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| Stewart rolling out the same car this week that won at Fontana last year |
2. Carl Edwards: 11.2 average finish in the six races with the COT; 13th-place finish this event last year ended a streak of five consecutive top 10s; Won the 2008 February race after leading 64 laps; 15.5 average finish on 2-mile speedways in 2010; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 739) in the Auto Club 400.
3. Tony Stewart: Coming off first win in 19 starts; Third-best average finish (8.7) in the six races with the COT; Led all drivers with a 5.3 average finish on 2-mile speedways in 2010; will return in the same car (chassis No. 564) that he went to victory lane in last fall at Auto Club Speedway.
4. Ryan Newman: Coming off fifth top-10 in 16 starts; Engine failure in this event last year raised his finishing average to 21.0 in four starts with Stewart-Haas; 18.3 average finish in the six races with the COT; 24.0 average finish on 2-mile speedways in 2010.
5. Paul Menard: Has yet to post a top-10 in eight starts; Best finish came in this event last year in 18th; Will make first track start with Richard Childress Racing; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 347) in the Auto Club 400.
6. Kyle Busch: 14.5 average finish in six starts with Joe Gibbs Racing; Won the Labor Day Race with Hendrick Motorsports in 2005; Led 11 laps and finished 14th in this event last year; Fourth-best driver rating in the past 12 races; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 289) in the Auto Club 400.
7. Jimmie Johnson: Won this event last year after leading 101 laps; Won three straight races in the fall from 2007-2009; Leads all drivers in average finish (5.3) and laps led (846); Best driver rating in the past 12 races; Best average finish (2.8) in the six races with the COT; Second-best average finish (5.5) on 2-mile speedways in 2010; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 650) in the Auto Club 400.
8. Juan Pablo Montoya: One top-10 in eight starts; 16.3 average finish in four races behind the wheel of an Earnhardt Ganassi Chevrolet; Combined to lead 110 laps in the last three races; 17.8 average finish on 2-mile speedways in 2010; Will debut a new chassis (No. 1103) in the Auto Club 400.
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| Junior staying steady thus far; new car this week |
10. Martin Truex Jr.: 28.5 average finish in two starts with Michael Waltrip Racing; Engines issues placed him 39th in this event last year; Two top-10s came in previous starts with Dale Earnhardt, Inc; 20.5 average finish on 2-mile speedways in 2010.
11. Mark Martin: Finished sixth or better in three of his for starts with Hendrick Motorsports; Led 41 laps last fall; Won the 1998 race with Roush Racing; 14.0 average finish in five starts with the COT; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 647) in the Auto Club 400.
12. Kasey Kahne: Coming off eighth top-10 in 14 starts; Won the 2006 Labor Day race with Evernham Motorsports; Has yet to lead a lap in last five starts; 13.5 average finish on 2-mile speedways in 2010; Will make first track start with Team Red Bull.
13. Matt Kenseth: Best track on the circuit based on wins (3); Coming off 12th top-10 in 18 starts; Third in laps led with 497; Fourth-best average finish (10.2) in the six races with the COT; 14.0 average finish on 2-mile speedways in 2010; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 707) that he finished second with at Texas Motor Speedway last fall.
14. Bobby Labonte: 19.9 average finish in 21 starts; 34.8 average finish on 2-mile speedways in 2010; Will make first track start with JTG-Daugherty Racing.
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| Harvick using Vegas runner-up car from 2010 |
16. AJ Allmendinger: Has yet to post a top-10 in six starts; 24.0 average finish in five starts with the COT; 18.0 average finish on 2-mile speedways in 2010; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 742) in the Auto Club 400.
17. Denny Hamlin: Coming off fourth top-10 in 10 starts; 20.7 average finish in the six races with the COT; Fifth-best average finish (10.0) on 2-mile speedways in 2010.
18. Marcos Ambrose: 29.0 average finish in five starts; Will make first track start with Richard Petty Motorsports; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 743) in the Auto Club 400.
19. Jeff Gordon: Three-time winner; Last win came in 2004; Second in laps led with 619; Coming off 11 top-10 in 21 starts; Second-best average finish (8.5) in the six races with the COT; 15.0 average finish on 2-mile speedways in 2010.
20. David Ragan: One top-10 and an average finish of 16.8 in eight starts; 25.0 average finish on 2-mile speedways in 2010; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 744) in the Auto Club 400.
Notable Drivers Outside the Top 20
Brad Keselowski: 23.5 average finish in two starts; Best finish came in this event last year in 21st; 27.0 average finish on 2-mile speedways in 2010; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 743) in the Auto Club 400.
Greg Biffle: Winner of the 2005 spring race; Finished 10th in this event last year for fifth top-10 in 16 starts; Engine issues last fall (finished 41st) raised his finishing average to 15.3 in the six races with the COT; 16.0 average finish on 2-mile speedways in 2010; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 734) in the Auto Club 400.
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| Bowyer should have won fall Fontana race last year |
Jamie McMurray: Won the pole and finished 17th in both races last season; 2010 was first track starts in an Earnhardt Ganassi Chevrolet; 22.0 average finish in the six races with the COT; 19.5 average finish on 2-mile speedways in 2010; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 1016) that he races last fall at Auto Club Speedway.
Regan Smith: Coming off best finish in five starts in 12th; 25.2 average finish; 18.8 average finish on 2-mile speedways in 2010.
David Reutimann: Coming off second top-10 in eight starts; 14.8 average finish in the six races with the COT; 14.8 average finish on 2-mile speedways in 2010
Jeff Burton: Finished third in this event last year for seventh top-10 in 21 starts; 19.5 average finish in the six races with the COT; 14.5 average finish on 2-mile speedways in 2010; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 317) that he last finished 23rd with at Auto Club Speedway in the fall.
Joey Logano: Finished fifth in this event last year; 14.0 average finish in four starts; Fourth-best average finish (9.0) on 2-mile speedways in 2010; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 287) that he last finished fourth with at Texas Motor Speedway in November.
Brian Vickers: Finished 12th in this event last year; 13.1 average finish in seven starts with Team Red Bull; 14.8 average finish in five starts with the COT.
- compiled by Jeff Wackerlin, MotorRacingNetwork.com
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