Racing Resources Says “¦

* Matt Kenseth won the Auto Club 500 at Auto Club Speedway of Southern California. He became just the fourth driver to win the Daytona 500 and then the next race of the season. He joined Richard Petty (1973), Cale Yarborough (1977) and Jeff Gordon (1997). Kenseth is the fifth driver to win the first two races of the season. (Marvin Panch (1957), Bob Welborn (1959), David Pearson (1976), Jeff Gordon (1997).
* This was Kenseth’s third victory at Auto Club Speedway. He also won this race in 2006 and 2007. Kenseth ties Jeff Gordon and for the most wins at Auto Club Speedway.
* Crew chief Drew Blickensderfer has won the first two races of his Cup career. Blickensderfer has won the past four races that he was a crew chief. (He was the crew chief for in the Nationwide Series for his wins at Phoenix and Homestead to end last year.)
* Race-winner Kenseth led the most laps in the race; he led three times for 84 laps, including the final 38 laps. This is the third time Kenseth has scored back-to-back victories (Michigan/Bristol ’06 and Rockingham/Las Vegas ’04). He started 24th. His other two victories in California came from starting 31st and 25th.
* This was the seventh victory for Roush Fenway Racing at California, tying Hendrick Motorsports for the most wins by an team here. Roush Fenway has won the past five February races at Auto Club Speedway.
* This marks Roush Fenway’s 15th NASCAR win at Auto Club Speedway. (Cup: 7, Nationwide: 6, Trucks: 2)
* A team has won the first two races of the season eight times in the series — most recently by Dale Earnhardt Inc. in 2001 — but only three times in the past 32 seasons.
* The most races a team has won to start the season is three, done twice: Petty Enterprises (1962) and Peter Depaolo Racing (1957).
* Jeff Gordon finished second for the fourth time to Kenseth. It was also his third second-place finish since he last won; at Lowe’s in October, 2007, 43 races ago.
* Kyle Busch finished third, Busch won both the Nationwide and Truck Series races at California. Busch currently leads both the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series points standings. Busch did not lead the race Sunday.
* (38th) ended an 81-race streak of running at the finish that began at Kansas in October 2006. Harvick’s last DNF came at Dover on Sept. 24, 2006, where he finished 32nd due to engine failure. His DNF on Sunday was also an engine failure. Clint Bowyer, with 75 consecutive RAF, now has the longest current streak.
* The top 10 consisted of three Fords, three Chevrolets, three Toyotas and one Dodge.
* Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart joined Matt Kenseth with top-10 finishes in the first two races of the season.(ESPN)(2-24-2009)