Tires, man. That was the story of the race at Fontana. If one was conservative in their set up, like those owned by Joe Gibbs, all was well. If not…well, they blew it.
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.
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.
