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Auto Club 500 News and Notes

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blade

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Auto Club 500 Preview
By Micah Roberts

What a thrilling Daytona 500 we witnessed last week with Jamie McMurray capturing the win as a 30 to 1 underdog. Despite over two hours of delays due to a hole in the track’s asphalt, the race featured all kinds of passing, multiple leaders, and lots of drama throughout. The change to widen the hole in the restrictor plates giving more throttle response made this one of the more exciting races in Daytona 500 history.

Hopefully for McMurray’s sake, he can build off this win like Jimmie Johnson did in 2006 rather than what the last three winners did. Johnson won the first of his four straight Championships the season he won at Daytona to kick off the year, while the last three have been curses.

In 2007, Kevin Harvick won in dramatic fashion denying Mark Martin his first ever Daytona win of any kind in a points race. Harvick made the Chase that season, but hasn’t won a race since.

In 2008 Ryan Newman won in dramatic fashion with his teammate Kurt Busch pushing Newman past the days best two cars in Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch. Newman failed to make the Chase that season and hasn’t won a race since.

Last season Matt Kenseth not only won at Daytona, but he won the following week as well at California. It was too easy and it looked like the Roush program, who had never won a Daytona 500, was going to dominate the season considering that in the previous year drivers like Carl Edwards reeled off 9 wins and Greg Biffle chipped in with two.

The curse on Kenseth not only forced him to miss the Chase for the first time in his career, but it also cursed the entire Roush organization. Edwards, nor Biffle won a race for the entire season. After Kenseth’s win at California, he would go on to place in the top-5 only five more times in the remaining 34 races.

McMurray may have the means to be successful this season away from a restrictor-plate race this season. We saw what kind of equipment teammate Juan Pablo Montoya was getting last season where he had the best car on the track on a few occasions, and McMurray could be the beneficiary of landing into something that’s working well.

Montoya excelling never rubbed off on former teammate Martin Truex Jr, but it’s possible knowing he was a lame duck driver that the organization figured it would be a waste to give him the good stuff when he wouldn’t be around for 2010.

We’ll learn a lot more at California this week, not only from McMurray, but the entire series. When they jump in the car for Friday’s practice it will be the first time we get to see the cars run on this type of track which requires massive amounts of horsepower for the long straights and lots of down force.

This track features lots of green flag runs where usually the best car does win because they’re able to put such a big gap between them a second place. This is an elitist track where you won’t see anyone like a Jamie McMurray sneak up on the win. 15 of the 19 races run have been won by either a Roush or Hendrick driver who were listed as one of the favorites.

In the other instances, top drivers like Rusty Wallace and Jeremy Mayfield from a good Penske team won. Elliott Sadler won in a souped up Yates engine as Dale Jarrett’s teammate and Kasey Kahne won when he was dominating the down force tracks. It’s pretty much a “No Hobo’s allowed” to win track.

Needless to say, the top teams are always consistent at California. What we saw last week with just about every team run well with restrictor-plates on will not apply. The top teams in NASCAR always win at California. Fenway-Roush has won this race seven times and is on a current streak of winning five in a row in the spring race.

The main question all the bookmakers have to ask themselves is how good do they think the Roush cars will be this week. There is indication to believe things could be restored to past glory with the new Ford RF-9 engine. Last week Kenseth used it for the first time along with other Ford drivers from other teams.

As of now, it isn’t known what engine the Roush drivers will be using, but it’s a better bet to believe that the Roush organization will be closer to 2008 when they won all those races on these type of tracks than the 2009 version that couldn’t get over the hump.

The main candidate to do well is Carl Edwards who has a California career average finish of 6.6 since 2004. He won this race in 2008, and even without contending for the win last season, he still managed to get a seventh-place finish in this race and a sixth in the fall.

California native Jimmie Johnson is the track’s all time leader in average finish position at 5.8 per race. He has four wins on the track, including the fall race last year, but hasn’t won the spring race since his rookie season back in 2002. Johnson has been traditionally a slow starter and seems to take a few weeks to get him going. Last year he didn’t have a top-5 finish until week five at Bristol.

Mark Martin had a slow start to last season getting acclimated with his new team, but once they got it going, they were tough to beat on these type of tracks. He won on the sister track of Michigan and had a fourth place finish in the California fall race. He won the second race ever at California Speedway while driving for Roush and has five career top-5 finishes on the track.

The driver that could benefit from Martin’s success the most is Dale Earnhardt Jr who has been sharing a garage at the Hendrick Motorsports headquarters with Martin. The two teams collaborate on everything and have almost all their cars set-up identical for each race. It’s all new and good stuff for Junior this year and he should have a good run this week.

Jeff Gordon had two second place finishes at California last season giving him 10 top-5 finishes for his career in 19 starts. He’s a three-time winner on the track which has him tied with Kenseth for second most in tracks history. His career average finish is 10.5.

Drivers that stop the Roush and Hendrick winning party at California are Kurt and Kyle Busch, Kasey Kahne, and quite possibly the new and improved Childress drivers. Busch brothers each claim a win and combined to average less than 13th place in all their races.

