Auto Club 400, News, Notes, Stats, ECT.

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Race: Sunday, March 27, 2011 in Fontana, CA

Title Sponsor: Auto Club

Scheduled Green Flag (approx): 3:16pm/et

•NASCAR Pre-race: FOX - 2:30pm/et

•Television Race Coverage: FOX, 3:00pm/et

•In the Booth: Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip, Larry McReynolds

•Pit Reporters: Dick Berggren, Steve Byrnes, Matt Yocum, Krista Voda

•Hollywood Hotel: Chris Myers and Jeff Hammond

•SPEED's NASCAR Raceday Pre-Race Show: 12:30pm/et with John Roberts, Kyle Petty, Kenny Wallace

 

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Track Specifications

Track/Race Length: 2.0 mile D-shaped oval, 200 laps, 400 miles
Superspeedway: 2.0-mile oval 75 feet wide with a 15 foot apron
Banking: turns: 14°; frontstretch 11°; backstretch 3°
Front Stretch: 3,100feet
Back Stretch: 2,500feet
Pit Road: 2,200 feet long with 44 individual pit stalls
Pit Road Speed: 55mph
Pace Car Speed: 60mph
Approx: 1,800 Infield RV spaces
Grandstand seating capacity: 92,000
Opened: 1997

•Race Festivities/Officials:
Grand Marshal: Actor Christian Slater
Command to start engines: Christian Slater
Honorary Starter/Wave Green Flag: Boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard
Invocation:
National Anthem: Richard Marx
Military Flyover: ?

 

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Track Records

•February 2010 Race Winner: #48-Jimmie Johnson, 141.911, started 7th

•October 2010 Race Winner: #14-Tony Stewart, 131.953, started 22nd

•Track Race Record: #24-Jeff Gordon, June 1997, 155.012mph

•Slowest Race Record: #38-Elliott Sadler, Sept 2004, 128.324mph

•Oldest Winner: Rusty Wallace, 44 years, 8 months, 15 days, 4/29/2001

•Youngest Winner: Kyle Busch, 20 years, 4 months, 2 days, 9/4/2005

•Worst Starting Spot to Win: Matt Kenseth, 2/26/2006, started 31st

•February 2010 Pole Sitter: #1-Jamie McMurray, 183.744, finished 17th

•October 2010 Pole Sitter: #1-Jamie McMurray, 185.285, finished 17th

•Track Qualifying Record: #5-Kyle Busch, Feb 2005, 188.425mph

•Oldest Pole Winner: Mike Skinner, 42 years, 10 months, 2 days, 4/30/2000

•Youngest Pole Winner: Kyle Busch, 19 years, 9 months, 25 days, 2/27/2005

 

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The numbers for the Auto Club 400 at Fontana

2 -races won from the front row at Auto Club Speedway; one from the pole
4 -number of drivers that have competed in all 21 races at ACS (Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte and Joe Nemechek)
4 -fewest cautions for a Sprint Cup race at (6/22/97)
8 -number of jet dryers available for track drying during race weekend
9 -most wins by a car owner in previous 21 races (Rick Hendrick)
12 -most cautions (2/24/08)
13 -different winners in previous 21 races
14 -different pole winners
18 -fewest lead changes (twice, most recent 2/26/06)
22 -fewest caution laps (twice, most recent 4/30/00)
33 -most lead changes (2/24/08)
51 -most caution laps (9/5/04)
120 -minutes, the amount of time it takes to dry the 2-mile track after a significant rainfall
188.245 -mph, track qualifying record (Kyle Busch, 1/25/05)
1995 -year track construction began on site of the former Kaiser Steel Mill and completed in 1996
1997 -year first Sprint Cup race held at the track (6/22/97)
2008 -year facility name changed from California Speedway to Auto Club Speedway
BONUS: Although only two tracks currently host NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, 15 California tracks have hosted a total of 129 Sprint Cup races over the years. Riverside International Raceway had the most - 48 - with the last event in 1988. Only Riverside, Ontario Motor Speedway (nine) and the two tracks currently on the Sprint Cup schedule - Auto Club Speedway (21) and Infineon Raceway (22) - have hosted more than six Cup races.

