Lap-by-Lap: Fontana

CHECKERED FLAG: Jimmie Johnson leads 227 of the 250 laps and cruises to his third win on the season and third win at Auto Club Speedway.

Lap 249 -- WHITE FLAG: Jimmie Johnson takes the white flag and is just two miles away from his third victory on the season.

Lap 242 -- A final check on the Chase bubble guys:
8. Kasey Kahne
10. Clint Bowyer
13. David Ragan

Lap 240 -- Ten to go and Jimmie Johnson is in control with a 1.5 second lead.

Lap 237 -- Now Jimmie Johnson has some debris on his grill and we will have to see if that affects him.

Lap 236 -- Some debris on the grill helped Greg Biffle but now its gone and Biffle is falling back.

Lap 233 -- Greg Biffle is running faster laps than Jimmie Johnson and is catching him.

Lap 230 -- As fast as David Ragan moved up he fell back even worse. He loses two positions in a lap and currently runs 14th.

Lap 229 -- David Ragan passes Dale Earnhardt Jr. for 12th. Clint Bowyer is running 10th.

Lap 228 -- For the first time tonight Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch are next to each other on the track as Busch is closing on Edwards in sixth.

Lap 226 -- Carl Edwards having some issues as Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth pass him for fourth and fifth.

Lap 223 -- LEAD CHANGE: Jimmie Johnson passes Greg Biffle in Turn 3 to take the lead.

Lap 222 -- GREEN FLAG: Greg Biffle brings the field to the green.
1. Greg Biffle
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Denny Hamlin
4. Carl Edwards
5. Kevin Harvick

Lap 220 -- LEAD CHANGE: Greg Biffle edges Jimmie Johnson exiting pit road and takes the lead with 30 laps to go.

Lap 219 -- All the leaders hit pit road.
• Kevin Harvick with a small air pressure adjustment
• Denny Hamlin with a wedge and air pressure adjustment
• Greg Biffle with an air pressure adjustment in a great stop
• Jimmie Johnson with a track bar adjustment

Lap 218 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 8: Debris in Turns 3 and 4 after Marcos Ambrose hit the wall brings out the caution. Martin Truex Jr. gets the free pass

Lap 213 -- There are 37 laps to go and Jimmie Johnson is out front by more than five seconds, but there will be one more pit stop for all these drivers so anything can happen.

Lap 211 -- Jeff Burton says his car is really loose and they are trying to just hold on to a top-20 finish and avoid disaster.

Lap 206 -- Kevin Harvick passes David Reutimann for fifth.

Lap 205 -- Jimmie Johnson leads by 3.5 seconds.

Lap 201 -- Matt Kenseth passes Kyle Busch for seventh and Kasey Kahne passes Kyle Busch for eighth.

Lap 199 -- Matt Kenseth passes Kasey Kahne for eighth.

Lap 195 -- Jimmie Johnson leads by 1.7 seconds.

Lap 192 -- Kyle Busch is up to seventh as he passes Ryan Newman.

Lap 191 -- David Reutimann is down to fourth as Denny Hamlin passes him. Carl Edwards is on his bumper complaining Reutimann won't let him go around.

Lap 189 -- LEAD CHANGE: Jimmie Johnson passes Greg Biffle for the lead giving him the record for most laps led at Fontana in a Cup race.

Lap 188 -- Kyle Busch passes Matt Kenseth for eighth.

Lap 187 -- LEAD CHANGE: Greg Biffle passes David Reutimann as the No. 44 drifts up the track.

Lap 186 -- GREEN FLAG: David Reutimann brings the field to the green.
1. David Reutimann
2. Greg Biffle
3. Carl Edwards
4. Jimmie Johnson
5. Denny Hamlin

Lap 185 -- Brian Vickers will start at the tail end of the longest line for having a tire escape his pit box on pit road.

Lap 184 -- LEAD CHANGE: Jeff Burton pits giving the lead to David Reutimann who won the race off pit road.

Lap 183 -- LEAD CHANGE: Jeff Burton stays out and leads a lap earning five bonus points.

Lap 182 -- All the leaders hit pit road except Jeff Burton who tries to lead a lap but Jimmie Johnson crosses the line on pit road first.
• Denny Hamlin with a wedge adjustment
• Carl Edwards with four tires
• Greg Biffle with four tires, air pressure and wedge adjustment
• Jimmie Johnson loses three spots on pit road when the jackman gets tangled in the air hose
• David Reutimann takes two tires

Lap 181 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 7: Robby Gordon spins and hits the wall bringing out the caution. Bobby Labonte gets the free pass and returns to the lead lap.

Lap 180 -- So far only Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin have been able to pass the two-tire cars.

Lap 177 -- Johnny Sauter's night is done as the No. 08 retires due to overheating.

Lap 176 -- Jimmie Johnson leads by 1.7 seconds.

