NASCAR Xfinity Series Preview For Auto Club

The NASCAR Xfinity Series stays west this week, but only this time it’s California. It also marks the return of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series stars like Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Paul Menard, Erik Jones, Kyle Larson, Ty Dillon and Corey Lajoie.

In the past four races, there has been four different winners. All of which are cup drivers. 2015- Kevin Harvick, 2014-Kyle Larson, 2013-Kyle Busch and 2012-Joey Logano.

Last year’s winner Kevin Harvick is not scheduled to compete on Saturday.

However, the stats show if you’re going to win, you have to beat a cup driver or be the cup driver that’s racing in it.

Let’s breakdown driver by driver stats that are entered in the Service King 300. 

There are 42 drivers entered on this year’s preliminary list.

Garrett Smithley- Smithley made his at track debut last year, where he started 27^th and finished 23^rd.

Cole Custer- Making track debut.

Harrison Rhodes- Has two starts at Auto Club, with the best finish of 25^th in 2015. Rhodes blew an engine in last year’s race. 

Elliott Sadler- Sadler has 12 starts at this race track dating back to 1997. But recently, Sadler has had strong showing in the no.1 One Main Financial Chevy. In 2014, Sadler started on the pole and finished fifth. He has finished in the top 10 in the last six races. His best finish of fifth (three times, 2016, 2014, and 2011). Also, has four top fives’ and eight top 10’s finishes, 60 laps led.

Paul Menard- If you want to put Menard on your Xfinity fantasy this weekend, don’t. The last time Menard competed in the Xfinity series at Auto Club was 2010, where he finished 19^th driving for Jack Roush. However, on the cup side of things, Menard placed fourth in 2015 and 15^th in 2016.

Ty Dillon- Ty is doing double duty this weekend in Fontana. In three races, Ty finished eighth in 2014, 14^th in 2015 and 17^th in 2016. He has only one top 10 that came in 2014.

Ross Chastain- Chastain has two starts, with a best finish of 17^th coming in 2015.

Michael Annett- The last time Annett competed at this track in Xfinity was 2012 for Richard Petty Motorsports. Annett has one top 10 coming in 2009. 

Darrell Wallace Jr- Wallace Jr, has two starts, with one top 10 and one top five finish. He has a best finish of third that came last year.

Ray Black Jr- Made his track debut last year last year, but crashed early in the going. Black Jr finished 37^th.

Justin Allgaier- Allgaier, who won last week at Phoenix is looking to keep the momentum going and go two-for-two. Allgaier has eight starts at Auto Club, his best finish in 2010 (8^th) driving for Team Penske. Last year, he finished in the top 10 driving for Jr Motorsports.

Jeff Green- Green made a total of 11 starts at Auto Club, but recently has become a start and park driver the last few years. We’ll see if he can turn that around last year.

William Byron- Making track debut.

Blake Koch- Koch’s made six starts, but has two DNF’s. In the 2016 race, Koch placed his best finish of 12^th.

J.J. Yeley- 11 starts for Yeley at Auto Club, but most of these were for Joe Gibbs Racing from 2004-2006. In the previous years, Yeley has a mixed bag of results, with the best one coming in 2014 (19^th).

Carl Long- Long’s got four starts, however, he’s had tough outings recently. The only race Long finished was in 2013 (30^th). 

Ryan Reed- Three starts dating back to 2014 track debut. Reed’s finished 17^th, 11^th and 14^th respectively.

Kyle Busch- Busch is the one to beat not only in the Xfinity Series but at Auto Club in general. Busch has six career wins, 11 top fives’ and 14 top 10’s finishes and 745 laps led. Pretty good, huh?

Matt Tifft- Making track debut, but stats show that if you want to win, be in a Joe Gibbs Racing entry. 

Erik Jones- Jones is impressive at this track. Two starts, one pole (2015), he also placed his best finish that year of third. Expect Jones to be strong again this year.

Daniel Hemric- Making track debut, but a Richard Childress Racing driver won last year in a last lap pass. 

Joey Logano- Another cup regular who is strong at Auto Club. Two wins in eight starts, with six top fives’ and eight top 10 finishes. Logano will sure be a contender this weekend.

Spencer Gallagher- One start (2016) where he finished 24^th.

Dakoda Armstrong- Four starts at Auto Club but in the recent outing, Armstrong finished 22^nd. 

Brandon Jones- One start coming last year and finished ninth.

Ryan Sieg- Three starts with a best finish of 20^th in 2015. 

Timmy Hill- Last Xfinity start came in 2011, where he finished 32^nd.

Kyle Larson- If anyone can beat Busch this weekend, its Larson. Larson ran down Busch in the closing laps in 2014 for the race win. Otherwise, Larson has placed a 5.5 average finish with 22 laps led.

Brennan Poole- Poole is still searching for his first career win. Could it come this weekend? In his only start in 2016 at Auto Club, Poole finished 13^th.

Jeremy Clements- Clements made seven starts at Auto Club, however, his best finish came in 2009 (12^th). The last few years, though, Clement finished 24^th and 21^st, respectively. 

Joey Gase- Gase has five starts with the best finish of 23^rd in 2012.

Brendan Gaughan- Gaughan is decent at best. In nine starts, he has one top 5 and five top 5 finishes. His best finish of second in 2015.

John Jackson- Making track debut.

Mike Harmon- Harmon’s got eight starts at Auto Club, but lately, it’s been boom or bust. Five DNF’s and only finished two races (2013 and 2016).

Stephen Leicht- Four starts for Leicht, but his last one came in 2008 where he finished 10^th for Richard Childress Racing. 

B.J. McLeod- One start that came in 2016, where McLeod finished in 38^th.

Mario Gosselin- Gosselin has two starts at Auto Club, with a best finish of 27^th in 2015.

Jordan Anderson- Making track debut.

Josh Bilicki- Making track debut. Bilick announced via twitter today that, "he will not compete this weekend at Auto Club." 

Casey Mears- It’s been a long time since Mears competed in the Xfinity event at Auto Club. In fact, it was back in 2007, where he drove for Rick Hendrick and finished second.

David Starr- In three starts, Starr has the best finish of 15^th in 2015.

On track action starts Friday at 3pm/et for the first practice on FS1. Final practice coming at 5pm/et and qualifying is set for Saturday at 12:30pm/et