Johnson: Wish They All Could Be California
Not surprisingly, five-time champion Jimmie Johnson muscles into the top of practically every track’s statistical run down.
But at Auto Club Speedway, there’s none better. Not even close.
The highlight reel: a series-high five wins (including three of the last five); a series-high 846 laps led (227 more than second-best Matt Kenseth…for comparison’s sake, Sunday’s Auto Club 400 is 200 laps); a Driver Rating of 124.2, which makes ACS his best track in terms of the Loop Data statistic; and series-highs in top fives (11) and top 10s (12, a lead he shares with Matt Kenseth).
If Johnson wins again, he would be the fifth different winner in the first five races, a first since 2005.
From nearby El Cajon, Johnson clearly relishes a trip home. Click here to watch a video of Johnson talking about racing at his home track.
Johnson is one of eight California natives scheduled to race this weekend. The others…
Jeff Gordon (Vallejo, Calif.): Gordon has three victories at ACS, most recently in 2004. He is one of four drivers (Jeff Burton, Bobby Labonte and Joe Nemechek) to run all 21 ACS races.
Kevin Harvick (Bakersfield, Calif.): Improves to 15th in points after a sixth-place finish at Bristol. Harvick has 17 starts at ACS with a top finish of second, last February. Watch him talk about coming home, here.
AJ Allmendinger (Los Gatos, Calif.): Allmendinger’s best finish at ACS was 14th in 2008, where he led his only lap thus far at the two-mile track.
David Gilliland (Riverside, Calif.): Gilliland’s best finish at ACS was 17th in February, 2008. Last October, he led his first ACS lap in a 20th-place finish. Gilliland discusses coming home, here.
Robby Gordon (Orange, Calif.): Has one top 10 at ACS – a ninth in 2004. He suffered DNFs in both races last season.
Casey Mears (Bakersfield, Calif.): Mears has two top 10s at ACS – an eighth in 2004 and a seventh in 2006.
Mike Skinner (Susanville, Calif.): Skinner has run two races in the No. 32 this season, with finishes of 24th at Phoenix and 29th at Las Vegas. His best ACS finish was seventh in 2000 after he won the Coors Light Pole.
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