MOTOR SPORTS ROUNDUP News and notes

Star power: Four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon and fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr., both hoping to bounce back from disappointing seasons, finished 11th and 13th. Both drivers struggled on California's 2-mile track last year, but Gordon led briefly late in the race before Kenseth sped past on a restart, and Earnhardt managed to make his way into the top 10 for a while before slipping back. "We were one of the best cars on the long runs," said Gordon, who overcame battery problems. "We just couldn't get track position." Earnhardt was satisfied with his team's improvement after finishing 19th or worse in his last four races at California Speedway. "I feel like we had a top-15 car all day, but we were right outside that all day, down on horsepower a little bit," he said. "So we need to work really hard at the shop on that. It really handled good in the corners and drove good all day long."
NHRA: Warren Johnson raced to his record 96th Pro Stock victory Sunday, beating Greg Anderson with a quarter-mile run of 6.770 seconds at 206.13 mph. Rod Fuller won the Top Fuel competition and Tommy Johnson Jr. topped the Funny Car field in the $1.5 million event at Firebird International Raceway in Chandler, Ariz. Fuller earned his second career victory, holding off Melanie Troxel with a run of 4.563 seconds at 321.42 mph. Tommy Johnson, Troxel's husband, claimed his seventh career victory and fifth in Funny Car, beating John Force in the final round. Both cars lost traction, but Johnson was able to navigate the quarter-mile in 5.225 at 249.76.
Associated Press