It was a Toyota day in California for the Auto Club 400.

More or less…

A Toyota started on the pole with Matt Kenseth in the Dollar General #20. A Toyota won it with Kyle Busch in the Interstate Batteries #18.

Between these Toyota landmarks were 27 lead changes and 9 cautions. The final laps saw the caution that set in motion a green-white-checkered finish which also played out in the critical lead change.

It was Jimmie Johnson’s race to loose with a comfortable lead over team mate Jeff Gordon. Johnson’s tires, however, did not have the will to go on and the left front shredded under pressure. He managed to keep the #48 in a straight line and limped to the pits.

It was now Gordon’s race to loose. Oddly enough, it was the tires that cost him.

But they weren’t his…

Brad Keselowski’s #2 lost a tire and limped into pit road. Marcus Ambrose’s #9 lost a tire and coasted into the pits. While the #2 and #9 were rolling flat, Clint Bowyer’s #15 lost a tire and went for a slide. It was Bowyer’s tires, ultimately, that cost Gordon. All the front runners were already on borrowed tire time and trip down pit lane under Bowyer’s caution cost Gordon the starting spot for the green-white-checkered restart.

Kurt Busch was on the inside for the restart and pulled team mate Tony Stewart from the second row out in front for the green. The #41 and #14 were side by side with each others’ bumpers alternating the lead. Kyle Busch (and nobody really knows how he does it) managed to get his nose on the inside of Stewart forcing the #14 up the track allowing Kyle’s #18 to get by. Kyle Larson in the #42 tucked in with the #18 and followed it over the checkers.

Kyle Busch got his first win of the season. Kyle Larson rolled over in 2nd. (Larson had won the Nationwide series TreatMyClot.com 300 the day before following a laps battle with Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch)

Kurt Busch, pole sitter Matt Kenseth, and Tony Stewart filled out the top 5.

At the end of the day it was still a Toyota race, more or less.

Less in the matter of laps and leaders. Toyotas were in front in California for the least laps than Chevy and Ford.

More as Toyota was there at the pole with Matt Kenseth and all the pre-race fanfare and was there at the finish with Kyle Busch and Victory Lane.

Next up is a gear change back to the roots of NASCAR. The whole show travels back east to the historic little oval in Martinsville.

Wake up, Virginia – They’re back!

Go racing!