While tires were the name of the game in the Auto Club 500, some of the rookies were able to avoid trouble while others were bitten with a poor finish. Still, improvement was showcased across the board.
It seems like after the fifth race, you start to get a solid perspective of who has the hot hand, and who is currently falling flat. Although we haven't had a driver win twice yet, there are a few drivers who's consistency has rewarded them. On the contrary, some of the sport's top drivers have been falling flat due to their lackluster performances of 2014.
Despite making contact with the wall early on in the Treatmyclot.300, Nationwide Series rookie Chase Elliott was able to finish sixth for his fourth straight top 10 finish.
There are days when we don't even discuss the tire as we focus on the racing. Then there's days like this past Sunday at Auto Club Speedway when the tire becomes the discussion. Many drivers had a problem with the tires throughout the course of the race.
I must admit I was rather surprised to learn that The Great Gonzo, of Muppets fame, was named to be the Grand Marshall for the Auto Club 400. I found myself asking: "seriously? A Muppet puppet is going to give the command to start engines?
Okay, everyone from Goodyear engineers, NASCAR officials, crew chiefs, car chiefs, drivers, the media and the fans have had some time to digest the issue of tire wear that was presented during last Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at the Auto Club Speedway.
When it comes to watching NASCAR racing at the Auto Club Speedway, sometimes you have to be patient and wait until the waning laps of the event in order to witness the drama unfold.
Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) reassured their dominance in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series on Sunday at Fontana after team owner, Tony Stewart finished fifth and first-year SHR driver Kurt Busch placed third.
Ryan Preece, driver of the No. 60 RFK Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse, is currently in a battle to qualify for the NASCAR Cup Series Chase, which will begin at Darlington Raceway on Sept. 6.
It was just three years ago that one of the sport’s most iconic venues, North Wilkesboro Speedway, was revived to welcome NASCAR back to its hallowed grounds.
