NASCAR Preview: California Speedway

Both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series head back west to California this weekend.  What had been two stops at California Speedway is now only one with the fall race being transferred to Kansas this year.  Lack of attendance has been the problem.

California has been one of Carl Edwards better tracks in the Sprint Cup Series. He has one win and 10 top-10  finishes in 13 starts at the two-mile track.  Edwards is off to a great start this season.  After a win at Las Vegas and second-place finishes at Daytona and Bristol, Edwards is just one point behind points leader Kurt Busch. Phoenix is the only place he’s had a problem this year after a crash sent him into the wall and he ended up finishing 28th. This year is a continuation of late last year when he finished the season with wins at Phoenix and Homestead. 

The only driver to have had a better start than Edwards is Kurt Busch.  He’s the only one to finish in the top-10 in each of the first four races this season.

Five-time series champion Jimmie Johnson leads all drivers  with five wins at his home track, including victories in three of the last five races.

Not only did California lose one of their races, it lost a hundred miles.  What had been a 500 mile race has been shortened to 400 and most everybody from drivers and owners even to the fans are in favor of it.

Tony Stewart says there are a lot of sports that fight to keep fans attention and a 400 mile race is every bit as exciting, if not  more, than a 500-mile race.

Stewart won last year's fall event at California, beating Clint Bowyer by just under a half-second.