Lap 173 -- Denny Hamlin passes Ryan Newman for sixth.

Lap 168 -- LEAD CHANGE: So much for Greg Biffle in clean air. Jimmie Johnson passes him easily and retakes the lead.

Lap 167 -- Four tires proving the way to go as Jimmie Johnson passes A.J. Allmendinger for third and Carl Edwards for second.

Lap 166 -- Jimmie Johnson moves up to fourth passing Brian Vickers and Ryan Newman.

Lap 165 -- GREEN FLAG: Greg Biffle brings the field to the green.
1. Greg Biffle
2. Carl Edwards
3. A.J. Allmendinger
4. Brian Vickers
5. Ryan Newman

Lap 163 -- LEAD CHANGE: Greg Biffle wins the race off pit road to take the lead. Jimmie Johnson falls all the way to sixth with the top five taking either two or no tires.

Lap 162 -- All the leaders hit pit road.
• Kevin Harvick wants more grip, they make an air pressure adjustment
• Denny Hamlin with tape on the nose and air pressure adjustment
• Jimmie Johnson with a small air pressure adjustment
• Ryan Newman gains 14 spots on pit road
• Greg Biffle with a two tire stop
• Brian Vickers with a two tire stop

Lap 161 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 6: Debris on the frontstraighaway brings out the caution. Patrick Carpentier gets the free pass and is back on the lead lap.

Lap 160 -- Carl Edwards is up to fifth and David Reutimann is sixth as both get around Brian Vickers.

Lap 158 -- It's official -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. has clinched a spot in the Chase, joining Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson as guys officially in.

Lap 155 -- David Ragan and crew chief Jimmy Fennig made a great call to lead the lap and get five bonus points. He passes Clint Bowyer for 15th putting him where he was when he decided to stay out.

Lap 154 -- Jimmie Johnson again has pulled away from the field on the start, putting a one-second lead on Greg Biffle in second.

Lap 152 -- GREEN FLAG: Jimmie Johnson brings the field to the green.
1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Greg Biffle
3. Denny Hamlin
4. Kevin Harvick
5. Brian Vickers

Lap 151 -- NASCAR has found more debris so the start has been waved off.

Lap 149 -- LEAD CHANGE: Jimmie Johnson is back out front as David Ragan hits pit road to make his stop.

Lap 148 -- LEAD CHANGE: David Ragan stays out and finally leads a lap for five bonus points. Jeff Gordon is back on pit road for more adjustments.

Lap 147 -- All the leaders hit pit road except David Ragan but Jimmie Johnson crosses the line on pit road before Ragan does and he does not get credit for a lap led.
• Kevin Harvick with a track bar and air pressure adjustment
• Denny Hamlin with a track bar and air pressure adjustment
• Brian Vickers with an air pressure adjustment
• Jimmie Johnson with a wedge and track bar adjustment

Lap 145 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 5: Debris on the frontstretch brings out the caution. Ryan Newman gets the free pass and will return to the lead lap.

Lap 144 -- Jimmie Johnson now leads by 10 seconds. Brian Vickers has caught the bumper of Greg Biffle in second.

Lap 142 -- David Reutimann is up to fifth as another round of green flag stops are upcoming.

Lap 137 -- David Reutimann has moved up to sixth and Carl Edwards is up to ninth.

Lap 135 -- Bobby Labonte and Patrick Carpentier go a lap down as Jimmie Johnson continues to dominate out front.

Lap 133 -- Scott Riggs and Travis Kvapil are now a lap down.

Lap 128 -- Aric Almirola, David Gilliland and Sam Hornish Jr. all go a lap down.

Lap 126 -- Here is where the Chase bubble guys are running:
6. Kasey Kahne
12. Clint Bowyer
15. David Ragan

Lap 122 -- After green flag stops, just 27 cars are on the lead lap. Jamie McMurray is the first car one lap down.

Lap 121 -- Martin Truex Jr. is back on pit road due to a loose wheel. The No. 1 makes a four-tire stop.

Lap 120 -- Jimmie Johnson is out front by 8.2 seconds.

Lap 118 -- The top five after green flag pit stops:
1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Greg Biffle
3. Brian Vickers
4. Kasey Kahne
5. Denny Hamlin

Lap 115 -- LEAD CHANGE: Jimmie Johnson is back out front after passing Jeff Gordon while the No. 24 was making his pit stop.

Lap 114 -- Jeff Gordon is on pit road to wrap up green flag stops. Gordon says his car is real loose so major adjustments and four tires for the No. 24.

Lap 113 -- LEAD CHANGE: Jeff Gordon takes the lead as Matt Kenseth pits. David Ragan and Michael Waltrip also in.

Lap 112 -- LEAD CHANGE: Matt Kenseth takes the lead as Greg Biffle pits. Denny Hamlin also on pit road.

