Credit: 307295Todd Warshaw/NASCAR via Getty Images. FONTANA, CA – MARCH 22: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Wurth Ford, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway on March 22, 2015 in Fontana, California.
Starting from 8th place Car 2 Brad Keselowski Wurth Ford won the 19th Annual Auto Club 400, his 17th win in 202 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. This is Keselowski’s 1st win & 4th Top 10 finish in 2015. This is his 1st win & 1st Top 10 finish in seven races at Auto Club Speedway. Keselowski led only one lap of the race (Lap 209).
2nd Place Car 4 Kevin Harvick Jimmy John’s/Budweiser Chevrolet starting from 2nd place posted his 10th Top 10 finish in 22 races at Auto Club Speedway. It is his 5th Top 10 finish in 2015. Kevin Harvick has now finished first or second in eight consecutive races. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series record is 11, by Richard Petty in 1975. 3rd Place Car 41 Kurt Busch Haas Automation Chevrolet starting from pole posted his 12th Top 10 finish in 22 races at Auto Club Speedway.
4th Place Car 27 Paul Menard FVP/Menards Chevrolet starting from 11th place followed by 5th place Car 31 Ryan Newman Caterpillar Chevrolet starting from 9th place. 6th Place Car 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Nationwide Chevrolet starting from 17th place followed by 7th place Car 22 Joey Logano AAA Southern California Ford starting from 13th place. 8th Place Car 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row/Visser Precision Chevrolet starting from 12th place followed by 9th Place Car 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s Pro Services Chevrolet starting from 14th place. Lastly in the Top 10 was Car 24 Jeff Gordon Axalta Chevrolet in 10th place, who started from 7th place. Car 55 Brett Moffitt # Janssen Toyota 22nd place was the highest finishing rookie, Kevin Harvick leads the point standings by 28 points
over Joey Logano.
Credit: 307293Todd Warshaw/NASCAR via Getty Images. FONTANA, CA – MARCH 22: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Wurth Ford, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway on March 22, 2015 in Fontana, California.
The race had 7 Cautions for 31 Laps: 1st Caution on lap 24 for Car 18 David Ragan Inerstate Batteries Toyota spin in turn 4. 2nd Caution on lap 88 for Debris. 3rd Caution on lap 99 for Car 9 Sam Hornish Jr. Medallion Bank/Mercury Marine Ford, Car 6 Trevor Bayne AdvoCare Ford crash on the backstretch. 4th Caution on lap 154 for Debris. 5th Caution on lap 186 for Debris. 6th Caution on lap 200 for Debris. 7th Caution on lap 204 for Debris.
Credit: 307283Todd Warshaw/NASCAR via Getty Images. FONTANA, CA – MARCH 22: Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 Haas Automation Chevrolet, and Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Jimmy John’s/Budweiser Chevrolet, take the green flag to start the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway on March 22, 2015 in Fontana, California.
The race had 19 Lead Changes among 9 drivers: Lap Leaders: K. Busch 1-5; K. Harvick 6-24; A. Bowman 25; M. Kenseth 26-31; D. Hamlin 32-61; J. Gordon 62; D. Hamlin 63-88; M. Kenseth 89-94; K. Busch 95-99; M. Truex Jr. 100-104; K. Busch 105-137; C. Edwards 138; K. Busch 139-143; K. Harvick 144-154; M. Kenseth 155-185; K. Harvick 186-189; K. Busch 190-200; J. Gordon 201-202; K. Busch 203-208; B. Keselowski 209;.
Credit: 307285Matt Sullivan/NASCAR via Getty Images. FONTANA, CA – MARCH 22: Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 Haas Automation Chevrolet, leads the field during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway on March 22, 2015 in Fontana, California.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): K. Busch 6 times for 65 laps; D. Hamlin 2 times for 56 laps; M. Kenseth 3 times for 43 laps; K. Harvick 3 times for 34 laps; M. Truex Jr. 1 time for 5 laps; J. Gordon 2 times for 3 laps; C. Edwards 1 time for 1 lap; B. keselowski 1 time for 1 lap; A. Bowman 1 time for 1 lap.
Credit: 307282Jonathan Moore/NASCAR via Getty Images. FONTANA, CA – MARCH 22: Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 Haas Automation Chevrolet, pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway on March 22, 2015 in Fontana, California.
Car 2 Brad Keselowski Wurth Ford passed Car 41 Kurt Busch Haas Automation Chevrolet on the last lap after the white flag for the win. Crew Chief Paul Wolfe made the call to pit road & get 4 fresh tires which made all the difference on the 2nd green, white checker. Car 24 Jeff Gordon Axalta Chevrolet led the field on the 1st green, white checker but due to not taking any tires cost him positions. On the 2nd green, white checker Car 41 Kurt Busch Haas Automation Chevrolet who had 2 fresh tires led the field but lost position to Keselowski who had 4 tires. In a last ditch effort Busch then scraped the wall in the last corner, allowing Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Car 4 Kevin Harvick Jimmy John’s/Budweiser Chevrolet to pass him for 2nd place.
Credit: 307289Robert Laberge/NASCAR via Getty Images. FONTANA, CA – MARCH 22: Brian Vickers, driver of the Michael Waltrip racing Toyota, answers questions from media during a press conference before the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 400 at Auto Club
Speedway on March 22, 2015 in Fontana, California. Vickers was forced to withdraw from competition due to blood clots.
