Welcome To California Speedway
Home of That's Entertainment, new fuel and mysterious debris.
It was a wild and wooly day at California Speedway.
Welcome to California Speedway
Home of "That's Entertainment", new unleaded fuel and the mysterious debris. Roush Fenway Racing dominated the weekend, winning the Busch and Cup race to barely noteworthy crowds. NASCAR gave up one of the most historic tracks to come play with the elite in Hollywood, but apparently they didn't care. It was the night of Superstars, and the day of stock cars finest. As if a two year waiting list for Cup tickets and full stands can't compare to having Jim Belushi as honorary flagman.
There was more excitement off the track than on. The absence of four crew chiefs, a team director and vice president of competition was more a talk of the track than seeing the cast of "Drive" attempting to entertain themselves. Toyota spokesman and team owner, Michael Waltrip, failed to qualify for the race after being scrutinized for using jet fuel in his #55 Camry at Daytona. Team member Dale Jarrett had motor problems and made it in on a Previous Champions provisional.
Even with missing crew chief Robbie Rieser, Kenseth showed off his stellar driving and sheer
luck to win the Auto Club 500. Between his champion pit crew and an unidentified flying debris, the #17 Dewalt/Carhartt driver took the lead with 23 laps to go and never looked back.
The only competitors to challenge Kenseth fell into obstacles that cut down their chances of winning at the Fontana track. Jimmy Johnson, on his way to his second win with an ample lead was surprised when the caution call for debris came out. The debris, marked as anything from a snickers wrapper to a spot of oil, was never spotted on the track by the leaders. Many thought it was a call by the powers that be for a close finish. Maybe the officials should have submitted that for an Oscar nomination.
"I had a comfortable two-second lead, and we had a caution come out for debris," Johnson said after the race. "I don't think they've found the debris yet. If anyone has seen the debris, I would like to know what it was, I think they had five trucks looking for it."
Kenseth had the same thought.
"Bull," Kenseth told his interim crew chief Chip Bolin. "All that is is entertainment."
After a round of pit stops for the caution, the over the wall crew got Kenseth out in front with Kevin Harvick a close second. Jimmy Johnson had a slow stop and fell to fifth. Once they returned to green, a fast moving Kevin Harvick had Kenseth in his sights.
Greg Biffle turned David Ruettimann and brought out another caution flag with 8 laps to go. That's when Harvick must have found the mysterious debris, he cut a tire just as the the green came out. That's all it took to give Kenseth the win. Harvick had to pit and dropped back to 17th. Pole sitter Jeff Gordon finished second, followed by teammate Jimmy Johnson and former teammates Jeff Burton and Mark Martin.
The Auto Club 500 weekend also premiered the use of Sunoco's unleaded fuel instead of the 110 racing fuel previously used by Nextel Cup. The Busch and Craftsman Truck series had switched to unleaded last season, but Cup cars go longer distances and their motors have to make more power. The first race use came with much criticism. Dale Earnhadrt Jr., Kasey Kahne and Martin Truex Jr. were amongst the victoms of blown motors.
"We had a restart there and I was running behind Stewart and the car was really good," Truex said. "Then, just out of the blue, the motor let go."