Kahne is a definite wild card because no ones quite knows how his new Ford will run at California. His past history has been great with one win and a couple other top 5’s.

Look for Roush to get back on track this week.

Top 5 Finish Prediction:
1) #17 Matt Kenseth (15/1)
2) #99 Carl Edwards (12/1)
3) #5 Mark Martin (8/1)
4) #24 Jeff Gordon (8/1)
5) #48 Jimmie Johnson (5/1)

Posted : February 15, 2010 10:22 pm

blade

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Auto Club Speedway Data

Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Auto Club Speedway going into the Auto Club 500 at Auto Club Speedway on Feb. 21.

Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)

. One win, four top fives, four top 10s
. Average finish of 17.3
. Average Running Position of 11.0, seventh-best
. Driver Rating of 99.8, sixth-best
. 207 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
. Average Green Flag Speed of 171.326 mph, fourth-fastest
. 1,818 Laps in the Top 15 (72.6%), seventh-most
. 388 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), 11th-most

Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet)

. Five top fives, six top 10s
. Average finish of 17.4
. Average Running Position of 15.1, 13th-best
. Driver Rating of 83.5, 13th-best
. 55 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-most
. 776 Green Flag Passes, fourth-most
. 1,465 Laps in the Top 15 (58.5%), 12th-most
. 454 Quality Passes, sixth-most

Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)

. One win, four top fives, seven top 10s; three poles
. Average finish of 12.6
. Average Running Position of 13.4, ninth-best
. Driver Rating of 94.1, 10th-best
. 86 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most
. 710 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most
. Average Green Flag Speed of 170.951 mph, 11th-fastest
. 1,808 Laps in the Top 15 (72.2%), eighth-most
. 448 Quality Passes, seventh-most

Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M's Toyota)

. One win, four top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
. Average finish of 10.5
. Average Running Position of 10.7, fourth-best
. Driver Rating of 102.9, fourth-best
. 124 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
712 Green Flag Passes, 10th-most
Average Green Flag Speed of 171.214 mph, sixth-fastest
. 1,909 Laps in the Top 15 (76.2%), fifth-most
. 470 Quality Passes, fourth-most

Carl Edwards (No. 99 Aflac Ford)

. One win, six top fives, 10 top 10s; one pole
. Average finish of 6.6
. Average Running Position of 10.8, fifth-best
. Driver Rating of 104.3, third-best
. 140 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
. Average Green Flag Speed of 171.448 mph, second-fastest
. 1,983 Laps in the Top 15 (79.2%), fourth-most
. 456 Quality Passes, fifth-most

Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
. Three wins, 10 top fives, 10 top 10s; two poles
. Average finish of 10.5
. Average Running Position of 9.3, third-best
. Driver Rating of 100.3, fifth-best
. 161 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
. 744 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most
. Average Green Flag Speed of 171.306 mph, fifth-fastest
. 1,984 Laps in the Top 15 (79.2%), third-most
. Series-high 512 Quality Passes

Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota)

. One top five, three top 10s; one pole
. Average finish of 16.9
. Average Running Position of 14.5, 12th-best
. Driver Rating of 90.7, 11th-best
. Average Green Flag Speed of 170.980 mph, 10th-fastest
. 1,324 Laps in the Top 15 (66.2%), 13th-most

Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)

. One top five, five top 10s
. Average finish of 18.7
. Average Running Position of 13.4, 10th-best
. Driver Rating of 89.0, 12th-best
. Average Green Flag Speed of 170.780 mph, 13th-fastest
. 1,763 Laps in the Top 15 (70.4%), ninth-most
. 403 Quality Passes, 10th-most

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)

. Four wins, nine top fives, 10 top 10s; one pole
. Average finish of 5.8
. Series-best Average Running Position of 5.5
. Series-best Driver Rating of 122.3
. Series-high 382 Fastest Laps Run
. Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 172.025 mph
. Series-high 2,380 Laps in the Top 15 (95.0%)
. 479 Quality Passes, third-most

Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Ford)

. One win, three top fives, seven top 10s; one pole
. Average finish of 14.8
. Average Running Position of 13.8, 11th-best
. Driver Rating of 94.8, ninth-best
. 96 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
. 733 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most
. Average Green Flag Speed of 171.026 mph, ninth-fastest
. 1,633 Laps in the Top 15 (65.2%), 10th-most
. 437 Quality Passes, eighth-most

Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Crown Royal Ford)

. Three wins, seven top fives, 11 top 10s
. Average finish of 9.3
. Average Running Position of 9.0, second-best
. Driver Rating of 109.7, second-best
. 117 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
. Average Green Flag Speed of 171.410 mph, third-fastest
. 2,056 Laps in the Top 15 (82.1%), second-most
413 Quality Passes, ninth-most

Mark Martin (No. 5 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet)

