Created: 2/26/2006 7:47:47 PM 
Fontana, CA -- Matt Kenseth started in the 31st spot but finished first to win the Auto Club 500 Sunday afternoon at California Speedway. It was his eleventh career NASCAR Nextel Cup victory but first since winning at Bristol last August.
Kenseth finished three car-lengths ahead of Daytona 500 winner Jimmie Johnson in a green-white-checkered finish. The victory put Kenseth into third place in the Cup points standings behind leader Johnson and Casey Mears. Kenseth's win gives Roush Racing a sweep in the three weekend races at the track. Greg Biffle won the Busch Series race and Mark Martin took the checkered flag in the Truck Series. Johnson, a native of the San Diego area, notched his fourth top-five finish at the California track. Kenseth's teammate Carl Edwards ran third, followed by Kasey Kahne and Jeff Burton.
Kahne is now fourth in the points, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. in fifth. Junior finished 11th on Sunday.
Jeff Gordon ended up in 13th.
For most of the race, it appeared that Tony Stewart and Greg Biffle would duel for the win. But Stewart blew an engine with less than 40 laps left, and Biffle suffered terminal engine trouble a few laps later. Biffle finished 42nd and Stewart 43rd.
Associated Press
