Fast Five: Best Spring Finishes At Auto Club Speedway

Five: 2009 – Auto Club 500

The 2009 season began with a bang for Matt Kenseth. Driving for the No. 17 team at that point in his career, Kenseth opened his 2009 campaign by winning the Daytona 500. Kenseth would then followup his Daytona 500 victory by bringing a very strong car to Fontana for the Auto Club 500. Kenseth and Jeff Gordon were the class of the field the entire race and it was speculated early that the only way one was going to pass the other was if they did it on pit road. In the final stops of the race Kenseth came in with the lead followed by Gordon but Kenseth was able to maintain his lead exiting the pits. With 10 laps to go Gordon gave it his all but his tires went away and Kenseth became only the fourth driver in history to win the opening two races in a season.