Monday, February 15, 2010

California Auto Club Speedway Facts: Auto Club 500

compiled by Mike Forde
NASCAR Media Services

History
· Groundbreaking for California Speedway, as Auto Club Speedway was originally known, took place in November 1995.
· The first race at Auto Club Speedway was a NASCAR K&N Pro Series, West race won by Ken Schrader on June 21, 1997.
· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was held on June 22, 1997 and won by Jeff Gordon.
· September 2004 was the first night race at Auto Club Speedway and that also was the first year both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Nationwide Series ran two races in a season there.
· The track name was changed to Auto Club Speedway in February 2008.

Notebook
· There have been 19 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Auto Club Speedway since the track opened in 1997.
· Four drivers have competed in all 19 races: Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte and Joe Nemechek.
· Joe Nemechek won the pole for the inaugural race in 1997.
· There have been 13 different pole winners, led by Kurt Busch (three). Brian Vickers and Jeff Gordon each have two poles.
· Twelve different drivers have posted victories. Jimmie Johnson leads all drivers with four wins. Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth each have won three races.
· Hendrick Motorsports has won eight races, more than any other team.
· Nine of the 19 races were won from starting positions outside the top 10; only one has been won from the pole (Jimmie Johnson in 2008). The most prolific starting position is third, with three victories.
· Matt Kenseth won the 2006 spring race from the 31st starting position, the deepest in the field that a race winner has started.
· Three active drivers have averaged a top-10 finish: Carl Edwards (6.6), Jimmie Johnson (5.8) and Matt Kenseth (9.3).
· Kyle Busch won his first NASCAR Sprint Cup pole (2/05) and first race (9/05) at Auto Club Speedway.
· Jimmie Johnson won his first NASCAR Sprint Cup race at ASC on April 28, 2002.

NASCAR in California
· There have been 126 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in California:
· 410 NASCAR drivers have their home state recorded as California.
· There have been 33 race winners from California in NASCAR’s three national series.

Auto Club Speedway Data
Race # 2 of 36 (2-21-10)
Track Size: 2 miles
· Race Length: 250 laps/500 miles
· Banking/Corners: 14 degrees
· Banking/Frontstretch: 11 degrees
· Banking/Backstretch: 3 degrees

Driver Rating at Auto Club Speedway
Jimmie Johnson 122.3
Matt Kenseth 109.7
Carl Edwards 104.3
Kyle Busch 102.9
Jeff Gordon 100.3
Greg Biffle 99.8
Tony Stewart 97.6
Mark Martin 97.4
Kasey Kahne 94.8
Kurt Busch 94.1
Note: Driver Rating compiled from 2005-2009 races (10 total) at Auto Club Speedway.

Qualifying/Race Data
2009 pole winner: Brian Vickers (183.439 mph, 39.250 secs.)
2009 race winner: Matt Kenseth (135.839 mph, 2-22-09)
Track qualifying record: Kyle Busch (188.425 mph, 38.248 seconds, 2-27-05)
Track race record: Jeff Gordon (155.012 mph, 6-22-97)

Estimated Pit Window: Every 40-44 laps, based on fuel mileage

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