Up to Speed: Auto Club 300 at Auto Club

By Seth Eggert, Staff Writer

Four races into the season and only one NASCAR Xfinity Series regular has scored a victory. The Xfinity Series returns to Auto Club Speedway for the Auto Club 300. Cup drivers, series regulars looking to rebound, and stage racing are just some of the storylines heading into the fifth race of the season.

Coverage for the Auto Club 300 is scheduled to start Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. ET. Auto Club Speedway has hosted the fifth race of the season since the 2011 season. In 28 races at the 2.0-mile D-Shaped Oval, 16 drivers have claimed victory. The last time an Xfinity Series regular competing exclusively in the Xfinity Series won at Auto Club Speedway was Scott Riggs in 2002. Kyle Busch won at the track in 2009 while competing for the Championship in both NASCAR’s Premier Series and the Xfinity Series.

The last time the Xfinity Series visited Auto Club Speedway, Kyle Larson took the victory in exciting fashion. Larson held off charges from Joey Logano, Kyle Busch, and Erik Jones on the final restart with four laps to go. William Byron was the highest finish Xfinity regular in fifth.

By the Numbers

What: Auto Club 300, NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Five

Where: Auto Club Speedway – Fontana, California (Opened: 1997)

TV/Radio: Fox Sports 1, 4:00 p.m. ET / MRN and SiriusXM Channel 90

Track Size: 2.0-mile D-Shaped Oval

Banking: 14 degrees in turns, 11 degrees on the Frontstretch, and 3 degrees on the backstretch.

Race Length: 150 Laps, 300 Miles (Three Stages, 35/70/150)

2017 Race Winner: Kyle Larson – No. 42 ENEOS Chevrolet Camaro SS (Started seventh, 21 laps led).

Track Qualifying Record: Tony Stewart (38.722 seconds, 185.941 mph – 9/3/2005).

Storylines Heading Into the Auto Club 300:

There are several storylines going into this weekend’s race to watch for:

• Cessna will be the primary sponsor of Elliott Sadler’s No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro SS for JR Motorsports.
• Anderson’s Maple Syrup will be the primary sponsor of Matt Tifft’s No. 2 Chevrolet Camaro SS for Richard Childress Racing.
• Austin Dillon will be in the No. 3 Red Kap / Prudential Overall Supply Chevrolet Camaro SS for Richard Childress Racing.
• Ryan Preece will make his first start of the season in the No. 18 Rheem Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing.
• GameStop TurtleBeach will be the primary sponsor of Christopher Bell’s No. 20 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing.
• Joey Logano will be in the No. 22 Discount Tire Ford Mustang for Team Penske.
• Lombard Bros. Gaming will be the primary sponsor of Ryan Sieg’s No. 39 Chevrolet Camaro SS for RSS Racing.
• John Hunter Nemechek returns to the No. 42 Fire Alarm Services, Inc. Chevrolet Camaro SS for Chip Ganassi Racing.
• Austin Cindric returns to the No. 60 LTi Printing Ford Mustang for Roush Fenway Racing.

Weekend Schedule (All Times Eastern)

Friday, March 16

• NXS Practice 1 (3:35 p.m. – 4:25 p.m., on Fox Sports 1)
• NXS Practice 2 (5:35 p.m. – 6:25 p.m., on Fox Sports 1)

Saturday, March 17

• NXS Qualifying (1:35 p.m., on Fox Sports 1)
• NXS Auto Club 300 (4:00 p.m. – 150 laps, 300 miles – on Fox Sports 1, SiriusXM Channel 90, and the Motor Racing Network)