2011 Auto Club 400 – Fontana Predictions – Betting Preview + Picks + Odds
Preview: NASCAR has been coming to Fontana since 1997 – once a year at first, then twice a year starting in 2004, for a total of 21 races now in the books. This year, however, NASCAR turned the track back to one seasonal outing, so this will be the circuit’s only visit to Fontana in 2011.
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Race: The Auto Club 400
Date: Sunday, March 27, 2011
Time: 3:16 PM EST (scheduled Green Flag)
TV: 3:00 PM EST on FOX
Track: Auto Club Speedway (Fontana)
Auto Club Speedway is a 2.0-mile D-shaped oval with 14 degrees of banking in the corners, requiring a combination of horsepower, downforce and handling to turn a fast lap and a well-built engine to handle the RPMs. Jimmie Johnson has won 5 of the last 7 races here, including this race last year; Tony Stewart won here in the fall.
Safe Bets:
1. Jimmie Johnson (5:2) – As noted above, California native Jimmie Johnson has dominated this track in recent years with 5 wins in his last 7 starts (both spring and fall dates) and an average finish of 5.3, the best among active drivers. Johnson qualified 16th for the race and was 13th in Happy Hour.
2. Carl Edwards (3:1): Edwards has the second-best average finish at Fontana at a 9.2 with one win and 10 top-10 finishes. Off to a strong start in 2011, Edwards won at Las Vegas a few weeks ago and is currently 2nd in Cup points. He qualified 18th, but was up to 3rd on the speed chart in final practice and very happy with his race car. 
Dark Horse:
1. Jeff Burton (30:1): Burton has shown some nice speed in the car so far this weekend, qualifying 7th and running 10th in Happy Hour. Though he’s never won a race at Fontana, Burton finished 3rd in this race last year.
Summary:
The forecast calls for about a half an inch of rain Saturday night, so teams will be contending with a green race track on Sunday. Look for a competition caution early on for crews to adjust the cars accordingly. The forecast for Sunday is cool and overcast with a 20% chance of rain.
Odds to Win the Auto Club 400
NASCAR – AUTO CLUB 400 – Odds To Win
Juan Pablo Montoya 12-1
AJ Allmendinger 100-1
Brian Vickers 40-1
Carl Edwards 7-2
Brad Keselowski 200-1
Greg Biffle 15-1
David Ragan 60-1
Denny Hamlin 10-1
Jamie McMurray 35-1
David Reutimann 50-1
Bobby Labonte 500-1
Jeff Burton 20-1
Jeff Gordon 15-1
Marcos Ambrose 100-1
Kasey Kahne 40-1
Dale Earnhardt Jr 25-1
Martin Truex Jr 35-1
Regan Smith 200-1
David Gilliland 1000-1
Matt Kenseth 9-1
Clint Bowyer 20-1
Paul Menard 75-1
Jimmie Johnson 6-1
Mark Martin 20-1
Kyle Busch 10-1
Kevin Harvick 12-1
Kurt Busch 20-1
zx Field (Any Other Driver) 300-1
Joey Logano 25-1
Tony Stewart 7-1
Ryan Newman 30-1
Trevor Bayne 500-1
Becca Gladden is a freelance writer and race handicapper specializing in NASCAR.
