Saturday, February 20, 2010

California Auto Club 500 Driver Chassis Choice

by Jeff Wackerlin
MotorRacingNetwork.com

1. Jamie McMurray: 24.5 average finish in four starts with the COT; 22.1 average finish in last eight starts with Roush Fenway; Will make first track start with Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing since 2005; Posted an average finish of 7.2 in his five starts with Ganassi (2003-2005); Will debut a new car (chassis No. 31) in the Auto Club 500.


2. Dale Earnhardt Jr: 22.1 average finish is worst among all ovals on the schedule in which he's made more than 10 starts; 28.8 average finish (all with COT) in four starts with Hendrick Motorsports; Last of four top 10s came in the 2007 Labor Day race with Dale Earnhardt, Inc.; Does have one win at Michigan, the other 2-mile track on the circuit; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 578) in the Auto Club 500; Off to best points start since joining Hendrick Motorsports.

3. Greg Biffle: Winner of the 2005 spring race; Finished fourth in this event last year for fourth top 10 in 14 starts; 10.2 average finish in the four races with the COT; Has led 80 laps on 2-mile speedways with the COT; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 673) in the Auto Club 500.

4. Clint Bowyer: 14.2 average finish in four starts with the COT; Coming off fourth top 10 with a ninth-place finish last October; Has yet to finish outside the top 20 in eight starts; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 257) that finished sixth at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October and seventh at Texas Motor Speedway in November.

5. Kevin Harvick: A crash in 2009 hindered his 15.0 average finish in four starts with the COT; Has finished in the top 10 in three of his last four starts; Will race the same car (chassis No. 288) that last finished third at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2009.

6. David Reutimann: 16.0 average finish in four starts with the COT; Only top 10 in six starts came in the 2008 Labor Day weekend race; Off to best points start with Michael Waltrip racing; Will become the first Toyota driver to make 100 starts.

7. Martin Truex Jr.: Will make track debut with Michael Waltrip Racing; Only top 10s (2) in eight starts came with Dale Earnhardt, Inc.; 18.5 average finish in four starts with the COT; Led four laps last fall in last track start in a Chevrolet.

8. Matt Kenseth: Best track on the circuit based on wins (3); Defending race winner; 6.0 average finish in four starts with the COT; Has the best average finish (9.2) among drivers with 15 or more starts; Third in laps led with 468.

9. Juan Pablo Montoya: 13.5 average finish in four starts with the COT; Coming off first top 10 in six starts with a third-place run; Led 78 laps last fall; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 906) in the Auto Club 500.

10. Carl Edwards: 5.0 average finish in four starts with the COT; Has finished seventh or better in 10 of his 11 starts; Won this event in 2008 after leading 64 laps; Will be driving the same car that posted finishes of sixth and seventh, respectively at Auto Club and Homestead in 2009.

11. Mark Martin: 1998 win was one of five top fives in 17 starts; Finished 40th in his track debut with Hendrick Motorsports after engine failure; Finished fourth last October to give him an average finish of 20.0 in three starts with the COT; Won with the COT at Michigan, the other 2-mile track on the circuit; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 523) that won at Michigan last June.

12. Jeff Burton: 22.8 average finish in four starts with the COT; Last top 10s with Richard Childress Racing came in 2007 when he finished fourth in both races; Has only four career laps led on 2-mile speedways with the COT; Hopes to turn around recent luck at ACS with a new chassis (No. 291).

13. Kyle Busch: 9.5 average finish in four starts with the COT; Those four starts are his only with Joe Gibbs Racing; Won the Labor Day weekend race with Hendrick Motorsports; Win was the start of eight consecutive top 10s; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 265) that has been tested in the wind tunnel.

14. Paul Menard: 28.7 average finish in six starts; Has yet to finish inside the top 20; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 683) in the Auto Club 500.

15. David Ragan: Best track on the schedule based on 13.2 average finish; 12.8 average finish in four starts with the COT; Coming off first top 10 with a seventh-place finish last fall; Will pilot the same car (chassis No. 617) that finished 33rd at Charlotte as the No. 26.

16. Brian Vickers: 15.5 average finish in four starts with the COT; Won the pole and finished 10th in this event last year; Has yet to lead a lap with the COT; Best finish (third) came with Hendrick Motorsports in 2005.

17. Denny Hamlin: 21.8 average finish in four starts with the COT; Won the pole last fall, but finished 37th after a crash; Only top five (third) came in the 2008 Labor Day weekend race; Finished sixth in this event last year to help his average finish of 16.9 in eight starts; Will pilot the same car (chassis No. 256) that last raced in Charlotte during the 2009 Chase when engine troubles relegated him to a 42nd-place finish.

18. Scott Speed: 31.0 average finish in two starts; Finished 21st last fall; Off to best points start in his young Sprint Cup career.

19. Michael Waltrip: Will not compete in this weekend's race.

20. Joey Logano: 20.0 average finish in two starts; Will debut a new car that served as a back-up last year (chassis No. 262) in the Auto Club 500.

21. Bobby Labonte: 23.0 average finish in four starts with COT (two different teams); Will make track debut in the No. 71 Chevrolet; All of his top 10s (5) came with Joe Gibbs racing (1997-2004).

22. Kurt Busch: 16.2 average finish in four starts with the COT; Has finished ninth or better in four of his eight starts with Penske Racing; Finished fifth and eighth, respectively, in 2009; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 704) that was used in a Goodyear Tire Test at Texas.

23. Tony Stewart: 10.5 average finish in four starts with the COT; Posted an average finish of 6.5 in the two races with Stewart-Haas; Best finish is a pair of fourth-place runs with Joe Gibbs Racing back in 1999 and 2001; Will pilot the same car (chassis No. 564) that finished sixth at Texas last fall.

24. Elliott Sadler: Won the 2004 Labor Day weekend race after leading 59 laps in a Yates Racing Ford; Will make first track start in a Ford since 2006; Last top 10 came in 2005; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 283) in the Auto Club 500.

25. Boris Said: Makes first track start since 2005; Has a 30.0 average finish in two starts.

26. Jeff Gordon: Three-time Auto Club winner; Last win came in 2004; Second in laps led with 597; Finished second in both races in 2009; Fifth-best driver rating at 100.3.

27. Robby Gordon: Has yet to finish inside the top 15 in 10 starts in the No. 7 car; Only top 10 (ninth) came with Richard Childress Racing in 2004; Has a 31.5 average finish in the four races with the COT.

28. Bill Elliott: Will not compete in this weekend's race.

29. Travis Kvapil: Makes track debut in the No. 34 Ford; Posted an average finish of 27.3 in previous three starts with Yates Racing; 18th-place finish in this event last year is best in six starts.

30. Kasey Kahne: Second-best track on the schedule based on 14.8 average finish; Will make track debut in a Ford; Won the 2006 Labor Day weekend race driving a Dodge; Participated in a Goodyear Tire Test in December.

35.Jimmie Johnson: Winner of the last three fall races; Ninth-place finish in this event last year was one of six consecutive top 10s; Will pilot the same car (chassis No. 553) that won at Indianapolis and Auto Club last year.

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