This is the third installment in a series were NASCAR.com looks back at each race this season and gets you caught up for Sunday’s return at Darlington Raceway. The Auto Club 400 took place on March 1, 2020 at Auto Club Speedway.
WINNER: Alex Bowman earned his second career NASCAR Cup Series victory, securing a spot in the 2020 NASCAR Playoffs. The No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports driver dominated much of the race, winning Stage 1 and leading 110 of the 200 total laps.
RELATED: Full race results
KEY MOMENTS: Clint Bowyer, who started on the Busch Pole, cut down a left-front tire in Turns 1 and 2 on Lap 94, bringing out the first incident caution of the race. Bowyer couldn’t completely recover and finished a lap down in 23rd.
Martin Truex Jr. was having a strong run when his rear-tire changer developed a cramp in his arm while changing a tire during a round of green-flag pit stops, dropping him back in the final stage. Truex fought back and finished 14th.
RELATED: Truex on radio: ‘They can both kiss my (expletive)’
Earlier in the race, Truex was outspoken on the radio regarding his frustrations with Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Erik Jones.
KEY DRIVERS: Ryan Blaney was the points leader coming into the race and showcased a lot of speed in the No. 12 Team Penske Ford, winning Stage 2 and leading 54 laps. But Blaney suffered a tire issue while running second to Bowman with three laps remaining, forcing him to come in for an unscheduled stop and leading to a 19th-place finish, one lap down.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- After finishes of 34th and 15th at Daytona International Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway, respectively, Kyle Busch finished second at a track where he won the previous year. Busch finished third at Phoenix Raceway the next week, prior to the COVID-19 pause.
- Tyler Reddick was the top-finishing Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender in 11th place in the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Stewart-Haas Racing’s No. 41 driver Cole Custer was the second-highest finishing rookie in 18th.
- Jimmie Johnson finished seventh in his final race at his home track, leading three times for 10 laps. Despite the break in the schedule, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports driver insists that 2020 will still serve as his final full-time NASCAR Cup Series season.
2020 SEASON REFRESHERS
- Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway (Feb. 1, 2020)
- Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Feb. 23, 2020)
- Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway (March 1, 2020)
- FanShield 500 at Phoenix Raceway (March 8, 2020)