Carl Edwards won the rain-delayed Auto Club 500 on Monday, charging past NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson with 13 laps remaining. Johnson, winner of the past two Cup titles, came out of the final pit stop in the lead with 26 laps left. But Edwards surged from third to capture the eighth victory of his career.
Edwards showed good form on his traditional victory backflip in front of the main grandstand after taking the checkered flag in a race that ended under caution when Dale Jarrett spun on the final lap.
Edwards had it all but wrapped up at that point, driving his Roush Fenway Racing No. 99 Ford to a lead of more than four seconds over Johnson. It was his first victory at Fontana but his seventh top-10 finish in eight starts at Auto Club Speedway, formerly known as California Speedway.
“Well, it looked like Jimmie was the guy to beat at the end, ” Edwards said. “It was fun racing with him. I want to thank Bob (Osborne, the crew chief) and all my teammates for working so hard this winter. “
Jeff Gordon, who dominated Sunday’s racing, was third. He was followed by Kyle Busch and Roush’s Matt Kenseth, who had won the two previous February races at this track. Another Roush driver, Greg Biffle, won this event in 2005.
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