The 2022 NASCAR Cup Series is now headed to Fontana, California after yet another thrilling edition of the Daytona 500 last Sunday. That set the tone for what should eb another exciting event this coming weekend at the Auto Club Speedway, where the 2022 Wise Power 400 will be held. With that said, take a look at some of the favorites, sleepers, and a long shot for this race along with our prediction for who will take the checkered flag.
Larson must be raring to get back at it after being unable to finish the 2022 Daytona 500 due to accident. The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion settled for a 32nd-place finish last Sunday but that should only light a fire under him, going into this race at Auto Club Speedway, where has had success before. Larson won the 2017 Auto Club 400. He has a couple of top 10s and five top 20s in seven career starts there.
Elliott had a solid performance in the Daytona 500, as he cracked the top 10 with a 10th-pace finish. While he has not won a race at the Auto Club Speedway, it would be unfair to say that Elliott is a disappointing driver in Fontana. After all, he owns the best career average finish among active drivers at the said track. In five appearances there, Elliott has cracked the top 10 three times. His worst finish there is 16th (2019). The last time he raced at the Auto Club Speedway, he finished just outside the podium, going fourth in the 2020 Auto Club 400.
Whenever there’s a race at Auto Club Speedway, Busch definitely warrants a look. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver, who finished sixth in the recently concluded 2022 Daytona 500, has four wins and 11 top 5s in 22 career starts at the Auto Club Speedway. Elliott has a better career average finish there than Busch, but Busch has consistently been a strong driver on that track in over 15 starts than Elliott. Busch has been a top three driver in each of his last three starts at the Auto Club Speedway, including in 2019 when he won that year’s edition of the Auto Club 400.
Bell had the misfortune of figuring in an accident last Sunday at the 2022 Daytona 500 which left him settling for just a 34th place showing. In his only NASCAR Cup Series start in Fontana, his car suffered engine trouble, leaving him with a 38th place finish. But Bell shouldn’t be completely written off as a potential contender for the 2022 Wise Power 400. Bell has a couple of 13th-place finishes on an intermediate track, both at the Michigan International Speedway.
Briscoe has zero experience racing in a NASCAR Cup Series event in Fontanta, but Briscoe is coming off a strong performance last Sunday at the 2022 Daytona 500 where he ended up third. In his only start so far on an intermediate track, Briscoe managed a respectable 11th-place finish in the 2021 FireKeepers Casino 400 at the Michigan International Speedway.
McLeod showed up at the Daytona International Speedway last week and failed to surprise, as he finished only 27th overall. He has also never finished better than 28th in five career starts on an intermediate track, dating back to 2017.