Lap 111 -- LEAD CHANGE: Jimmie Johnson pits giving the lead to Greg Biffle. Brian Vickers, Carl Edwards and Juan Montoya also on pit road.

Lap 110 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ryan Newman, Bobby Labonte, Elliott Sadler and Sam Hornish Jr. make their stops.

Lap 109 -- Jamie McMurray and Robby Gordon are on pit road beginning green flag stops.

Lap 105 -- Denny Hamlin falls to fourth as Brian Vickers gets by him for third.

Lap 102 -- Brian Vickers passes Kevin Harvick for fourth.

Lap 100 -- Jimmie Johnson has officially clinched a spot in the Chase and leads by five seconds.

Lap 96 -- Kevin Harvick and Brian Vickers have caught third-place Denny Hamlin.

Lap 94 -- Jimmie Johnson has caught the bumper of Johnny Sauter and is about to put him a lap down.

Lap 92 -- Matt Kenseth moves to ninth and Clint Bowyer is up to 10th as both pass Carl Edwards.

Lap 89 -- Carl Edwards loses two more spots as he falls to ninth after David Reutimann and Juan Montoya pass him.

Lap 87 -- Carl Edwards falls to seventh as Brian Vickers and Kasey Kahne pass him.

Lap 84 -- Clint Bowyer passes A.J. Allmendinger for 11th. Jimmie Johnson leads by 1.4 seconds.

Lap 81 -- Juan Montoya is up to eighth. Joe Nemechek is out of the race due to his accident.

Lap 79 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. gets real loose but is able to save it.

Lap 78 -- The top seven are single file but its two-and three-wide behind them.

Lap 75 -- LEAD CHANGE: Greg Biffle's lead was short-lived as Jimmie Johnson gets back out front.

Lap 74 -- LEAD CHANGE: Greg Biffle beats Jimmie Johnson to the line to lead a lap.

Lap 73 -- GREEN FLAG: Jimmie Johnson brings the field to the green.
1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Greg Biffle
3. Denny Hamlin
4. Kevin Harvick
5. Matt Kenseth

Lap 72 -- LEAD CHANGE: Michael Waltrip finally pits and Jimmie Johnson retakes the lead.

Lap 70 -- LEAD CHANGE: Michael Waltrip, Regan Smith, Travis Kvapil and Martin Truex Jr. stay out but Waltrip gets the five bonus points.
• Kevin Harvick with an air pressure adjustment
• Brian Vickers with an air pressure adjustment and has a horrible stop
• Jimmie Johnson with a track bar adjustment and wins the race off pit road

Lap 68 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 4: Joe Nemechek slams the wall hard in the backstraightaway bringing out the caution. Johnny Sauter gets the free pass.

Lap 66 -- Jimmie Johnson puts Johnny Sauter a lap down.

Lap 65 -- Carl Edwards is down to ninth as Kasey Kahne and David Reutimann pass him.

Lap 64 -- David Ragan runs 17th and Clint Bowyer is 19th. Right now, Bowyer is 12th in points, just three points ahead of Ragan.

Lap 62 -- Jimmie Johnson is out front by four seconds.

Lap 59 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. is down to 14th.

Lap 57 -- Carl Edwards passes Kasey Kahne for seventh. Denny Hamlin gets around A.J. Allmendinger for fifth.

Lap 53 -- Kevin Harvick is on the move as he passes Brian Vickers for third.

Lap 52 -- Kevin Harvick gets around A.J. Allmendinger for fourth. Jeff Gordon is down to eighth, struggling with the handling.

Lap 51 -- Kevin Harvick is challenging A.J. Allmendinger for fourth.

Lap 49 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. falls to eighth on the restart.

Lap 47 -- NASCAR tells Michael Waltrip he will not get credit for leading that lap due to speeding on pit road.

Lap 46 -- GREEN FLAG: Jimmie Johnson brings the field to green.
1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Greg Biffle
3. A.J. Allmendinger
4. Brian Vickers
5. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Lap 45 -- LEAD CHANGE: Jimmie Johnson is back out front as Michael Waltrip makes his pit stop.

Lap 44 -- LEAD CHANGE: Everyone hits pit road except Michael Waltrip, who leads a lap and earns five bonus points.
• Kevin Harvick with an air pressure adjustment
• Kasey Kahne with a track bar and air pressure adjustment
• A.J. Allmendinger makes an air pressure adjustment
• Jimmie Johnson with a track bar adjustment and wins the race off pit road
• Kurt Busch went a lap down as he reached pit road just as the leaders were entering

Lap 43 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 3: Kurt Busch has his tire explode in Turn 1 forcing him into a spin but he doesn't hit anything. All 43 are on the lead lap so no free pass given.

Lap 42 -- Greg Biffle completes the pass of Brian Vickers and moves into third.