 

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At Auto Club Speedway

Groundbreaking for California Speedway, as Auto Club Speedway was originally known, took place in November 1995.
· The first race at Auto Club Speedway was a NASCAR K&N Pro Series, West race won by Ken Schrader on June 21, 1997.
· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was held on June 22, 1997 and won by Jeff Gordon.
· September 2004 was the first night race at Auto Club Speedway and that also was the first year both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Nationwide Series ran two races in a season there.
· The track name was changed to Auto Club Speedway in February 2008.
· There have been 21 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Auto Club Speedway since the track opened in 1997.
· Four drivers have competed in all 21 races: Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte and Joe Nemechek.
· Joe Nemechek won the pole for the inaugural race in 1997.
· There have been 14 different pole winners, led by Kurt Busch (three). Brian Vickers, Jamie McMurray and Jeff Gordon each have two poles.
· Thirteen different drivers have posted victories. Jimmie Johnson leads all drivers with five wins. Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth each have won three races.
· Hendrick Motorsports has won nine races, more than any other team.
· Ten of the 21 races were won from starting positions outside the top 10; only one has been won from the pole (Jimmie Johnson in 2008). The most prolific starting position is third, with three victories.
· Matt Kenseth won the 2006 spring race from the 31st starting position, the deepest in the field that a race winner has started.
· Two active drivers have averaged a top-10 finish: Jimmie Johnson (5.3) and Carl Edwards (9.2).
· Kyle Busch won his first NASCAR Sprint Cup pole (2/05) and first race (9/05) at Auto Club Speedway.
· Jimmie Johnson won his first NASCAR Sprint Cup race at ASC on April 28, 2002.

 

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Qualifying Fast Facts - Auto Club:

Juan Pablo Montoya won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 15th Annual Auto Club 400 with a lap of 38.992 seconds, 184.653 mph.
This is his sixth pole in 150 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. His last pole was at Talladega Superspeedway in October 2010.
This is his first pole and first top-10 start in 2011.
This is his first pole in nine races at Auto Club Speedway. He has four consecutive top-5 starts including second for last year's spring race.
Denny Hamlin (second) posted his first top-10 start of 2011 and his fifth in 11 races at Auto Club Speedway.
Joey Logano (third) posted his third top-10 start at Auto Club Speedway. It is his third in five races this season.
Andy Lally (38th) was the fastest qualifying rookie.

 

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Fastest Qualifier by Manufacturer:

Chevy: #42-Montoya, 184.653, starts 1st
Dodge: #2-Keselowski, 182.510, starts 21st
Ford: #6-Ragan, 183.692, starts 6th
Toyota: #11-Hamlin, 184.270, starts 2nd

 

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2011 Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:

[after Bristol, race 4 of 36]:
rank, car#, driver, points, behind
1) #22-Kurt Busch 150
2) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win] 149 -1
3) #14-Tony Stewart 138 -12
4) #39-Ryan Newman 138 -12
5) #27-Paul Menard 136 -14
6) #18-Kyle Busch [1 win] 133 -17
7) #48-Jimmie Johnson 130 -20
8) #42-Juan Pablo Montoya 126 -24
9) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. 124 -26
10) #56-Martin Truex Jr. 123 -27
11) #5-Mark Martin 123 -27
12) #4-Kasey Kahne 122 -28

 

