TMW: The Sun Sets on Two-Mile Fontana
NASCAR wrapped up its final race weekend ahead of big changes at Auto Club Speedway.
The Morning Warmup
Feb. 27, 2022
Today’s Top Stories
1) Busch, Nemechek score final wins on two-mile Fontana oval (NASCAR Cup/Xfinity)
Kyle Busch rolled into his first season with Richard Childress Racing filled with high expectations. He intended to return to victory lane and prove his ability as a driver.
It only took the Nevadan two points races to make good on those ambitions.
Busch overcame an early pit road speeding penalty and passed Ross Chastain for the lead shortly before final stops en route to a victory in the Pala Casino 400.
The win was Busch’s 61st overall at the Cup level, breaking a tie with Kevin Harvick for ninth on the all-time wins list. It also set a Cup record, marking his 19th-consecutive season with a victory. Busch’s triumph came in the final planned Cup race on the two-mile oval layout at Auto Club Speedway, where Busch is second in all-time wins, with five victories.
“I think it ranks high just because it ranks to the fact of I can do it,” Busch said when asked where the win ranks by FOX Sports. “I never doubted myself, but sometimes you do. You kind of get down on it, you wonder what’s going on and what’s happening and you put yourself in a different situation and you’re able to come out here and reward your guys.
“It’s not about me always winning but it’s about the guys. I’ve been with a lot of great people that have given me a lot of great opportunities in my career, so it’s awesome to be able to reward them. I’m going to enjoy it for sure, and hopefully there’s many more left to go.”
Chase Elliott marched from 33rd to come home in second. Chastain faded to third on the final run, with Daniel Suarez and Harvick wrapping up the top-five. Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Alex Bowman, Austin Dillon and Joey Logano capped off the top-10.
The race was ran without any prior track time. Practice, qualifying and the Xfinity Series event were all called off on Saturday due to unprecedented winter weather that washed away the day. Snow laced the mountains serving as the backdrop for the picturesque facility on race day.
A short while after the Cup race’s conclusion, the Xfinity Series took to Auto Club Speedway to wrap up the weekend’s festivities. Former Kyle Busch Motorsports driver John Hunter Nemechek stole the show, driving to his first win of his debut full-season effort for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Following Nemechek were Sam Mayer, Justin Allgaier, Chandler Smith and Josh Berry.
Next up on the NASCAR calendar is a March 3-5 trip to Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
(Source(s): Reid Spencer / NASCAR.com (x2))
2) Majority of Auto Club Speedway property reportedly sold (NASCAR Cup)
NASCAR informed teams prior to this weekend that Sunday’s races on the two-mile oval at Auto Club Speedway are expected to be the last. Thanks to a report from the Sports Business Journal, we now know why - a massive sale.
Adam Stern and David Broughton reported Friday that NASCAR has already reached an agreement to sell roughly 433 acres of the 522-acre facility, referencing a document filed to the California Environmental Quality Act.
More from the piece:
The identity of the purchaser is unclear, as a deed filed to San Bernardino County, Calif., this month indicated that NASCAR, through its California Speedway Corp. subsidiary, had closed a sale for land to an entity named Speedway SBC Development LLC, whose registration info ties back to real estate developer Hillwood, a business partner of NASCAR. SBJ revealed in March 2020 that NASCAR was working with the Dallas-based company, owned by Ross Perot Jr., to sell off parts of its vast properties, as it sought to find new revenue streams and better utilize the huge amount of acreage it owns across the country. The sale price was not immediately able to be confirmed, but the documents show that a transfer tax payment of $598,064 was made as part of the agreement, which through California’s real estate conversion rate suggests that NASCAR sold the plot of land for around $544 million
Auto Club Speedway opened in 1997 and has hosted 33 Cup Series race weekends. It’s been one of a pair of two-mile ovals on the schedule, joining Michigan International Speedway. Track officials had already confirmed that there would be no race at the facility in 2024, with potential for 2025 to go without an event as well.
NASCAR announced plans for the venue to be converted to a short track in 2020, but uncertainty remains over the facility’s future. No official details have been revealed, with predicted logistical struggles surrounding alterations in the heavily-regulated state of California.