Lap 41 -- Jimmie Johnson now leads by 5.2 seconds.

Lap 40 -- A.J. Allmendinger passes Brian Vickers for second. Greg Biffle is closing on both of them from fourth.

Lap 39 -- Carl Edwards has worked his way up to 11th after starting 26th.

Lap 37 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. gets his two spots back from Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick and is back in sixth.

Lap 36 -- Brian Vickers passes A.J. Allmendinger for second.

Lap 34 -- Jimmie Johnson has opened up a three second lead on the field.

Lap 33 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. loses two spots as Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick pass him for sixth and seventh.

Lap 31 -- Kasey Kahne continues to fall as Greg Biffle passes him for fourth.

Lap 30 -- A.J. Allmendinger and Brian Vickers pass Kasey Kahne for second and third.

Lap 29 -- Kevin Harvick is up to ninth after starting the race 33rd and restarting on Lap 24 in 17th.

Lap 28 -- Jimmie Johnson has a cushion as Kasey Kahne, A.J. Allmendinger and Brian Vickers battle for second.

Lap 26 -- Greg Biffle passes Dale Earnhardt Jr. for fifth.

Lap 24 -- GREEN FLAG: Jimmie Johnson brings the field to the green.
1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Kasey Kahne
3. A.J. Allmendinger
4. Brian Vickers
5. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Lap 21 -- Everyone hits pit road.
• Kasey Kahne with a track bar and air pressure adjustment
• A.J. Allmendinger with an air pressure adjustment
• Jimmie Johnson with a wedge adjustment
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. with a good stop gaining three positions

Lap 19 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 2: Caution lights in Turn 1 have come off the wall and are laying on the track. Jamie McMurray will get the free pass.

Lap 17 -- The top-three of Jimmie Johnson, A.J. Allmendinger and Kasey Kahne have put a three-second cushion between them and the rest of the field.

Lap 15 -- David Reutimann has moved up to seventh after starting 12th.

Lap 14 -- Jimmie Johnson has opened up a 1.2 second lead on A.J. Allmendinger.

Lap 12 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. goes three wide on the backstretch passing Kurt Busch and Greg Biffle to move into ninth.

Lap 11 -- Kyle Busch is up to sixth after starting 11th.

Lap 10 -- Dave Blaney is real loose and falling quickly out of the top 10.

Lap 8 -- GREEN FLAG: Jimmie Johnson brings the field to the green.
1. Jimmie Johnson
2. A.J. Allmendinger
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Kasey Kahne
5. Martin Truex Jr.

Lap 7 -- Jamie McMurray is on pit road for a third time with splitter damage putting him a lap down.

Lap 6 -- Jamie McMurray is back on pit road and still on the lead lap.

Lap 5 -- All the leaders stay out and don't pit. Aric Almirola, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Paul Menard and Johnny Sauter among the drivers to pit. Twenty-seven cars stayed out.

Lap 4 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 1: Jamie McMurray leaves tire debris on the track forcing NASCAR to throw the caution. McMurray is on pit road and will remain on the lead lap. Everyone is still on the lead lap and no free pass will be given.

Lap 3 -- Jamie McMurray blows his right front tire but the race remains green.

Lap 2 -- LEAD CHANGE: Jimmie Johnson is finally able to clear A.J. Allmendinger and takes the lead outright.

Lap 1 -- LEAD CHANGE: A.J. Allmendinger and Jimmie Johnson race side-by-side the entire lap with Allmendinger edging Johnson at the line.

8:19 p.m. -- GREEN FLAG: Jimmie Johnson brings the field to the green and the 250-lap Pepsi 500 is under way

8:13 p.m. -- The cars are rolling off pit road.

8:09 p.m. -- Grand marshal and Price is Right host Drew Carey yells the command: "Gentlemen, start your engines!"

8:03 p.m. -- Former American Idol contestant Bo Bice performs the national anthem.

8:02 p.m. -- Jeff Hamilton from Motor Racing Outreach delivers the Invocation.

7:57 p.m. -- Patrick Carpentier will start at the rear of the field due to a transmission change.

7 p.m. -- ESPN's coverage of the Pepsi 500 is under way.

6:30 p.m. -- It is a gorgeous day in Fontana, Calif. It's currently 90 degrees with temperatures expected to drop into the 70s when the sun goes down. Green for the Pepsi 500 is scheduled for 8:17 p.m. ET.

FONTANA HEADLINES

Burton's influence credited for turning around RCR
Sauter pleased as he gets EM Motorsports in first race
Swan: Signing Carpentier only to let him go makes no sense
Johnson posts sub-40 lap to win pole at Fontana
Edwards, Busch move on, hard feelings still remain
NASCAR, Hollywood meet at annual So. Cal soiree
Driver opinions vary on new Bud Shootout format
Swan: Persistent Zucker turns up focus on Auto Club track