Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup. Date: Sunday,
October 11. Race: Pepsi 500. Site: Auto Club Speedway. Track: two-mile oval.
Start Time: 3:15 p.m. (et). Laps: 250. Miles: 500. Defending Winner: Jimmie
Johnson. Television: ABC. Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN)/SIRIUS XM
Satellite.
Last Sunday at Kansas, ten of the top-11 finishers were Chase drivers, as the
points battle for the Sprint Cup Series championship tightened. Only 114
points separate leader Mark Martin from eighth-place Greg Biffle heading into
the Pepsi 500 at California -- the fourth race in the playoffs.
"It shows how competitive the Chase is," said Kansas race winner Tony Stewart,
who moved up to fourth in points (-67).
Stewart, in his first year as driver and owner, captured his fourth victory of
the season. The two-time Cup Series champion finished 14th at New Hampshire
and seventh at ninth at Dover before winning at Kansas.
In February, Stewart finished eighth at California in just his second race
with his new Stewart-Haas Racing team.
"We were still just learning each other going into California in the spring,"
Stewart said. "So going around this time, we obviously know each other better.
We've had time to make mistakes and make decisions that worked for me, and
we've learned the feel that I like together, and that's something that will
help us. I'm anticipating California a lot more this time than in the spring."
After finishing seventh at Kansas, Martin padded his lead to 18 points over
Hendrick Motorsports teammate and three-time defending series champion Jimmie
Johnson, who finished ninth.
Johnson excels at the upcoming tracks on the schedule. The El Cajon, CA native
returns to his hometrack this weekend as the winner of the last two fall races
there. After California, the series runs at Charlotte and then Martinsville.
Johnson has five victories at Charlotte and has won five of the last six races
at Martinsville.
"They really are great tracks for us," Johnson said. "I think the season comes
to us in a way. I know that we perform well in the Chase, but I think the
schedule is helpful for the No.48 car. We have great results, and it gives us
a lot of hope going into these tracks, but we still have to show up and get
the job done."
Johnson has recorded five straight top-10 finishes at California. He dominated
last year's fall race there, leading 228 of 250 laps.
Martin will compete in California's second date of the season for the first
time since 2006. He has missed the event in the past two years due to his
limited Cup schedule. Martin suffered engine failure and ended up with a 40th-
place finish at California earlier this year.
Juan Pablo Montoya has been superb in the Chase so far. Montoya, in his first
year in the playoffs, is the only driver who has scored top-five finishes in
the first three Chase races. He's hoping his momentum will continue, but
California has been one of his tougher tracks.
"I would rather have Atlanta to be honest," Montoya said. "I always run really
well at Atlanta. At the same time we ran pretty good [at California] the last
time we were there. It was very early in the season, and even then I think we
had decent cars. Right now, we've got much more competitive cars."
Montoya is now third in points (-51). He has finished no better than 11th in
his first five races at California. Montoya had a third-place run last month
at Atlanta.
With California's second date of the season now moved to October , drivers and
teams are expecting different track conditions, which should make for an
interesting race.
"Conditions will be cooler," said Kurt Busch, who is currently fifth in points
(-91). "The track most likely will be faster."
Forty-five teams are on the preliminary entry list for the Pepsi 500.
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