindale track near the intersection of the 605 and 210 freeways will host NASCAR K&N Pro Series West drivers in the Southern California Toyota Dealers 200.

Greg Pursley of Newhall leads the K&N Pro Series West title standings after winning four of the series' first six races this season.

The Izod IndyCar Series, the NHRA Full Throttle drag-racing series and Formula One are all off this weekend.

When they resume July 10, IndyCar will race on the streets of Toronto, the NHRA will be in Joliet, Ill., and Formula One will be at the Silverstone circuit for the British Grand Prix.

-- Jim Peltz

Photo: Trevor Bayne, front, leads Carl Edwards, David Gilliland and Bobby Labonte to win the Daytona 500 on Feb. 20. Credit: Glenn Smith/Associated Press 

Kurt Busch leads at halfway point of NASCAR race in Sonoma

Kurt Busch and his No. 22 Dodge Charger were the class of the field at the halfway point of Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Infineon Raceway.

Tony Stewart was second, Clint Bowyer third and Jimmie Johnson was running fourth on the 10-turn, 1.99-mile Infineon track.

Busch climbed from his 11th starting spot into the lead after only 13 laps of the 110-lap Toyota/Save Mart 350, then the Penske Racing driver held the lead after several restarts.

One restart followed a multicar crash on Lap 37 that collected Dale Earnhardt Jr., Brian Vickers and Ryan Newman, among others.

The radiator and the right side of Earnhardt's No. 88 Chevrolet were heavily damaged and his car had to be pushed to the garage for lengthy repairs.

-- Jim Peltz in Sonoma, Calif.

Photo: Kurt Busch, in the No. 22 Dodge, leads the field in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Infineon Raceway. Credit: Ben Margot / Associated Press

Joey Logano wins pole position for NASCAR race in Sonoma

Joey Logano hustled his No. 20 Toyota around the 10-turn Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., faster than anyone else Friday to win the pole position for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

The driver for Joe Gibbs Racing turned a lap of 93.256 mph on the 1.99-mile track nestled in the hillsides of Sonoma's wine country.

Jamie McMurray was second at 93.223 mph and will start alongside Logano on the first row in the Toyota/Save Mart 350.

Jimmie Johnson, the reigning Cup champion and defending winner of the race, qualified 12th and Dale Earnhardt Jr., his teammate at Hendrick Motorsports, was 18th.

"We made some good adjustments [after practice] and found good speed in the car," said Logano, who by his own admission is more capable on ovals than twisty road courses such as Infineon. "This is the last place I figured we'd get a pole."

Five-time Sonoma winner Jeff Gordon qualified 13th in the 43-car field, Logano teammate Kyle Busch will start 19th and Carl Edwards, who leads the Cup point standings, qualified 23rd.

The race begins at noon PDT on Sunday.

ALSO:

NASCAR's Dale Earnhardt Jr. wants to like Sonoma track

NASCAR's Red Bull team 'encouraged' about finding new owners

--Jim Peltz in Sonoma, Calif.

Photo: NASCAR driver Joey Logano in practice Friday before winning the pole for Sunday's race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. Credit: Ben Margot/Associated Press

NASCAR's Dale Earnhardt Jr. wants to like Sonoma track

It's no secret that Dale Earnhardt Jr. and curvy road courses don't mix well, but the popular NASCAR driver wants to change that.

Amid a resurgence in Earnhardt's performance this season -- he's third in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series championship point standings -- Earnhardt said he wants that improvement to extend even to the 10-turn Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, site of Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 350.

Asked Friday what his hopes were for this weekend, Earnhardt replied, “To make it my favorite place and go out there and be fast and competitive.

"We want to go out there and be a factor all day and look forward to coming back next year," said Earnhardt, who has never finished in the top 10 in 11 starts at Infineon.

Earnhardt, who drives for Hendrick Motorsports, has gone three years without a win but so far this season has eight top-10 finishes.

Earnhardt also said he'd patched things up with teammate Mark Martin after contact with Martin's car sent Earnhardt into the wall at last Sunday's race at Michigan International Speedway.

"It's good," Earnhardt said. "We handled it after the race and talked a little bit and texted each other back and forth. Everything's cool."

ALSO:

NASCAR's Red Bull team 'encouraged' about finding new owners, sponsors

Jeff Gordon wants you to pick his brain

-- Jim Peltz in Sonoma, Calif.

Photo: Dale Earnhardt Jr. during practice Friday for the NASCAR race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., on Sunday. Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

Winless three years, NASCAR's Dale Earnhardt Jr. says he's closer to victory

When Dale Earnhardt Jr. drove to Victory Lane at Michigan International Speedway on June 15, 2008, who knew that the popular NASCAR driver would return three years later without another win?

But Earnhardt, preparing for Sunday's Sprint Cup Series race at the two-mile oval in Brooklyn, Mich., is having his most competitive season since then and feels he's close to ending his 107-race winless streak.

