NASCAR AUTO CLUB 500

THE FACTS

*--* * Site: California Speedway in Fontana * Schedule: Sunday, race (Channel 11, 11:30 a.m.) * Track: D-shaped oval, 2 miles, 14 degrees banking in turns) * Race distance: 500 miles, 250 laps * Last race: Jeff Gordon used the nose of his car to nudge Bobby Labonte out of the way on the first turn of the 487th lap to win the Virginia 500 in Martinsville on April 13. The victory was the 62nd of Gordon’s Winston Cup career, but his first of the season and the first in 16 races, since September in Kansas City, Mo * Last year: Jimmie Johnson took the lead with 14 laps to go in the NAPA Auto Parts 500 and held off Ricky Rudd and Kurt Busch for his first Winston Cup victory * Fast facts: Matt Kenseth owns a 51-point lead over Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the standings. Kenseth has seven top-10 finishes this season and has held the top spot in the standings for five weeks ....Jeff Gordon has finished among the top five in four of the six races at Fontana, including wins in the inaugural 1997 race and 1999 ....Chevrolets and Fords have each won this race three times.... Jeremy Mayfield won the 2000 race from the 24th position * Next race: Pontiac Excitement 400, May 3, Richmond, Va

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*--* AUTO CLUB 500 QUALIFYING PP NO DRIVER CAR MPH 1 (1) Steve Park Chevrolet 186.838 2 (9) Bill Elliott Dodge 186.824 3 (20) Tony Stewart Chevrolet 186.732 4 (12) Ryan Newman Dodge 186.649 5 (38) Elliott Sadler Ford 186.393 6 (01) Jerry Nadeau Pontiac 186.157 7 (2) Rusty Wallace Dodge 185.830 8 (8) Dale Earnhardt Jr Chevrolet 185.706 9 (25) Joe Nemechek Chevrolet 185.510 10 (99) Jeff Burton Ford 185.414 11 (19) Jeremy Mayfield Dodge 185.390 12 (0) Jack Sprague Pontiac 185.366 13 (43) John Andretti Dodge 185.362 14 (24) Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 185.257 15 (32) Ricky Craven Pontiac 185.138 16 (97) Kurt Busch Ford 185.128 17 (41) Casey Mears Dodge 185.128 18 (77) Dave Blaney Ford 185.123 19 (18) Bobby Labonte Chevrolet 185.109 20 (48) Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 184.734 21 (5) Terry Labonte Chevrolet 184.653 22 (6) Mark Martin Ford 184.511 23 (17) Matt Kenseth Ford 184.478 24 (7) Jimmy Spencer Dodge 184.469 25 (42) Jamie McMurray Dodge 184.393 26 (31) Robby Gordon Chevrolet 184.148 27 (15) Michael Waltrip Chevrolet 184.139 28 (4) Mike Skinner Pontiac 183.795 29 (16) Greg Biffle Ford 183.786 30 (40) Sterling Marlin Dodge 183.669 31 (23) Kenny Wallace Dodge 183.655 32 (10) Johnny Benson Pontiac 183.458 33 (74) Tony Raines Chevrolet 183.421 34 (54) Todd Bodine Ford 183.127 35 (21) Ricky Rudd Ford 182.992 36 (45) Kyle Petty Dodge 182.992 37 (29) Kevin Harvick Chevrolet -- 38 (88) Dale Jarrett Ford -- 39 (22) Ward Burton Dodge -- 40 (30) Jeff Green Chevrolet -- 41 (49) Ken Schrader Dodge -- 42 (14) Larry Foyt Dodge -- 43 (37) Derrike Cope Chevrolet -- NOTE--Positions 37-43 are provisional starters

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*--* WINSTON CUP LEADERS POINTS MONEY M. Kenseth 1,330 M. Waltrip $2,147,266 D. Earnhardt, Jr. 1,279 K. Busch $1,869,336 J. Gordon 1,191 D. Earnhardt Jr. $1,733,144 J. Johnson 1,151 J. Gordon $1,494,967 K. Busch 1,125 K. Harvick $1,478,319 K. Harvick 1,097 J. Johnson $1,414,481 T. Stewart 1,092 M. Martin $1,312,592 M. Waltrip 1,088 M. Kenseth $1,310,135 R. Craven 1,082 R. Newman $1,302,553 E. Sadler 1,055 T. Stewart $1,282,588 B. Labonte 1,026 B. Labonte $1,257,798 S. Marlin 1,001 D. Jarrett $1,203,027 D. Jarrett 987 S. Marlin $1,081,050 R. Gordon 971 R. Gordon $1,063,853 M. Martin 970 R. Craven $1,045,584 R. Wallace 970 E. Sadler $1,039,326 J. Nemechek 959 J. Burton $1,022,513 J. Burton 958 W. Burton $1,017,734 R. Rudd 947 R. Wallace $1,015,813 R. Newman 943 B. Elliott $1,013,301

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