It is time for race two of your three race west coast swing at Auto Club Speedway in California! It’s much like the last race but different in so many ways just in the track surface alone. This is a bump filled rough, tire eating track. So, while driver ability will play a part in this weekend’s race. Pit strategy may play an even bigger part in the outcome of the Auto Club 400.
Driver’s
- Kyle Busch
- Kyle Larson
- Erik Jones
- Matt DiBenedetto
- Tyler Reddick
- Ross Chastain
Auto Club Big Money Drivers
This man got his 200th career win here last year. While he hasn’t exactly had the season so far he would ideally want this is a track he can turn it around. In his past six starts at Auto Club, he has gone home with three cup series trophies. I’ll give you an even better fact though in twenty-one career starts, “Rowdy” has four wins, ten top fives, and has led 807 laps. To go with his whopping $11,300 draft king salary, and his 4-1 odds in Vegas he has a tenth place average finish at Auto Club in his career. If the 2020 season is going to turn around for the reigning champion. This should be the track to start that turnaround.
The upcoming free agent, Kyle Larson in six career starts here has won once and finished in the top three twice. He does have a low average finish of around thirteenth, but that is due to two poor finishes one of which he was involved in a wreck to cause the poor finish. This track suites the dirt track racer at heart with the ability to search for the fastest line. His 10-1 odds are a little high as well as his DK salary ($9,600) but rightfully so due to his good performances as of late.
Mildly Priced Auto Club Drivers
Erik Jones is really considered a long shot this weekend according to his 40-1 Vegas odds. However, he is listed for a crazy $8,100 salary on DK. In three career starts he has finished 7th, 12th, and 19th and has a solid average finish of around twelfth. Which ranks him approximately eleventh among active drivers in average finishes. Keep an eye on the Mid pack driver at Auto Club he could very well overachieve and get you some solid dough to roll with next week.
My second mildly priced driver is the new driver of the Wood Brothers number twenty one. Matt DiBenedetto has really impressed me this year with his performances thus far. Especially last weekend at Las Vegas. I really feel like he is going to impress this week again all stats aside because of the equipment he is used to driving. His odds are crazy low at 100-1 and his DK salary is $7,600 which is really affordable. Take the “underdog” in this instance and ride.
Low End Auto Club Choices
I tend to go a little bit highly-priced early on, so it somewhat hurts me later on in my options. I went with a rookie last week in Cole Custer. That choice really didn’t play out for me, but I feel a tad better about the choice of Tyler Reddick this weekend. Tyler and his crew chief both have boasted about how good the car feels this weekend. Sometimes all you need is a good feeling car. Tyler has a low $6,700 salary and even lower Vegas odds at 150-1. He is very much a long shot, but the speed has appeared to be back in the Chevy camp and I think Tyler could grab you some rewards this weekend in California.
The fill-in driver for Ryan Newman once again is Ross Chastain. While Ross really showed some good things last weekend he was really upset with the dumb mistakes he made later on in the races. His Vegas odds are 150-1 much like Tyler Reddick’s and his DK salary ($6,500) is around two hundred cheaper. I think Ross will learn from his mistakes, and just try to get some consistent finishes this weekend in that Roush number 6 Ford Mustang!
Conclusion
Well, its week three in NASCAR at Auto Club Speedway in California. Have you been taking any of my advice for your picks each week? If so how have you come out? I know some of them have been pretty unfortunate due to circumstances out of my control. However I think things are about to even back out when it comes to statistics and race choices starting this weekend.
However I love hearing your feedback, heck I love just talking NASCAR. So, hit me up in the comments here or on my twitter page! I hope these picks win us some money this weekend!