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Bad race start results in damaged cars for Brad Keselowski, Ryan Newman and Kevin Harvick

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Brad Keselowski and Ryan Newman suffer damage to both their cars after colliding with Jimmie Johnson on Lap 3 in Fontana.

A bad start by the inside lane at the beginning of the Auto Club 400 resulted in damage to the cars of Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick and Ryan Newman.

Denny Hamlin struggled to get to speed at the drop of the green flag, causing the first few rows of cars to bunch up. It resulted in Newman making contact with Keselowski’s left rear and causing damage. Harvick then ran into Newman as the inside bottlenecked.

On Lap 4, after falling back to 17th, Keselowski was hit from behind by Jimmie Johnson on the front stretch, which sent the No. 2 car spinning through the infield grass. Keselowski, the Atlanta winner, was 19th and the first car a lap down when the first stage ended.

During pit stops in the resulting caution, large amounts of tape were put on the front bumper and grille of Harvick’s car and the right-front fender of Newman’s.

With 35 laps left in the first 60-lap stage, Harvick was forced to pit for a flat right-rear tire. He now runs in 28th, a lap down. Newman, who won last week at Phoenix, is a lap down in 22nd.

Johnson, a six-time Auto Club 400 winner and the defending race winner, was told his No. 48 had damage that could easily be fixed in the pits. He runs in 20th a lap down. Johnson is winless this season.