California
Kyle Busch and the 5 Drivers More Than Capable of California Dreamin’ at Auto Club Speedway
In a single sense, Sunday’s Pala On line casino 400 at Auto Membership Speedway would possibly as effectively be the primary race of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Collection season.
Certain, the most important race of all — the Daytona 500 — occurred final weekend and was the official kickoff, however as one in every of solely two superspeedways on the schedule, Daytona isn’t a good barometer of what followers can anticipate over the overwhelming majority of the 2023 marketing campaign.
In contrast to Daytona’s 2.5-mile high-banked structure, Auto Membership Speedway is a 2-mile observe with modest banking within the corners, and it gives a model of racing that will probably be seen all year long at tracks of an analogous size and configuration.
Due to this fact, if a driver runs effectively this weekend, it’s possible a reasonably good signal that he’ll be sturdy over the course of the season — and perhaps even contend for the championship. So, who’re the blokes to beat at ACS?
Let’s take a peek on the 5 drivers with the very best alternative to go to Victory Lane, beginning at No. 5 and dealing our approach right down to No. 1.
5. Austin Dillon
Nonetheless looking for his first win at Auto Membership Speedway, Austin Dillon may not be on most people’ shortlist of drivers who’ve the products to go California dreamin’ this weekend.
Dillon is not any Auto Membership Speedway slouch, nonetheless, and his file proves it. In eight begins at ACS, the Richard Childress Racing driver has completed 11th or higher 5 occasions.
His finest end result? A second-place end right here one 12 months in the past.
“I’m hoping we will add one spot to that on Sunday and get the trophy,” Dillon stated in a Workforce Chevy information launch. “Auto Membership Speedway is a enjoyable place to race. There’s so much you are able to do with that observe with the a number of lanes you possibly can race.”
Now, Dillon’s obtained four-time Auto Membership winner Kyle Busch within the RCR camp, which solely helps his probabilities.
“Kyle Busch is nice there, and he’ll convey one thing to the desk this weekend to assist RCR as an entire,” Dillon stated.
4. Martin Truex Jr.
In scorching pursuit of his first points-paying NASCAR Cup Collection win since 2021, Martin Truex Jr. will look to seize his second triumph at Auto Membership Speedway however first along with his present group at Joe Gibbs Racing.
Truex’s maiden victory on the quick oval observe was a dominant one by which he led 125 of 200 laps along with his former group — the since disbanded Furnishings Row Racing — in 2018. Truex’s ACS file hasn’t been stellar since becoming a member of JGR — he has one top-10 in three begins — however he hasn’t completed worse than 14th.
Maybe most significantly, although, the vibes across the 2017 Cup Collection champion and his group are nonetheless optimistic after Truex’s P1 end result within the preseason Conflict at The Coliseum held in early February. The veteran driver is not any much less hungry now, nonetheless, to place an everyday season win on the board.
3. Alex Bowman
Alex Bowman’s general file at Auto Membership Speedway isn’t that spectacular, however the Hendrick Motorsports driver loved fairly the day on the Southern California observe in 2020 when he led 110 of 200 laps en path to a commanding triumph.
It doesn’t harm something that Bowman — who missed 5 of final season’s last six races with a concussion — has began 2023 off on a robust foot each on and off the observe. Simply hours earlier than Bowman gained the pole final week for the Daytona 500, Hendrick Motorsports introduced it had reached a multi-year contract extension for the Tucson, Arizona native to stay with the group for 2024 and past.
Bowman went on to later rating a career-best Daytona end of fifth, main 12 laps within the course of. All this, coupled along with his success from Auto Membership three years in the past, ought to give Bowman each motive to really feel assured heading into Sunday.
“Auto Membership is a observe that Alex has gained at and dominated in 2020,” stated Blake Harris, Bowman’s first-year crew chief, in a Workforce Chevy information launch. “I’ve had loads of success there up to now with different drivers, and it’s truthfully one in every of my favourite tracks on the schedule. … This weekend will begin the inspiration for the 2023 season.”
2. Kyle Larson
A local of Elk Grove, California, Kyle Larson is not any stranger to Victory Lane on the Cup Collection’ solely oval observe in his dwelling state. He’s been there twice — with Hendrick Motorsports final season and with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2017, when he gained from the pole and led over half of the race.
So, to say Larson is snug and assured at Fontana could be an understatement.
“We appear to be actually good on that fashion race observe,” the 2021 Cup Collection champion — who has triumphed a complete of 13 occasions over the previous two seasons — stated in a Workforce Chevy information launch. “It’s a spot that I actually love with the road adjustments and the (approach the) tires put on out.
“I bear in mind final 12 months you may draft fairly effectively down the straightaways. It was a enjoyable race. Hopefully, we might be quick once more and win in my dwelling state once more.”
1. Kyle Busch
Nobody has been a extra constant frontrunner at Auto Membership Speedway than Kyle Busch, who owns 4 victories on the facility that joined the Cup Collection tour in 1997 and can host its last race with its present 2-mile configuration this weekend earlier than remodeling into a brief observe in a future season nonetheless to be decided.
One in all Busch’s wins at ACS was his first profession Cup Collection triumph, which he recorded in his rookie season of 2005 with Hendrick Motorsports. The opposite three have include Joe Gibbs Racing, the place he gained two championships and 56 Cup races over the previous 15 seasons.
“I believe Auto Membership Speedway has been a very good observe for me over time simply because I just like the observe,” Busch stated in a Workforce Chevy information launch. “I like going on the market, I just like the West Coast, it’s a enjoyable observe. It’s a driver’s observe. You may actually transfer round. There’s 5 lanes, and you may run all of ‘em. However one in every of my favourite traces to run is clearly up towards the wall, that fifth lane.
“It’s a very cool observe to have the ability to try this, and also you’re at all times making an attempt to set your self as quick as you possibly can proper up towards the wall as shut as you possibly can, and that’s the place you get to make your most time. It’s actually a enjoyable observe for the drivers.”
Now in his first season with Richard Childress Racing, Busch expects to proceed his trademark excellence at ACS, the place he’s claimed 16 top-10 finishes — together with 11 top-fives — in 23 outings.
“I really like Auto Membership Speedway. I’ve recognized it as California Speedway for a protracted, very long time since I used to be a child,” Busch stated. “I clearly love the structure. I just like the 2-mile oval. I believe it’s distinctive, I believe it’s particular. … I would definitely like to win the final one on the large observe. That may be superior.”