. One win, five top fives, eight top 10s
. Average finish of 14.3
. Average Running Position of 10.9, sixth-best
. Driver Rating of 97.4, eighth-best
. 91 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most
. Average Green Flag Speed of 171.212 mph, seventh-fastest
· 1,490 Laps in the Top 15 (74.3%), 11th-most

Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet)

. Four top fives, nine top 10s
. Average finish of 15.2
. Average Running Position of 11.3, eighth-best
. Driver Rating of 97.6, seventh-best
. 134 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
. 721 Green Flag Passes, ninth-most
. Average Green Flag Speed of 171.154 mph, eighth-fastest
. 1,857 Laps in the Top 15 (74.1%), sixth-most
. 489 Quality Passes, second-most

Auto Club Speedway Data

Race # 2 of 36 (2-21-10)
Track Size: 2 miles
Race Length: 250 laps/500 miles
Banking/Corners: 14 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 11 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 3 degrees

Driver Rating at Auto Club Speedway

Jimmie Johnson 122.3
Matt Kenseth 109.7
Carl Edwards 104.3
Kyle Busch 102.9
Jeff Gordon 100.3
Greg Biffle 99.8
Tony Stewart 97.6
Mark Martin 97.4
Kasey Kahne 94.8
Kurt Busch 94.1

Note: Driver Rating compiled from 2005-2009 races (10 total) at Auto Club Speedway.

Qualifying/Race Data

2009 pole winner: Brian Vickers (183.439 mph, 39.250 secs.)
2009 race winner: Matt Kenseth (135.839 mph, 2-22-09)
Track qualifying record: Kyle Busch (188.425 mph, 38.248 seconds, 2-27-05)
Track race record: Jeff Gordon (155.012 mph, 6-22-97)
Estimated Pit Window: Every 40-44 laps, based on fuel mileage

Posted : February 15, 2010 10:36 pm

blade

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NASCAR Power Rankings
By RacingOne.com

Jamie McMurray won the Daytona 500, but Kevin Harvick was the strongest driver in the race according to the driver rating statistic and tops the first week of the Power Rankings as a result. Motor Racing Network's rankings are based on a combination of season-to-date loop data, season standings and staff selections by Jeff Wackerlin and Rachael West.

1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick got off to a great start during Speedweeks at Daytona after winning his second consecutive Budweiser Shootout. He followed that up with a second-place run in the Gatorade Duel and then went out and led the most laps in the Daytona 500 with 41. Harvick led a majority of the loop data stats in the 500, which included: averege running position (5.1), laps in the top 15 (202) and percentage of laps led (19.7). Now, Harvick looks to carry the momentum to Auto Club Speedway where he's finished in the top 10 in three of his last four starts.

Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 125.0
Point Standing: Fifth

2. Jamie McMurray: McMurray reunited with owners Chip Ganassi and Felx Sabates and kicked off the season by winning the Daytona 500. McMurray posted an average running position of 11.4 during the Daytona 500, but was in the right place at the right time in the end. He led the final two laps en route to the win, which is the fewest ever by a 500 winner. This weekend, McMurray will look to carry the trend to Auto Club Speedway where he's only posted one top 10 in eight starts since leaving Ganassi in 2005. In his five starts at ACS (2003-2005) with Ganassi, McMurray posted an average finish of 7.2.

Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.2
Point Standing: First

3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt Jr. came out of nowhere to finish second in the Daytona 500. Junior, who was 19th with 20 laps to go, started 10th on the final green-white-checkered finish and almost chased down Jamie McMurray to the checkered flag. He now leaves Daytona with his best points start to the season since joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2008. If he wants to continue the momentum, Dale Jr. will need to turn around his performance at Auto Club Speedway wih Hendrick Motorsports. In four starts with the team, Earnhardt has posted an average finish of 28.8.

Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 92.1
Point Standing: Second

4. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer equaled his best finish at Daytona after coming home fourth in the Daytona 500. He was second in average running position (6.2), driver rating (119.4) and laps in the top 15 (199) during the 500. Bowyer was also the leader at mid-race and was fourth with 20 laps-to-go. Now he heads to Auto Club Speedway where he's finished in the top 10 in two of his last three starts.

Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 119.4
Point Standing: Fourth

5. Greg Biffle: Biffle led a personal best 27 laps in his 15th start at Daytona en route to a third-place finish. He spent 160 laps in the top 15, and posted his first top five at the track since winning the 2003 July race. Biffle does have one win in 14 starts at Auto Club Speedway and he finished fourth in the February race last season.

Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 111.0
Point Standing: Third

6. David Reutimann: Reutimann was in the top five when it mattered most in the Daytona 500 - at the end. Throughout the race, he ran mid-field and cracked the top 10 a few times. With persistence, he made it to the fifth position by the time the checkered flag flew. Reutimann was one of three drivers in the top-10 finishers who failed to lead a lap. Reutimann will try to take his strong finish to Auto Club Speedway where he has one top 10 in six starts at the track and an average finish of 21.5.

Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 80.5
Point Standing: Sixth

7. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex Jr. scored his best Daytona 500 finish in his debut Sunday with new team Michael Waltrip Racing. He crossed the finish line in sixth behind teammate Reutimann and led three laps. In eight starts at Auto Club Speedway, with former team DEI/Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing, Truex Jr. cracked the top 10 twice and has an average finish of 19.4.

Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 111.0
Point Standing: Seventh

8. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth, the 2009 winner of the Daytona 500, posted his fourth consecutive top-10 finish at the track in this year's running of "The Great American Race." He didn't manage to lead any laps this year, and has the worst season-to-date driver rating of any top-10 Daytona 500 finisher. Kenseth will look for a stronger finish at Auto Club Speedway, where he's the defending race winner. He's won three of the last four February races there and has finished 13th or better in his last nine ACS starts.

Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 66.7
Point Standing: Eighth

9. Juan Pablo Montoya: Montoya carried the momentum from the Chase last year into the season opening Daytona 500. He posted a 10th-place finish in the race and led his first two laps at the track in the Cup Series. Montoya will try to keep his success going as he heads to Auto Club Speedway. He's coming off his best finish at the track - third - last fall, which was his first top-10 finish in six starts at the track.

Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.8
Point Standing: Ninth

10. Carl Edwards: Edwards didn't lead any laps in the Daytona 500, but he came from the back of the field on the start of the race to finish ninth. The finish was his best result in six starts in the Daytona 500. Edwards should be able to back up that finish with a top-10 at Auto Club Speedway, considering he has a 6.6 average finish in 11 starts there. He won the 2008 version of this race and has finished in the top 10 in all but one race at the track.

Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.2
Point Standing: 10th

Posted : February 17, 2010 1:51 pm

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Fantasy Racing Insider: Look No Further Than Roush-Fenway For Fontana
By Mike Ravesi

Well, last week wasn’t too horrible for me – or for you, if you took my fantasy advice – when all was said and done. Four of my drivers finished in the top 25, all of them finished in the top 30, and four of them logged bonus points for leading laps. All three of my mid-pack drivers also beat out their much more highly-touted counterparts: Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman, and Jimmie Johnson, as the parity of restrictor plate racing took center stage at the Daytona 500.

Like I said, not a bad start … but as the real racing season begins, Fontana offers us a chance to do even better. This week, we’ll look at a dynamic duo you MUST have on your team, along with three middle-of-the-road drivers with history and momentum on their side. So, read on to find the diamonds in the rough at California … along with the one popular dud you need to avoid at all costs.

Studs:

Even with Wednesday’s crew chief change for the No. 17, trust me – you are gonna want the Roushketeer duo of Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth on your roster this week. The duo has posted some staggering numbers for Roush-Fenway Racing in the last six years at California, combining for four wins, 12 top 5s, and 19 top 10s since 2004. Roush-Fenway has also won five straight Spring races at California – with Edwards and Kenseth combining to win the last four. So, read those stats again slowly to yourself, and I think you’ll agree that when it comes to big name shoo-ins, there’s no need to look any further for your top-tier picks.

Who’s gonna carry you:

Jamie McMurray – Now, I am not about to anoint McMurray as a Chase threat or Comeback Driver Of The Year…. yet. However, the win at Daytona shows he’s far from an afterthought, and he does have a good history in the series’ first visit to Fontana each year. In the last seven visits following Daytona, McMurray has posted a decent average finish of 15th to go along with three top 10’s. Grab him for this week if you can still get him cheap.

Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards may be the best fantasy picks at Roush Fenway, but don’t sleep on teammate David Ragan.

David Ragan – Perhaps you have noticed the pattern of Roush dominance here with these picks. Ragan did me well last week with a 16th place finish, and I think you’ll want him again this time. In his last three runs in this event, Ragan has posted finishes of 17th, 14th, and 16th to remain consistent behind the wheel of the No. 6 UPS Ford. If you picked him up last week, definitely hang on to him for this week, too.

Brian Vickers – Vickers has a nice little history in Cali’s opening race of the season. In his last three February races there, he has finished 10th, 11th, and 10th while winning the pole (some leagues award points for that) in 2009. His career average finish at this track is 17th, which isn’t too shabby for a driver you can still pick up at a reasonable value.

Martin Truex, Jr. – Gonna throw in an extra middle-tier driver, especially since there is only one dud this week. Truex doesn’t have a lot of history out in Cali, but his few finishes on the 2-mile oval have been decent. He has posted an average finish of 23rd, and if you throw out a blown engine in 2007, that number jumps up significantly to 16th. The team is also coming off a sixth place run at Daytona, so they’ve got a bit of spring in their step heading out West.

Who will bury you:

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – Little E has been very little E when it comes to Fontana in the early season. The last six events following Daytona have resulted in a best showing of 11th in 2006, and his last three finishes out West have been 39th, 40th, and 40th. Like McMurray, I am hardly ready to proclaim him “back” after one good run at Daytona – until the team shows improvement at these types of tracks, you’ll want to avoid him like the plague.

