2014 Fontana - Auto Club 400 - Pre Race Thread

[dpkimmel2001]

EVENT SCHEDULE
(Sprint Cup Series)

Times are local to the Track
Friday, March 21
6:30 AM NSCS GARAGE OPENS & INSPECTION BEGINS
11:00 AM NSCS ROOKIE & SPOTTER MEETINGS & RANDOM DRAWING
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM NSCS PRACTICE
4:40 PM (7:40 PM/ET) NSCS QUALIFYING
Saturday, March 22
7:00 AM NNS GARAGE OPENS
9:30 AM - 10:25 AM NSCS PRACTICE
12:30 PM - 1:20 PM NSCS FINAL PRACTICE
Sunday, March 23
6:00 AM NSCS GARAGE OPENS
11:25 AM NSCS DRIVER INTRODUCTIONS
12:00 pm NSCS RACE
NSCS = Sprint Cup Series
SUBJECT TO CHANGE
All times above are listed in LOCAL Time
PRACTICE & QUALIFYING
Dates / Times / TV coverage

(times in eastern time)​

• Practices:
  Friday, March 21, 3:00 - 4:30 pm/et, TV-FS1
  Saturday, March 22, 12:30 - 1:20 pm/et, TV-FS1
• Happy Hour 'Final' practice: Saturday, March 22, 3:30 - 4:30pm/et, TV-FS1
• Qualifying: groups for positions 1-36, Friday, March 21 at 7:35 pm/et, TV-FS1, no re-air scheduled.

 

[dpkimmel2001]

Race Coverage of the Auto Club 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Auto Club Speedway is scheduled for Sunday, March 23, 2014.
Television (TV): FOX at 3:00 pm/et; Pre-Race show at 2:30 pm/et; green flag approx. 3:18pm/et
Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius XM Satellite NASCAR Radio 90
Scheduled Race Re-Airs: Wednesday, March 26 at 3:00am/et on FS1 & Wednesday, March 26 at 8:00pam/et on FS2

 

[dpkimmel2001]

In case this still means anything to anyone.....

1 Brad Keselowski 163 Leader
2 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 153 -10
3 Carl Edwards 152 -11
4 Jeff Gordon 152 -11
5 Jimmie Johnson 143 -20
6 Joey Logano 141 -22
7 Denny Hamlin 140 -23
8 Matt Kenseth 138 -25
9 Ryan Newman 125 -38
10 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 122 -41

 

[dpkimmel2001]

Auto Club Driver Ratings through the last 15 races.....

 

[dpkimmel2001]

So much data in here it'll make your head hurt.

Fontana Loop Data Link

 

[DUN24]

I cannot wait. First live cup race in almost 3 years.

 

[ted@economy]

I cannot wait. First live cup race in almost 3 years.

Wish I was going too. Prayin for fine weather for ya.

 

[BobbyFord]

So far the forecast is partly cloudy with temps in the low to mid 70's. Should be perfect race weather.

 

[DanicaFreak]

A 2 miler....3 wide racing!

 

[SlicedBread22]

Cant wait! Ive had this one marked on the calendar.

 

[FLRacingFan]

I hope this place doesn't get repaved for a long time.

 

[DanicaFreak]

I don't recall right off...is this place hard on engines? It looks like it might be....

 

[BobbyFord]

I'm curious to see what the speeds will be going into the corners this year.

 

[dpkimmel2001]

I never get too excited about this race. It does not normally produce good racing. About the only thing that I like about this track is that Martinsville is the following week.

 

[breatheoflife]

I never get too excited about this race. It does not normally produce good racing. About the only thing that I like about this track is that Martinsville is the following week.

Nobbody ever got excited about this race until it was the race of the year last year. Lol. With that said, I can't wait! Hope we get another great race.

 

[dpkimmel2001]

Complete television listings.....

All times are EST

Friday, March 21
Noon, NSCS Race at Bristol (re-air), FOX Sports 1
3 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice, FOX Sports 1
4:30 p.m., NASCAR Nationwide Series Practice, FOX Sports 1
5:30 p.m., NASCAR Live, FOX Sports 1
6 p.m., NASCAR Nationwide Series Practice, FOX Sports 1
7:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Qualifying, FOX Sports 1
9 p.m., The Day: Daytona Primetime (re-air), FOX Sports 1

Saturday, Mar. 22
11:30 a.m., NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Race at Bristol, FOX Sports 1
12:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice, FOX Sports 1
1:30 p.m., NASCAR Nationwide Series Qualifying, FOX Sports 1
3 p.m., NASCAR Live, FOX Sports 1
3:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Final Practice, FOX Sports 1
4:30 p.m., NASCAR Nationwide Series Countdown, ESPN
5 p.m., NASCAR Nationwide Series Race at Auto Club Speedway, ESPN

Sunday, Mar. 23
2 a.m., NASCAR Nationwide Series Race at Auto Club Speedway (re-air), ESPN2
4 a.m., NASCAR Nationwide Series Race at Auto Club Speedway, ESPN Deportes
1:30 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay, FOX Sports 1
2:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Pre-Race Show, FOX
3 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Race at Auto Club Speedway, FOX
3 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Race at Auto Club Speedway, FOX Deportes
7:30 p.m., Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge at Sebring (re-air), FOX Sports 2
Midnight, NASCAR Victory Lane, FOX Sports 1

 

[Tennessee Racing]

I don't recall right off...is this place hard on engines? It looks like it might be....

