NASCAR NEXTEL CUP AUTO CLUB 500 FONTANA CALIFORNIA_____February 27, 2005 2pm ET FOX

Self

[WestCoastGal]

AUTO CLUB 500 CALIFORNIA SPEEDWAY

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 27, 2005 2pm ET

Busch Race- Stater Bros. 300 FX Sat. 5:30 p.m.
Auto Club 500 Bud Pole qualifying FX Sat. 3 p.m.
Truck Race American Racing Wheels 200 SPEED Fri. 9 p.m.

All Times are ET

CALIFORNIA SPEEDWAY, FONTANA CALIFORNIA

Track Facts

Land
Total Site	568 acres
Speedway Interior	130.7 acres
Track Information
Track Size	Two-mile D-shaped oval
Track Width	75 feet wide with 15-foot apron
Turns 1-2; 3-4	14-degree banking
Front Stretch	11-degree banking; 3100 feet in length
Back Straightaway	3-degree banking; 2500 feet in length
	21 turns, 2.36 miles
Garages	3 garages with 100 spaces
Composition	Asphalt track, pit lane and parking areas; concrete pit stalls
Pit Road	2200 feet in length with 44 individual pit areas

[NYTexan]

You mean TIED fer 42'nd!
*L* (sorry)
Is this your 1st year?

I'm a rookie & thanks to WCG's insight & tutelage I'm now in 5th!

[SouthTexas]

If only he were here to cuss out Nascar now!

AMEN!!!

[SouthTexas]

Uh yeah, rookie season. Still agitated that I can't pick the 24 EVERY race. Not that he helped me any this week.LOL

[NYTexan]

Ya best save em fer when it's gonna count!

[NYTexan]

BTW, how many motors malfunctioned that race? 5 or so?

[SouthTexas]

That WAS one of his best tracks!!! DW said he thought it was a misprint with Gordon's name on all the records. Snake bit bad.

Don't know for sure, there were at least four. Terry went out, but they said his was rear end, not engine. The 01, 10, 24, & 25. Don't know how JJ pulled it off!

[NYTexan]

Are ya leanin' any particular way for the UAW-DC 400?

I still think Riggs has potential for my C team & will probably play him out till he seriosly dissapoints me.

Checked the Yahoo stats on previous history & found some interesting info!

[WestCoastGal]

My notes from last year said that Bruton Smith tracks would have qualifying because they sell their tickets to include the whole weekend package.

Now with this news about Atlanta and Bristol I do wonder if he's caved in at the other tracks. I know Vegas will have qualifying in two weeks for sure. I don't think they can cancel that at this late date.

So that leaves Lowes, Texas with unknown schedules, and Infineon (definite qualifying unless Nascar butts in)

Now that I think about it this way Mr Smith may just have to much power in this sport.

This is what Atlanta Motor Speedway said last November...

---

Atlanta's 2005 Schedule not effected by new rule; Atlanta Motor Speedway will not be one of the tracks affected by NASCAR's new altered race weekend schedules, speedway officials confirmed Tuesday. Both of Atlanta Motor Speedway's NASCAR race weekend qualifying rounds are sponsored - in the spring by Georgia Power, in the fall by Georgia-Pacific - and have strong crowd draws.

The 2004 qualifying day crowds have been the largest in speedway history. "I applaud NASCAR for what they're trying to do, and I appreciate them taking into consideration that this type of format doesn't suit all tracks," said Ed Clark, president and general manager of Atlanta Motor Speedway. "We have commitments to our sponsors and our fans for three full days of great racing, and that's what we'll deliver."

HA

[WestCoastGal]

[NYTexan]

