SM Staff

For the finale of NASCAR’s west coast swing, here is what was surprising and not surprising from Fontana’s 19th annual Auto Club 400.

Following success in the Mini Stock ranks, Brandt Graham is taking the next step of his racing career, moving up to the Lucas Oil Sportsman Cup Series for this upcoming racing season.

Last season, Nick Ledson didn't start off the year the way he wanted, highlighted by a black flag at Sunset Speedway. From there on, Ledson dominated, winning the rest of the events on the schedule to enter the final night tied for the points lead. He would then have another great night, giving him his second career Ontario Legend Series Championship.

So if you haven’t heard, Kevin Harvick is on a pretty decent run. The defending Champion has finished first or second the last seven straight races. The only drivers able to keep up with him this season have been Jimmie Johnson and Joey Logano, and even then both have had problems, with Johnson having a miserable Las Vegas and Logano seemingly hitting a metaphoric wall and fading back in the last quarter of most races.

At the Short Track Night of Champions as part of the Motorama Custom Car and Motorsports Show, Andrew Gresel would be honored with the top spot in the Inside Track Motorsports News/London Recreational Racing Short Track Power Rankings.

The OSCAAR Modifieds have been in existence for three years, and each of those three years, there's been only one champion. Last season, Gary McLean won his third straight OSCAAR Modified Championship and was honored for those accomplishments this past weekend.

Following a solid season that saw him finish second in the OSCAAR Super Late Model Points Standings, Kevin Cornelius would be ranked in the 10th spot for the Inside Track Motorsports News/London Recreational Racing Ontario Short Track Power Rankings. The past Sunset Speedway champion was on hand at the Motorama Custom Car and Motorsports Show to accept the honors.

At the Short Track Night of Champions as part of the Motorama Custom Car and Motorsports Show, Max Beyore was honored as the Ontario Rookie of the Year. The OSCAAR Modified competitor had a great rookie season, finishing second in points while scoring a pair of victories.

As he watched his brothers Geoff and Brett Bodine become more involved with the racing world, Todd Bodine didn't get his chance behind the wheel till he was 19 years old.

In the world of NASCAR, it’s the drivers who typically bask in the glory and fame. Casual fans rarely acknowledge the engineers, and mechanics who build the cars. And they certainly forget the people working in the pits rather quickly. The truth is that pit crews face as much danger as the drivers racing on the track.