Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Auto Club Speedway Track Facts: 2019 Auto Club 400

Martin Truex Jr. is 7/1 to repeat at Fontana Sunday.
Auto Club Speedway Data
Season Race #: 5 of 36 (03-17-19)
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........................ 115.6
Kyle Busch............................... 109.6
Erik Jones................................ 101.0
Kevin Harvick............................. 95.5
Chase Elliott............................... 95.2
Denny Hamlin............................. 92.7
Kyle Larson................................ 91.9
Clint Bowyer............................... 89.6
Kurt Busch................................. 88.1
Joey Logano............................... 87.8
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2018 races
(20 total) among active drivers at Auto Club Speedway

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 2019 Top 16 at Auto Club Speedway

Driver
Races
Poles
Wins
Top Fives
Top 10s
DNFs
Average Finish
Driver Rating
 
 
1
Kyle Busch
20
1
3
9
14
1
10.4
109.6
 
2
Joey Logano
12
0
0
5
6
0
14.0
87.8
 
3
Kevin Harvick
25
0
1
6
11
2
15.8
95.5
 
4
Denny Hamlin
17
3
0
2
6
3
17.5
92.7
 
5
Martin Truex Jr
18
1
1
2
6
2
18.2
85.3
 
6
Kyle Larson
5
1
1
3
3
1
14.0
91.9
 
7
Aric Almirola
11
0
0
0
0
3
25.8
58.0
 
8
Brad Keselowski
10
0
1
3
4
0
15.6
83.2
 
9
Kurt Busch
25
4
1
7
12
0
12.8
88.1
 
10
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
6
0
0
1
1
0
19.0
69.1
 
11
Clint Bowyer
18
0
0
3
8
1
13.5
89.6
 
12
Ryan Blaney
3
0
0
0
2
1
17.3
84.0
 
13
Chase Elliott
3
0
0
0
2
0
10.7
95.2
 
14
Erik Jones
2
0
0
0
1
0
9.5
101.0
 
15
Jimmie Johnson
24
1
6
13
17
0
7.2
115.6
 
16
Alex Bowman
3
0
0
0
0
0
22.7
53.1
 
* – Based on last 20 races at Auto Club Speedway (2005 – 2018).


The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Top Five Loop Data Leaders:

Auto Club Speedway
Driver Rating
Average Running Position
Laps in The Top 15
Drivers
Driver Rating
Drivers
Avg. Running Pos.
Drivers
Laps in Top 15
Jimmie Johnson
115.6
Erik Jones
6.871
Jimmie Johnson
3,988 (88.5%)
Kyle Busch
109.6
Jimmie Johnson
7.073
Kyle Busch
3,582 (83.4%)
Erik Jones
101.0
Kyle Busch
8.423
Kevin Harvick
3,101 (68.8%)
Kevin Harvick
95.5
Chase Elliott
9.346
Kurt Busch
2,797 (62.1%)
Chase Elliott
95.2
Denny Hamlin
12.854
Denny Hamlin
2,614 (68.9%)


At Auto Club Speedway:

History
·        Groundbreaking for California Speedway, as Auto Club Speedway was originally known, took place in November of 1995 in Fontana, California.
·        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 driving the Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 Chevrolet.
·        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 29 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
·        In total 152 different drivers have competed in at least one Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Auto Club Speedway; 126 have competed in more than one.
·        NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon leads the Monster Energy Series in starts at Auto Club Speedway with 26.
·        Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch lead all active Monster Energy Series drivers in starts at Auto Club Speedway with 25 each – with a start this weekend both drivers will tie Jeff Gordon for the series most starts at ACS.
·        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).
·        Patrick Carpentier (three starts) leads the series in average starting position at Auto Club Speedway with a 5.0.
·        Erik Jones leads all active drivers in the series in average starting position at Auto Club Speedway with a 9.0.
Top Five in Average Starting Position at Auto Club Speedway (All-Time & Active)
Rank
All-Time Drivers
Average Starting Position
Starts
Rank
Active Drivers
Average Starting Position
Starts
1
Patrick Carpentier
5.000
3
1
Erik Jones
9.000
2
2
Erik Jones
9.000
2
2
Kyle Larson
10.400
5
3
Kyle Larson
10.400
5
3
Kyle Busch
10.500
20
4
Kyle Busch
10.500
20
4
Denny Hamlin
11.471
17
5
Denny Hamlin
11.471
17
5
Austin Dillon
11.600
5

