Roush Fenway Racing Goes Two-for-Two: The Cat in the Hat Is Back

As I awoke from my coma that was the Auto Club 500, I realized that somewhat of a record had been achieved.

Matt Kenseth and the No. 17 Roush Fenway team now have two straight victories to start the 2009 season—this was only the fourth time it's happened.

Very impressive, Kenseth, and the entire No. 17 DeWalt crew.

More importantly, Jack Roush is doing what the Ford fans expected out of him: beating the competition. (Yes, you, Toyota.)

Roush told fans that was what he was going to do, so Roush, thank you very much.

To begin to topple the Hendrick empire is an added bonus. Carl "Backflip" Edwards and the No. 99 gang finished strong in 2008.

Greg "The Biff" Biffle and his No. 16 team also performed well through the final 10 races.

No, they didn't accomplish the task of a championship, but they sure set the stage for an interesting 2009 season.

As far as the 500 miles that played out in the California sun, I really was kind of bored watching the laps run down. I thought the Chase didn't begin until after 26 races?

Seems to me that on the big two-mile tracks, California and Michigan, when one of these new cars—which I am a fan of—gets out front, it can check out at will.

Sure, a faster car has an advantage down the long straights, but front down-force is beating you through the corners.

If you can get the balance right, you are going to win races.

It looks to me that the engineers at Roush Fenway have found something that's working.

Can they bring their "A-Game" to the glitter of Las Vegas and do three in a row?

No one would be happier than that sly old fox in the Fedora.

This will be a good test to see how they've progressed during the offseason.

Team Hendrick has been good on the 1.5-mile racetracks. Can they get a jump start on their season this weekend?

The No. 24 DuPont Chevy has been there at both races but failed to seal the deal. Jimmie Johnson has really been a non-factor, and the No. 5 and No. 88 are both off to rough starts, after a very rare engine failure sidelined both last weekend.

Let's get back to some racing, lots of passing, some risks being taken, and yes, some torn up sheet-metal.

I hope this weekend will bring some excitement to "turnin' left," because if California was my first race, I might find it hard to come back.

BW.