More Notebook Items

• Jimmie Johnson has finished first and second in the first two races in 2006. He remained first in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. Johnson has ranked among the top-10 in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings for 71 straight races, a streak that began after race No. 4 (Atlanta) in March 2004.
• Greg Biffle led the most laps (168) in the Auto Club 500. The last time he led the most laps in a race was at Phoenix last November.
• Jimmie Johnson (second) has finished first or second in four of his seven races at California Speedway.
• Carl Edwards (third) scored his best finish at California Speedway. It marked his fourth straight top-10 finish in four races here. Edwards has finished (in order) sixth, fifth, fourth and third at California since September 2004.
• Kasey Kahne (fourth) scored his third top-10 finish in six races at California Speedway.
• Jeff Burton (fifth) scored first top10 finish at California Speedway since April 2000. It is his fourth top-10 finish at California Speedway in 12 races.
• J. J. Yeley (eighth) was the highest finishing Raybestos Rookie-of-the Year contender in the 2006 Auto Club 500.
• All seven of the rookie contenders have competed in both races in 2006 and four scored top-15 finishes in today’s race.
• Johnson (second in 2005), Jamie McMurray (fourth), Edwards (fifth) and Martin (seventh) also finished in the top 10 in this race one year ago
• Joe Nemechek (27th) has been running at the finish in the last 34 races, a streak that began at Bristol last April, the longest current streak.
• Tony Stewart (43rd) ended a 30-race streak of running at the finish, that began at Phoenix last April.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(2-26-2006)