NASCAR at California 2017: Start Time, Ticket Info, Lineup, TV Schedule and More
After Ryan Newman ripped a checkered flag from Kyle Busch's hands to become the fourth different winner in as many races this season, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series next heads to California for the Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway.
After leading for all of six laps, compared to Busch's 114, not to mention another 106 by Chase Elliott, Newman joins Martin Truex Jr., Brad Keselowski and Kurt Busch as early victors this season.
Call it another mark in the positive column for NASCAR's changes to the sport this year. The fact many guys put on a show over a race-long competitive event in Phoenix, paired with the fact new faces have showed up in Victory Lane each week, speaks well for the new stage format.
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Historically, the old faces dominant the Auto Club 400. With the entire series still getting cozy with the new format, though, it's worth tuning in to see who pushes and how often over 400 miles.
Viewing Details
Where: Auto Club Speedway, California
When: Sunday, 3:30 p.m. ET
Watch: Fox
Live Stream: Fox Sports Go
Tickets: ScoreBig.com
Auto Club 400
| 1 | Kyle Larson |
| 2 | Denny Hamlin |
| 3 | Brad Keselowski |
| 4 | Martin Truex Jr. |
| 5 | Ryan Newman |
| 6 | Matt Kenseth |
| 7 | Kevin Harvick |
| 8 | Jamie McMurray |
| 9 | Kyle Busch |
| 10 | Daniel Suarez |
| 11 | Austin Dillon |
| 12 | Kasey Kahne |
| Eliminated in Round 2 | |
| 13 | Chase Elliott |
| 14 | Erik Jones |
| 15 | Kurt Busch |
| 16 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. |
| 17 | Clint Bowyer |
| 18 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
| 19 | Ryan Blaney |
| 20 | Chris Buescher |
| 21 | Ty Dillon |
| 22 | Danica Patrick |
| 23 | Paul Menard |
| 24 | AJ Allmendinger |
2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Standings
| 1 | Martin Truex Jr. | 153 | 1 |
| 2 | Brad Keselowski | 143 | 1 |
| 3 | Kurt Busch | 105 | 1 |
| 4 | Ryan Newman | 101 | 1 |
| 5 | Kyle Larson | 184 | 0 |
| 6 | Chase Elliott | 171 | 0 |
| 7 | Joey Logano | 135 | 0 |
| 8 | Ryan Blaney | 127 | 0 |
| 9 | Jamie McMurray | 119 | 0 |
| 10 | Kevin Harvick | 113 | 0 |
| 11 | Kasey Kahne | 105 | 0 |
| 12 | Trevor Bayne | 100 | 0 |
| 13 | Kyle Busch | 97 | 0 |
| 14 | Denny Hamlin | 97 | 0 |
| 15 | Clint Bowyer | 97 | 0 |
| 16 | Jimmie Johnson | 93 | 0 |
Drivers to Watch
Jimmie Johnson is one of the veterans who could easily dominate this event.
It certainly wouldn't be the first time—Johnson has won this showdown three times, including last year, when he led 25 laps despite starting 19th before taking the checkered flag.
Johnson hasn't looked like he's having the best time adapting to the new format, but Sunday's event in Phoenix was his first top-10 performance of the year. He's hardly hanging on in the standings thanks to finishes of 34th, 19th, 11th and ninth.
As ESPN.com's K. Lee Davis pointed out before the event in Phoenix, Johnson and crew have resorted to trying new things to combat the format change:
"But Sunday's 11th-place finish was indicative of just how slow a start JJ is off to. He and crew chief Chad Knaus tried an alternate pit strategy late in the race, and it gave Johnson the kind of track position to put him in the top five, or with a little luck and a well-timed caution, the victory.
"
Johnson starting a season slow isn't anything new. The slight adjustments seem to be working too, as he's recorded improved finishes in two consecutive events.
Call it the perfect time for Johnson to hit one of his favorite tracks. A slower-than-normal acclimation to a new format and rules changes is better than none whatsoever. Veteran onlookers know how dangerous Johnson is going into the Auto Club 400 after building some momentum.
Ryan Newman
Compared to last year, Newman is way ahead of schedule, and it wouldn't be wise to look away from him now.
Newman didn't get his first top-10 finish until April last year. He didn't seize a checkered flag at all.
In other words, Newman could be one of the unexpected names to benefit from the format change.
After all, he's improved each week since the start of March, going from 35th in Atlanta to 17th in Las Vegas before the win in Phoenix. NASCAR captured the special moment:
Indeed, Newman hasn't been shy in praising NASCAR for some of the rule changes, as he told the Charlotte Observer's David Scott:
"I think this downforce package is playing to our favor as well. It’s fun to go out there and slide around a little bit. We were actually more competitive than we’ve ever been at this racetrack, able to get around other cars.
Kudos to NASCAR for listening to the drivers and making those changes. I thought we’ve seen some great racing the first four races of the season.
"
Newman ending a 127-race drought will go down as one of the season's best moments.
But even better, Newman won't have any plans of simply dwelling on the success. There's an avenue here for so much more, as the rule changes mesh well with his style and team.
It would be nothing but a great thing for the sport if he is competitive again in California.
Brad Keselowski
Keselowski is another old hat who could take this race and few would blink. He did so in 2015. But he's interesting for more than just his competitive run so far.
A win in Atlanta and two top-five finishes thereafter make Keselowski look great when it comes to a playoff push. But the team tried something odd in Phoenix, or simply suffered a mishap, and finished with a skew that didn't pass inspection after the event.
The result was a 35-point penalty and a three-race suspension for crew chief Paul Wolfe, according to USA Today's Brant James, who went on to explain how much trouble this could cause the whole team later in the season:
"But the regular-season points leader earns 15 points to carry through the playoff rounds and Keselowski is now 41 behind leader Kyle Larson. Twenty-two races gives him plenty of time to make up those points, but in a series where minuscule margins have determined advancement in recent seasons, this could have ultimately been a risky parlay.
"
Such is the struggle of navigating a new season with new rules to match, even for a veteran like Keselowski.
Now is as good a time as any to rebound from the issue. He finished ninth in California last year and won it the year prior. His form to start the season—mishap aside—has flirted with series best so far.
If Keselowski and crew can clean up the issues and get back to usual form at one of his best tracks, he could be the first driver with a pair of checkered flags this year.
Stats and info courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
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