Posted : February 18, 2010 10:56 am

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Driver Handicaps: Auto Club
RacingOne.com

This weekend the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to the west coast for Sunday's Auto Club 500 at Auto Club Speedway. To help you make your fantasy racing picks, Motor Racing Network brings you our weekly detailed look at some of the field for the 250-lap event.

Who's HOT at Auto Club
• Four-time winner Jimmie Johnson has the best driver rating at 122.3.
• Three-time winner Jeff Gordon finished second in both races in 2009.
• 2008 event winner Carl Edwards has a 5.0 average finish in the four races with the COT.
• Matt Kenseth has finished seventh or better in eight of his last nine starts.
• Kyle Busch is the only other driver with an average finish of 10.0 or better in the four races with the COT.
• Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart each posted average finishes of 6.5 in both races in 2009.
• 2005 event winner Greg Biffle has a 10.2 average finish in the four races with the COT.

Keep an Eye on at Auto Club
• Kasey Kahne, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski and Jeff Burton participated in the Goodyear Tire Test at Auto Club.
• Juan Pablo Montoya is coming off his first top 10 at Auto Club after leading 78 laps.
• Mark Martin will be driving the same car that won at Michigan last June.
• Auto Club is David Ragan's best track based on his 13.2 average finish.
• Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer have finished in the top 10 in two of the last three races at Auto Club.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s only points win with Hendrick Motorsports came on a 2-mile speedway (Michigan).
• Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray saw his best Auto Club results come with Ganassi early in his career.
• Besides an accident that took him out of contention last fall, Denny Hamlin has performed well in his last three Auto Club starts.
• Brian Vickers posted one win and an average finish of 12.3 on the 2-mile speedways in 2009.
• Elliott Sadler will make his first track start with Ford since 2006, a manufacturer he won with at ACS in 2004.

2009 Track Performers
Jeff Gordon led all drivers in 2009 on the 2-mile speedways of Auto Club and Michigan with an average finish of 2.0. Other drivers that had a strong average last season are Carl Edwards (5.3), Tony Stewart (9.3), Juan Pablo Montoya (9.8) and Clint Bowyer (11.5). Fall Auto Club winner Jimmie Johnson led a total of 479 laps in the four races.

MotorRacingNetwork.com Staff Picks
Jeff Wackerlin: Kasey Kahne
Pete Pistone: Jimmie Johnson
Rachael West: Greg Biffle

Top 30 Driver Notes - Ordered by current standings

(All stats/notes are in regards to Auto Club Speedway unless noted)

1. Jamie McMurray: 24.5 average finish in four starts with the COT; 22.1 average finish in last eight starts with Roush Fenway; Will make first track start with Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing since 2005; Posted an average finish of 7.2 in his five starts with Ganassi (2003-2005); Will debut a new car (chassis No. 31) in the Auto Club 500.

2. Dale Earnhardt Jr: 22.1 average finish is worst among all ovals on the schedule in which he's made more than 10 starts; 28.8 average finish (all with COT) in four starts with Hendrick Motorsports; Last of four top 10s came in the 2007 Labor Day race with Dale Earnhardt, Inc.; Does have one win at Michigan, the other 2-mile track on the circuit; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 578) in the Auto Club 500; Off to best points start since joining Hendrick Motorsports.

3. Greg Biffle: Winner of the 2005 spring race; Finished fourth in this event last year for fourth top 10 in 14 starts; 10.2 average finish in the four races with the COT; Has led 80 laps on 2-mile speedways with the COT; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 673) in the Auto Club 500.

4. Clint Bowyer: 14.2 average finish in four starts with the COT; Coming off fourth top 10 with a ninth-place finish last October; Has yet to finish outside the top 20 in eight starts; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 257) that finished sixth at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October and seventh at Texas Motor Speedway in November.

5. Kevin Harvick: A crash in 2009 hindered his 15.0 average finish in four starts with the COT; Has finished in the top 10 in three of his last four starts; Will race the same car (chassis No. 288) that last finished third at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2009.

6. David Reutimann: 16.0 average finish in four starts with the COT; Only top 10 in six starts came in the 2008 Labor Day weekend race; Off to best points start with Michael Waltrip racing; Will become the first Toyota driver to make 100 starts.

8. Matt Kenseth: Best track on the circuit based on wins (3); Defending race winner; 6.0 average finish in four starts with the COT; Has the best average finish (9.2) among drivers with 15 or more starts; Third in laps led with 468.

9. Juan Pablo Montoya: 13.5 average finish in four starts with the COT; Coming off first top 10 in six starts with a third-place run; Led 78 laps last fall; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 906) in the Auto Club 500.

10. Carl Edwards: 5.0 average finish in four starts with the COT; Has finished seventh or better in 10 of his 11 starts; Won this event in 2008 after leading 64 laps; Will be driving the same car that posted finishes of sixth and seventh, respectively at Auto Club and Homestead in 2009.

11. Mark Martin: 1998 win was one of five top fives in 17 starts; Finished 40th in his track debut with Hendrick Motorsports after engine failure; Finished fourth last October to give him an average finish of 20.0 in three starts with the COT; Won with the COT at Michigan, the other 2-mile track on the circuit; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 523) that won at Michigan last June.

