NASCAR NOTEBOOK: JOHNSON IS ADDED TO HENDRICK'S LIST.

Byline: Louis Brewster Staff Writer

FONTANA - Rick Hendrick knows how to spot driving talent. After all, with Jimmie Johnson winning Sunday's NAPA Auto Parts California 500 at California Speedway, he has had nine different drivers win on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit.

The impressive list includes the late Tim Richmond - inducted last week into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame - Geoff Bodine, Ken Schrader, Darrell Waltrip, Ricky Rudd, Terry Labonte, Jerry Nadeau, Johnson and Jeff Gordon, who is a co-owner on Johnson's Chevrolet.

``I've been very fortunate, and you have to work hard, have good crews and good chemistry,'' Hendrick said. ``Jimmie and (crew chief) Chad Knaus have proven this. You've got to have confidence and communication for these teams to work and, boy, have they got it.

``Jeff and I thought he was such a good talent,'' Hendrick said of Johnson. ``We just knew he was a young guy with a lot of talent. When you see them, you just try to take advantage of it.

``I never dreamed we'd do this well this quick.''

Johnson's postrace press conference was delayed while he took a cell-phone call from Bob Tillman, chairman of Lowe's Home Improvement, Johnson's sponsor. Johnson's victory is the first for the company in five years.

``We promised him a jet ski when we closed the deal,'' Hendrick said, ``now I guess we have to deliver on a boat.''

--Bending fenders: The day's hardest hit was on lap 225 when Kevin Harvick was hit on the driver's side by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Harvick's car had cut a tire and was headed to pit road when it was struck by Earnhardt.

Both drivers were released from the infield hospital. Earnhardt suffered a bruised right ankle.

``We checked you out and you look all right,'' the unidentified NASCAR doctor told Earnhardt. ``You will still be able to have kids.''

--No problems: Speedway president Bill Miller said most of the traffic cleared the parking lots 2 1/2 hours after the race, which ended about 3:20 p.m. In the morning, most of the traffic was dissipated by the noon start, and all gates were cleared 15 laps into the race.

--NASCAR and Mayans: James Todd of Merritt Island, Fla., is following the Winston Cup tour this season as part of his doctorate dissertation for UC Santa Cruz on ``Southern Culture and Stock Car Racing.''

Todd, who has been given a $30,000 grant from the school for the project, will travel 38,000 miles in his 27-foot motor home. He spent much of the past few years studying Mayans of the Yucatan peninsula and has had a teaching fellowship at UC Santa Cruz since 1998.

--Two-victory effort: Less than three hours after his IROC victory at the speedway, Kevin Harvick was at Mesa Marin Raceway in Bakersfield competing in a late-model stock car race. He started last in the 28-car field but managed to work his way through traffic for the victory.

Harvick, who grew up in the suburb of Oildale, was eighth after the 36th lap of the Oasis Air 75, and third by lap 60. He passed Mike Riale for the lead eight laps from the finish.

Not only did Harvick impress the record crowd of 10,000, but he did it on Kevin Harvick Day in Bakersfield.