NASCAR at Fontana: Race results, highlights from the Auto Club 400

Kenan Goyette

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NASCAR at Fontana: Race results, highlights from the Auto Club 400 image

It was Martin Truex Jr.'s day Sunday in the Auto Club 400. He swept all three stages and took home the checkered flag at Fontana.

This was Truex's first win of 2018, and it was the first time a driver has won the pole, swept all three stages and won the race. The No. 78 driver stayed at the head of the pack for much of Sunday's race. In Stage 3 he began pulling away from Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch with about 20 laps to go. Truex eventually built up an 11.68-second lead, which marks the largest margin of victory in a race since 2009.

AUTO CLUB 400: Results from NASCAR at Fontana

Before Sunday, Truex had had very little success in Fontana. He had no wins in 17 previous races and finished in the top five just once, a fourth-place finish last year.

Kevin Harvick was the favorite coming in after three straight victories. Late in Stage 1 he and Larson were tight against the wall when the No. 4 car started to move down, bumped into the No. 42 car and wound up spinning out. Harvick's car took some heavy damage and stayed in the race but finished nine laps down in 35th.

Below are highlights and results from NASCAR's race at Fontana.

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NASCAR at Fontana: Auto Club 400 updates, highlights:

(All times Eastern)

6:32 — Martin Truex coasts across the finish line to secure the checkered flag in Fontana with an 11-second win!

6:29 — Just 11 cars on the lead lap at this point.

6:26 — 10 left and Martin Truex's six-second lead has him in the driver's seat. Kyle Larson is in P2 behind him.

6:19 — Martin Truex is starting to pull away with 20 laps to go. He had over a four-second lead.

6:12 — 30 laps to go. It's a tight race between Kyle Busch and Martin Truex for the top spot.

6:07 —  Lead drivers making what could be the final pit of the race.

6:00 — Matt DiBenedetto hits the wall but they'll stay green.

5:58 — 50 laps left in the race and it's Kyle Busch with a two second lead over Martin Truex.

5:46 — Back to green and Kyle Busch already takes over in P1.

5:43 — William Byron gambles with just two tires and wins the race off pit road. Kasey Kahne did not pit with the rest of the field.

5:42 — The whole field decides the hit pit road again after just three laps.

5:40 — Caution flag is out for David Ragan. He hit the wall in Turn 2 and blew a tire.

5:38 — Kyle Busch, Martin Truex, Joey Logano on the restart with 74 laps to go.

5:33 — Kevin Harvick explains his earlier wreck.

5:28 — Martin Truex gets the Stage 2 green checkered flag. Behind him are Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin.

5:23 — Seven laps to go on the restart. Martin Truex still out in front but Brad Keselowski is close behind him.

5:17 —  Caution is out after Trevor Bayne hits the wall in Turn 4.

5:10 — 20 laps to go in Stage 2 and it's Martin Truex in control with over a five second lead.

5:06 — After the green flag pits they are 93 laps down.

5:02 — Drivers are starting to hit pit road.

4:55 — Martin Truex back to P1 with almost a three second lead.

4:44 — Restart for Stage 2 has Joey Logano, Martin Truex and Brad Keselowski ahead. Ryan Blaney hit with a penalty for too many crew members over the wall.

4:39 — Kevin Harvick finished Stage 1 in 36th. He's three laps down after his wreck.

4:36 — Stage 1 complete and Martin Truex is your winner. Kyle Busch finishes in P2, Joey Logano in P3. Jimmie Johnson gets his first stage points of 2018 (P5).

4:29 — 10 laps to go and Martin Truex has a two-second lead. Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski behind him. Ryan Blaney was in P8 but bumped the wall.

4:24 — Kevin Harvick makes a second trip to pit road, now two laps down behind the leaders as they restart with 18 laps to go in Stage 1.

4:21 — Both Kevin Harvick and Kyle Larson hit pit road for repairs. Both are back in the race though.

4:17 — Kyle Larson and Kevin Harvick make contact and Harvick takes some heavy damage from the wall. Caution is out.

4:15 — Martin Truex at P1 now. Kyle Busch at P2. Kevin Harvick and Kyle Larson battling it out for P3.

4:10 — Everyone making green flag pit stops now.

4:08 — Kyle Larson and Kevin Harvick have passed Erik Jones into P3 and P4. Kyle Busch with over a second lead. 26 laps in.

4:00 — Kyle Busch makes the pass to P1. Kyle Larson and Kevin Harvick also making moves to P4 and P5, respectively.

3:56 — 10 laps in and the leading drivers are Martin Truex, Kyle Busch and Erik Jones.

3:54 — Just five laps in and Alex Bowman has already moved up 15 positions. Up to P19.

3:50 — The green flag is out and they're under way in Fontana.

3:40 — Engines are fired in Fontana!

3:35 — Rap group Migos helping Bubba Wallace prep before the race

2:30 — One hour until race time at Auto Club Speedway.

Kenan Goyette