NASCAR Fantasy Fusion: Auto Club 400 at Fontana

Track Classification: Superspeedway

Similar Tracks: Daytona International Speedway • Indianapolis Motor Speedway 

Michigan International Speedway • Pocono Raceway • Talladega Superspeedway

Distance: 2 Miles

By Carol D'Agostino

Drivers with Most Top 10s :

By Race

All with 4 - Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards and Ryan Newman
All with 3 - Dale Earnhardt Jr.,  Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth  

By Track

Kurt Busch - 4
Both with 3 - Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards and Ryan Newman

Recent Pole Winners: 

2015 Kurt Busch
2014 Matt Kenseth

The Likely Suspects: Superspeedway racing and low downforce should make for good racing. I'm looking at these drivers to run well this weekend: Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth and Austin Dillon.

My 2 Cents:  At Phoenix last weekend Kevin Harvick made it a point to comment how much drivers were looking forward to racing at Fontana with this low downforce package. Hopefully we'll see multi-lane racing and skillful passing. My no-brainer pick this week is a tie between the Busch brothers. My next choices are Carl Edwards, Ryan Newman, Austin Dillon and "Mr. Hugging the High Line" Kyle Larson. I will complete my team with Brian Vickers and Chase Elliott.

My Final Four: Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Austin Dillon and Chase Elliott.

Points to Ponder:

• Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at Auto Club Speedway (ACS) with nine, followed by Roush Fenway Racing with seven and Stewart Haas Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing and Team Penske -- each with two.
• California native Jimmie Johnson became the first and only driver to win from the pole at Auto Club Speedway in 2008.
• A total of 15 different drivers have won at ACS, led by Jimmie Johnson with five victories. Three other drivers have multiple wins at Auto Club Speedway: Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth each have three wins and Tony Stewart has two.
• Three reigning NASCAR Sprint 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).
• Jimmie Johnson (fall of 2009 – spring of 2010) and Kyle Busch (2013, 2014) are the only drivers to win consecutive races at Auto Club Speedway.
• Only three car numbers have produced three or more Auto Club Speedway NSCS wins: No. 48  – Jimmie Johnson (2002, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010); No. 17 – Matt Kenseth (2006, 2007 and 2009); and No. 24 – Jeff Gordon (1997, 1999 and 2004).
• The most proficient starting positions at ACS are third, ninth and 24th. Each starting position produced three winners.

Enjoy the race! Post your comments here or follow me on Twitter at @purplecatpr.