NASCAR 2020 Race 3: Fontana Auto Club 400

dara

Fire From Within
Nov 23, 2014
10,281
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yes i do
Auto Club 400
Sunday, March 1, 2020 - Auto Club Speedway
3:30pm/et
Laps: 200 - Stages: Stages: 60/120/200
TV: FOX - Radio: MRN, Sirius XM NASCAR


Times are Eastern Standard.

Friday, February 28
4:05 PM-4:55 PM NCS 1ST PRACTICE
TV: TBA
5:35 PM-6:25 PM NCS 2ND PRACTICE
TV: TBA

Saturday, February 29
2:35 PM NCS QUALIFYING IMPOUND (SINGLE VEHICLE / ONE LAP ALL POSITIONS)
TV: TBA

Sunday, March 1
3:30 PM NCS RACE (STAGES 60/120/200 LAPS = 400 MILES )
TV: FOX

200px-Auto_Club_Speedway_%28formerly_California_Speedway%29_-_Speedway.svg.png



Track Facts:

Track Specs:
Track/Race Length: 2.0 mile D-shaped oval, 200 laps, 400 miles
Superspeedway: 2.0-mile oval 75 feet wide with a 15 foot apron
Banking: turns: 14°; front stretch 11°; backstretch 3°
Front Stretch: 3,100feet
Back Stretch: 2,500feet
Pit Road: 2,200 feet long with 44 individual pit stalls
Garages: Three garages with 100 spaces
Pit Road Speed: 55mph
Pace Car Speed: 60mph
Approx: 1,800 Infield RV spaces
Grandstand seating capacity: 68,000 [was 81,000 and 92,000]
Opened: 1997

Pit Stalls:
Length: 42 feet
Width: 20 feet


Track Records & Stats

March 2019 Race Winner: Kyle Busch, 143.113mph, started 4th
The Final October 2010 Race Winner: #14-Tony Stewart, 131.953, started 22nd
Track Race Record: #14-Tony Stewart, 3/25/2012, 160.166mph
Slowest Race Record: #38-Elliott Sadler, Sept 2004, 128.324mph
Oldest Winner: #2-Rusty Wallace, 44 years, 8 months, 15 days, 4/29/2001
Youngest Winner: #5-Kyle Busch, 20 years, 4 months, 2 days, 9/4/2005
Worst Starting Spot to Win: #17-Matt Kenseth, 2/26/2006, started 31st

March 2019 Pole Winner: Austin Dillon, 180.081 mph, finished 10th
The Final October 2010 Pole Winner: #1-Jamie McMurray, 185.285, finished 17th
Track Qualifying Record: Denny Hamlin, March 2016, 188.511mph
Oldest Pole Winner: Mike Skinner, 42 years, 10 months, 2 days, 4/30/2000
Youngest Pole Winner: Kyle Busch, 19 years, 9 months, 25 days, 2/27/2005

Most Races: 26 - Jeff Gordon
Most Wins: 6 - Jimmie Johnson
Most Poles: 4 - Kurt Busch; 3 - Denny Hamlin
Most Top 5s: 13 - Jimmie Johnson
Most Top 10s: 17 - Jimmie Johnson; 15 - Carl Edwards & Matt Kenseth

2019 Race Stats:
Lead changes: 18 among 9 different drivers
Cautions/Laps: 4 for 22
Red flags: 0
Time of race: 2 hours, 47 minutes and 42 seconds
Average speed: 143.113 miles per hour (230.318 km/h)
 
Last edited:
NASCAR starting lineup at Fontana
Position Driver
1. Clint Bowyer
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Alex Bowman
4. Kurt Busch
5. Kevin Harvick
6. Aric Almirola
7. Joey Logano
8. Michael McDowell
9. Kyle Larson
10. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
11. Chris Buescher
12. Matt DiBenedetto
13. Chase Elliott
14. Bubba Wallace
15. Brad Keselowski
16. Ryan Blaney
17. Kyle Busch
18. Cole Custer
19. Tyler Reddick
20. Ryan Preece
21. William Byron
22. Christopher Bell
23. John H. Nemechek
24. Ty Dillon
25. Austin Dillon
26. Corey LaJoie
27. Ross Chastain
28. Denny Hamlin
29. Erik Jones
30. JJ Yeley
31. Daniel Suarez
32. Brennan Poole
33. Reed Sorenson
34. Joey Gase
35. Quin Houff
36. Garrett Smithley
37. Timmy Hill
38. Martin Truex Jr.
 
C/P from nascar.com

The No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota failed pre-qualifying inspection three times Saturday at Auto Club Speedway while the No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet failed twice, as confirmed by a NASCAR spokesperson. As a result, the No. 19 team of Martin Truex Jr. was not be permitted to qualify for the race and will start from the back.

The team also loses a crew member (car chief Blake Harris) for the duration of the weekend and will serve a 15-minute practice penalty at the next NASCAR Cup Series event (Phoenix Raceway). Truex was the 2018 winner of the NASCAR Cup Series race at Auto Club. The car passed inspection on the fourth time through inspection.

For his part, Truex is not concerned about having to come from the back of the field and his 38th-starting spot. He placed third in the 10- and 15-lap averages in final practice.

“I’m always optimistic,” Truex said. “I did feel good about our car. It seemed like long runs we were pretty strong. Hopefully, we will have a lot of those tomorrow and be able to use them to our advantage.”

For the No. 1 team and Kurt Busch, who is the 2003 Auto Club winner, they will be without car chief Nick Case this weekend and will serve a 15-minute practice penalty at the next event.
 
START TIME: 3:30 p.m. ET (12:30 p.m. local).

GREEN FLAG: 3:46 p.m. ET. (12:46 p.m. local)

Actor David Boreanaz will instruct drivers to start their engine at 3:37 p.m. ET (12:37 p.m. local). Jimmie Johnson's wife Chandra and his daughters Genevieve and Lydia will wave the green flag.

TV: Fox. Pre-race broadcast begins at 3 p.m. ET. (Noon local).

RADIO: Motor Racing Network. STREAMING: Fox Sports Go.

RACE DISTANCE: 200 laps around the 2-mile track for a total of 400 miles.

STAGE LENGTHS (laps per stage): Stage 1: 60, Stage 2: 60, Stage 3: 80.

WEATHER: Cool and possibly wet. The Weather Channel is calling for temperatures in the low to mid 50s and showers for much of the afternoon, with the chance of precipitation between 35 and 40%.
 
Green Flag!


1)... Ky Busch
2)... Denny Hamlin
3)... Kevin Harvick
4)... Ryan Blaney

Kyle Busch***
Kevin Harvick
Joey Logano
Jimmie Johnson

Martin Truex Jr.*****
Kyle Busch
Chase Elliot
Joey Logano

Kyle Busch*
Joey Logano
Martin Truex Jr
Kevin Harvick

Jimmie Johnson
Joey Logano
Martin Truex Jr.@@@@
Ryan Blaney

Clint Bowyer
Jimmie Johnson ***
Kyle Busch
Kevin Harvick

Chase Elliot*
Ryan Blaney
Kevin Harvick
Martin Truex Jr

Kurt Busch*****
Clint Bowyer
Kevin Harvick
Kyle Larson

Alex Bowman ***
Ryan Blaney
Kyle Larson
Chase Elliott

Joey Logano
Kevin Harvick*
Alex Bowman
Clint Bowyer

Jimmie Johnson
Alex Bowman *
Joey Logano
Kevin Harvick

Joey Logano
Jimmie Johnson*
Kyle Busch
Alex Bowman