Live Race Blog: The Chase Continues in the Pepsi Max 400

Welcome to the live blog for the Pepsi Max 400 at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. This is the fourth of 10 races in the race for the Cup and four-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson has grabbed the points lead and looks to extend his lead at the track known as "Jimmie's House."Pre-race activities start at 2:00pm EST on ESPN.

3:00 EST: Invocation by Jeff Hamilton

3:01 EST: National Anthem by Kenny Loggins

3:08 EST: Command by Meg Whitman

3:16 EST: Cars on track. #31 Crew Chief Todd Barier not on top of pitbox for beginning of the race.

3:21 EST: Green flag!

Lap 10: Jamie McMurray leads first ten laps after winning the pole. Multiple battles are happening around the track.

Lap 18: Montoya damaged splitter soon after the race started and has dropped to 15th and is still dropping. Johnson is currently in 2nd and has debris on his grill. He is attempting to draft JMac to remove the paper.

Lap 24: Car #64 is first to go to garage. Johnson cannot get debris off and may have to pit if his temperature raises too much more.

Lap 32: Matt Kenseth has led 18 laps. Johnson is in 2nd. Denny Hamlin has picked up 22 spots after having to start at the rear of the field.

Lap 36: Green flag pit stops start, chasers Harvick and Stewart are the first of the top 12 to pit.

Lap 39: Montoya earns a speeding penalty while pitting and has to drive through.

Lap 41: Caution out for Biffle blowing an engine. He is headed to the garage.

Lap 46: Battle for lead, first won by Kenseth then Gordon then Jimmie.

Lap 53: Johnson continues leading.  Caution out for Marcos Ambrose.

Lap 54: All the leaders pit during this caution.

Lap 58: Dale Jr doesn't pit and leads field to green.  Johnson is starting 2nd.  Edwards comes to a stop in Turn 4 and caution comes back out.

Lap 62: Green flag.  Fight for lead between Ky. Busch and Johnson.  Johnson gets lead.  Gordon behind them in 3rd.  Hamlin fighting Stewart and Kahne for 11th position.

Lap 67: A big battle in the 20th position between five or six cars.  After not pitting during caution and leading field to green, Jr is back in 27th.

Lap 73: Martin and Johnson fight for lead almost a stretch in front of the rest of the field.  Gordon is in 3rd.  Edwards is back on the track 14 laps down. 

Lap 74: Martin takes lead but Johnson fights back.

Lap 79: Martin leads by over a second and a half with Johnson 2nd, Gordon 3rd, followed by Bowyer, Ky. Busch, and Kenseth

Lap 90: Birthday boy Dale Jr finally pits.  Stewart and Kenseth battle for 5th with Harvick right behind them.  Martin still has a 3 second lead.  Johnson in 2nd.  Bowyer and Gordon fighting for 3rd.

Lap 97: Harvick has a drive through penalty for speeding on pit road.  Gilliland leads, Martin 2nd, Johnson 3rd, Gordon 4th, Bowyer 5th.

Lap 100: We are half way through the race. Martin is once again the leader.  Harvick is struggling to stay on the lead lap in 28th after a pass through penalty.

Lap 113: Caution for debris.

Lap 118: Gordon leads them to green.

Lap 125: Fight for lead between Bowyer and Gordon.  Bowyer takes lead.  Martin back in 3rd.  There have been 9 leaders and 13 lead chances. 

Lap 126: Martin takes 2nd from Gordon.

Lap 137: Johnson and Hamlin fighting for 5th.  They are one-two in the points battle.

Lap 135: Caution out for Ambrose spin.  Right rear tire goes flat and throws debris onto track.

Lap 139: Montoya gets speeding penalty.  Gordon's pit crew runs a sub-12 time during his pit stop and puts him in the second position.  One lap until green.

Lap 141: Green flag! Bowyer leads the them to green.

Lap 144: Caution for debris on the track.  Rear half of field decides to pit.

53 Laps To Go: Stewart takes lead soon after green.

46 Laps To Go: Caution out from Kyle's engine blowing up.  Engines have taken two drivers out of the chase today.

45 Laps To Go: Gordon too fast entering pit road. Pass through penalty.

41 Laps To Go: Green Flag! Montoya and Stewart lead to the line.  Bowyer joins in battle for the lead.

35 Laps to Go: Stewart, Bowyer, Martin, Newman, Montoya are the top five.

27 Laps To Go: Bowyer takes lead. 29 Laps to Go: Johnson is marching towards the front again. Chase contenders in top 10: Bowyer 1st, Stewart 2nd, Johnson 4th, Harvick 6th, Hamlin 8th, Kenseth 10th.

18 Laps To Go: Caution for debris on backstretch.

14 Laps To Go: Menard and Regan Smith will lead the field to green.  Scott Speed's team throws down a sub-12 pit stop.

12 Laps To Go: Stewart leads, Kahne 2nd, Johnson 3rd, Bowyer 4th.

9 Laps To Go:Johnson takes over 2nd.  Matt Kenseth's engine is working on blowing up.  The #00 car is also in the hunt for a top ten finish.

7 Laps To Go: David Ragan and Kurt Busch tangle.  Caution, both cars have major damage.

3 Laps To Go: Johnson and Stewart lead the field to green.

Checked Flag: STEWART WINS. Bowywer 2nd, Johnson 3rd, Kahne 4th, Newman 5th, Martin 6th.