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•Starting Lineup

1 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Chevy 184.653 38.992
2 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 184.270 39.073
3 20 Joey Logano Toyota 184.134 39.102
4 78 Regan Smith Chevy 184.030 39.124
5 14 Tony Stewart Chevy 183.988 39.133
6 6 David Ragan Ford 183.692 39.196
7 31 Jeff Burton Chevy 183.622 39.211
8 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 183.482 39.241
9 39 Ryan NewmanChevy 183.463 39.245
10 5 Mark Martin Chevy 183.449 39.248
11 17 Matt Kenseth Ford 183.407 39.257
12 1 Jamie McMurray Chevy 183.243 39.292
13 9 Marcos Ambrose Ford 183.127 39.317
14 00 David Reutimann Toyota 183.113 39.320
15 27 Paul Menard Chevy 182.950 39.355
16 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevy 182.931 39.359
17 33 Clint Bowyer Chevy 182.899 39.366
18 99 Carl Edwards Ford 182.797 39.388
19 83 Brian Vickers Toyota 182.658 39.418
20 43 A J Allmendinger Ford 182.519 39.448
21 2 Brad Keselowski Dodge 182.510 39.450
22 4 Kasey Kahne Toyota 182.366 39.481
23 22 Kurt Busch Dodge 182.039 39.552
24 29 Kevin Harvick Chevy 181.910 39.580
25 13 Casey Mears Toyota 181.855 39.592
26 56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 181.809 39.602
27 21 Trevor Bayne Ford 181.804 39.603
28 09 Landon Cassill Chevy 181.694 39.627
29 24 Jeff Gordon Chevy 181.671 39.632
30 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevy 181.534 39.662
31 36 Dave Blaney Chevy 180.936 39.793
32 16 Greg Biffle Ford 180.786 39.826
33 66 Michael McDowell Toyota 180.605 39.866
34 47 Bobby Labonte Toyota 180.338 39.925
35 7 Robby Gordon Dodge 180.279 39.938
36 38 Travis Kvapil Ford 180.014 39.997
37 34 David Gilliland Ford 179.699 40.067
38 71 Andy Lally Chevy 178.958 40.233
39 32 Ken Schrader Ford 177.940 40.463
40 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 177.659 40.527
41 60 Todd Bodine Toyota 176.557 40.780
42 37 Tony Raines Ford 175.653 40.990
43 46 J J Yeley Chevy 0.000 0.000

 

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To the Back:

•To the Back: #46-Yeley (engine change)

 

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Pit Stall Selections

 

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NSCS Practice 1

1 00 David Reutimann Toyota 186.143 38.680 184.360
2 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 184.886 38.943 184.011
3 16 Greg Biffle Ford 184.658 38.991 182.606
4 2 Brad Keselowski Dodge 184.625 38.998 182.269
5 1 Jamie McMurray Chevy 183.983 39.134 181.395
6 4 Kasey Kahne Toyota 183.824 39.168 181.968
7 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Chevy 183.739 39.186 182.516
8 83 Brian Vickers Toyota 183.702 39.194 181.806
9 17 Matt Kenseth Ford 183.645 39.206 182.355
10 5 Mark Martin Chevy 183.622 39.211 182.654
11 20 Joey Logano Toyota 183.402 39.258 181.954
12 39 Ryan Newman Chevy 183.379 39.263 182.661
13 14 Tony Stewart Chevy 183.379 39.263 182.447
14 6 David Ragan Ford 183.355 39.268 181.487
15 33 Clint Bowyer Chevy 183.011 39.342 179.304
16 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevy 182.825 39.382 180.866
17 99 Carl Edwards Ford 182.597 39.431 181.850
18 7 Robby Gordon Dodge 182.588 39.433 180.015
19 31 Jeff Burton Chevy 182.445 39.464 181.674
20 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevy 182.237 39.509 181.055
21 27 Paul Menard Chevy 182.200 39.517 180.855
22 43 A J Allmendinger Ford 182.172 39.523 181.114
23 09 Landon Cassill Chevy 182.053 39.549 181.080
24 56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 181.997 39.561 180.679
25 78 Regan Smith Chevy 181.974 39.566 181.578
26 24 Jeff Gordon Chevy 181.887 39.585 179.612
27 21 Trevor Bayne Ford 181.850 39.593 180.370
28 29 Kevin Harvick Chevy 181.827 39.598 180.659
29 22 Kurt Busch Dodge 181.644 39.638 180.476
30 9 Marcos Ambrose Ford 181.539 39.661 180.585
31 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 180.293 39.935 180.293
32 38 Travis Kvapil Ford 180.135 39.970 179.692
33 36 Dave Blaney Chevy 180.126 39.972 177.690
34 46 J J Yeley Chevy 179.757 40.054 178.417
35 47 Bobby Labonte Toyota 179.735 40.059 179.307
36 71 Andy Lally Chevy 179.587 40.092 176.163
37 13 Casey Mears Toyota 178.864 40.254 178.058
38 32 Ken Schrader Ford 178.470 40.343 177.410
39 34 David Gilliland Ford 177.910 40.470 177.815
40 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 177.340 40.600 177.340
41 60 Todd Bodine Toyota 177.000 40.678 175.428
42 66 Michael McDowell Toyota 177.000 40.678 177.000
43 37 Tony Raines Ford 175.743 40.969 175.605

