Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Auto Club (California) Speedway Track Facts: 2018 Auto Club 400

Kyle Larson has won four straight races on 2-mile tracks.
The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 2018 Top 16 at Auto Club Speedway

Driver
Races
Poles
Wins
Top Fives
Top 10s
DNFs
Average Finish
Driver Rating
 
 
1
Kevin Harvick
24
0
1
6
11
2
15.0
97.4
 
2
Kyle Busch
19
1
3
8
13
1
10.8
108.6
 
3
Martin Truex Jr
17
0
0
1
5
2
19.2
81.5
 
4
Joey Logano
11
0
0
4
5
0
14.8
85.5
 
5
Ryan Blaney
2
0
0
0
1
1
22.0
79.9
 
6
Denny Hamlin
16
3
0
2
5
3
18.2
92.3
 
7
Brad Keselowski
9
0
1
2
3
0
16.9
79.9
 
8
Kyle Larson
4
1
1
2
2
1
17.0
86.6
 
9
Clint Bowyer
17
0
0
3
8
1
13.6
89.8
 
10
Aric Almirola
10
0
0
0
0
3
27.2
56.1
 
11
Kurt Busch
24
4
1
7
12
0
12.8
88.1
 
12
Austin Dillon
4
1
0
0
0
0
15.5
78.5
 
13
Ryan Newman
23
1
0
5
9
3
16.6
81.2
 
14
Paul Menard
15
0
0
1
3
0
20.7
64.8
 
15
Erik Jones
1
0
0
0
0
0
12.0
100.6
 
16
Chase Elliott
2
0
0
0
2
0
8.0
109.0
 
* – Based on last 19 races at Auto Club Speedway (2005 – 2017).


The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 2018 Top Loop Data Leaders

Auto Club Speedway
Statistical Categories:
Leaders
Loop Data
Driver Rating
Jimmie Johnson
116.9
Average Running Position
Chase Elliott
6.284
Laps Led
Jimmie Johnson
880 laps (20.4%)
Laps in the Top 15
Jimmie Johnson
88.9% (3,826 laps)
Fastest Laps Run
Jimmie Johnson
533 laps (12.4%)
Green Flag Passes
Ryan Newman
1,626
Quality Passes
Kyle Busch
935
Green Flag Speed
Chase Elliott
172.728 mph
* The above stats are based on Loop Data from 2005 - 2017


Auto Club Speedway Data
Season Race #: 5 of 36 (03-18-18)
Track Size: 2-miles
Banking/Turns 1 & 2: 14 degrees
Banking/Turns 3 & 4: 14 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 11 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 3 degrees
Frontstretch Length:  3,100 feet
Backstretch Length:  2,500 feet
Race Length: 200 laps / 400 miles
Stage 1 & 2 Length: 60 laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 80 laps

Top 10 Driver Rating at Auto Club
Jimmie Johnson........................ 116.9
Chase Elliott............................. 109.0
Kyle Busch............................... 108.6
Erik Jones................................ 100.6
Kevin Harvick............................. 97.4
Denny Hamlin............................. 92.3
Clint Bowyer............................... 89.8
Kurt Busch................................. 88.1
Kasey Kahne.............................. 88.1
Kyle Larson................................ 86.6
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2017 races (19 total) among active drivers at Auto Club Speedway

Qualifying/Race Data
2017 pole winner:
Austin Dillon, Chevrolet
188.482 mph, 38.200 secs. 03-18-16

2017 race winner:
Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet
137.213 mph, (2:59:17), 03-20-16

Track qualifying record:
Denny Hamlin, Toyota
188.511 mph, 38.194 secs. 03-18-16

Track race record:
Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 155.012 mph (3:13:32); 6-22-97


At Auto Club Speedway:
History
·        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 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 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 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup and NASCAR Xfinity Series ran two races in a season there.
·        The track name was changed to Auto Club Speedway (ACS) in February of 2008.
·        There have been 28 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Auto Club Speedway, the track hosted one race a season from 1997-2003, then two races per season from 2004-2010. In 2011, Auto Club Speedway returned to a single-race season.

Starts
·        149 drivers have competed in at least one Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Auto Club Speedway; 122 in more than one.
·        Jeff Gordon leads the series in starts at Auto Club Speedway with 26.
·        Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch lead all active drivers in starts at Auto Club Speedway with 24 each.
·       A total of six drivers have made their first series career start at Auto Club Speedway - Chris Buescher (2015), Kevin Conway (2010), J.J. Yeley (2004), Shane Hmiel (2004), Greg Biffle (2002) and Mike Dillon (1998).
·        Denny Hamlin leads the series in average starting position at Auto Club Speedway with a 10.625.  

