The craziness started before the green flag flew to get today’s Auto Club 400 from Auto Club Speedway underway. J.D. Gibbs announced about 30 minutes prior to the command to fire engines that Denny Hamlin wouldn’t race due to a sinus infection that affected his vision.
Patrick Staropoli concluded all murmurs about him winning the PEAK Stock Car Dream Challenge was a fluke, and further ended any discussion of him not capable of performing well.
After getting close to winning last year, Kyle Larson would hold off Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch in an exciting finish to win the Treatmyclot.com 300 at Auto Club Speedway for his first career Nationwide Series victory.
When Brian Vickers hits the track for the race on Sunday, he won't just be racing for a good finish - he'll be raising awareness about blood clots. Vickers will be driving a special No. 55 TREATMYCLOT.com/Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota in the Auto Club 500 this weekend.
A Joe Gibbs Racing car took the pole for the TreatMyClot.com 300, but it's not the Toyota that you're thinking. This week, it was Elliott Sadler putting his No. 11 Sport Clips Toyota on the pole for his 16th career pole award.
There are some instances where it is actually difficult to pick a definitive favorite to win the race. This is not the case with the Auto Club 400. Jimmie Johnson has won four of the last 10 races at his home track, and five overall including his first victory back in 2002.
Denny Hamlin had an eventful final corner at Auto Club Speedway last season, to say the least. Him and Joey Logano – who had a dispute the week before at Bristol – battled the entire white flag lap for the win, but eventually touched putting Hamlin into the inside wall, Logano into the outside wall, and sending Kyle Busch to victory lane.
So far this year, Trevor Bayne is off to a solid start with finishes of third, seventh and a pair of eighth place finishes in the Nationwide Series. For the driver of the No. 6 AdoCare Ford Mustang, it's an okay start to a year - but at least it's consistent.
Ryan Newman’s short tenure with Richard Childress Racing has been acceptable, and while winning a race would almost guarantee them a Chase berth, the No. 31 team continues to bank on consistent finishes and reliable results to be granted a spot in this year’s Chase – however, they’re holding a free and loose attitude heading to Auto Club Speedway this weekend.
Once you reach that point, exploring options for fast cash for junk cars in Rhode Island may feel like the simplest way to move on from a vehicle you no longer use.
Kyle Larson is back to try to add another O’Reilly Series victory to his resume and will be driving the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet entry when the green flag drops Saturday night at The Last Great Colosseum.