Top 16 in Points: K. Harvick – 225; J. Logano – 197; M. Truex Jr. – 192; D. Earnhardt Jr. – 164; B. Keselowski – 163; R. Newman –Â 162; J. Johnson – 159; K. Kahne – 159; P. Menard – 152; A. Almirola – 138; A. Allmendinger – 137; C. Mears – 132; M. Kenseth – 127;Â D. Hamlin – 125; D. Ragan – 124; J. McMurray – 120.
Credit: 307286Jerry Markland/NASCAR via Getty Images. FONTANA, CA – MARCH 22: Brett Moffitt, driver of the #55 Janssen Toyota, races during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway on March 22, 2015 in Fontana, California.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race Number 5
Unofficial Race Results for the 19Th Annual Auto Club 400 – Sunday, March 22, 2015
Auto Club Speedway – Fontana, CA – 2 Mile Paved Total Race Length – 209 Laps – 418 Miles – Purse: $5,950,387
Finishing Position Starting Position Car # Driver Team Laps Status
1. 8. Car 2 Brad Keselowski Wurth Ford 209 Running
2. 2. Car 4 Kevin Harvick Jimmy John’s/Budweiser Chevrolet 209 Running
3. 1. Car 41 Kurt Busch Haas Automation Chevrolet 209 Running
4. 11. Car 27 Paul Menard FVP/Menards Chevrolet 209 Running
5. 9. Car 31 Ryan Newman Caterpillar Chevrolet 209 Running
6. 17. Car 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Nationwide Chevrolet 209 Running
7. 13. Car 22 Joey Logano AAA Southern California Ford 209 Running
8. 12. Car 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row/Visser Precision Chevrolet 209 Running
9. 14. Car 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s Pro Services Chevrolet 209 Running
10. 7. Car 24 Jeff Gordon Axalta Chevrolet 209 Running
11. 23. Car 43 Aric Almirola Smithfield Ford 209 Running
12. 31. Car 51 Justin Allgaier Brandt Chevrolet 209 Running
13. 15. Car 19 Carl Edwards Subway Toyota 209 Running
14. 20. Car 14 Tony Stewart Rush Truck Centers/Mobil 1 Chevrolet 209 Running
15. 27. Car 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. NOS Energy Drink Ford 209 Running
16. 21. Car 3 Austin Dillon DOW Chevrolet 209 Running
17. 19. Car 5 Kasey Kahne Time Warner Cable Chevrolet 209 Running
18. 4. Car 18 David Ragan Inerstate Batteries Toyota 209 Running
19. 22. Car 10 Danica Patrick Aspen Dental Chevrolet 209 Running
20. 33. Car 34 Chris Buescher(i) Dockside Logistics Ford 209 Running
21. 26. Car 1 Jamie McMurray McDonald’s Chevrolet 209 Running
22. 30. Car 55 Brett Moffitt # Janssen Toyota 209 Running
23. 37. Car 13 Casey Mears GEICO Chevrolet 209 Running
24. 32. Car 35 Cole Whitt Rinnai Tankless Water Heaters Ford 209 Running
25. 40. Car 40 Landon Cassill(i) Precon Marine Chevrolet 209 Running
26. 5. Car 42 Kyle Larson Target Chevrolet 209 Running
27. 25. Car 33 Brian Scott(i) Whitetail Chevrolet 209 Running
28. 6. Car 11 Denny Hamlin Sport Clips Toyota 209 Running
29. 36. Car 6 Trevor Bayne AdvoCare Ford 209 Running
30. 10. Car 15 Clint Bowyer BlueDEF Toyota 209 Running
31. 3. Car 20 Matt Kenseth DeWalt Toyota 209 Running
32. 29. Car 16 Greg Biffle Clean Harbors Ford 209 Running
33. 28. Car 7 Alex Bowman Nikko/Toy State Chevrolet 208 Running
34. 18. Car 47 AJ Allmendinger Scott Products Chevrolet 208 Running
35. 43. Car 38 David Gilliland Love’s Travel Stops Ford 208 Running
36. 35. Car 98 Josh Wise Curb Records/Lee Brice Ford 207 Running
37. 41. Car 23 JJ Yeley(i) Dr Pepper Toyota 206 Running
38. 24. Car 46 Michael Annett Cypress Chevrolet 206 Running
39. 34. Car 26 Jeb Burton # Maxim.com Toyota 205 Running
40. 39. Car 32 Mike Bliss(i) King Taco Ford 205 Running
41. 38. Car 62 Brendan Gaughan(i) Chevrolet 205 Running
42. 42. Car 83 Matt DiBenedetto Burger King Toyota 203 Running
43. 16. Car 9 Sam Hornish Jr. Medallion Bank/Mercury Marine Ford 155 Running
Race Comments: Prior to the start of the race, the following car dropped to the rear of the field for the reason indicated: #55Â (backup car). Failed to Qualify: N/A Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 58 Mins, 18 Secs. Average Speed: 140.662 MPH Margin of Victory: 0.710Â Seconds.
3M Lap Leader: Kurt Busch, #41 65 Laps Coors Light Pole Award: Kurt Busch, #41 185.142 mph Ingersoll Rand Power Move: Justin Allgaier, #51 5 positions Mahle Clevite Engine Builder of the Race: Hendrick Engines, #41 Mobil 1 Driver of the Race: Kevin Harvick, #4 Moog Chassis Parts Problem Solver of the Race: Paul Menard, #27 crew chief Justin Alexander, 0.092 seconds Sherwin-Williams Fastest Lap: David Ragan, #18 Sunoco Rookie of the Race: Jeb Burton, #26
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series
Next Race: Mar. 29, 2015 – Martinsville Speedway
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