If you look back at the first four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races of 2011, the most striking thing is that we've had four different winners in the first four races. This weekend, we head to Fontana, Calif., and a big, wide 2-mile speedway.
I think what the teams learned at Las Vegas a couple weeks ago might help them this weekend. Auto Club Speedway is a track where the Fords will be strong.
Roush Fenway Racing's Matt Kenseth was strong at Las Vegas, and Fontana is the last place he won a race, more than two years ago.
Tony Stewart is one I am really going to watch this weekend. He had the dominant car at Las Vegas but because of a pit-stop problem he couldn’t overcome, he finished second in that race. Now last week in Bristol, the team struggled its guts out. I don’t think anyone anticipated that No. 14 car being so far off.
Tony won the last time we were at Fontana, so I am really looking to see if he can rebound this weekend.
If you listened to Carl Edwards' postrace interview from Bristol, where he finished second behind Kyle Busch, it was really kind of interesting. What he made clear was he still owed Kyle one. He actually mentioned it two or three times in the course of the interview.
Is Fontana, Martinsville Speedway or Talladega Superspeedway where he will pay Kyle back? Heck, I am not sure even Carl knows. I think he will get Kyle when the time is right and possibly when Kyle least expects it.
Personally, I love the fact the race this weekend has been cut back to 400 miles. I think we are going to have a much better crowd there than ever before because we go there only once a year now.
We have great racing on the track and some really interesting storylines to follow that simply will make for a great race.
Through these first four races, you have seen these guys really going hard. The emphasis, as we keep telling you this year, is on winning. I think cutting 100 miles out of this race will simply make these guys go harder than ever.
I always look forward to coming out West, and this weekend is no exception.
