Auto Club Speedway
Auto Club 400
By Richard Tix
Last week at Phoenix NASCAR finally got a breath of fresh air when it left the 1.5 mile tracks after back to back weeks at Atlanta and Las Vegas. It was a slow start to the 2015 season with this new car package at the two 1.5 mile tracks and at Auto Club I will be looking at it even more.
One thing was for sure, shorter tracks under 1.5 mile's like Phoenix are still fun under this new car package, even when a driver dominates a race. That's saying a lot for tracks like this because normally when a driver like Harvick dominates it puts the audience to sleep. Yet, I found myself pretty entertained most of the race.
I think that is a hug point that NASCAR should start looking into, and its not the first time I will have been caught saying it: NASCAR needs more short track racing! As long as you have the best drivers in the world you can put almost any car out on the track and have fun races at tracks around one mile or less. It brings NASCAR back to its roots.
Do I want away with 1.5's? No, but I do think some tracks can cut back and only have one date while adding a few smaller tracks (or even another road course). In fact, sometimes these 1.5 mile tracks thrive with only one stop and it leaves people wanting more. Such is the case at times with Auto Club, our next track up on the 2015 season.
One thing was for sure, shorter tracks under 1.5 mile's like Phoenix are still fun under this new car package, even when a driver dominates a race. That's saying a lot for tracks like this because normally when a driver like Harvick dominates it puts the audience to sleep. Yet, I found myself pretty entertained most of the race.
I think that is a hug point that NASCAR should start looking into, and its not the first time I will have been caught saying it: NASCAR needs more short track racing! As long as you have the best drivers in the world you can put almost any car out on the track and have fun races at tracks around one mile or less. It brings NASCAR back to its roots.
Do I want away with 1.5's? No, but I do think some tracks can cut back and only have one date while adding a few smaller tracks (or even another road course). In fact, sometimes these 1.5 mile tracks thrive with only one stop and it leaves people wanting more. Such is the case at times with Auto Club, our next track up on the 2015 season.
(A look back at recent driver results and where they place)
The Good
- Jimmie Johnson- The last two seasons JJ has finished outside the top 10 here, 24th last year and 12th in 2013, but don't let that fool you, he is also a threat to win. From 2007 to 2010 (6 races) JJ ha four wins.
- Carl Edwards- Four straight top 10's for Carl at Auto Club including a 10th last year when RFR was struggling to find power. I think you add that with the fact he is now with JGR and he should have another solid finish.
- Matt Kenseth- Since 2005 Kenseth only has three finishes outside of the top 10 (13th, 30th, and 16th). That's 10 top 10's in 13 starts including 3 wins. His last win was in 2009, but don't count him out to make a run.
- Extra Credit- Kyle Larson
The Middle
- Clint Bowyer- Bowyer seems to go in stretches of top 10's and then stretches of 15+ here. Currently he has been on a three year rough stretch (16th, 35th, and 13th). So, what are you going to get out of Clint? I think he may break back out of his slump and get back into the top 10 category,
The Bad
- Aric Almirola- 7 career starts, 0 top 10's and an average finish of 31.6. That says it all. In all fairness he has had two engine problems at Auto Club that have not helped, but he still only has one top 15 and two top 25's in those 7 starts.
- Brad Keselowski- BK has reached a point in his career that most of his "bad" tracks are starting to go away statistically. Yet, He only has one top 20 finish in 6 career starts (18th) and only 3 top 25's. He doesn't have any finishes above 26th, but something has still been lacking here.
- Matin Truex Jr- In 14 career starts Truex only has 3 top 10's and only one of those has come in the last 9 starts. Last year in his first year with Furniture Row he finished 23, so he will look to improve on those numbers
Track Stats
- Only Jeremy Mayfield and Rusty Wallace are winners here at Auto Club that are not still running (Also, Elliot Sadler is not running full time Cup, to add to the list).
- Manufacturer wins here go Chevy 12, Ford 10, Toyota 2, and Dodge 1
- Until last year Jimmie Johnson is the only driver to win two times in a row here (2009 and 2010). Kyle Busch won back to back in 2014 and 2013.
- Only Jimmie Johnson has won from the Pole in 2008 (24 total races)
- Most career wins here: Jimmie Johnson 5, Jeff Gordon 3, and Matt Kenseth 3
- Most Poles: Denny Hamlin and Kurt Busch tied with 3
- Most Laps Lead in Career: Jimmie Johnson 955 during 20 races.
- Ken Schrader ran 17 races here without a top 10. Highest finish was 14th, twice.
- Matt Kenseth has the most top 10's of current drivers (15). Edwards and Johnson follow with 14.
Auto
Club Speedway
|
|||||
Race
|
Date
|
Cars
|
Winner(s)
|
St
|
Car
|
1997-15
|
6/22/1997
|
42
|
Jeff Gordon
|
3
|
Chevrolet
|
1998-10
|
5/3/1998
|
43
|
Mark Martin
|
3
|
Ford
|
1999-10
|
5/2/1999
|
43
|
Jeff Gordon
|
5
|
Chevrolet
|
2000-10
|
4/30/2000
|
43
|
Jeremy Mayfield
|
24
|
Ford
|
2001-10
|
4/29/2001
|
43
|
Rusty Wallace
|
19
|
Ford
|
2002-10
|
4/28/2002
|
43
|
Jimmie Johnson
|
4
|
Chevrolet
|
2003-10
|
4/27/2003
|
43
|
Kurt Busch
|
16
|
Ford
|
2004-10
|
5/2/2004
|
43
|
Jeff Gordon
|
16
|
Chevrolet
|
2004-25
|
9/5/2004
|
43
|
Elliott Sadler
|
17
|
Ford
|
2005-02
|
2/27/2005
|
43
|
Greg Biffle
|
5
|
Ford
|
2005-25
|
9/4/2005
|
43
|
Kyle Busch
|
25
|
Chevrolet
|
2006-02
|
2/26/2006
|
43
|
Matt Kenseth
|
31
|
Ford
|
2006-25
|
9/3/2006
|
43
|
Kasey Kahne
|
9
|
Dodge
|
2007-02
|
2/25/2007
|
43
|
Matt Kenseth
|
25
|
Ford
|
2007-25
|
9/2/2007
|
43
|
Jimmie Johnson
|
2
|
Chevrolet
|
2008-02
|
2/25/2008
|
43
|
Carl Edwards
|
9
|
Ford
|
2008-25
|
8/31/2008
|
43
|
Jimmie Johnson
|
1
|
Chevrolet
|
2009-02
|
2/22/2009
|
43
|
Matt Kenseth
|
24
|
Ford
|
2009-30
|
10/11/2009
|
43
|
Jimmie Johnson
|
3
|
Chevrolet
|
2010-02
|
2/21/2010
|
43
|
Jimmie Johnson
|
7
|
Chevrolet
|
2010-30
|
10/10/2010
|
43
|
Tony Stewart
|
22
|
Chevrolet
|
2011-05
|
3/27/2011
|
43
|
Kevin Harvick
|
24
|
Chevrolet
|
2012-05
|
3/25/2012
|
43
|
Tony Stewart
|
9
|
Chevrolet
|
2013-05
|
3/24/2013
|
43
|
Kyle Busch
|
4
|
Toyota
|
2014-05
|
3/23/2014
|
43
|
Kyle Busch
|
14
|
Toyota
|
Auto Club Articles:
No comments:
Post a Comment