Track Description:
Roger Penske built Auto Club Speedway on an old EPA Superfund site 50 or so miles east of Los Angeles, with the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race run there in 1997. The facility is built on a tract of land that also served as the location for the final battle scene in the original “The Terminator” film way back in 1984, long before star Arnold Schwarzenegger became governor of California. Penske modeled the 2-mile Auto Club facility after another track he used to own, Michigan International Speedway. Long, wide and flat, the Southern California track has 14 degrees of banking in the corners and is notoriously difficult on engines, due to the high RPMs cars turn here. It is also notable because the wide track and forgiving banking results in few caution periods. This year, ACS will host a single race, shortened to 400 miles from the traditional 500. There have 21 NASCAR Sprint Cup races run at Auto Club Speedway since it opened in 1997. Nine times, Hendrick Motorsports drivers have won, with Tony Stewart taking the checkered flag last fall in a car built and powered by Hendrick. Roush Fenway Racing, meanwhile, has won nearly as often scoring, seven ACS victories. Jimmie Johnson, who hails from (reasonably) nearby El Cajon, Calif., leads all drivers with five career victories at ACS, and a finishing average of 5.31. On the Roush Fenway side of the ledger, Kenseth has three victories here and average finish of 10.28, while Carl Edwards has an average finish of 9.23, despite coming 34th last year. Dale Earnhardt Jr. struggles badly here, averaging a 22.28 finish. Juan Pablo Montoya finds it tough as well, averaging just 20.50 in eight career starts at ACS.