Auto Club Speedway Busch Pole Winners
 
 
Pole Winners
Poles
 
Kurt Busch
4
 
Denny Hamlin
3
 
Brian Vickers
2
 
Jamie McMurray
2
 
Jeff Gordon
2
 
Austin Dillon
1
 
Bobby Labonte
1
 
Carl Edwards
1
 
Jimmie Johnson
1
 
Joe Nemechek
1
 
Juan Pablo Montoya
1
 
Kasey Kahne
1
 
Kyle Busch
1
 
Kyle Larson
1
 
Martin Truex Jr
1
 
Matt Kenseth
1
 
Mike Skinner
1
 
Ryan Newman
1
 
Steve Park
1
 

Poles
·        A total of 19 different Monster Energy Series drivers have won the Busch Pole Award at Auto Club Speedway.
·        Kurt Busch leads the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in Busch Pole Awards at Auto Club Speedway with four (2015, 2007 and 2006 sweep).
·        Joe Nemechek won the inaugural Monster Energy Series Busch Pole Award at Auto Club Speedway in 1997 with a speed of 183.015 mph (39.341 secs).
·        Five Monster Energy Series 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 Auto Club Speedway Busch Pole Award winner: Kyle Busch (Feb. 27, 2005 – 19 years, 9 months, 25 days).
·        Oldest Auto Club Speedway Busch Pole Award winner: Mike Skinner (April 30, 2000 – 42 years, 10 months, 2 days).
·        Three drivers have posted their first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career Busch Pole Award at Auto Club Speedway: Carl Edwards (9/4/2005), Kyle Busch (2/27/2005) and Joe Nemechek (6/22/1997).
·        Five different Manufacturers have won the Busch Pole Award in the Monster Energy Series at Auto Club Speedway; led by Chevrolet with 14 poles and followed by Toyota (six), Dodge (four), Ford (two) and Pontiac (one).


Wins
·        A total of 17 different Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Auto Club Speedway.
·        Seven-time champ Jimmie Johnson leads the Monster Energy Series in wins at Auto Club Speedway with six victories (2016, Spring 2010, Fall 2009, Fall 2008, Fall 2007 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 Monster Energy Series races at Auto Club Speedway.

Auto Club Speedway Race Winners
 
 
Race Winners
Wins
 
Jimmie Johnson
6
 
Jeff Gordon
3
 
Kyle Busch
3
 
Matt Kenseth
3
 
Tony Stewart
2
 
Brad Keselowski
1
 
Carl Edwards
1
 
Elliott Sadler
1
 
Greg Biffle
1
 
Jeremy Mayfield
1
 
Kasey Kahne
1
 
Kevin Harvick
1
 
Kurt Busch
1
 
Kyle Larson
1
 
Mark Martin
1
 
Martin Truex Jr
1
 
Rusty Wallace
1
 

·        A total of 11 different organizations have won at Auto Club Speedway in Monster Energy Series, 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.
·        Youngest Auto Club Speedway winner: Kyle Busch (Sept. 4, 2005 – 20 years, 4 months, 2 days).
·        Oldest Auto Club Speedway winner: Rusty Wallace (April 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.   
·        15 of the 17 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 - 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 17 winners. Only Stewart (18), Kevin Harvick (17) and Martin Truex Jr. (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 24.
·        Four 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), Jimmie Johnson - the only driver to do it multiple times (2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010) and Martin Truex Jr. (2018).
·        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 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 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)

·        Three drivers have won from the pole in the Monster Energy Series at Auto Club Speedway  Jimmie Johnson (2008), Kyle Larson (2017) and Martin Truex Jr. (2018).
·        Four of the 29 (13.8%) 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 2008 (pole); and Fall 2007 (second-place); Kyle Larson, 2017 (pole); Martin Truex Jr. 2018 (pole).