"I'm having one of the best years I have ever had," Earnhardt told reporters at Michigan in comments released by Team Chevy Racing. "The cars have been there every weekend."

Kyle Busch leads the NASCAR Auto Club 400 after 300 miles

The second caution of the day came on lap 104 when there was debris on the track, likely from the tire of David Gilliland. They went back to green on lap 108 with Kyle Busch still in front. He's been impressive on the two restarts.

Denny Hamlin pulled his car behind the wall on the 106th lap and within 15 more laps his crew started to disassemble their pit, meaning he was done for the day. The exact problem hadn't been determined, but Hamlin was blaming it on the engine.

The third 100 miles just seemed to drag along without a lot of change. Around lap 139 the green-flag pit stops started. Kyle Busch was among the first to come in, handing over the lead to Tony Stewart for a brief period. Kyle Busch regained the lead on the next lap.

At the conclusion of 300 miles, little had changed at the front. Kyle Busch was the leader followed by Stewart, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Brian Vickers, Ryan Newman, Matt Kenseth, Clint Bowyer, Paul Menard and Greg Biffle. Kyle Busch was leading by 4.697 seconds.

It seems that unless Kyle Busch runs into some kind of trouble he's going to be very difficult to beat.

RELATED:

Joey Logano is hoping for smoother rides

Gamble pays off for Kyle Busch in Nationwide race

Clash between Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards continues to simmer

--John Cherwa

Photo: NASCAR driver Ryan Newman in the No. 39 car leads a restart on lap 78 of the Auto Club 400 on Sunday in Fontana. Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea / US Presswire

NASCAR's Auto Club 400 at Fontana starts

It didn't look like it was going to go this smooth after a morning of rain, but the NASCAR Auto Club 400 at Fontana took the green flag at 12:20 p.m. Pacific time.

The 43 cars will navigate the 2-mile track for 200 laps.

Juan Pablo Montoya, the pole-sitter, blasted to the front and led the first lap.

The best early move was Kyle Busch, who picked up five spots in two miles to put himself in third, ahead of front-row starter Denny Hamlin.

Come back for more updates from Fontana as the afternoon progresses.

RELATED:

Joey Logano is hoping for smoother rides

Gamble pays off for Kyle Busch in Nationwide race

Clash between Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards continues to simmer

--John Cherwa

Photo: NASCAR Sprint Cup driver David Reutimann before getting into his No. 00 Aaron's Toyota before the start of the Auto Club 400 in Fontana on Sunday. Credit: Jeff Gross / Getty Images

NASCAR race at Auto Club Speedway goes on despite weather

A steady rain Sunday morning was looking more like an irritant than a serious threat to Sunday's scheduled 400-mile NASCAR race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. A steady drizzle kept things interesting until it stopped about two hours before the race.

The track then sent out its series of hot air blower trucks onto the track in an attempt to dry the track. The cars weren't brought to the starting grid until about 15 minutes before the scheduled noon start. So it's not likely the race will start at its scheduled time but it's pretty clear it will reach its conclusion without a weather interruption.

Juan Pablo Montoya and Denny Hamlin were set at the front of the field. Joey Logano, who qualified third, was forced to the back of the field when he had to switch out an engine. He rides for Joe Gibbs Racing.

RELATED:

Joey Logano is hoping for smoother rides

Gamble pays off for Kyle Busch in Nationwide race

Clash between Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards continues to simmer

--John Cherwa

Photo: The car of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Jimmie Johnson is covered to protect it from the rain as it goes through inspection before the start of the Auto Club 400 on Sunday morning at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana. Credit: Kelvin Kuo / US Presswire

Juan Pablo Montoya wins pole for NASCAR race in Fontana

Juan Pablo Montoya, the former open-wheel racing star who's still looking for his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win on an oval track, won the pole position Friday for the Auto Club 400 in Fontana on Sunday. 

Montoya, who drives the No. 42 Chevrolet for the team of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, turned a lap of 184.653 mph on the two-mile Auto Club Speedway oval to win the top spot in the 43-car field.

Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing qualified second at 184.270 mph and will start next to Montoya on the front row.

Since moving to stock-car racing in 2007, Montoya has two wins in the Cup series -- both of which came on curvy road courses. But he has yet to win on an oval speedway.

Hamlin teammate Kyle Busch, who was forced to use his back-up Toyota in qualifying after crashing his primary car in practice earlier in the day, qualified eighth.

Defending race winner and reigning champion Jimmie Johnson qualified 16th, Carl Edwards was 18th and Dale Earnhardt Jr. qualified 30th in the 43-car field.

RELATED:

NASCAR's Kyle Busch crashes in opening Fontana practice

Christian Slater, Sugar Ray Leonard in guest gigs at Fontana NASCAR race

--Jim Peltz

Photo: NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya during practice Friday at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. Credit: Robert Laberge / Getty Images