Fantasy NASCAR Scouting Report – Auto Club

[themify_box]NOTE: This post is a recap of what happened in 2016 at Auto Club Speedway[/themify_box]

Auto Club Top Ten Starters

1. Austin Dillon
2. Kevin Harvick
3. Denny Hamlin
4. Ryan Newman
5. Carl Edwards
6. Kyle Busch
7. Trevor Bayne
8. Chase Elliott
9. Joey Logano
10. Jamie McMurray

Auto Club Full Starting Lineup

Auto Club Pre-race Notes

Kurt Busch started in the rear of the field in a backup car.

AJ Allmendinger started in the rear of the field for a rear gear change.

Brian Vickers drove the #14.

Auto Club Race Notes

Kevin Harvick who started in 2nd in the inside row led the opening 28 laps. He was viewed as the favorite to win because he had the best car in practice.

Top 20 In The Running order on lap 8: 4,19,11,3,18,22,31,2,78,20 … 21,24,1,6,17,48,27,43,5,14

Big Moment: Kurt Busch started in 38th. On lap 9 he had damage to his right rear quarter panel after doing a slide job on Dale Earnhardt Jr. and then slapping the wall. He later pitted around lap 17 which dropped him two laps down. Prior to his problem he was driving up through the field at a good pace. Dale Earnhardt Jr. also got a little damage from the incident.

Martin Truex Jr. was happy with his car. On lap 18 he was up to 4th (started 17th). He could drive his car anywhere on the track and was smooth over bumps.

Notable Moment: Around lap 23 Kyle Busch made an unscheduled pit stop that dropped him off the lead lap to 37th. He radioed his team and said he had a tire problem.

Running order on lap 25: 4,19,11,78,3,22,2,20,48,24 … 31,6,21,17,27,5,34,43,1,13 … 47,88,15,16,10,44,38,7,83,14 … 23,42,95,98,18,46,32,30,41

Notable Moment: On lap 25, Vickers who drove the #14 had a flat tire.

Notable Moment: On lap 27 Chris Buescher had a flat tire while running in 17th and got into the wall. This brought out a caution. Right before the caution Kyle Busch raced his way back to the lead lap.

Notable Moment: On lap 27 Denny Hamlin was also on pit road after having got into the wall. Following his pit stop he had serious radio issues. Following the caution he had to restart in the longest line because he pitted before pit road was open.

Following the first round of pit stops Carl Edwards got the lead off pit road and Kevin Harvick was now in 3rd.

On lap 36 Kevin Harvick retook the lead passing Carl Edwards running the high-lane.

Notable Moment: Around lap 36 Kasey Kahne made an unscheduled pit stop for a flat tire. He was running around the mid-teens at the time.

Running order on lap 39: 4,19,78,2,22,48,20,3,47,17 … 27,43,24,18,21,31,13,6,1,10 … 44,16,42,11,15,88,83,95,38,23 … 7,98,46,32,30,14,41,34,5

On lap 41 Martin Truex Jr. passed Carl Edwards for second.

Big Moment: On lap 48 Kyle Larson crashed hard into the inside wall head-on. He was running in 27th at the time.

Truex Jr. really said his car really waked up after 15 laps into a run on lap 49 during pit stops under yellow.

Running order on lap 56: 4,78,48,20,22,3,47,18,19,27 … 43,24,31,1,17,10,6,21,13,23 … 15,14,16,83,2,7,11,88,95,44 … 38,98,46,5,41,34,32,30,42

Kevin Harvick had great long run speed and he stretched out his lead over extended runs.

Around lap 71 Kevin Harvick made an unscheduled pit stop for a vibration. He remained on the lead lap.

Around lap 72 AJ Allmendinger also made an unscheduled pit stop.

Running order on lap 75: 78,48,20,24,22,3,19,21,18,43 … 31,,17,27,11,6,14,88,1,16,15 … 13,2,7,83,10,44,23,38,95,98 … 46,4,47,5,41,32,34,30,42

On lap 78 Jimmie Johnson passed Martin Truex Jr. for the lead. His car was setup to have a good ride quality. He was fast over short runs and long runs.

Running order on lap 96: 4,48,78,24,20,47,22,19,18,3 … 21,17,43,6,31,1,14,2,16,88 … 10,13,7,15,44,38,11,95,23,27 … 98,46,5,83,41,34,32,30,42

Kevin Harvick was off-sequence with the field after pitting early on lap 71, on lap 107 he came to pit road again.

Notable Moment: On lap 108 Trevor Bayne got into the wall and brought out the caution. His car got a good amount of damage. He was running around the mid-teens at the time.