 

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NSCS Practice 2

1 29 Kevin Harvick Chevy 181.146 39.747 177.443
2 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 180.841 39.814 175.738
3 99 Carl Edwards Ford 180.591 39.869 177.757
4 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 180.307 39.932 176.603
5 24 Jeff Gordon Chevy 180.212 39.953 177.352
6 14 Tony Stewart Chevy 180.198 39.956 176.213
7 5 Mark Martin Chevy 180.099 39.978 177.422
8 31 Jeff Burton Chevy 180.054 39.988 176.131
9 16 Greg Biffle Ford 180.027 39.994 175.854
10 9 Marcos Ambrose Ford 179.730 40.060 176.458
11 17 Matt Kenseth Ford 179.690 40.069 176.442
12 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevy 179.435 40.126 176.307
13 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevy 179.417 40.130 176.844
14 78 Regan Smith Chevy 179.345 40.146 175.970
15 39 Ryan Newman Chevy 179.310 40.154 176.932
16 56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 179.305 40.155 176.593
17 20 Joey Logano Toyota 179.203 40.178 176.565
18 83 Brian Vickers Toyota 179.015 40.220 176.700
19 27 Paul Menard Chevy 178.926 40.240 177.152
20 33 Clint Bowyer Chevy 178.886 40.249 177.185
21 43 A J Allmendinger Ford 178.855 40.256 176.442
22 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Chevy 178.833 40.261 176.649
23 6 David Ragan Ford 178.629 40.307 176.003
24 22 Kurt Busch Dodge 178.434 40.351 175.554
25 4 Kasey Kahne Toyota 178.394 40.360 176.879
26 21 Trevor Bayne Ford 178.284 40.385 175.947
27 2 Brad Keselowski Dodge 178.266 40.389 174.895
28 47 Bobby Labonte Toyota 178.183 40.408 175.517
29 1 Jamie McMurray Chevy 178.024 40.444 176.430
30 00 David Reutimann Toyota 177.918 40.468 174.695
31 09 Landon Cassill Chevy 177.200 40.632 174.152
32 13 Casey Mears Toyota 176.770 40.731 175.607
33 36 Dave Blaney Chevy 176.765 40.732 174.441
34 66 Michael McDowell Toyota 176.164 40.871 176.164
35 46 J J Yeley Chevy 176.112 40.883 175.586
36 7 Robby Gordon Dodge 175.541 41.016 173.299
37 60 Todd Bodine Toyota 175.246 41.085 174.194
38 32 Ken Schrader Ford 175.059 41.129 174.079
39 71 Andy Lally Chevy 174.961 41.152 172.791
40 38 Travis Kvapil Ford 174.804 41.189 172.640
41 34 David Gilliland Ford 174.723 41.208 173.089
42 37 Tony Raines Ford 171.940 41.875 170.764

