SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, Calif. (Feb. 17, 2010) – Danica Patrick’s West Coast NASCAR debut in the Stater Bros. 300 at Auto Club Speedway on Saturday, Feb. 20 is just one of many firsts at Southern California’s Premier Motorsports Facility.
Way back in 2002, in his first full season on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series circuit, Jimmie Johnson, made his first trip to Gatorade Victory Lane, taking the checkered flag in the NAPA Auto Parts 500. The win was the first of many in the Series, the first of four at Auto Club Speedway and the first step to an unprecedented four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championships in a row.

LISTEN TO THIS WEEKS PODCAST: THE DANICA EFFECT

Other Sprint Cup Series firsts recorded at Auto Club Speedway include:

*Jeff Gordon winning the first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Auto Club Speedway
(California 500 Presented by NAPA, June 22, 1997)
*Greg Biffle’s first Sprint Cup Series start (April 28, 2002)
*Kyle Busch’s first Sprint Cup Series pole (Feb. 27,2005)
*Carl Edwards’ first Sprint Cup Series pole (Sept. 4, 2005)
*Kyle Busch’s first Sprint Cup Series win (Sept. 4, 2005)

In addition to the recorded firsts on the Sprint Cup Series ledger, the NASCAR Nationwide Series at Auto Club Speedway has seen its share of firsts as well including:

*Todd Bodine winning the inaugural NNS event at Auto Club Speedway
(Kenwood Home and Car Audio 300, Oct. 19, 1997)
*Brendan Gaughan’s first NNS start (April 28, 2001)
*Brad Keselowski’s first NNS start (Sept. 2, 2006)