FONTANA, Calif., Feb. 22 (UPI) -- Matt Kenseth made it 2-for-2 to start the Sprint Cup auto racing season by winning Sunday's Auto Club 500 at Fontana, Calif.
Kenseth beat Jeff Gordon to the checkered flag in his No. 17 Ford Fusion to become first NASCAR driver to win the first two races of a season since Gordon did it in 1997.
The victory gave Roush Fenway Racing its fifth straight win at Fontana.
Kenseth was the unexpected winner at the rain-shortened Daytona 500 last Sunday.
"I am so blessed I have such a great race team," Kenseth said after the 18th victory in his Sprint Cup career and third at the two-mile Auto Club Speedway. "They gave me a great pit stop that got me the clean air that was so important."
Kyle Busch, Greg Biffle and Kurt Busch completed the top-five finishers.
"When I caught him (at lap 232) I couldn't do anything with him," Gordon conceded. "He didn't make any mistakes."