12. Jeff Burton: 22.8 average finish in four starts with the COT; Last top 10s with Richard Childress Racing came in 2007 when he finished fourth in both races; Has only four career laps led on 2-mile speedways with the COT; Hopes to turn around recent luck at ACS with a new chassis (No. 291).

13. Kyle Busch: 9.5 average finish in four starts with the COT; Those four starts are his only with Joe Gibbs Racing; Won the Labor Day weekend race with Hendrick Motorsports; Win was the start of eight consecutive top 10s; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 265) that has been tested in the wind tunnel.

14. Paul Menard: 28.7 average finish in six starts; Has yet to finish inside the top 20; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 683) in the Auto Club 500.

15. David Ragan: Best track on the schedule based on 13.2 average finish; 12.8 average finish in four starts with the COT; Coming off first top 10 with a seventh-place finish last fall; Will pilot the same car (chassis No. 617) that finished 33rd at Charlotte as the No. 26.

16. Brian Vickers: 15.5 average finish in four starts with the COT; Won the pole and finished 10th in this event last year; Has yet to lead a lap with the COT; Best finish (third) came with Hendrick Motorsports in 2005.

17. Denny Hamlin: 21.8 average finish in four starts with the COT; Won the pole last fall, but finished 37th after a crash; Only top five (third) came in the 2008 Labor Day weekend race; Finished sixth in this event last year to help his average finish of 16.9 in eight starts; Will pilot the same car (chassis No. 256) that last raced in Charlotte during the 2009 Chase when engine troubles relegated him to a 42nd-place finish.

18. Scott Speed: 31.0 average finish in two starts; Finished 21st last fall; Off to best points start in his young Sprint Cup career.

19. Michael Waltrip: Will not compete in this weekend's race.

20. Joey Logano: 20.0 average finish in two starts; Will debut a new car that served as a back-up last year (chassis No. 262) in the Auto Club 500.

21. Bobby Labonte: 23.0 average finish in four starts with COT (two different teams); Will make track debut in the No. 71 Chevrolet; All of his top 10s (5) came with Joe Gibbs racing (1997-2004).

22. Kurt Busch: 16.2 average finish in four starts with the COT; Has finished ninth or better in four of his eight starts with Penske Racing; Finished fifth and eighth, respectively, in 2009; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 704) that was used in a Goodyear Tire Test at Texas.

23. Tony Stewart: 10.5 average finish in four starts with the COT; Posted an average finish of 6.5 in the two races with Stewart-Haas; Best finish is a pair of fourth-place runs with Joe Gibbs Racing back in 1999 and 2001; Will pilot the same car (chassis No. 564) that finished sixth at Texas last fall.

24. Elliott Sadler: Won the 2004 Labor Day weekend race after leading 59 laps in a Yates Racing Ford; Will make first track start in a Ford since 2006; Last top 10 came in 2005; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 283) in the Auto Club 500.

25. Boris Said: Makes first track start since 2005; Has a 30.0 average finish in two starts.

26. Jeff Gordon: Three-time Auto Club winner; Last win came in 2004; Second in laps led with 597; Finished second in both races in 2009; Fifth-best driver rating at 100.3.

27. Robby Gordon: Has yet to finish inside the top 15 in 10 starts in the No. 7 car; Only top 10 (ninth) came with Richard Childress Racing in 2004; Has a 31.5 average finish in the four races with the COT.

28. Bill Elliott: Will not compete in this weekend's race.

29. Travis Kvapil: Makes track debut in the No. 34 Ford; Posted an average finish of 27.3 in previous three starts with Yates Racing; 18th-place finish in this event last year is best in six starts.

30. Kasey Kahne: Second-best track on the schedule based on 14.8 average finish; Will make track debut in a Ford; Won the 2006 Labor Day weekend race driving a Dodge; Participated in a Goodyear Tire Test in December.

35.Jimmie Johnson: Winner of the last three fall races; Ninth-place finish in this event last year was one of six consecutive top 10s; Will pilot the same car (chassis No. 553) that won at Indianapolis and Auto Club last year.

Posted : February 18, 2010 3:49 pm

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Auto Club 500 Preview
By Brobury Sports

Bet The Auto Club 500

Sunday’s Auto Club 500 from Fontana, California is the follow-up race to the Daytona 500. BroburySports.com has the latest odds.

Pick a driver and get a big return from BroburySports.

Jamie McMurray is the big story after winning last week’s ‘Great American Race.’ The Daytona champ was followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Greg Biffle. The race was marred by a two-hour delay due to a pothole.

Matt Kenseth won the Auto Club 500 last year as well as in 2006 and 2007. A Ford car has won the last five years. This track is also the site of the Pepsi 500, part of the Chase. Jimmie Johnson won that race the last three years.

This will be a very fast race with no restrictor plates. Handling will also be crucial during the 250 laps.