There’s also uncertainty over NASCAR’s ability to host a points race in the South California area in the near-term. The Cup Series has visited the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the Busch Light Clash exhibition race over the past two years, but the track is too small for a full field and the racing lies at risk of becoming a crash fest. It would take some concessions and format changes compared to a standard NASCAR weekend to pull off a Coliseum points race.
As for the money from the sale, the SBJ piece reports that “NASCAR plans to re-invest the proceeds from this sale into the fan experience, track upgrades and schedule evolution, and paying down debt from its purchase of track operator ISC in 2019, according to sources.”
(Source(s): Adam Stern and David Broughton / Sports Business Journal)
3) IndyCar rolls out changes for 2023 campaign (IndyCar)
The NTT IndyCar Series will have a few key changes as it heads into its 2023 season. Series officials confirmed as much on Friday, announcing multiple changes a week ahead of the Mar. 5 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
For the first time in series history, IndyCar is going to bring an option tire to an oval race. Alternate compounds will be utilized for the Aug. 27 race at World Wide Technology Raceway.
The tires rules for the event will be similar to the ruleset used at road and street circuits. Teams will have to make use of an alternate tire compound, typically referred to as “reds” for the red coloring on the tire’s sidewall, during the event.
These alternate tires are typically made of a softer compound, which provides additional speed but wears quicker than the primary compound. On the road and street circuits they often inspire varying strategies that can mix up a race’s running order.
After struggling with visibility issues in the rain after the launch of the aeroscreen, IndyCar is rolling out changes meant to improve the drivers’ ability to see each other and the track in wet conditions.
Teams will be forced to implement ‘rain vanes’ on the nose of the cars in 2023. The devices will be located just in front of the base of the aeroscreen and should assist with moisture wicking in wet conditions.
Cars will also feature more visibly LED rain lights on the rear of the attenuator in an effort to make the machines more visible for nearby competitors.
In an effort to give competitors a better likelihood of setting a competitive qualifying time, IndyCar is going to pause rounds one and two of qualifying on road and street courses for the first red flag in any session. Firestone Fast Six qualifiers will be given six minutes of guaranteed time.
In addition, the clock for each round of qualifying will only begin when the first car crosses the alternate start-finish line – usually located in the last sector of the track. That will buy teams the extra time spent on a warm up lap.
IndyCar will again hold “second groove” practice sessions at Texas Motor Speedway and WWT Raceway, in an effort to rubber in a second lane and provide more opportunity for passing.
Additional changes are being made to the cars, including:
A new rear attenuator.
Stronger rear-wheel tethers.
A new, higher headrest to better pad and protect drivers in the cockpit.
Mandatory steering arms meant to be more durable and forgiving in a crash.
New mandatory stability wickers for cars at the Indianapolis 500.
Optional usage of short oval barge boards on road and street course events, optional underwing inner bargeboards at ovals, underwing sidewall and infill wicker at Texas Motor Speedway, an underwing flap wicker at the Indianapolis 500 and underwing strakes for road and street courses.
IndyCar’s tire provider, Firestone, will also be bringing back the guayule tires it utilized in the Nashville street circuit event last year. They’ll be utilized for all street circuits during the 2023 season.
The tires, made after harvesting guayule shrubs, are constructed with more sustainable materials than Firestone’s traditional rubber.
Lastly, the series will continue to utilize the EM Marshalling System tested in 2022 and will add EM Motorsports Telemetry. These services provide teams quick, reliable updates from IndyCar officials and can help them see and relay information of events like cautions quicker.
