AUTO CLUB 300: KENSETH REPEATS WIN OVER BURTON.Byline: Tim Haddock Staff Writer FONTANA - It was a lot like deja vu See DjVu. . NASCAR NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing), organization that sanctions American stock-car races, est. 1948. It held its first race in Daytona Beach, Fla. Busch Grand National Division driver Matt Kenseth Matthew Roy Kenseth (born March 10 1972) is a stock car racing driver for the Roush Fenway Racing team in NASCAR's Nextel Cup series. Kenseth was raised in Cambridge, Wisconsin. won Saturday's Auto Club 300 at California Speedway The California Speedway is a two-mile, low-banked, D-shaped oval superspeedway in Fontana, California, similar to that of "sister track" Michigan International Speedway. It is located approximately 40 miles east of Los Angeles on the site of the former Kaiser Steel mill. , finishing just ahead of Jeff Burton Jeffery Brian Burton (born June 29, 1967 in South Boston, Virginia) also sometimes referred to as "JB" is a NASCAR Nextel Cup Series driver. He drives the #31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. . The same thing happened last year. Only don't ask Burton to relive those memories. Not that he is bitter about losing to Kenseth. ``I just don't remember finishing second last year,'' Burton said. ``I don't recall last year's race at all.'' Kenseth remembers his first victory on the Busch series The NASCAR Busch Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by NASCAR. It is NASCAR's "minor league" circuit (often compared to Triple-A baseball), and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big league" circuit, the Nextel Cup. at California Speedway. When asked to compare the two, he said this one was much sweeter. ``Last year was a lot like this year in that we didn't have the fastest car. Jeff had the car to win,'' Kenseth said. ``Last year was just more uneventful. At the end of the race I was leading, but I didn't know how it happened. I definitely had to work harder for this one.'' Unlike last year, when Kenseth beat Burton under caution, the defending race champion had to fend off three surging challengers in the final laps. Among those drivers was Burton, who led the race for most of the day. It wasn't until an oil spill oil spill: see water pollution. on lap 117 of the 150-lap race brought out a caution flag and bunched the drivers that Burton lost his lead for good. He dropped behind his brother, Ward Burton Ward Burton (born October 25, 1961) is an American NASCAR auto racer, who has a total of five career NEXTEL Cup wins. He is currently the driver of the #4 State Water Heaters Chevrolet Impala SS for Morgan-McClure Motorsports. , on the restart. Even though the two Winston Cup regulars raced side by side for a while, Jeff couldn't pass Ward. Joining the fight for first as the race winded down was Kenseth and pole winner Jeff Green Jeff Green may refer to:
``He just got loose,'' Green said of Ward Burton. ``He tried to save it, but he couldn't. Ward was trying so hard just to keep Matt and me off of him.'' Ward Burton spun out coming out of turn 4. When Jeff Burton went high to pass him, Kenseth went low and came out in the lead. ``I was disappointed,'' Jeff Burton said. ``But I won a race at Vegas the same way. Matt won this one. So I'm not going to stomp my feet about it. It was a little bit of a bad break for us. But what comes around What Comes Around is the 12th track on the record Paul's Boutique by American hip hop group the Beastie Boys. Released on July 25, 1989, it was produced and written by the Beastie Boys and the Dust Brothers. goes around.'' When racing resumed with four laps to go, Kenseth blasted out to take about a half-second lead and held it until the end of the race. He credited the strong restart to taking four fresh tires while pitting under caution. Green finished third. Kenseth, a NASCAR Winston Cup regular who will run with his brother in today's NAPA Auto Parts 500, won for the second time this season on the Busch series. It was also his ninth career victory in Busch competition. Green, the Busch series points leader, has yet to win a race in 10 events this season. He said that if he ends up winning the points title, he would also like to win at least one race to go along with it. But he also said he doesn't mind sharing the track and the limelight with Cup drivers. ``I had an awesome time there at the end,'' Green said. ``I enjoy them running with us. I learn so much by having them out there, and they put people in the stands.'' Jay Sauter was the top-finishing rookie, coming in 10th. Ron Hornaday Jr. of Palmdale was a lap down in 19th. CAPTION(S): 2 photos, box Photo: (1) Ward Burton's car spins out late in Saturday's 150-lap race at California Speedway. Darrald Bennett/Associated Press (2) NASCAR Auto Club 300 winner Matt Kenseth of Cambridge, Wis., waves to the crowd at California Speedway. Kevork Djansezian/Associated Press Box: The top 10 |
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