Im sure the #4 guys will have something go wrong. Seems to be the pattern for the season.

 

[DanicaFreak]

Im sure the #4 guys will have something go wrong. Seems to be the pattern for the season.

Dont jinx it! hopefully the gremlins that were in the engines are all out.

 

[ToyYoda]

I hope that song "It Never Rains In Southern California" rings true this weekend (even though it did rain there two years ago). This weather messing with our races is getting a bit old.

 

[ted@economy]

I hope that song "It Never Rains In Southern California" rings true this weekend (even though it did rain there two years ago). This weather messing with our races is getting a bit old.

The next line is " it pours , man it pours "

 

[ChexOrWrex]

Our first 2 mile D shaped aero-push track

Cars spread out by 2 or 3 seconds from each other. wooo hooo!

 

[ToyYoda]

The next line is " it pours , man it pours "

Oops, guess I never made it past the first line

 

[Johali]

Sorry, they're not in numerical order.

AUTO CLUB 400

AUTO CLUB SPEEDWAY - FONTANA CALIFORNIA

SUNDAY MARCH 23 2014 TV - FOX

LVH



Team
03/17
Jimmy Johnson
5-1
Kyle Busch
6-1
Denny Hamlin
12-1
Matt Kenseth
7-1
Jeff Gordon
15-1
Kasey Kahne
10-1
Kevin Harvick 8-1
Tony Stewart25-1
Dale Earnhardt Jr
10-1
Brad Keselowski
8-1
Carl Edwards
15-1
Greg Biffle
25-1
Clint Bowyer
25-1
Martin Truex Jr
50-1
Joey Logano
12-1
Kurt Busch
25-1
Ryan Newman
25-1
Jamie McMurray
60-1
Brian Vickers
30-1
Austin Dillon
100-1
Kyle Larson
60-1
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
75-1
Paul Menard
75-1
Marcos Ambrose
300-1
Danica Patrick
500-1
Field
200-1

 

[Nitro Dude]

Since some things have changed for my race the following weekend in Las Vegas, i will get to go to the hauler parade on Thur and the Nationwide race on Sat at Fontana. This will make 3 years in a row.

 

[Joniki]

I never get too excited about this race. It does not normally produce good racing. About the only thing that I like about this track is that Martinsville is the following week.

I thought last years race at Cali was a top 5 for the season. I hope this race is as good.

 

[dpkimmel2001]

I thought last years race at Cali was a top 5 for the season. I hope this race is as good.

Yeah, last year was great. I'm thinking more of the other 23 that I've watched there. That's kind of set the trend that I'm used to taking in when I sit to watch that race. I can only hope that it is as good as last year but I'm setting my expectations quite a bit lower.

 

[BobbyFord]

The racing changed at ACS when they clipped the race from 500 to 400 miles.

 

[TwentyNine]

All four races so far this year have been pretty darned good with the changes to the cars. I'm thinking this race will be great, might not top last years but it will be a good one.

 

[FLRacingFan]

I want to see Dave Blaney's new team make the race for once.

 

[FenderBumper]

A 2 miler....3 wide racing 1 mile apart!

Fixed.

 

[FenderBumper]

I want to see Dave Blaney's new team make the race for once.

Same here, but that would require pulling the 4 cylinder out.

 

[ChexOrWrex]

Last year's race was the best at Fontana since they opened in 1997. Unless it's all because of this gen 6 car & these new aero rules keep the cars somewhat bunched up & capable of passing, this track has proven to be a snoozer.

Expect FOX to manufacture a dead rivalry between Logano & Hamlin

 

[BobbyFord]

These cars will not be bunched up. There will be 3-wide passing, multiple grooves, 200+ mph speeds.

 

[Tennessee Racing]

God that's ugly.

 

[Joniki]

Fixed.

You're starting to sound like Andy.

 

[FenderBumper]

You're starting to sound like Andy.

Hey, there's no need to get nasty!

 

[AndyMarquisLive]

Last year's race was the best at Fontana since they opened in 1997. Unless it's all because of this gen 6 car & these new aero rules keep the cars somewhat bunched up & capable of passing, this track has proven to be a snoozer.

Expect FOX to manufacture a dead rivalry between Logano & Hamlin

The aging surface helped produce good racing. Actually, a lot of the California races since 2009 have been pretty good.

 

[AndyMarquisLive]

You're starting to sound like Andy.

Get off my frozen tundra.

 

[FenderBumper]

Get off my frozen tundra.

you should have bought a Chevy.

 

[ToyYoda]

I hope we have a good race out at Michigan West, last year's will be hard to top.