Race Summary:

Late summer swoons have become the trouble trademark for Jimmie Johnson’s #48 Lowe’s Chevy, even during his Cup-winning run of 2006. But on a sweltering night in Fontana, California, the defending champ sent a message to the other 42 drivers in the field – “I’m back.” After a series of violent crashes involving Michael Waltrip, Jeff Gordon, Jeremy Mayfield, and Ricky Rudd, Johnson protected his lead against the attacks of Carl Edwards and teammate Kyle Busch. Meanwhile, Dale Earnhardt Jr. ran a solid 5^th, quietly closing to gap between himself and Kevin Harvick in the crucial battle for 12^th in points and a spot in The Chase.