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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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Daniel Suarez has a good run at Phoenix but will go back to struggling at Fontana.
Daniel Suarez has a good run at Phoenix but will go back to struggling at Fontana. /

Rookies Go Back to Struggling

Last week at Phoenix NASCAR fans saw a change of scenery. Not only was the race in the desert, but Ryan Newman managed to pull off a win and both Erik Jones and Daniel Suarez finished in the top 10.

Phoenix is a unique track in the NASCAR goes west series.. Besides for the hot temperatures drivers deal with in their cars, it’s a mile track where breaks and tires are extremely important. The success a driver has at this track is much more on the driver than on pit stops or the decision a crew chief makes.

NASCAR is now heading to the Auto Club Speedway this Sunday. The track is about 2 miles and the temperature will be a cooler than it was at Phoenix. The Auto Club 400 is going to be a much different race and these rookies that did well last week are going to struggle on Sunday.

The Auto Club 400 will more than likely be about gas mileage; how long can these teams stretch out their fuel during the last segment? It’s going to come down to the decisions the crew chiefs make on when to pit and how fast a pit crew can get a driver out of pit lane.

The outcome of the race on Sunday will not be as much in the drivers hands as it was at Phoenix, and it will impact the performance of rookie drivers Erik Jones and Daniel Suarez.

Their teams are still coming together, and on Sunday their struggles will return as they try to improve and grow this season.

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