Poles
·        18 drivers have won the pole at Auto Club Speedway, led by Kurt Busch with four (2015, 2007 and 2006 sweep).
·        Joe Nemechek won the inaugural Monster Energy Series pole (1997) at Auto Club Speedway with a speed of 183.015 mph (39.341 secs).
·        Five MENCS drivers have won multiple poles at Auto Club Speedway – Kurt Busch (four), Denny Hamlin (three), Brian Vickers (two), Jamie McMurray (two) and Jeff Gordon (two).  
·        Denny Hamlin (2012, 2013), Jamie McMurray (2010 sweep) and Kurt Busch (2006 sweep) are the only three drivers to win consecutive poles at Auto Club Speedway.
·        Youngest ACS pole winner: Kyle Busch (2/27/2005 – 19 years, 9 months, 25 days).
·        Oldest ACS pole winner: Mike Skinner (4/30/2000 – 42 years, 10 months, 2 days).
·        Three drivers have posted their first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career pole at Auto Club Speedway: Carl Edwards (9/4/2005), Kyle Busch (2/27/2005) and Joe Nemechek (6/22/1997).
·        Kyle Busch won his first pole (2/27/05) and first series win (9/4/05) at ACS in 2005.

Wins
·        16 different Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Auto Club Speedway, led by Jimmie Johnson with six victories (2016, 2010 spring, 2009 fall, 2008 fall, 2007 fall and 2002).
·        The inaugural Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at ACS was held on June 22, 1997 and won by Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet; 155.012 mph).
·        Five drivers have posted multiple Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins at Auto Club Speedway: Jimmie Johnson (six), Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth each have three wins, Tony Stewart has two.
·        Jimmie Johnson (2009-2010) and Kyle Busch (2013-2014) are the only two drivers to win consecutive MENCS races at Auto Club Speedway.
·        10 different organizations have won at Auto Club Speedway, led by Hendrick Motorsports with 10 victories, followed by Roush Fenway Racing with seven and Stewart-Haas Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing and Team Penske each have two.
·        California natives Jimmie Johnson (El Cajon) and Kyle Larson (Elk Grove) are the only two series drivers (7.1%) to win from the pole at Auto Club Speedway – Johnson (2008) and Larson (2017).
·        Three of the 28 (10.7%) Monster Energy Series races at Auto Club Speedway have been won from the front row, two are by seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, fall of 2008 (pole); and the fall of 2007 (second-place). The third was Kyle Larson’s win last season (pole).
·        10 of the 28 (35.7%) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Auto Club Speedway have been won from a top-five starting position.
·        15 of the 28 (53.5%) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup races at Auto Club Speedway have been won from a top-10 starting position.
·        Seven of the 28 (25%) races have been won from a starting position outside the top 20. The most recent driver to win after starting outside the top 20 was Kevin Harvick (24th) in 2011.
·        The deepest in the field that a race winner has started is 31st, by Matt Kenseth in the spring of 2006.
·        The most proficient starting position at ACS is pretty random. Three starting positions (third, ninth and 24th) have produced three winners each.
·        Youngest ACS winner: Kyle Busch (09/04/2005 – 20 years, 4 months, 2 days).
·        Oldest ACS winner: Rusty Wallace (04/29/2001 – 44 years, 8 months, 15 days).
·        Jimmie Johnson (2002) and Kyle Busch (2005) are the only two drivers to post their first series career win at Auto Club Speedway.   
·        14 of the 16 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers who have won at Auto Club Speedway participated in at least two or more races at the track before visiting Victory Lane.
o   Jeff Gordon (1997 – inaugural event) and Jimmie Johnson (2002) are the only drivers to win at ACS in their first appearance.
·        Tony Stewart competed at Auto Club Speedway 18 times before winning in the fall of 2010; the longest span of any the 16 winners. Only Stewart (18) and Kevin Harvick (17) have made 10 or more attempts before their first win at Auto Club Speedway.
·        Ryan Newman leads all active drivers with the most Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Auto Club Speedway without visiting Victory Lane at 23.
·        Three reigning Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champions have gone on to win at Auto Club Speedway the following season: Tony Stewart (2012), Jeff Gordon (1999) and Jimmie Johnson - the only driver to do it multiple times (2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010).
·        Two drivers have won at Auto Club Speedway and the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship in the same season: Jeff Gordon (1997) and Jimmie Johnson (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2016).
·        Only three car numbers have produced three or more Auto Club Speedway MENCS wins:
Car Number – Drivers – (Years)
o   No. 48  – Jimmie Johnson (2002, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2016)
o   No. 17 – Matt Kenseth (2006, 2007 and 2009)
o   No24 – Jeff Gordon (1997, 1999 and 2004)