(Source(s): Aaron Bearden / Motorsports Beat)
News and Notes
NASCAR
Drivers shared their reactions to the confirmed Auto Club Speedway property sale and changes after it was unveiled. (Kelly Crandall / RACER)
Kevin Harvick reflected on the memories he has at the Fontana facility ahead of his final planned start at the track. (Kelly Crandall / RACER)
Saturday’s weather was… Suboptimal. Fontana saw rain, snow and no on-track action. (Mike Hembree / NBC Sports)
More on Fontana:
This final run at Fontana raised questions about the sport’s past, present and future in Southern California. (Nate Ryan / NBC Sports)
A look at five races to remember at the speedway. (Diandra Leslie-Pelecky / NBC Sports)
The track is heading into an uncertain future. (Jordan Bianchi / The Athletic)
Part-time driver and team owner Cory Roper has been indefinitely suspended for a violation of the Substance Abuse Policy. (Jim Utter / Motorsport)
Goodyear used new tire codes for the Fontana race weekend. (Jim Utter / Motorsport)
Brad Daugherty won the Daytona 500 while sitting on his couch. Here’s his story. (Kelly Crandall / RACER)
His organization’s tenacity paid off on NASCAR’s biggest stage last week. (Kelly Crandall / RACER)
Amid his celebration, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. took a moment to reflect on the path to his Daytona triumph. (Dustin Long / NBC Sports)
Daniel Suarez believes the new nose design on the Chevrolet cars improved their ability to push in the Daytona 500. (Charles Bradley / Motorsport)
This weekend was the first true test for the Kyle Busch-Richard Childress Racing connection. (Diandra Leslie-Pelecky / NBC Sports)
The revival of North Wilkesboro Speedway has been an emotional journey for many, including Terri Parsons. (Kelly Crandall / RACER)
Tony Stewart has a lot of racing ambitions, but he won’t be returning to the Daytona 500. (Mike Bryson / Road and Track)
Here’s how the TV ratings for Daytona panned out. (Andrew Crank / RACER)
Take a look back at NASCAR’s iconic moments as the sport’s 75th anniversary arrives. (NBC Sports)
Veteran journalist Al Pearce just covered his 54th-consecutive Daytona 500. It might have been his last. (Al Pearce / Autoweek)
IndyCar
This year appears poised to supply the final IndyCar ride for a memorable group of IndyCar stars. (Marshall Pruett / RACER)
The Indy NXT Series has shifted a round at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to Aug. 11. (Marshall Pruett / RACER)
Katherine Legge feels that she has unfinished business at the Indy 500. It’s driven her to make her return to the race after a decade away. (Jack Benyon / The Race)
USF2000 champion Michael d’Orlando is moving up to USF Pro 2000 with Turn 3 Motorsports. (Marshall Pruett / RACER)
Here is everything you need to know about IndyCar’s upgrade package for the year. (Jack Benyon / The Race)
IndyCar will roll out a new app this week ahead of the season-opener in St. Petersburg. (Marshall Pruett / RACER)
Last year couldn’t have gone much worse for Jack Harvey. What went so wrong, and where does Harvey go from here? (Jack Benyon / The Race)
The series has found a new partnership with Advance Auto Parts, which becomes the official auto parts retailer of the series and IMS. (Marshall Pruett / RACER)
PPG has signed on as title sponsor of IndyCar’s Texas race. (David Malsher-Lopez / Motorsport)
F1
Could GM switch allegiances away from Andretti? Speedcafe reported as much. (Ian Parkes / Speedcafe)
Ford will have no contact with AlphaTauri as it comes into F1 with Red Bull. (Ian Parkes / Speedcafe)
Sergio Perez led Lewis Hamilton in the final day of preseason testing at Bahrain. (Chris Medland / RACER)
Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyy topped the charts in Day 2, while Mercedes was met with trouble. (Chris Medland / RACER)
Max Verstappen was quickest in Day 1, pipping Fernando Alonso for the best time. (Chris Medland / RACER)
Here are The Race’s verdicts on each of the 10 F1 cars after observance of testing. (Scott Mitchell-Malm & Edd Straw / The Race)
…And here are 10 things learned from the week. (Scott Mitchell-Malm & Edd Straw / The Race)
Speedcafe has also gave its expected pecking order after testing. (Mat Coch / Speedcafe)
