NASCAR Sprint Cup: Hot Topics and Lead Contenders at Auto Club Speedway

NASCAR's top series returns to the left coast for some California dreamin' about conquering the two-mile oval where drivers need a fast, balanced car, and crew chiefs get tested with pit strategy on a track known for long green runs.

It is hard to believe that we are moving to the fifth race of the season, and the teams that may dominate the season are starting to shake out.

While it is still early to prognosticate about which drivers will make the Chase, we are finding unexpected strength with some, and disappointment with those expected to contend for wins consistently.

Other than a road-course, the Cup drivers have been tested on tracks from a superspeedway, to a one-mile, a 1.5-mile, short track, and now they head for the two-mile track at Fontana.

Let's take a look at drivers expected to battle for the win and some other hot topics that will come into play at the Auto Club 400.

The Return of the Fontana Dominator

Two California natives, Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick may once again be at the front of the pack, contending for a win with their Chevrolets when the checkered flag waves.

Johnson's luck, with a timely pit stop in the 2010 Auto Club 400, led Harvick to reference the series champion's "golden horseshoe."

Next year, Harvick ran down Johnson on the final lap to take the win by 0.144 seconds, but his average finish at Fontana is 16.2.

The driver of the Lowe's No. 48 may well have the edge, having just received a reprieve from the penalty assessed to his team, his five wins at this track and an average finish of 5.1.

Will it be Johnson who brings Hendrick Motorsports it's 200th win?

Michael Waltrip Racing

Michael Waltrip vowed prior to the start of the season that the changes made over the winter would bear fruit with new drivers Mark Martin, Clint Bowyer and now Brian Vickers who join Martin Truex Jr.

Martin is only driving some 26 races, and Vickers drove his No. 55 at Bristol Motor Speedway. The three drivers, Vickers, Bowyer and Truex filled the third, fourth and fifth finishing positions.

The drivers at Michael Waltrip Racing are all easily capable of top-10 finishes at Fontana, but will they contend for the win?

Bubble Drivers

The Auto Club 400 is the fifth race of the season and the last race for those guaranteed a starting spot based on the 2011 owner points.

If Kasey Kahne can't escape the dark cloud that has been following him and the No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet, he could quickly fall out of the top 35 owner points with only a seven-point advantage in the car owned by Linda Hendrick.

Danica Patrick may be forced to qualify on speed when she returns to the No. 10 at Darlington. David Reutimann drives the car for Tommy Baldwin Racing when she is not in the seat.

Heading to Fontana, Reutimann is 36th in the owner standings. Certainly, other drivers may also be struggling to stay in that all important top 35.

Can Junior Finally Break the Top 10 at Fontana?

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has never finished in the top 10 at Fontana since becoming a driver for Hendrick Motorsports.

He has finished 32nd or worse in three of his seven appearances in the No. 88.

Earnhardt has amped-up his game with strong runs this year and is even starting to show a bit of aggression with his driving style.

Junior is sixth in the standings, and it appears his team, led by crew chief Steve Letarte, may have gotten a handle on the intermediate tracks.

Hot Contenders

In the four Cup races so far this season, we have had four different winners in four different brands of cars. Well, looks like we are due for a repeat with a car maker, but perhaps there will be a fifth new winner.

The Ford camps look to be healthy on the bigger tracks when the Roush-Yates horsepower kicks in. Matt Kenseth won at Daytona. His teammates at RFR should make strong runs at Fontana.

Marcos Ambrose may be another Ford driver who will be heading toward the lead pack.

We could see some surprise runs from teams who are not necessarily those with the best average finishes at Fontana. Tony Stewart captured a win at Fontana in 2010.

Drivers with the top average finishes of 12.0 or better are as follows:

Jimmie Johnson 5.1 (five wins)

Carl Edwards 9.0 (one win)

Matt Kenseth 9.9 (three wins)

Clint Bowyer 10.6

Jeff Gordon 11.2 (three wins)

Kyle Busch 12.0 (one win)