Additional Finishing Position
·        Jimmie Johnson leads the series in runner-up finishes at Auto Club Speedway with five; followed by Jeff Gordon with four and Kevin Harvick with three.
·        Jimmie Johnson leads the series in top-five finishes at Auto Club Speedway with 13; followed by Jeff Gordon (10), Matt Kenseth (nine), Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch (eight each).
·        Jimmie Johnson leads the series in top-10 finishes with 16; followed by Matt Kenseth (15), Carl Edwards (15), Kyle Busch (13) and Tony Stewart (13).
·        Of drivers with more than one start, Jimmie Johnson leads the series in average finishing position at ACS with a 7.130. Daniel Suarez made his series debut at ACS last season finishing seventh.
·        Jimmie Johnson (7.1) and Chase Elliott (8.0) are the only two active drivers with more than one start with an average finish inside the top 10 at Auto Club Speedway.  

Track / Specific Event
·        Since the advent of electronic scoring (1993) the closest margin of victory in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Auto Club Speedway was the March 27, 2011 race won by Kevin Harvick with a MOV of 0.144 second over Jimmie Johnson.
·        There have been five finishes at Auto Club Speedway resulting in NASCAR Overtime:
Date
Scheduled No. of Laps
Actual No. of Laps
NASCAR Overtime Laps
Winner
Runner-Up
3/26/2017
200
202
2
Kyle Larson
Brad Keselowski
3/20/2016
200
205
5
Jimmie Johnson
Kevin Harvick
3/22/2015
200
209
9
Brad Keselowski
Kevin Harvick
3/23/2014
200
206
6
Kyle Busch
Kyle Larson
2/26/2006
250
251
1
Matt Kenseth
Jimmie Johnson
9/4/2005
250
254
4
Kyle Busch
Greg Biffle
·        The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup race at ACS has only been postponed to another date due to weather once – the 2008 February race – Scheduled date: 2/24/08; Actual Date: 2/25/08.
·        MENCS Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather at ACS twice - 1999 and 2008 (spring) races.
·        Only once has a MENCS race at Auto Club Speedway been shortened to due to weather – 2012.
Date
Scheduled No. of Laps
Actual No. of Laps
Fewer Laps
Winner
Runner-Up
3/25/2012
200
129
-71
Tony Stewart
Kyle Busch

·        Jimmie Johnson leads the series in laps led at ACS with 980.
·        The most laps led in a single MENCS race at Auto Club Speedway was 228 by Jimmie Johnson in 2008 – Johnson won the race.
·        The most laps led in a single MENCS race at Auto Club Speedway by a driver that didn’t win was 168 by Greg Biffle who finished 42nd in 2006.


Female Competitors
·        Two female drivers have competed at Auto Club Speedway in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series: Shawna Robinson and Danica Patrick.
·        **Note: Robinson first attempted to qualify for a race at ACS on 4/29/2001 but failed to make the event.
Female Competitor MENCS Performances: Auto Club Speedway
Driver
Starting Position
Finishing Position
Season
Danica Patrick
22
26
2017
Danica Patrick
31
38
2016
Danica Patrick
22
19
2015
Danica Patrick
27
14
2014
Danica Patrick
40
26
2013
Averages
28.4
24.6
 
    
Driver
Starting Position
Finishing Position
Season
Shawna Robinson
43
42
2002

NASCAR in California
·        There has been a total of 195 NASCAR national series races among 17 different tracks in the state of California.
Track Name
City
Monster Energy
Xfinity
Camping World
Total Races
Auto Club Speedway
Fontana
28
28
13
69
Riverside International Raceway
Riverside
48
0
0
48
Sonoma Raceway
Sonoma
29
0
4
33
Mesa Marin Raceway
Bakersfield
0
0
9
9
Ontario Motor Speedway
Ontario
9
0
0
9
California State Fairgrounds
Sacramento
6
0
0
6
Carrell Speedway
Gardena
4
0
0
4
Ascot Stadium
Los Angeles
3
0
0
3
Bay Meadows Race Track
San Mateo
3
0
0
3
Marchbanks Speedway
Hanford
3
0
0
3
Oakland Stadium
Oakland
3
0
0
3
Redwood Speedway
Eureka
2
0
0
2
Willow Springs Speedway
Lancaster
2
0
0
2
Capitol Speedway
Sacramento
1
0
0
1
Merced Fairgrounds
Merced
1
0
0
1
Santa Clara Fairgrounds
San Jose
1
0
0
1
Saugus Speedway
Saugus
0
0
1
1
TOTALS

143
28
27
198
·        The first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race held in California was at Carrell Speedway on April 8, 1951; the event was won by Marshall Teague.