Red Bull is reportedly considering a sale or relocation for its AlphaTauri team. (Scott Mitchell-Malm / The Race)
If that comes to light, who could buy the team? (The Race)
F1 rule tweaks for 2023 include a new wet weather tire and a winter shutdown. (Chris Medland / RACER)
Rival teams are pushing to triple the anti-dilution fee for an Andretti entry to $600m. (Adam Cooper / Motorsport)
The FIA has made changes to the DRS zones at five F1 circuits this year to improve passing. (Jonathan Noble / Motorsport)
Lewis Hamilton is already looking ahead to 2024, where he’s arguing against the proposed removal of tire warming blankets. (Matt Beer / The Race)
A wrist injury in a cycling crash has left Lance Stroll’s status for the season-opening grand prix in Bahrain uncertain. (Chris Medland / RACER)
Aston Martin has left the door open for a potential Sebastian Vettel return if Stroll can’t compete. (Chris Medland / RACER)
…But it appears Felipe Drugovich is the real replacement for Stroll if he can’t race. (Valentin Khorounzhiy / The Race)
Drive to Survive is back for season 5 on Netflix:
Motorsport claims it’s still a must-watch despite the drawbacks. (Filip Cleeren / Motorsport)
Motor Sport Magazine, on the other hand, argues that the series has lost its winning formula. (Motor Sport Magazine)
The Athletic shared its top five takeaways from the series. (Madeline Coleman / The Athletic)
The team’s other driver, Alonso, doesn’t believe its 2023 car’s potential has been realized just yet. (Chris Medland / RACER)
Here’s an obituary for Abba touring drummer-turned Formula 1 driver ’Slim’ Borgudd. (Mark Hughes / The Race)
Defending champion Verstappen feels that he’s in “a very positive place’ after a strong test. (Chris Medland / RACER)
Haas F1 Team found a creative place to save some money toward the cost cap - by reducing the size of its pit wall. (Chris Medland / RACER)
This is poised to be the year America takes over Formula 1. (Luke Smith / The Athletic)
Mercedes feels decent about its pace, but George Russell believes challenging Red Bull “will be a stretch” in Bahrain. (Chris Medland / RACER)
Team principal Toto Wolff claims the team doesn’t have the porpoising issues it faced in 2022. (Chris Medland / RACER)
New Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur has already begun to make a meaningful impact on the Prancing Horse. (Scott Mitchell-Malm / The Race)
Charles Leclerc feels his team has “work to do” after testing. (Mat Coch / Speedcafe)
Valtteri Bottas still believes the FIA driver clampdown is “unnecessary” despite recent clarifications. (Matt Kew & Adam Cooper / Motorsport)
McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown admits that the company has missed the mark with its 2023 car. (Chris Medland / RACER)
Newcomer Oscar Piastri believes McLaren will be battling in the midfield this year. (Mat Coch / Speedcafe)
The F1 Academy will wrap up its debut season with a race at Circuit of the Americas as part of United States Grand Prix weekend. (Chris Medland / RACER)
Jalopnik’s Elizabeth Blackstock has argued that the schedule’s a disservice to women racers. (Elizabeth Blackstock / Jalopnik)
Want to see what remains of Romain Grojsean’s crashed car from the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix? It’s going on display as part of the F1 Exhibition in Europe next month. (Chris Medland / RACER)
-The Athletic has hired its own F1 reporting team, with two of them sharing their reason for joining.One, Luke Smith, is here for F1’s new audience, a chance to dive deeper and… His Mom. (Luke Smith / The Athletic)
The other, Madeline Coleman, says she’s here for the untold stories that matter. (Madeline Coleman / The Athletic)
Supercars
Additional Gen3 aero testing is coming up at an airfield. (Daniel Herrero / Speedcafe)
Supercars has confirmed a new fuel blend will be utilized for its Gen3 cars. (Daniel Herrero / Speedcafe)
The series has also confirmed changes to its Gen3 windscreen markings. (Daniel Herrero / Speedcafe)
There is confidence that Supercars has found a solution for wheel nut problems observed with the Gen3 car. (Daniel Herrero / Speedcafe)