Sortable Stats

Time Frame 2005 5 Years Last 500 Auto Club
* Includes only active drivers



Name Races Poles Wins Top 5 Top 10 DNF Avg Start Avg Finish
Kasey Kahne 1 1 0 1 1 0 1.0 2.0
Tony Stewart 5 0 0 4 4 0 12.6 5.4
Matt Kenseth 5 0 2 2 2 0 18.6 9.4
Sterling Marlin 5 0 1 2 3 0 23.8 9.6
Jimmie Johnson 3 0 0 0 1 0 15.7 11.0
Casey Mears 2 0 0 0 1 0 15.5 11.0
Bobby Labonte 5 1 0 2 3 0 10.4 11.6
Mark Martin 5 0 0 3 4 1 16.4 12.0
Bill Elliott 5 0 0 1 2 0 23.6 12.0
Jeff Burton 5 0 1 1 3 0 22.6 13.6
Dale Jarrett 5 1 0 1 3 1 20.0 13.6
Jimmy Spencer 4 0 0 0 2 0 18.2 16.8
Kevin Harvick 4 0 0 0 1 0 21.5 16.8
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 5 0 0 1 2 1 20.0 17.2
Ryan Newman 4 0 0 1 2 0 11.2 17.8
Jamie McMurray 2 0 0 1 1 0 8.0 18.0
Ricky Rudd 5 1 0 0 0 0 24.8 18.2
Joe Nemechek 5 0 0 0 2 0 25.0 18.2
Jeremy Mayfield 5 0 0 1 1 1 13.2 19.2
Kurt Busch 4 0 0 0 1 1 4.8 19.5
Jeff Gordon 5 0 1 1 1 1 13.8 19.6
Michael Waltrip 5 0 0 1 1 1 7.8 21.6
Brian Vickers 1 0 0 0 0 0 3.0 23.0
Kevin Lepage 2 0 0 0 0 1 24.5 23.5
Rusty Wallace 5 0 0 0 1 2 22.6 23.8
Johnny Sauter 1 0 0 0 0 0 30.0 24.0
Terry Labonte 5 0 0 0 0 0 34.2 24.8
Dave Blaney 4 0 0 0 0 1 24.5 25.0
Ken Schrader 5 0 0 0 0 0 30.2 25.4
Kyle Petty 4 0 0 0 0 0 25.8 25.5
Elliott Sadler 5 0 0 0 1 1 19.2 27.4
Robby Gordon 5 0 0 0 0 0 21.4 27.4
Jason Leffler 1 0 0 0 0 0 30.0 28.0
Scott Riggs 1 0 0 0 0 0 15.0 29.0
John Andretti 4 0 0 0 0 0 27.0 29.0
Mike Skinner 4 0 0 0 0 1 32.0 29.5
Jeff Green 3 0 0 0 0 1 20.0 31.3
Kenny Wallace 4 0 0 0 0 0 31.0 31.8
Mike Wallace 1 0 0 0 0 0 39.0 32.0
Derrike Cope 3 0 0 0 0 0 36.3 33.0
Jeff Fuller 1 0 0 0 0 0 22.0 36.0
Carl Long 1 0 0 0 0 1 41.0 38.0
Scott Wimmer 1 0 0 0 0 1 39.0 39.0
Greg Biffle 1 0 0 0 0 1 9.0 40.0
Kyle Busch 1 0 0 0 0 1 18.0 41.0
Scott Pruett 1 0 0 0 0 0 2.0 42.0
Morgan Shepherd 1 0 0 0 0 1 43.0 42.0
Kirk Shelmerdine 1 0 0 0 0 1 42.0 43.0




Sorry about the formatting, but here is some historical (5 year) data. (fer what it's worth!)

[SouthTexas]

I'm still going by gut instinct, for whatever that's worth.LOL

Barring Gordon and Riggs engine failures in California, it would have been a good run. Have along time to think about it now and you know the old saying, "Ponder long, ponder wrong." :)

[SouthTexas]

Now that I think about it this way Mr Smith may just have to much power in this sport.

It did take many years of lawsuits to get Texas a second race, something that was promised when he built TMS. SOMEBODY needs to straighten out this "it ain't broke, but we're going to fix it anyway" mentality.

[SouthTexas]

Thanks. Don't know with the format change AND the car changes if anything historical is really going to help. We shall see!!

[WestCoastGal]

I think 'Brain' France is headed towards..... it was fixed when I took over but I'm gonna break it with my stupid ideas just to show my Daddy and Grandpa I can.

[WestCoastGal]

We were 30 laps from being just fine even with Riggs one cylinder down.

I just read yesterday that Jr said Mikey has always gotten the good engines so he's puzzled as to why he's blown two in the first two races.

So who knows what's going on at Hendrick and who gets what engine and who the engine tuner is.

It was also mentioned that this STUPID impound rule means the cars can sit with moisture in the air having an impact on the engine performance. I know nothing about engines, just reporting what I'm reading.

[WestCoastGal]

TIRE MYSTERY: Despite the two tire failures the doomed him to a 32nd-place finish Sunday - 32 laps behind Biffle - Dale Earnhardt Jr. isn't ready to aim a dagger at Goodyear.

``It's got to be something in the suspension or camber,'' he said Sunday. ``I mean, the temperatures on the outside edge of the tire were more than 300 degrees and the inside temperatures were about 180 degrees. You know that's not going to work. It's going to blow.''

