Auto Club 500 Race Review

California Speedway -- 02/24/08

Author: Becca Gladden

Published: Monday Feb 25 2008 8:23pm

Jeepers, creepers, where'd you get those weepers?

While the catchphrase of the week at Daytona was "closing rate," this week's California watchword turned out to be weepers - areas of rain-soaked racetrack pavement, thought to be dried sufficiently by high-powered jet driers, that continued to ooze water up onto the racing surface.

In contrast to the brutal 115° heat that plagued the Fontana race last Labor Day, this weekend's weather challenges were cold temperatures and rain in seemingly biblical proportions.

Sprint Cup qualifying and practice were canceled due to the heavy rain, except for a very brief Happy Hour session between rain showers on Saturday. The Nationwide Race was also postponed, and the outlook for the Cup race Sunday was iffy at best, though NASCAR hoped to start the race on time and make it at least as far as the halfway point to call the race complete. With cars lined up according to NASCAR's rather convoluted qualifying rain-out rules, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon, last year's first- and second-place points finishers, led the field to the green at about 6:30 Eastern time on Sunday. Gordon seemed to have the car to beat in the early going, leading 57 of the first 71 laps, swapping leads with Johnson a few times.

Denny Hamlin was the first driver to indicate that those problematic weepers might be an ongoing issue. Slamming the turn 3 wall on lap 16, Hamlin was originally thought to have cut a tire, but said in the garage that he definitely hit water on the track: "I hit a slick spot and the car just took off."

Just six laps later, Casey Mears hit the wall in turn 2, collecting teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr., along with Sam Hornish and Reed Sorenson. Earnhardt Jr. was even more outspoken than Hamlin about the track conditions, stating that the race was started too hastily and the track was too wet and dirty.

The Mears wreck led to a red flag for track cleanup after which time NASCAR took measures to insure that the track was race ready. At one point, a cement saw was used to cut into the racing surface and help drain water from one of the larger weepers. The race restarted over an hour later with Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson still running 1-2. Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne, and Clint Bowyer rounded out the top 5, but only ran about 15 laps before another caution flag flew as rain started to fall again.

After a brief delay, the race was once again restarted, this time on lap 58 with Jeff Burton in the lead after a two-tire pit stop. Gordon repassed him just two laps later.

The Sunday portion of the race would be red flagged again on lap 87 as a much heavier rainstorm moved in. Jimmie Johnson had taken the lead as pit stops cycled through.

NASCAR officials did everything they could to finish the race Sunday night or at least get it to halfway - waiting until 2 a.m. Eastern time before finally giving up the ghost and rescheduling the race completion for Monday. At the time, the top 5 were Jimmie Johnson, Travis Kvapil, Kyle Busch, Greg Biffle, and Kasey Kahne.

Weather conditions were much improved by Monday afternoon, although the groundwater saturation was still producing small weepers. Denny Hamlin was back on track, as was Dale Earnhardt Jr. though some 40-plus laps down, but Casey Mears and Sam Hornish were out of the race.

Kyle Busch led a handful of laps in the mid portion of the race, but as the laps wound down, it appeared to be Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson who possessed the best combination of horsepower and handling. Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, and Matt Kenseth were also in the mix though not necessarily the frontrunners.

Johnson led a total of 76 laps and Gordon 68, but in the end it was Carl Edwards who led 64 laps, taking the lead for the final time with 14 to go and grabbing the checkered flag.

Edwards was followed in the finishing order by Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, and perennial Fontana winner Matt Kenseth.

Martin Truex had a nice run for DEI, finishing sixth, Tony Stewart was seventh, and Kevin Harvick eighth. Kasey Kahne was the highest finishing Dodge in ninth, and Daytona 500 winner Ryan Newman rounded out the top 10.

Kyle Busch inherited the Sprint Cup points lead on the strength of two straight fourth-place finishes to start the season. Ryan Newman is close behind him, just six points out in second, followed by Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, and Carl Edwards.

Jeff Gordon, who finished 39th at Daytona, pulled himself up to 14th in the standings with Monday's third-place finish, while Dale Earnhardt Jr. fell 15 spots to 23rd.

This week the circuit heads to Las Vegas, where Jimmie Johnson has dominated in recent years, winning three straight there dating back to 2005.