Supercars is considering a proposed transaxle fix from Team 18. (Daniel Herrero / Speedcafe)
It’s also working with Triple Eight on solutions for driver vision issues with the new cars. (Daniel Herrero / Speedcafe)
Garry Jacobson is returning to Supercars after inking an endurance deal with Tickford Racing. (Andrew van Leeuwen / Motorsport)
Parity concerns remain over the Gen3 car. David Reynolds fears Fords are in for a “pretty dismal year” if some last-minute changes aren’t made. (Daniel Herrero / Speedcafe)
Of course, Reynolds has also had to refute claims of sandbagging from rival teams. (Andrew van Leeuwen / Motorsport)
Several Chevrolet teams accused Ford of some gamesmanship. (Andrew van Leeuwen / Motorsport)
Supercars is banning the flexible mounts used by the Chevrolet Camaro. (Andrew van Leeuwen / Motorsport)
Erebus CEO Barry Ryan believes driver attitude will be critical for adaptations to the Gen3 car. (Andrew van Leeuwen / Motorsport)
Sports Cars
BMW M Team WRT scored a strong 1-2 result in the Kyalami 9 Hour. (John Dagys / Sportscar365)
Toyota Gazoo Racing has revealed the 2023 edition of its GR010 Hybrid Hypercar. (Graham Goodwin / RACER)
Jack Aitken has secured a DTM seat with Emil Frey Racing. (Rachit Thukral / Motorsport)
Auto invites for the Le Mans 24 Hours have been locked in after the Asian Le Mans Series finale. (James Newbold / Motorsport)
DTM race winners Thomas Preining and Dennis Olsen will be back this season with Manthey EMA. (James Newbold / Motorsport)
Lamborghini drivers Mirko Bortolotti and Franck Perera will compete in DTM for SSR Performance. (Rachit Thukral / Motorsport)
Mercedes has unveiled its 2023 lineup, sans Maximilian Gotz. (Rachit Thukral / Motorsport)
Kelvin van der Linde has left Audi’s factory roster prior to the 2023 season. (Rachit Thukral / Motorsport)
Team Rosberg is withdrawing from the DTM after failing to gain sufficient financial backing. (James Newbold / Motorsport)
IMSA’s GTP manufacturers have taken different journeys to their varied engine designs. (RACER)
Teammate Esteban Guerrieri claims teammate Jacques Villeneuve will be on pace when he returns to full-time racing with Vanwall in the World Endurance Championship. (Gary Watkins / Motorsport)
Three-time Le Mans winner Kazuki Nakajima has been named a reserve driver for Toyota. (Gary Watkins / Motorsport)
Teenager Freddie Lubin has been added to United Autosports’ 2023 WEC LMP2 lineup. (Gary Watkins / Motorsport)
There are high hopes for Ferrari in WEC this season, but James Calado believes it’ll be difficult for any manufacturer to challenge for victories in their first season. (Rachit Thukral / Motorsport)
Baily Sweeny rolled to a Race 1 win in TCR Australia’s season opener at Symmons Plains. (Andrew van Leeuwen / Motorsport)
He followed it with another victory to take the early championship lead. (Andrew van Leeuwen / Motorsport)
The battle of adapting engines to carbon-neutral fuel could be “key” to this year’s Super GT title race. (Jamie Klein / Motorsport)
Dirt
Freddie Rahmer kicked off the 2023 season at Lincoln Speedway with a trip to victory lane. (TJ Slideways)
A new POWRi Desert Micro series is debuting this year. (POWRi.com)
The Kern County Raceway opener for the USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series was rained out. (Lance Jennings / USAC Media)
The Outlaws and PA Posse are set for an early season war next month. (WorldofOutlaws.com)
Carson Macedo hopes to improve his consistency in pursuit of the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series title this year. (Nick Graziano / WorldofOutlaws.com)
Chris Madden has the early title advantage in the World of Outlaws Late Model Series. He has his eyes on the championship heading into March. (Mike Warren / WorldofOutlaws.com)
Short Tracks
Tony Stewart is coming back to compete for a second Superstar Racing Experience championship. (Racing America)
Rising prospect Luke Baldwin will compete in a pro late model at Hickory Motor Speedway next month. (FloRacing)
Ward Burton recently took a brief trip behind the wheel of a late model stock car. Could it lead to a final start? (Short Track Scene)
Derek Thorn has entered the ASA STARS’ opener. (Short Track Scene)
