FONTANA, Calif. -- Lowe's driver Jimmie Johnson left no doubt which was the dominant team Sunday at Auto Club Speedway as he led 228 of 250 laps on the way to his third win of the 2008 Sprint Cup Series season.
The victory was the 36th of Johnson's career, breaking the tie with Mark Martin for 17th place on NASCAR's all-time win list.
Johnson started from the pole for the 17th time in his career, becoming the first driver in the track's 17-race history to take the victory after starting from the front row.
The only challenge Team Lowe's Racing faced all night was a late race chase by Greg Biffle. But paper on the grill of his No. 16 machine caused the water temperature to skyrocket, and he lost ground to the championship driver.
The No. 48 Lowe's/Jimmie Johnson Foundation Impala SS beat Biffle to the line by 2.076 seconds at the speedway closest to Johnson's hometown of El Cajon, Calif. Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth rounded out the top five.
Johnson becomes the first driver in NASCAR's modern era to win three races in each of his first seven seasons.
Team Lowe's Racing also clinched a spot in the Chase for the Championship. The final field will be set after next weekend's event at Richmond. This is the fifth consecutive season Johnson has been in the Chase.
With the berth, Johnson is officially looking to win his third Sprint Cup Series Championship in a row, a feat only Cale Yarborough has accomplished.
"It was just an awesome race car all night long," said Johnson. "The Lowe's/Jimmie Johnson Foundation Chevrolet was really good in the sun. We tried a couple of things from time to time to see where the track was going adjustment-wise and certainly hurt our car. But we just put it back and we found a direction with some tire pressure that worked and really didn't touch much all night long after that."
Johnson added, "More than anything, I'm happy to close the deal. It's very, very rare to have a car that dominant. It was nice to close the deal and lead all those laps and win the race."
With his third win at the two-mile oval, Johnson ties Jeff Gordon for victories at the track. Matt Kenseth's two wins there make him the only other driver with multiple victories.
Johnson's Hendrick Motorsports teammates Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon and Casey Mears finished 11th, 15th, and 26th, respectively.
Kyle Busch continues to lead the point standings, followed by Carl Edwards, Johnson, Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Burton.
The Sprint Cup Series will visit Richmond International Raceway for Saturday night's Sprint Cup race, the final event before the 10-race Chase for the Championship. It will be broadcast live on ABC with coverage beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
TOP 10 FINISHERS AT CALIFORNIA
1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Greg Biffle
3. Denny Hamlin
4. Kevin Harvick
5. Matt Kenseth
6. Carl Edwards
7. Kyle Busch
8. Kasey Kahne
9. David Reutimann
10. Clint Bowyer
HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS DRIVERS' FINISHING POSITIONS
1. Jimmie Johnson
11. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
15. Jeff Gordon
26. Casey Mears
TOP 12 IN POINTS AFTER CALIFORNIA
1. Kyle Busch
2. Carl Edwards -208
3. Jimmie Johnson -369
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. -432
5. Jeff Burton -521
6. Greg Biffle -596
7. Kevin Harvick -693
8. Tony Stewart -645
9. Matt Kenseth -674
10. Jeff Gordon -681
11. Denny Hamlin -690
12. Clint Bowyer -766
HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS DRIVERS' POINTS POSITIONS
3. Jimmie Johnson -369
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. -432
10. Jeff Gordon -681
24. Casey Mears -1451
TELEVISION SCHEDULE (all times Eastern)
Richmond International Raceway
Friday, Sept. 5
Sprint Cup practice, 11 a.m., ESPN2
Sprint Cup qualifying, 6 p.m., ESPN2
Saturday, Sept. 6
Sprint Cup pre-race, 7 p.m., ABC
Sprint Cup race, 8 p.m., ABC
NATIONWIDE SERIES -- AUTO CLUB SPEEDWAY
Johnson finished 17th in Saturday night's Nationwide Series event at Auto Club Speedway. Johnson started fifth in the 150-lap event but was unable to mount a charge in his No. 5 Lowe's/Jimmie Johnson Foundation Chevrolet, fielded by JR Motorsports.
