November 17th - November 21st, 2008
Thursday: _Editor's Note: This column has been postponed due to technical issues for Matt McLaughlin._ NASCAR's testing ban for 2009 has race teams and fans up in arms. Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off and puts the ban under the microscope, dissecting the pros and cons of cutting costs in this way.
Friday: Jimmie Johnson has officially joined NASCAR's elite in the history books; but how will his chapter be written? Amy Henderson gives her take on Johnson's place in history in Holding a Pretty Wheel.
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0.679
Matt Kenseth’s margin of victory over Jeff Gordon at California Speedway. (in seconds)
1
Car that fell to the back of the field at the start of the Auto Club 500. (No. 96 – Tony Raines for an engine change)
2
Number of times Matt Kenseth has swept the weekend, winning both the Busch and Cup race, in his career. It is also the number of times a sweep has happened this season, despite most drivers claiming there is no advantage to running the Busch Series companion events. (The big, fat liars!)
3 hours, 36 minutes, 41 seconds
Time it took to complete the Auto Club 500.
4
Top 10s in a row at California for Auto Club 500 winner Matt Kenseth.
5
Points that Mark Martin leads Jeff Burton by in the NASCAR Nextel Cup point standings. This is the first time Martin has led since September 22, 2002 after the race at Dover; however, he is planning on only running a partial schedule this season.
8
Ford victories in 14 Cup races at California Speedway.
8
Number of cars that failed to make the starting field.
(No. 4 – Ward Burton; No. 34 – Kevin Lepage; No. 36 – Jeremy Mayfield; No. 49 – Mike Bliss; No. 55 – Michael Waltrip; No. 72 – Brandon Whitt; No. 78 – Kenny Wallace; No. 84 – A.J. Allmendinger)
9
Caution flags for a total of 37 laps.
11
Drivers who have won Cup races at California Speedway in 14 races; Kenseth (two wins) and Jeff Gordon (three) are the only ones to win more than once.
15
Career wins for Matt Kenseth in 258 starts.
15:18
Amount of time the Auto Club 500 was stopped under the red flag after David Reutimann’s crash with six laps left.
16th
David Ragan’s finishing position, earning him Rookie of the Race honors for the second time this season.
17
In-race penalties handed down by NASCAR during the running of the Auto Club 500.
24
Positions gained by race winner Matt Kenseth in the Auto Club 500 to win the USG Improving the Finish Award.
25th
Matt Kenseth’s starting position on Sunday.
28
Lead changes among 12 drivers at California Sunday.
36
Cars running at the end of the Auto Club 500; 17 of those were on the lead lap.
43rd
Reed Sorenson's finishing position Sunday in the Auto Club 500. He completed just 7 laps of the event before he got caught up in an accident, earning $12,423.28 per lap for total of $86,963 in winnings.
96
Career wins for car owner Jack Roush after Matt Kenseth’s trip to Victory Lane on Sunday; however, this is the first victory since the merger and renaming of the team to Roush Fenway Racing. This is also the fifth Nextel Cup Series win for Roush at California Speedway.
133
Laps led by race winner Matt Kenseth in the Auto Club 500, the most of any driver.
138.451
Average race speed (in mph).
185.73
Jeff Gordon’s pole-winning speed for Sunday’s race, the 57th of his career. (in mph)
250
Laps in the Auto Club 500, equaling 500 miles.
87,000
Estimated crowd in attendance at California, falling short of the grandstand seating capacity of 92,100.
$342,316
Matt Kenseth’s purse for winning the Auto Club 500.
$6,065,926
Total purse for the Auto Club 500.
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How does Jimmie Johnson compare to Cale Yarborough?
Ten things we hated about the 2008 season
Ten things we loved about the 2008 season
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