MENCS Wins by Starting Positions at Auto Club Speedway
Starting Position
Wins
Winning %
Starting Position
Wins
Winning %
1
3
10.34%
14
1
3.45%
2
1
3.45%
16
2
6.90%
3
3
10.34%
17
1
3.45%
4
2
6.90%
19
2
6.90%
5
2
6.90%
22
1
3.45%
7
1
3.45%
24
3
10.34%
8
1
3.45%
25
2
6.90%
9
3
10.34%
31
1
3.45%
Stats
Winning %
Wins
 
Winning from the Pole:
10.34%
3
 
Winning from the Front Row:
13.79%
4
 
Winning from a Top-Five Starting Position:
37.93%
11
 
Winning from a Top-10 Starting Position:
55.17%
16
 
Winning After Starting Outside the Top 10:
44.83%
13
 
Winning After Starting Outside the Top 20:
24.14%
7
 

·        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 Auto Club Speedway is pretty random; four starting positions (first, third, ninth and 24th) have all produced three winners each.
·        Four different manufacturers have won in the Monster energy Series at Auto Club Speedway; led by Chevrolet with 14 wins, followed by Ford (11), Toyota (three) and Dodge (one).



Additional Finishing Position
·        A total of 16 different drivers have finished runner-up at Auto Club Speedway.
·        Jimmie Johnson leads the Monster Energy Series in runner-up finishes at Auto Club Speedway with five second-place finishes.

Top Five in Runner-Up Finishes at Auto Club Speedway (All-Time & Active)
Rank
All-Time Drivers
Runner-Ups
Rank
Active Drivers
Runner-Ups
1
Jimmie Johnson
5
1
Jimmie Johnson
5
2
Jeff Gordon
4
2
Kevin Harvick
3
3
Kevin Harvick
3
3
Kyle Larson
2
4
Bobby Labonte
2
4
Brad Keselowski
1
 
Dale Earnhardt Jr
2

Clint Bowyer
1

Greg Biffle
2

Kurt Busch
1
 
Kyle Larson
2

Kyle Busch
1

·        A total of 36 different drivers in the Monster Energy Series have finished in the top-five at Auto Club Speedway.
·        Jimmie Johnson leads the series in top-five finishes at Auto Club Speedway with 13.

Top Five in Top-Five Finishes at Auto Club Speedway (All-Time & Active)
Rank
All-Time Drivers
Top Fives
Rank
Active Drivers
Top Fives
1
Jimmie Johnson
13
1
Jimmie Johnson
13
2
Jeff Gordon
10
2
Kyle Busch
9
3
Kyle Busch
9
3
Kurt Busch
7
4
Matt Kenseth
9
4
Kevin Harvick
6
5
Carl Edwards
8
5
Joey Logano
5
   

Ryan Newman
5

·        A total of 65 different drivers in the Monster Energy Series have finished in the top-10 at Auto Club Speedway.
·        Jimmie Johnson leads the series in top-10 finishes at Auto Club Speedway with 17.

Top Five in Top-10 Finishes at Auto Club Speedway (All-Time & Active)
Rank
All-Time Drivers
Top 10s
Rank
Active Drivers
Top 10s
1
Jimmie Johnson
17
1
Jimmie Johnson
17
2
Carl Edwards
15
2
Kyle Busch
14
3
Matt Kenseth
15
3
Kurt Busch
12
4
Kyle Busch
14
4
Kevin Harvick
11
5
Tony Stewart
13
5
Ryan Newman
9

·        Jimmie Johnson leads the Monster Energy Series in average finishing position at Auto Club Speedway with a 7.208.
·        Jimmie Johnson (7.2) and Erik Jones (9.5) are the only two active drivers with an average finish inside the top 10 at Auto Club Speedway.  
Top 10 in Average Finishing Position at Auto Club Speedway (All-Time & Active)
Rank
All-Time Drivers
Avg. Finish
Starts
Rank
Active Drivers
Avg. Finish
Starts
1
Jimmie Johnson
7.21
24
1
Jimmie Johnson
7.208
24
2
Carl Edwards
8.68
19
2
Erik Jones
9.500
2
3
Erik Jones
9.50
2
3
Kyle Busch
10.400
20
4
Kyle Busch
10.40
20
4
Chase Elliott
10.667
3
5
Chase Elliott
10.67
3
5
Kurt Busch
12.840
25
6
Jeff Gordon
11.77
26
6
Clint Bowyer
13.500
18
7
Matt Kenseth
12.08
25
7
Joey Logano
14.000
12
8
Kurt Busch
12.84
25
8
Kyle Larson
14.000
5
9
Clint Bowyer
13.50
18
9
Austin Dillon
14.400
5

