Jimmie Johnson snatched victory in overtime to win his second NASCAR Sprint Cup race of the season at Fontana, ahead of Kevin Harvick.

Johnson sat third behind Denny Hamlin and Harvick when overtime began, but he showed blistering speed to dart past them both on his way to a 77th career win.

Harvick had dominated the race and look destined for his second successive victory, before Kyle Busch’s crash two laps from the end sent the race beyond 200 laps.

In a stop-start race punctured by cautions second-place starter Harvick led for most of the first 71 laps before a tyre vibration forced him to make an unscheduled stop, allowing Martin Truex Jr to take over.

The Stewart-Haas Racing driver regained the lead after everyone else stopped 10 laps later but, as he was on older tyres, he was swiftly caught by Johnson.

However, Harvick’s luck changed as he pitted just before the third caution of the race – putting him back into the lead.

More cautions followed and one worked perfectly for Johnson. He and Carl Edwards moved into first and second with Hamlin behind for what seemed to be the key restart of the race on lap 158.

Harvick moved back to the front after a thrilling seven-lap six-way fight for the lead and from there the 2014 Cup champion disappeared as the rest scrapped behind him.

Busch moved past Edwards for second and he was on course for his ninth successive top five finish until he crashed with two laps left.

Johnson had an early stint in the lead but was not in race-winning contention at the end until a quick stop from his pit crew, when overtime was announced, got him into third.

And he shocked the scrapping Hamlin and Harvick to win at Fontana for the sixth time in his career.

Kyle Larson was caught out earlier in the race as his left rear tyre failed, sending him across the track and smashing into the tyre barriers.

The 23-year-old was sent to be evaluated at the infield care centre, and later described it as one of the biggest crashes of his career.

Danica Patrick also suffered a big accident, after she was tagged by Kasey Kahne on lap 121.

RESULTS – 205 LAPS:

Johnson snatches overtime NASCAR win at Fontana