 

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NSCS Practice 2 Best 10 Consecutive Lap Average

Rank Car# Driver From Lap To Lap Avg Speed Overall Rank
1 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1 10 177.941 13
2 39 Ryan Newman 19 28 177.829 15
3 33 Clint Bowyer 1 10 177.712 20
4 48 Jimmie Johnson 1 10 177.700 12
5 14 Tony Stewart 1 10 177.639 6
6 18 Kyle Busch 1 10 177.561 4
7 27 Paul Menard 1 10 177.398 19
8 5 Mark Martin 20 29 177.297 7
9 43 A J Allmendinger 1 10 177.253 21
10 31 Jeff Burton 20 29 176.494 8
11 83 Brian Vickers 6 15 176.054 18
12 11 Denny Hamlin 18 27 175.346 2
13 2 Brad Keselowski 17 26 174.563 27

 

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NSCS Final Practice (Happy Hour)

1 6 David Ragan Ford 180.973 39.785 176.946
2 14 Tony Stewart Chevy 180.800 39.823 177.059
3 99 Carl Edwards Ford 180.691 39.847 177.044
4 5 Mark Martin Chevy 180.659 39.854 177.538
5 24 Jeff Gordon Chevy 180.320 39.929 176.883
6 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 180.207 39.954 176.937
7 33 Clint Bowyer Chevy 180.036 39.992 173.120
8 27 Paul Menard Chevy 179.933 40.015 173.591
9 21 Trevor Bayne Ford 179.901 40.022 177.198
10 31 Jeff Burton Chevy 179.829 40.038 176.859
11 39 Ryan Newman Chevy 179.538 40.103 176.290
12 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 179.323 40.151 176.405
13 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevy 179.274 40.162 177.223
14 4 Kasey Kahne Toyota 179.198 40.179 176.547
15 17 Matt Kenseth Ford 179.158 40.188 176.453
16 83 Brian Vickers Toyota 179.109 40.199 176.998
17 1 Jamie McMurray Chevy 179.015 40.220 176.460
18 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevy 178.966 40.231 177.152
19 13 Casey Mears Toyota 178.922 40.241 175.156
20 2 Brad Keselowski Dodge 178.811 40.266 175.439
21 29 Kevin Harvick Chevy 178.771 40.275 176.570
22 43 A J Allmendinger Ford 178.638 40.305 176.064
23 78 Regan Smith Chevy 178.545 40.326 175.644
24 16 Greg Biffle Ford 178.527 40.330 176.075
25 56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 178.470 40.343 176.590
26 20 Joey Logano Toyota 178.399 40.359 176.255
27 00 David Reutimann Toyota 178.355 40.369 175.933
28 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Chevy 178.138 40.418 175.904
29 9 Marcos Ambrose Ford 177.976 40.455 175.245
30 22 Kurt Busch Dodge 177.651 40.529 175.202
31 66 Michael McDowell Toyota 177.524 40.558 176.357
32 47 Bobby Labonte Toyota 177.192 40.634 174.972
33 34 David Gilliland Ford 176.691 40.749 177.296
34 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 176.406 40.815 175.421
35 36 Dave Blaney Chevy 176.388 40.819 174.407
36 09 Landon Cassill Chevy 176.082 40.890 174.362
37 7 Robby Gordon SPEED Energy/Food 4 Less Dodge 175.949 40.921 174.815
38 71 Andy Lally Chevy 175.683 40.983 173.861
39 46 J J Yeley Chevy 175.653 40.990 174.609
40 38 Travis Kvapil Ford 175.212 41.093 173.168
41 32 Ken Schrader Ford 174.897 41.167 176.728
42 60 Todd Bodine Toyota 174.613 41.234 171.966
43 37 Tony Raines Ford 173.369 41.530 172.384

 

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NSCS Final Practice (Happy Hour) Best 10 Consecutive Lap Average

