(Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
Even though it was Jeff Gordon who won the inaugural race back in 1997, and then came back two years later to take his second win at this two mile oval.
Gordon wasn’t finished there, and he would get the chance to put his name in concrete a third time in the walk of fame when he took his third checkered flag in 2004.
As the years would slowly trickle by on this Penske built track, it would ultimately be Jack Roush and his team of Ford’s who would call this Southern California track their own.
The Roush drivers would win seven out of the 18 races run since the track first opened, while keeping pace with the Hendrick Motorsports Chevy team, who would also notch seven of their own victories.
Roush driver Matt Kenseth, along with Hendrick driver Jimmie Johnson, would join Gordon as the only three drivers to put their names atop the most win list in the Sprint cup series at this two mile oval.
While looking back at the history of this track, which was built on the grounds of an old steel mill back in 1997, it was 20 year old Kyle Busch earning his first ever NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory. This kicked off the HMS dominance during the fall race in 2005.
The track which has hosted the last the last five fall races with this year being the sixth, has seen a changing of the guard with Jimmie Johnson winning the last two, and Jack Roush being shutout of all five fall events.
The race which was run during the Labor Day weekend during that time span had its share of scorching hot temperatures, which easily ran in the triple digits and 2007 being the hottest at 118.
So here we are four races into the chase, and the heat is coming from the Auto Club Speedway hosting it’s first ever chase race for the Sprint Cup championship.
The heated battle that is taking place between 12 drivers: to see who will get the honor of hoisting the shiny piece of metal, known as the Sprint cup trophy, at the end of the season.
You have to wonder if Greg Biffle who is starting second on the grid and coming off a strong run at Kansas last week while leading the most laps, can put Roush Fenway racing back in the hunt.
Biffle along with teammate Carl Edwards, are the only two Roush Fenway drivers that are representing the organization in the chase this season.
It was Biffle who started off hot last season while taking the first two wins to start the chase, only to finish third behind his teammate Carl Edwards.
“I think we’ve really improved as an organization the last four weeks. It started with Richmond. It was kind of a science project for us, and we continued to try and get a better grip on the front of the car—the front end is obviously bump stops – and Matt Kenseth probably paid the biggest price, outside of the box of what we normally do."
Carl Edwards reeled off three wins during the 2008 chase, which also included back to back wins at Atlanta and Texas, to finish a very strong second behind the eventual champion Jimmie Johnson.
Edwards knows how to win at this two mile oval taking his first victory at this two mile oval just last season in February. Edwards who will start 11th on Sunday has remained winless so far this season.
If not for the chase last season, Edwards would have been the 2008 Sprint cup champion and here he is again chasing Johnson for the title.
“Of course, we have a shot. I think second to Jimmie Johnson is our 99 team and myself and our performance here.”
Optimism has always run high at Roush Fenway Racing and even with Edwards still on crutches; his outlook hasn’t changed as far as his championship chances.
"I’d love to be leading Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin by 165 points. I guess in 2006 at this point, Jimmie was the exact number behind the leader that we are, and somehow he managed to pull it off."
Edwards also pointed out, "We’re the same team that won more races and scored more points than anyone else last season.”
Team Chevy, who has won the first three chase races while being led by the power of the Hendrick engine and chassis package, has to be the hands on favorite again coming into the fourth race.
Johnson, who has not only won the last three championships, starts third on Sunday while winning the last two fall races here at the speedway.
Johnson along with teammate Jeff Gordon can rightfully call this their home track since they are both California natives, and both have three wins a piece tying them with Roush Fenway driver Matt Kenseth for that honor.
Johnson who has already won a chase race and is sitting second only 18 points behind his other HMS teammate Mark Martin, is looking forward to adding another win making him king of the fall races out here in Fontana.
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