Looking back at 20 years from Auto Club Speedway

Auto club speedway is celebrating its twentieth anniversary this year with some classic finishes and milestone moment. We've got some of the best next Stiller and like Scott began fighting us for flying the crew members got involved I'm would be Cain in this is contracts. On the motor racing network. I'm Steve post and financially strap me join us Saturdays at 9:30 AM and 12:30 PM eastern for hello Lauren swing vision on Melky being the biggest and best names that link spring car racing and join us for in depth conversations and we'll have the latest news from the dirt tracks across America plus Wilson Barbara Laura and into the sprint car flipped the give you look behind the scenes look at sprint car racing and will have door we your seat MR and when Nathan Saturday at 9:30 AM 12:30 eastern on maps Amy. Roger Penske built what was California Speedway in 1996. NASCAR vice chairman Mike Helton remembers imagining what it would be like to think that there was going to be a racetrack. On my piece of property. It took a lot. Vision. I've always had a great deal of admiration for Roger Penske but. For him to see. The auto club speedway potential. Right there in that the brand. I still. Every time apple into the speedway I still think about that moment in 1997. The first race was set to roll an MR and was there what alabaster with welcoming fans to the venue. Our gleaming new two mile oval with California Speedway is ready to welcome NASCAR racing back to the Los Angeles area a track all the drivers like go to your. Michael Waltrip say is a spectacular place to raise a beautiful racetrack. The facility is by far there is the best thing we've ever been at play here like he a lot of underage. Provided there is any time he does it seems like its first class head off. 42 drivers are set for a grand grand opening up quick California Speedway. It's that California 500 find out well. In the midst of a drive toward a second championship Californian native Jeff Gordon was the class of the field Mark Martin has run out of fuel with Jeff Gordon is political sticks he comes at the start finish sliding Jeff Gordon. Will play in the California 500 by Napa Gorton scoring his seventh. To win. In 1997. I just remember there being a lot of excitement around that race. You've been along time. Since the NASCAR cup series had gone to Southern California and to do it's it's a spectacular way. News beautiful two mile. Racetrack facility. For me gone back to my home state. Mineralized Gordon was far from the only driver making memories of auto club speedway. His teammate Jimmie Johnson got his first cup win there back in 2002 here and it. Top of the line and it only got thirteen started his NASCAR Winston cup series career Jimmie Johnson has gone a victory like California. He went was the NAPA Auto Parts 500. Coming into the cup series. The situation I was in dragged her underwater sports Jeff Gordon. I knew I had to win and I knew that Dave if you win I want that I have a at least have a job for years you and things they are it's not a lot of pressure on that first win. It happened it happened at my home track happening California Speedway and and that is really my most special wins ever. Another driver to start his winning ways that NASCAR's top level in California was Kyle Busch. In 2005. Runner up finish earlier this year Las Vegas also at. At Dover but tonight he's going to be the man Kyle Busch off the turn for the Kellogg's Chevrolet he shares don't what are other Sony HD 500 at California. Remember it being kind of to lose is that felt like amber had to race a car. At a at a big speedway like that it was fast and doing so and and one race that they've beaten some of the sport's best. Next some of auto club speedway is memorable moments warn about checkered flags and glory when the smoke settles the entertainment never stops at just supposed to be and fun on race weekends your favorite NASCAR personality isn't everyday superhero. How it went on I can't believe they leave the racetrack. They're just like everyone in sight I've killed myself or Steve balance with the equipment person rationalize and say the Armstrong. Join me on a daily journey as we discussed the hot topics. And engaging personalities. Of NASCAR nation majors world of racing weekday on the motor racing network. Over the last twenty years many defining moments in furious finishes have been a part of the racing and auto club speedway. But there are a few moments that simply fallen a category like other or none of the above. Among them was the 2013. Auto club 400 when Joey like Ghana when Denny Hamlin tangled on the last laugh. I don't bush at all the profits of the world he wants the thing. What's not so heavily on his contract here's what didn't know how to pick the top spot Kyle Busch looked at around the outside. While Hamlin and what kind of clicked to act that would look like well it's just wait and pop up. It like in an unbelievable. Why hasn't been. Bob turned over three. Afterward look on Owen Stewart got into a scuffle on pit road over at different incidents that day. There's fighting going on on the pit lane did Joey like Donald. Brought his battered car backwards down the pit lane stopped it if part of his pit boxes he was eating out Tony Stewart parked his car. Parallel to his machine got out. They looked at each other store and like god no began fighting this war flying the crew members got involved. Tony Gibson and crude cheaper Danica Patrick Stewart hostile team. He got in the middle of it flying over the hood of a race card flying body blocked. Stewart insisted look gone though had it coming it's time eat less he's he's run his mouth long and have to sit there and Dennis double standard he's not and that little rich get that never had to work his life so he's going on let us guys that work we have. How how it works and finally let's not forget the extended the series which was the Busch Series back in 2007. When Brad Kozlowski went for a wild ride while driving for Dale Earnhardt junior. DN AJ Allman bigger racing for position came up on the lap Garber Eric McClure who's running well off the pace there was contact made it. And they got hit hard and next fall more nearly 200 miles an hour opportunity outside safer barrier. The 88 navy Chevrolet of Kozlowski got up on top of the wall for a time. It was not possibly AJ Albany their cars well burst into flames was fully engulfed as he slipped backed down the big embankment well. The want and. No matter what the year or the series you can almost always count on a high drama and auto club speedway. This year native Californian Kyle Larson leads the standings as a young wave of drivers comes into their own. We'll have all the action for you starting with live streaming coverage of practice starting at 1:30 eastern time Friday afternoon. This is contracts for Thursday march 23 on what he came in Concord, North Carolina.