Rank Car# Driver From Lap To Lap Avg Speed Overall Rank
1 14 Tony Stewart 1 10 177.794 2
2 33 Clint Bowyer 1 10 177.779 7
3 48 Jimmie Johnson 14 23 177.616 13
4 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1 10 177.348 18
5 31 Jeff Burton 1 10 177.305 10
6 24 Jeff Gordon 19 28 176.895 5
7 11 Denny Hamlin 25 34 176.871 12
8 56 Martin Truex Jr. 25 34 176.650 25
9 18 Kyle Busch 20 29 176.603 6
10 27 Paul Menard 15 24 176.524 8
11 39 Ryan Newman 30 39 176.486 11
12 20 Joey Logano 1 10 176.445 26
13 42 Juan Pablo Montoya 11 20 176.389 28
14 13 Casey Mears 22 31 176.122 19
15 00 David Reutimann 11 20 175.539 27
16 9 Marcos Ambrose 23 32 175.415 29
17 78 Regan Smith 23 32 175.213 23
18 22 Kurt Busch 14 23 175.205 30
19 47 Bobby Labonte 18 27 175.188 32
20 34 David Gilliland 8 17 175.072 33

 

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Goodyear Tires Notes / Fast Facts

Tire: Goodyear Eagle Speedway Radials

Number of Tires:
Sprint Cup: Left-side -- 1,350, Right-side -- 1,350;
Nationwide: Left-side -- 525, Right-side -- 525

Set limits:
Sprint Cup: 5 sets for practice/qualifying, 11 sets for race;
Nationwide: 6 sets for weekend

Tire Codes: Left-side -- D-4382; Right-side -- D-4408

Tire Circumference: Left-side -- 87.2 in.; Right-side -- 88.4 in.

Technical Inspection Inflation:
Left Front -- 30 psi; Left Rear -- 30 psi;
Right Front -- 48 psi; Right Rear -- 45 psi

Minimum Recommended Inflation:
Left Front -- 22 psi; Left Rear -- 20 psi;
Right Front -- 45 psi; Right Rear -- 42 psi

Estimated Pit Window: Every 42-44 laps, based on fuel mileage (Sprint Cup).

Notes: Teams in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series will run the same tire codes at California this weekend . . . teams in the Sprint Cup Series ran this left-side tire code at California last season, but with a slightly different right-side code . . . compared to what was run at this track last season, this right-side features just a minor construction change . . . Sprint Cup teams will also run this same combination of left- and right-side tires at Kansas in June . . . for Nationwide teams, these are two different tire codes than they ran at California in 2010 . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required to run inner liners in all four tire positions at California . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire.

 

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Some Chassis Selections by Teams for this race

