Checkers Or Wreckers: Auto Club Speedway

Jimmie Johnson (Checker)– There isn’t an easier pick to make this weekend then Jimmie Johnson. This is Jimmie Johnson’s home track and the site of his first career win. Since 2005 Johnson only has one finish outside the top 15, and that was a sixteenth place finish in 2005. Every year since 2005 Jimmie Johnson has recorded at least one finish of second or better.

Last fall Jimmie Johnson was dominant at Auto Club Speedway and won the race with a near perfect driver rating (148.5). The 48 car was in the top 15 for the entire race and had an average running position of 2.0.

Jamie McMurray (Wrecker)– Coming off his Daytona 500 win and most likely a lack of focus for the upcoming race I definitely would avoid Jamie McMurray. The last time McMurray finished inside the top 15 at Auto Club Speedway you have to go all the way back to the first California race of 2006. Since then his average finish is 24.4.

Carl Edwards (Checker)– Even in a down year at Roush Fenway Racing Carl Edwards was impressive at this big 2.0 mile track. He brought the 99 Aflac Ford home to finishes of 7th and 6th in 2009.

Statistically speaking this is Carl’s third best track (1 win, 6 top fives, 10 top tens in 11 races). His best track is Michigan which is a very comparable track. In 2009 Carl had two finishes of 4th at California’s sister track.

Marcos Ambrose (Wrecker)– There’s a lot of hype around Marcos Ambrose this year. He deserves it for the most part, but not at intermediate tracks. In 2009 Ambrose accumulated the 26th most points in the series on this track type. Ambrose had some good runs at the end of the season but if you fail to finish in the top 10 at least once on an intermediate track in 17 races then you go ahead and pick him at your own peril.

Last year Ambrose looked particularly lost on the big 2.0 mile intermediate tracks. He had two finishes in the low twenties at California (22nd and 23rd) and two finishes in the thirties at Michigan (31st and 35th).

Kevin Harvick (Checker)– The 29 team has been by far the best team on the track  this season. He won the Shootout, finished 2nd in his duel, and he had the car to beat in the Daytona 500.

In the last 4 races at Auto Club Harvick has finishes of 8th, 4th, 38th, and 10th. In the race where Harvick finished 38th he had a top ten-day going for him before trouble found him.

Checker = Good

Wrecker = Bad