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NASCAR: Five Predictions For The Auto Club 400 At Fontana

By Michael Guadalupe

Mar 20, 2016; Fontana, CA, USA; Sprint Cup Series driver Austin Dillon (3) races during the Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 20, 2016; Fontana, CA, USA; Sprint Cup Series driver Austin Dillon (3) races during the Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /
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Here are five predictions for the Auto Club 400. Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Here are five predictions for the Auto Club 400. Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /

NASCAR is heading to the final race of their ‘NASCAR Goes West’ series at the Auto Club Speedway. What will happen at the Auto Club 400 on Sunday? Here are five predictions for the race.

Last week at Phoenix Ryan Newman and the 31 team surprised everyone with a decision to stay out that won him the race and will put him into the playoffs later on this season.

Now NASCAR is headed to the Auto Club Speedway at Fontana, a track that is much different from Phoenix.

It’s twice the size of the track at Phoenix, has higher banking in the turns and frontstretch and it will be cooler during the race on Sunday than it was at Phoenix. Breaks and tires won’t be as much of an issue, and instead drivers and teams could be focused on stretching fuel for each stage of the race.

Before drivers even started to head to the track for practice though, NASCAR handed out penalties from last week to the 2 and 4 teams. Both Keselowski and Harvick will be without their crew chiefs this weekend, and while Keselowski already has a win this year, Harvick is still searching for one.

How will these two drivers be impacted on Sunday without a vital part of their teams?

Once practice and qualifying took place on Friday for the Auto Club 400, fans were left with a couple of questions.

Jimmie Johnson wrecked his car after spinning out during the first practice segment and the 48 team choose not to attempt qualifying in the backup car. He will start from the 39th position on Sunday.

Johnson is one of NASCAR’s best drivers when it comes to the races at Auto Club Speedway, but can the seven time champ make his way to the front? Or will starting 39th be too much for him to overcome?

Kyle Larson has been one driver in the headlines over the last couple of weeks because of his consistent second place finishes that have now set him up to be the points leader. He’s been extremely fast this weekend, running the fastest time during the first practice session and winning the pole for the race on Sunday.

Is it his time to finally finish first this season instead of second place?

The Auto Club 400 is the last race on the west coast for NASCAR before they head back east. Who will end up winning and what should fans look out for when the green flag drops? Here are four predictions for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday.

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