One reason Junior agreed to swap teams (NOTE: It was not his choice) with Michael Waltrip within Dale Earnhardt Inc. was he believed he would have better cars on the intermediate tracks. That wasn't the case at California. AERO BLUES: Some drivers are already griping about the reduction of one inch on the rear spoilers, which has taken away some rear downforce. Since one of the complainers is Dale Jr., it's a good bet NASCAR will at least lend an ear.

``I'd like to get an inch back,'' Earnhardt said. ``Give me an inch more spoiler and give me some more front downforce.

``Think about what it would be like if we all had good downforce, could drive our cars really good, because they don't drive good. They drive like they were built 20 years ago ... because of the spoiler that we got on there. They don't turn, they don't grip in the back too good.''

[Hatteras]

"Think about what it would be like if we all had good downforce, could drive our cars really good, because they don't drive good. They drive like they were built 20 years ago ... because of the spoiler that we got on there. They don't turn, they don't grip in the back too good."

That's quite telling. You mean they might have to have a little skill to negotiate the car around the track? The poor "Young Guns" can't just slam the accelerator to the floor and expect it to stick like slot cars? Gee, that's a shame, Jr.

Dale, Jr.: I was one of your daddy's biggest fans and I like you, I really do... But finish growing up before you spout off. There some things you might have to learn about racing that you just can't learn from a video game.

[WestCoastGal]

Transport drivers log big miles next three weeks
by Tim Packman, Website Editor - March 2, 2005


MOORESVILLE, NC – The appreciation and respect for our transport drivers at Dale Earnhardt, Inc. will surely grow, more, through the next few weeks.
If you happen to see our Busch Series team hauler drivers smiling after the Las Vegas race on March 12, there is good reason. They will be heading home for the first time in three weeks.

When the 2005 NASCAR schedule came out last year, there were some notable changes in both the Cup and Busch Series. The race right after Daytona wouldn’t be a two-hour ride from our headquarters to North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham, NC as in years past.

Instead, the transporters had to return from Daytona, unload the cars and equipment from that race and then leave the very next day for California Speedway. After arriving there on Wed and Thursday, they left after their respective races on Saturday and Sunday.

But, the Cup haulers for the No. 8 Budweiser and No. 15 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolets returned to Mooresville. The two Busch Series haulers aren’t so fortunate. They will be logging some serious miles through the three week span between Daytona and Las Vegas.

They went from Fontana, Calif. to **, Tex. where they were met by a four-car hauler from DEI carrying four road course cars for the Busch race in Mexico. After swapping out the California race cars for the Mexico ones on Monday, they then went to Laredo, Tex. to meet up with the rest of the NASCAR convoy before heading into Mexico on Tuesday.

The four-car transporter left So Texas on Monday and returned to Mooresville on Tuesday. It was imperative to get those cars back because they are the same ones the No. 8 and No. 11 Busch teams will use in the Sam’s Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway next weekend.

Aside from the cars, that transporter also carried spare engines, transmissions and other supplies for the Telcel Motorola Mexico 200.

When this weekend’s Busch race ends on Sunday in Mexico City, the transporters will then make the trek up to Las Vegas, Nev., where they hope to arrive by Monday and will, again, meet up with the very same four-car hauler they dealt with before that came from Mooresville.

This time, the four-car trailer will have made the trek from Mooresville to Las Vegas and will be carrying the four cars (primary and back-up) for the Vegas race.

This time, they will roll out the road course cars and then load the Las Vegas cars that were worked on back here at DEI and readied for action. The four-car transporter will return to Mooresville, and the regular transporters will remain in Las Vegas for the race.

When that race ends on Saturday, the smiling, but tired, transporter drivers of our Busch teams will then make the 2,200-mile trip back to Mooresville. They will arrive here sometime Monday.

Approximate Mileage breakdown is as follows:

Mooresville to California Speedway - 2,660 miles

California Speedway to **, Tex -1,100 miles

** to Laredo, Tex – 100 miles

Laredo to Mexico City – 750

[tubebender]

Ping to #1118...

[WestCoastGal]

NASCAR debuts in Mexico this weekend. Where else should it consider racing?
Canada.
	349 votes (22%)
Japan.
	24 votes (2%)
Europe.
	31 votes (2%)
Keep it in the United States.
	1188 votes (75%)
1592 people have voted so far Your vote was Keep it in the United States. on 3/3/2005 11:13 am

LINK