#1-Jamie McMurray: Crew Chief Kevin "Bono" Manion and the #1 Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats team are bringing chassis #1016 to Auto Club Speedway this weekend. This is the same chassis that gave McMurray his second pole at Fontana in 2010.
#2-Brad Keselowski: The #2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger team will use chassis PRS-743 during Sunday's Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway (ACS). This is a brand new chassis to the #2 team.
#6-David Ragan: Primary: RK-744 Brand new chassis; Backup: RK-695 Last ran Phoenix in 2010 as the No. 99 - finished first
#9-Marcos Ambrose: The #9 RPM team has prepared chassis No. 743 for the 400-mile race at Auto Club Speedway. This DEWALT Ford Fusion is brand new.
#14-Tony Stewart: Chassis No. 14-564: This car debuted at Texas in November 2009, where it delivered a strong performance by qualifying fourth and finishing sixth. The 2009 season finale at Homestead-Miami marked the car's second career start. There, it qualified fifth and led twice for 43 laps before two separate on-track incidents with Juan Pablo Montoya relegated it to a 22nd-place finish. It saw action during the offseason when it was used for a Goodyear tire test at Texas Jan. 19-20. Chassis No. 14-564 returned to competition in February at Auto Club Speedway where in the second race of the 2010 campaign, it started 16th and finished ninth. It returned to Texas in April for its fourth career start, where it qualified on the pole and led five times for 74 laps before a late-race accident relegated it to an undeserved 32nd-place finish. It was repaired and fitted with a new body for the series' June stop at Michigan, where it qualified 17th and finished a solid fifth. It sat idle until it returned to Michigan for the series' August visit to the 2-mile oval, qualifying fourth and leading three times for 36 laps before finishing sixth. The October race at Fontana marked Chassis No. 14-564's seventh career start and second at Fontana, and there it delivered Stewart's 39th career Sprint Cup win and his first at Fontana. Stewart led three times for 27 laps - all in the last 51 tours around the 2-mile oval - to score his second win of 2010. The same car returned to action in November at Texas, where it qualified 11th and 500 miles later finished 11th. With a new body honed in the wind tunnel, Chassis No. 14-564 gets its first start of 2011 and the ninth of its career at Fontana.
#17-Matt Kenseth: Primary: RK-707 (last raced at Texas Nov. 2010)
#20-Joey Logano: The #20 Home Depot Team is taking chassis #287 for Logano this weekend for the Auto Club 400. The team raced this chassis to a seventh-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October and to a fourth-place finish at Texas in November. The back-up chassis is chassis #284 which Logano drove last year at Auto Club Speedway to an 11th-place finish and at Phoenix in November to third.
#22-Kurt Busch The Penske Racing "Double-Deuce" Dodge Charger carrying the Auto Club colors this weekend is the "PRS-746" chassis. This is a brand new car and could be considered as a "carbon copy" of the "PRS-744" that Busch raced three weeks ago at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The "PRS-738" (car last raced at Phoenix) will serve as the backup this weekend at Fontana.
#27-Paul Menard will pilot Chassis #347 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This #27 Chevy is a brand new addition to the RCR fleet, and will see its first laps on the race track during Friday's practice session at the Fontana, Calif.-based race track.
#29-Kevin Harvick: will race chassis #299 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. Harvick drove this Chevy to a second-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2010.
#31-Jeff Burton will pilot chassis #348 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This is a brand new Caterpillar Chevy that will be put through its first paces of competition this weekend.
#33-Clint Bowyer: will pilot chassis #333 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This is a brand new #33 Chevy that will turn its first laps on the track in Fontana this weekend.
#36-Dave Blaney: Blaney will pilot chassis No. 910, which is a brand new chassis that was built in the off-season.
#42-Juan Pablo Montoya: Brian Pattie and the #42 Target team are bringing chassis #1103 Auto Club Speedway this weekend. This is a brand new chassis.
#43-A.J. Allmendinger: The #43 Richard Petty Motorsports team has prepared chassis No. 742 for this weekend's event at Auto Club Speedway. This is a brand new Best Buy Ford.
#99-Carl Edwards: RK-739 - New chassis.

 

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Unofficial 2011 Owners Points - for first five races