Truck Series regulars Ty Majeski, Grant Enfinger and Carson Hocevar are also among the early entries for the event. (Short Track Scene)
Casey Johnson hopes to pick up a big victory in his first trip to the Rattler. (Racing America)
The CARS Tour opener has picked up a presenting sponsor and a purse boost. (FloRacing)
Moto
Cooper Webb won the Arlington Supercross triple crown to close within a couple points of Eli Tomac’s title lead. (Dan Beaver / NBC Sports)
Tomac extended his contract and will contest the full SuperMotocross schedule. (Dan Beaver / NBC Sports)
A new docuseries on Marc Marquez dropped on Amazon last week. Here are some of the biggest revelations from it. (Simon Patterson & Valentin Khorounzhiy / The Race)
The tense, ongoing debate between riders, teams and Dorna Sport over MotoGP’s proposed sprints would be strike-worthy in other sports. (Simon Patterson / The Race)
Yamaha has set its sights on a new prospect - Moto2 star Alonso Lopez. (Oriol Puigdemont / Motorsport)
Ducati has spoken out to say it doesn’t need Marquez. The company could come to regret that stance. (Valentin Khorounzhiy / The Race)
Speaking of Ducati, the team hasn’t discussed rider status with either of its competitors. Both riders will have equal opportunities this season. (Oriol Puigdemont / Motorsport)
Esports
The first day of the event was led by Unicorns of Love. (James Kirk / Traxion)
Qualifying for RaceRoom’s Daytona Oval Race is underway. (Ross McGregor / Traxion)
ESL R1 provided a solid debut outing. Providing an opportunity for new teams could make the series more interesting. (Luca / Overtake)
Petr Pliska and Juan Manuel Gomez scored Esports World Touring Car Cup victories at virtual Macau. (James Kirk / Traxion)
Thomas Ronhaar finally broke through for his first Premier Sim Gaming Leagues victory at virtual Interlagos. (Luke Humphries / Traxion)
Is now the golden age of sim racing? Or did it come from an era in the past? (Angus Martin / Overtake)
Red Bull Racing Esports’ rookies are taking advantage of the opportunity to learn from two top sim racers. (Crystal Scour / Traxion)
Electric Racing
A masterclass driver and iconic last pass led Antonio Felix da Costa back to the top of the Formula E podium in Cape Town. (Matt Beer / The Race)
The bold pass for the win will leave de Costa in Formula E legend moving forward. (Sam Smith / The Race)
Mahindra pulled all of its cars from the race due to a flexing issue on its rear suspension. (Sam Smith / The Race)
Five cars in total were withdrawn from the event. (Matt Beer / The Race)
Sacha Fenestraz and Nick Caaisdy disagreed over the fault of their last-lap collision in the E-Prix. (Jake Boxall-Legge / Motorsport)
Here are the winners and losers from the wild event in Cape Town. (Sam Smith / The Race)
Pascal Wehrlein got away with a blunder on the opening lap of the event, maintaining his points lead. But there could be long-term repercussions with the list of driver he’s allowed back into the title fight. (Sam Smith / The Race)
Max Guenther was left seething after a penalty that will impact him in the Sao Paulo E-Prix next month. (Sam Smith / The Race)
Teams have also been concerned by a debris issue from earlier in the month. (Sam Smith / The Race)
Other
Tony Stewart is prepared for a challenge with his first full season of NHRA competition. (Kelly Crandall / RACER)
Rosberg X Racing will again use the services of Johan Kristoffersson and Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky in the third Extreme E season. (Dominik Wilde / RACER)
Toyota is set for a “very important” pre-event WRC test at Rally Mexico. (Tom Howard / Motorsport)
Joey Mawson dominated the Gold Star opener for S5000. (Andrew van Leeuwen / Motorsport)
…And then followed it with a clean sweep the next day. (Andrew van Leeuwen / Motorsport)
M-Sport boss Richard Millener is concerned that the United Kingdom could risk “losing its rally history” if it fails to bring the World Rally Championship. back to the region again. (Tom Howard / Motorsport)
On Track This Week
All Times ET
Feb. 27
No races scheduled.
Feb. 28
No races scheduled.
Mar. 1
No races scheduled.
Mar. 2
No races scheduled.