Some of the movers and shakers for the Sprint Cup titles odds are Jeff Gordon from +800 last week to +600 this week. Kyle Busch went from +800 to +1000. Jimmie Johnson is still the heavy favorite at +300.

Here are the favorites for Sunday’s Auto Club 500 (FOX 3 pm ET). Included is how the drivers have fared at the track overall and the average finish (AF).

Jimmie Johnson (+450) – Four wins, nine Top 5’s and 10 Top 10’s. AF: 5.8

Jeff Gordon (+800) - Three wins, 10 Top 5’s and 10 Top 10’s. AF: 10.5

Kyle Busch (+800) - One win, four Top 5’s and eight Top 10’s. AF: 10.5

Mark Martin (+800) - One win, five Top 5’s and eight Top 10’s. AF: 14.3

Carl Edwards (+1200) - One win, six Top 5’s and 10 Top 10’s. AF: 6.6

Denny Hamlin (+1200) - No wins, one Top 5 and three Top 10’s. AF: 16.9

Greg Biffle (+1200) - One win, four Top 5’s and four Top 10’s. AF: 17.3

Kurt Busch (+1200) - One win, four Top 5’s and seven Top 10’s. AF: 12.6

Tony Stewart (+1200) - No wins, four Top 5’s and nine Top 10’s. AF: 15.2

More Auto Club 500 odds

Kasey Kahne (+1500)
Juan Pablo Montoya (+1500)
Matt Kenseth (+1500) – Three wins at Fontana
Brian Vickers (+2500)
Clint Bowyer (+2500)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (+2500)
Jeff Burton (+2500)
Kevin Harvick (+2500)
David Ragan (+5000)
Joey Logano (+5000)
Ryan Newman (+5000)

Bet on the Auto Club 500 at BroburySports

Posted : February 19, 2010 1:48 pm

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Auto Club 500 Betting Preview and Picks
By Greg Engle

The NASCAR Sprint Cup series heads from one coast to the other for this week’s stop, the second race of the 2010 season.

After spending two weeks in Daytona Beach kicking off the year, Fontana, California near Los Angeles beckons. And according to some, the real racing begins.

"California is the first down-force track that we have and a real good indicator of where people are for the bulk of the season," explained Jimmie Johnson. "It's going to be like the first day of school all over again even though we just went through it in Daytona, but this time it's for a new set of circumstances that we race under."

The two-mile and 1.5-mile tracks that rely more on down force and less on power make up the majority of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule. Those who may have been strong at Daytona, may not be this weekend.

Favorites

Jimmie Johnson: The four-time and reigning champion has to be the favorite heading to California. He has more wins here (four) then any active driver. When he isn't winning at California he's running near the front with an average finish of 5.8. Johnson is the safest bet of the weekend.

Matt Kenseth: Kenseth is the defending winner of this race and should be strong this weekend. He has three wins overall along with seven Top-5 and 11 Top-10 finishes. There's one big variable for Kenseth this week though. The Roush-Fenway organization pulled a surprise move by replacing his crew chief Drew Blickensderfer with veteran Todd Parrott. While the move was a surprise, looking back at Daytona, there were some hints that the Kenseth-Blickensderfer pairing had some tension.

However, history shows that when a driver gets a new crew chief they will usually run strong the first race out of the box. That may not be an indicator of future performance, but look for Kenseth to be at the front of the field Sunday.

Jeff Gordon: He also has three wins here, but has the luxury of having Jimmie Johnson as a teammate at Hendrick Motorsports. That ability to share information with Johnson could help Gordon. His only problem seems to be the inconsistency that he had last season. That single factor kept Gordon from winning more last year and seemed to show at Daytona. If Gordon and the No. 24 crew can get it together and prove that they have found ways to be consistent, Gordon will be a definite threat at California and beyond.

Long shots

Greg Biffle: Biffle finished third at Daytona and has won at California. It's no secret that Roush Racing is always strong at Fontana and Biffle could lead that parade.

Kasey Kahne: Kahne has one win, three Top 5s, seven Top 10s and one pole. In his new Ford, Kahne could be the one who breaks up the Roush-Hendrick dominance.

Mark Martin: Martin also has one win here along with five Top 5s and eight Top-10 finishes. Martin makes no secret of the fact that he hates the restrictor plate racing at Daytona. Now that it's behind him, he could be ready to make some noise.

Head-to-head matchups

Jeff Burton vs. Kevin Harvick: Richard Childress Racing has been working hard on a turnaround for its struggling program. That effort began to show last week in Daytona, but they still have a way to go. Burton has five Top 5s, six Top 10s and an average finish of 17.4 while Harvick has one Top 5, five Top 10s and an average finish of 18.7. While Burton may have the stats, Harvick has the momentum. Look for Harvick to come out on top in this one.