Dale Earnhardt
13.50
4
10
Daniel Suarez
15.000
2
 
Tony Stewart
13.50
24

William Byron
15.000
1


Track / Specific Event
·        Since the advent of electronic scoring in 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.
Top Five Closest Margins of Victory in the Monster Energy Series at Auto Club Speedway
Margin of Victory
Race Winners
Runner-Up Finishers
Date
0.144
Kevin Harvick
Jimmie Johnson
3/27/2011
0.214
Kyle Busch
Kyle Larson
3/23/2014
0.231
Greg Biffle
Jimmie Johnson
2/27/2005
0.263
Elliott Sadler
Kasey Kahne
9/5/2004
0.270
Rusty Wallace
Jeff Gordon
4/29/2001

·        There have been six 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 Series race at Auto Club Speedway 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.
·        Monster Energy Series Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather at Auto Club Speedway twice - 1999 and 2008 (Spring) races.
·        Only once has a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 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

·        A total of 78 different drivers in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series have led at least one lap at Auto Club Speedway.
·        Jimmie Johnson leads the series in laps led at Auto Club Speedway with 980.

Top 10 Monster Energy Series Lap Leaders at Auto Club Speedway (All-Time & Active)
Rank
All-Time Drivers
Laps Led
Laps Completed
Rank
Active Drivers
Laps Led
Laps Completed
1
Jimmie Johnson
980
5,506
1
Jimmie Johnson
980
5,506
2
Kyle Busch
673
4,499
2
Kyle Busch
673
4,499
3
Jeff Gordon
648
6,101
3
Kurt Busch
298
5,750
4
Matt Kenseth
571
5,786
4
Kevin Harvick
237
5,674
5
Tony Stewart
332
5,486
5
Martin Truex Jr
233
3,577
6
Mark Martin
324
5,069
6
Denny Hamlin
139
3,585
7
Kurt Busch
298
5,750
7
Kyle Larson
110
863
8
Greg Biffle
297
4,783
8
Joey Logano
54
2,488
9
Kasey Kahne
269
4,740
9
Clint Bowyer
47
3,983
10
Kevin Harvick
237
5,674
10
Brad Keselowski
39
1,998

·        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.

California in NASCAR

·        A total of 442 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as California.
·      A total of 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.

 
Drivers from California
    
 
Driver
Monster Energy
Xfinity
Gander Outdoors
National Series Combined
1
Jeff Gordon
93
5
0
98
2
Jimmie Johnson
83
1
0
84
3
Kevin Harvick
45
47
14
106
4
Marvin Panch
17
0
0
17
5
Ernie Irvan
15
3
0
18
6
Dick Rathmann
13
0
0
13
7
Dan Gurney
5
0
0
5
8
Kyle Larson
5
12
2
19
9
Eddie Gray
4
0
0
4
10
Parnelli Jones
4
0
0
4
11
Eddie Pagan
4
0
0
4
12
Robby Gordon
3
1
0
4
13
Ray Elder
2
0
0
2
14
Danny Letner
2
0
0
2
15
Marvin Porter
2
0
0
2
16
AJ Allmendinger
1
2
0
3
17
Dick Brooks
1
0
0
1
18
Marvin Burke
1
0
0
1
19
Jim Cook
1
0
0
1
20
Lou Figaro
1
0
0
1
21
Danny Graves
1
0
0
1
22
Johnny Mantz
1
0
0
1
23
Casey Mears
1
1
0
2
24
Bill Norton
1
0
0
1
25
John Soares
1
0
0
1
26
Danny Weinberg
1
0
0
1
27
Ron Hornaday Jr
0
4
51
55
28
Tyler Reddick
0
3
3
6
29
Cole Custer
0
2
2
4
30
Jason Leffler
0
2
1
3
31
Ryan Reed
0
2
0
2
32
David Gilliland
0
1
0
1
33
Justin Marks
0
1
0
1
34
Joe Ruttman
0
1
13
14
35
Boris Said
0
1
1
2
36
Mike Skinner
0
1
28
29
37
Matt Crafton
0
0
14
14
38
Justin Lofton
0
0
1
1
39
Scott Speed
0
0
1
1
40
Brandon Whitt
0
0
1
1
 
Totals
308
90
132
530


 

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