California in NASCAR

·        438 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as California.
·        40 drivers with their home state recorded as California have won at least one race in NASCAR’s three national series.
·        26 of the 40 Californian drivers have won in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series; led by Jeff Gordon with 93 wins.  
Driver
MENCS
NXS
NCWTS
Jeff Gordon
93
5
0
Jimmie Johnson
83
1
0
Kevin Harvick
40
47
14
Marvin Panch
17
0
0
Ernie Irvan
15
3
0
Dick Rathmann
13
0
0
Dan Gurney
5
0
0
Kyle Larson
5
9
2
Eddie Gray
4
0
0
Parnelli Jones
4
0
0
Eddie Pagan
4
0
0
Robby Gordon
3
1
0
Ray Elder
2
0
0
Danny Letner
2
0
0
Marvin Porter
2
0
0
AJ Allmendinger
1
2
0
Dick Brooks
1
0
0
Marvin Burke
1
0
0
Jim Cook
1
0
0
Lou Figaro
1
0
0
Danny Graves
1
0
0
Johnny Mantz
1
0
0
Casey Mears
1
1
0
Bill Norton
1
0
0
John Soares
1
0
0
Danny Weinberg
1
0
0
Ron Hornaday Jr
0
4
51
Jason Leffler
0
2
1
Tyler Reddick
0
2
3
Ryan Reed
0
2
0
Cole Custer
0
1
2
David Gilliland
0
1
0
Justin Marks
0
1
0
Joe Ruttman
0
1
13
Boris Said
0
1
1
Mike Skinner
0
1
28
Matt Crafton
0
0
14
Justin Lofton
0
0
1
Scott Speed
0
0
1
Brandon Whitt
0
0
1



Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series - Milestones
 
STARTS
 
Driver: Aric Almirola
Has
Needs
 
Milestone:
248
2
 
Almirola will become the 107th driver to make 250 Monster Energy Series starts.
 
WINS
 
Driver: Jimmie Johnson
Has
Needs
 
Milestone:
83
1
 
Tie Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip for fourth on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins list.
 
 
Driver: Kyle Busch
Has
Needs
 
Milestone:
43
1
 
Tie Bill Elliott for 16th on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins list.
 
Driver: Kevin Harvick
Has
Needs
 
Milestone:
40
3
 
Tie Kyle Busch for 17th on the all-time MENCS wins list.
 
Driver: Denny Hamlin
Has
Needs
 
Milestone:
31
1
 
To tie Dale Jarrett for 24th on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins list.
 
Driver: Kurt Busch
Has
Needs
 
Milestone:
29
1
 
Tie Denny Hamlin for 25th on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins list.
 
POLES
 
Driver: Ryan Newman
Has
Needs
 
Milestone:
51
3
 
Tie Bill Elliott for eighth on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series poles list.
 
Driver: Jimmie Johnson
Has
Needs
 
Milestone:
35
1
 
To tie Rusty Wallace for 18th on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series poles list.
 
Driver: Kasey Kahne
Has
Needs
 
Milestone:
27
2
 
To tie Ricky Rudd for 24th on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series poles list.
 
Driver: Kyle Busch
Has
Needs
 
Milestone:
28
1
 
To tie Ricky Rudd for 24th on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series poles list.
 


Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series - Milestones
Top Fives
Driver: Kevin Harvick
Has
Needs
Milestone:
171
4
Tie Bill Elliott for 20th on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series top fives list.
Top 10s
Driver: Kevin Harvick
Has
Needs
Milestone:
310
1
To tie Buddy Baker for 16th on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series top 10s list.
Laps Led
Driver: Jimmie Johnson
Has
Needs
Milestone:
18,663
337
Needs 337 laps led to become the ninth driver in the MENCS all-time to lead 19,000 laps.
Driver: Kyle Busch
Has
Needs
Milestone:
14,527
473
Needs 473 laps led to become the 10th driver in the MENCS all-time to lead 15,000 laps.
Driver: Kevin Harvick
Has
Needs
Milestone:
11,524
476
Needs 476 laps led to become the 15th driver all-time in the MENCS to lead 12,000 laps.
Driver: Kurt Busch
Has
Needs
Milestone:
8,951
49
Needs 49 laps led to become the 20th driver all-time in the MENCS to lead 9,000 laps.
Driver: Denny Hamlin
Has
Needs
Milestone:
8,924
76
Needs 76 laps led to become the 20th driver all-time in the MENCS to lead 9,000 laps.
Driver: Martin Truex Jr.
Has
Needs
Milestone:
6,533
467
Needs 467 laps led to become the 29th driver all-time in the MENCS to lead 7,000 laps.


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