Carl Edwards vs. Denny Hamlin: Edwards has one win here to go with his six Top 5s, 10 Top 10s and one pole, while Hamlin has one Top 5, three Top 10s and one pole as well. Edwards is certainly due for a win but his being “due” may actually be his undoing this weekend. Edwards and his wife Kate are expecting their first child at any time and Roush Racing has hired driver Aric Almirola to sub for him. Should Edwards actually race though the thought of imminent fatherhood, it will no doubt be distraction enough to give the edge to Denny Hamlin.

Kyle Busch vs. Kurt Busch: The brothers Busch both have similar records at California. Kurt has one win, four Top 5s, seven Top 10s and three poles, while younger sibling Kyle also has one win along with four Top 5s, eight Top 10s and one pole. Kurt's stats were amassed during a time when his on-track performance wasn't exactly noteworthy, but being part of the lone Dodge team in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series seems to have given new life to Penske Racing and Kurt appears to be leading that charge. Look for Kurt to give his younger brother lessons this weekend.

Posted : February 19, 2010 10:40 pm

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Daytona 500 champion McMurray takes pole at California

Fontana, CA (Sports Network) - When you're hot, you're hot.

That's how the reigning Daytona 500 champion Jamie McMurray is right now after winning Friday's Sprint Cup Series qualifying at Auto Club Speedway.

McMurray, who was the 25th driver to make his attempt in the 46-car qualifying field, turned a lap around the two-mile oval at 183.744 m.p.h. for his fourth career Cup pole, but his first since June 2007 at Sonoma, CA.

"I feel very blessed that I can be in this position and get to drive these race cars," McMurray said.

After winning last Sunday's Daytona 500, McMurray endured a hectic week with media obligations, including appearances on The Late Show with David Letterman and Live with Regis and Kelly, in New York, and then several other obligations in Los Angeles before heading to the Southern California track for the Auto Club 500.

McMurray made his debut with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing at Daytona. He replaced Martin Truex Jr. in the No.1 Chevrolet at the conclusion of last season.

Juan Pablo Montoya posted a lap at 183.477 m.p.h. to capture the outside pole and give EGR a front row sweep for the first time.

"I got sideways out of [turn] four, and I thought, 'Oh, I'm going to be eighth'," Montoya said. "When I went into one and two, I nailed it. Three, good, I nailed it. Then I'm getting to the fence, and I lost a ton of time."

Clint Bowyer qualified third, followed by Kasey Kahne and Dave Blaney, who was the quickest among those drivers who had to qualify on speed. Blaney's team finished outside the Top-35 in owners' points last year.

Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Sam Hornish Jr., Kyle Busch and Mark Martin completed the top-10. Johnson, the four-time defending Cup champion, has the most victories at California with four. He has won the last three fall races here.

Matt Kenseth, who won at California one year ago, qualified 20th, while NASCAR fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. claimed the 27th starting position.

Casey Mears, Johnny Sauter and Terry Cook failed to qualify.

Sunday's 500-mile race at California is schedule to start around 3:00 p.m. (et).

Posted : February 19, 2010 10:52 pm

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Auto Club 500 Driver Chassis Choice
MotorRacingNetwork.com

3. Greg Biffle: Winner of the 2005 spring race; Finished fourth in this event last year for fourth top 10 in 14 starts; 10.2 average finish in the four races with the COT; Has led 80 laps on 2-mile speedways with the COT; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 673) in the Auto Club 500.

7. Martin Truex Jr.: Will make track debut with Michael Waltrip Racing; Only top 10s (2) in eight starts came with Dale Earnhardt, Inc.; 18.5 average finish in four starts with the COT; Led four laps last fall in last track start in a Chevrolet.

8. Matt Kenseth: Best track on the circuit based on wins (3); Defending race winner; 6.0 average finish in four starts with the COT; Has the best average finish (9.2) among drivers with 15 or more starts; Third in laps led with 468.

11. Mark Martin: 1998 win was one of five top fives in 17 starts; Finished 40th in his track debut with Hendrick Motorsports after engine failure; Finished fourth last October to give him an average finish of 20.0 in three starts with the COT; Won with the COT at Michigan, the other 2-mile track on the circuit; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 523) that won at Michigan last June.

14. Paul Menard: 28.7 average finish in six starts; Has yet to finish inside the top 20; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 683) in the Auto Club 500.

18. Scott Speed: 31.0 average finish in two starts; Finished 21st last fall; Off to best points start in his young Sprint Cup career.

19. Michael Waltrip: Will not compete in this weekend's race.

20. Joey Logano: 20.0 average finish in two starts; Will debut a new car that served as a back-up last year (chassis No. 262) in the Auto Club 500.

21. Bobby Labonte: 23.0 average finish in four starts with COT (two different teams); Will make track debut in the No. 71 Chevrolet; All of his top 10s (5) came with Joe Gibbs racing (1997-2004).

25. Boris Said: Makes first track start since 2005; Has a 30.0 average finish in two starts.

26. Jeff Gordon: Three-time Auto Club winner; Last win came in 2004; Second in laps led with 597; Finished second in both races in 2009; Fifth-best driver rating at 100.3.

28. Bill Elliott: Will not compete in this weekend's race.