Mar. 3
NASCAR
All at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Truck Series practice/qualifying: 4:35 p.m., FS1
Xfinity Series practice/qualifying: 6:35 p.m., FS1
Truck Series Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200: 9:00 p.m., FS1/MRN
F1
All at Bahrain International Circuit
Formula 1 FP1: 6:30 a.m., ESPN
Formula 1 FP2: 10:00 a.m., ESPN
IndyCar
All at St. Petersburg
NTT IndyCar Series practice: 3:00 p.m., Peacock
Dirt
World of Outlaws Late Model Series (Smoky Mountain Speedway): 6:15 p.m., DirtVision
Silver Cup (Silver Dollar Speedway): 9:00 p.m., FloRacing
Spring Nationals (Swainsboro Speedway): TBD, FloRacing
Drag Racing
NMRA Spring Break Shootout (Orlando Speed World): 9:30 a.m., FloRacing
World Series of Pro Mod (Bradenton Motorsports Park): 11:00 a.m., FloRacing
Bounty Hunters No Prep Nationals (Caprock Motorplex): 7:30 p.m., FloRacing
Other
Snocross National (Huset’s Speedway): 3:35 p.m., FloRacing
Mar. 4
NASCAR
All at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Cup Series practice/qualifying: 1:35 p.m., FS2/FS1 at 2:00 p.m.
Xfinity Series Alsco Uniforms 300: 4:30 p.m., FS1/PRN
F1
All at Bahrain International Circuit
Formula 1 FP3: 6:30 a.m., ESPN
Formula 1 qualifying: 10:00 a.m., ESPN
IndyCar
All at St. Petersburg
NTT IndyCar Series practice: 10:00 a.m., Peacock
NTT IndyCar Series qualifying: 2:15 p.m., Peacock
Dirt
Streetstock Origins (Woodford Glen Speedway): 12:30 a.m., FloRacing
World of Outlaws Late Model Series (Smoky Mountain Speedway): 5:45 p.m., DirtVision
Silver Cup (Silver Dollar Speedway): 9:00 p.m., FloRacing
March Modified Madness (Lincoln Speedway): 3:00 p.m., FloRacing
Spring Nationals (Senoia Raceway): TBD, FloRacing
Short Tracks
SMART Modifieds (Florence Motor Speedway): 3:30 p.m., FloRacing
Alabama 200 (Montgomery Motor Speedway): 5:30 p.m., Racing America
Battle of the Starts (New River All-American Speedway): 7:00 p.m., FloRacing
NASCAR Weekly Racing (Hickory Speedway): TBD, FloRacing
Weekly Racing (Riverhead Raceway): TBD, FloRacing
Moto
Supercross qualifying (Daytona International Speedway): 1:30 p.m., Peacock
Supercross night show (Daytona International Speedway): 7:00 p.m., Peacock
Drag Racing
NMRA Spring Break Shootout (Orlando Speed World): 9:30 a.m., FloRacing
World Series of Pro Mod (Bradenton Motorsports Park): 11:00 a.m., FloRacing
Bounty Hunters No Prep Nationals (Caprock Motorplex): 7:30 p.m., FloRacing
Other
Snocross National (Huset’s Speedway): 3:35 p.m., FloRacing
RMSHA Antler Basin Hillclimb: TBD, FloRacing
Mar. 5
NASCAR
All at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Cup Series Pennzoil 400: 3:30 p.m., FOX/PRN
F1
All at Bahrain International Circuit
Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix: 10:00 a.m., ESPN
IndyCar
All at St. Petersburg
NTT IndyCar Series warmup: 9:00 a.m., Peacock
Indy NXT Race: 9:50 am., Peacock
Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg: 12:00 p.m., NBC/Peacock
Dirt
Opening Day (Port Royal Speedway): 1:15 p.m., FloRacing
World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series (Volusia Speedway Park): 5:45 p.m., DirtVision
Drag Racing
NMRA Spring Break Shootout (Orlando Speed World): 9:30 a.m., FloRacing
World Series of Pro Mod (Bradenton Motorsports Park): 11:00 a.m., FloRacing
Other
RMSHA Antler Basin Hillclimb: TBD, FloRacing
Fast Fact
The winningest Cup Series driver at Auto Club Speedway’s two-mile layout should be a familiar name given his recent NASCAR return: Jimmie Johnson. The Californian scored his first Cup Series win at Fontana in 2002 and added an additional five wins in 2007, ’08, ’09, ’10 and ’16. Johnson had a 7.6 average finish at the facility and finished top-five in half of his 26 Fontana starts.
Special Thanks
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