1 48 Jimmie Johnson Jeff Gordon 6,622 36
2 11 Denny Hamlin J D Gibbs 6,583 36
3 29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress 6,581 36
4 99 Carl Edwards Jack Roush 6,393 36
5 17 Matt Kenseth John Henry 6,294 36
6 16 Greg Biffle Jack Roush 6,247 36
7 14 Tony Stewart Margaret Haas 6,221 36
8 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs 6,182 36
9 24 Jeff Gordon Rick Hendrick 6,176 36
10 33 Clint Bowyer Richard Childress 6,155 36
11 22 [was 2] Kurt Busch Walter Czarnecki 6,142 36
12 31 Jeff Burton Richard Childress 6,033 36
13 5 Mark Martin Mary Hendrick 4,364 36
14 1 Jamie McMurray Teresa Earnhardt 4,325 36
15 39 Ryan Newman Tony Stewart 4,302 36
16 20 Joey Logano Joe Gibbs 4,185 36
17 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Chip Ganassi 4,118 36
18 00 David Reutimann Rob Kauffman 4,024 36
19 43 A J Allmendinger Richard Petty 3,998 36
20 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Rick Hendrick 3,953 36
21 9 Marcos Ambrose Richard Petty 3,948 36
22 56 Martin Truex Jr. Michael Waltrip 3,916 36
23 71 [was 98] Andy Lally Richard Petty 3,776 36
24 6 David Ragan John Henry 3,599 36
25 83 Brian Vickers Dietrich Mateschitz 3,502 36
26 2 [was 12] Brad Keselowski Roger Penske 3,485 36
27 47 Bobby Labonte Tad Geschickter 3,422 36
28 21 [was 19] Trevor Bayne Richard Petty 3,234 36
29 78 Regan Smith Barney Vissar 3,229 36
30 77 Steven Wallace Roger Penske 3,214 36
31 4 [was 82] Kasey Kahne Dietrich Mateschitz 3,178 36
32 7 Robby Gordon Robby Gordon 2,587 36
33 34 [was 37] David Gilliland Bob Jenkins 2,579 36
34 37 [was 34] Robert Richardson Jr. Bob Jenkins 2,564 36
35 27 [was 71] Paul Menard Thomas Pumpelly 2,549 36
36 38 Travis Kvapil Bob Jenkins 2,454 36
37 26 unknown plans Bill Jenkins 2,329 36
38 13 Casey Mears Bob Germain 1,994 36
39 09 Bill Elliott [PC2] James Finch 1,889 36
40 36 Dave Blaney Tommy Baldwin 1,737 36
41 87 Joe Nemechek Andrea Nemechek 1,510 36
42 46 J.J. Yeley Dusty Whitney 1,393 36
43 55 not running Randy Humphrey 1,281 34
44 66 Michael DcDowell Phil Parsons 1,241 36
45 19 [was 21] closed Glen Wood 1,176 13
46 64 Derrike Cope Larry Gunselman 873 24
47 32 not running Cup Ralph Braun 389 11
48 90 Scott Riggs Raymond Key 304 7
49 10 Terry Labonte [PC] William Stavola 201 3
50 81 unknown plans Dusty Whitney 151 4
53 15 [was 51] Michael Waltrip Michael Waltrip 109 1
54 92 Brian Keselowski Brian Keselowski 61 4
55 02 Brandon Ash Kenneth Wood 53 2
56 97 Kevin Conway Andrea Nemechek 35 2
63 57 Norm Benning Norm Benning 4 1
new
team 32 Terry Labonte [PC1]
Mike Skinner Frankie Stoddard 0 0
new
team 60 Todd Bodine Bob Germain 0 0
new
team 95 David Starr Bob Leavine 0 0

 

[wvafan3]

opening odds

6601 jimmie johnson 5/2
6602 carl edwards 3/1
6603 jeff gordon 4/1
6604 kyle busch 5/1
6605 kurt busch 8/1
6606 tony stewart 10/1
6607 denny hamlin 10/1
6608 kevin harvick 12/1
6609 clint bowyer 15/1
6610 matt kenseth 15/1
6611 greg biffle 20/1
6612 jamie mcmurray 20/1
6613 joey logano 20/1
6614 mark martin 20/1
6615 juan montoya 30/1
6616 jeff burton 30/1
6617 kasey kahne 30/1
6618 dale earnhardt jr 30/1
6619 ryan newman 40/1
6620 david reutimann 40/1
6621 brian vickers 50/1
6622 martin truex jr 60/1
6623 david ragan 75/1
6624 aj allmendinger 100/1
6625 brad keselowski 100/1
6626 paul menard 100/1
6627 marcos ambrose 150/1
6628 bobby labonte 150/1
6629 regan smith 200/1
6630 field - all others 40/1