The 2023 Pala Casino 400 was a NASCAR Cup Series race that was held on February 26, 2023, at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. It was contested over 200 laps on the D-shaped oval and it was the second race of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season. Kyle Busch won the race, earning his first win with Richard Childress Racing. It was the final race on the 2 mile oval, as the track has since closed for reconstruction into a 0.5 mile short track.
Report
Background
Auto Club Speedway (previously California Speedway) was a , low-banked, D-shaped oval superspeedway in Fontana, California which hosted NASCAR racing annually from 1997 to 2023. It was also used for open wheel racing events. The racetrack was located near the former locations of Ontario Motor Speedway and Riverside International Raceway. The track was owned and operated by International Speedway Corporation and was the only track owned by ISC to have its naming rights sold. The speedway was served by the nearby Interstate 10 and Interstate 15 freeways as well as a Metrolink station located behind the backstretch.
Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
Driver Team Manufacturer 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 2 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 8 Kyle Busch Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 14 Chase Briscoe Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 15 J. J. Yeley Rick Ware Racing Ford 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 17 Chris Buescher RFK Racing Ford 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 Harrison Burton Wood Brothers Racing Ford 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31 Justin Haley Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 38 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 41 Ryan Preece Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 42 Noah Gragson (R) Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51 Cody Ware Rick Ware Racing Ford 54 Ty Gibbs (R) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 77 Ty Dillon Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 78 B. J. McLeod Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet Official entry list
Practice Practice was cancelled due to inclement weather.
Qualifying Qualifying was cancelled due to inclement weather. Christopher Bell was awarded the pole for the race as a result of NASCAR's "pandemic formula" with a score of 4.250.
Pandemic Formula Since the August 2020 Daytona Grand Prix, NASCAR has used a formula to determine the starting field for races when qualifying was not held, as was the case for most of the 2020 season and 2021 season, and if inclement weather prevents qualification rounds to be held. Currently, it is used to determine qualifying order and practice order (which is grouped into odd and even based on ranking), and if necessary, determines starting fields in case of cancellations.
The formula is based on the 2023 owner points standings and the results of the previous race on the schedule. The finishing order from the driver counts as 25% of the score, and the entrant (as in car number) finish counts as 25% of the score. 35% of the score is based on the current owner points standings (counting the final result of the race and the top ten bonus points from qualifying races and the top ten drivers on Lap 65 and 130), and 15% of the order is based on the driver's fastest lap ranking from the race. If a driver did not participate, they are scored 41st place in driver finish and fastest lap. If a team used a driver ineligible for Cup Series points, the points earned by the driver will still be awarded to the car owner for purposes of this formula.Official scoresheet used. Starting order is reverse of qualifying order if cancelled.
Starting Lineup Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Score 1 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 4.250 2 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 5.450 3 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 6.150 4 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 6.350 5 17 Chris Buescher RFK Racing Ford 7.650 6 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 8.100 7 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 8.600 8 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 8.850 9 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 9.450 10 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 14.200 11 51 Cody Ware Rick Ware Racing Ford 14.300 12 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 15.150 13 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 16.300 14 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 16.700 15 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 19.300 16 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 19.950 17 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 20.600 18 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 21.000 19 2 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 21.650 20 42 Noah Gragson (R) Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 22.500 21 8 Kyle Busch Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 22.550 22 15 J. J. Yeley Rick Ware Racing Ford 24.150 23 54 Ty Gibbs (R) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 24.400 24 21 Harrison Burton Wood Brothers Racing Ford 25.350 25 38 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 26.350 26 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 26.400 27 41 Ryan Preece Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 28.300 28 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 29.700 29 31 Justin Haley Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 30.950 30 78 B. J. McLeod Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet 31.100 31 14 Chase Briscoe Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 31.200 32 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 32.150 33 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 32.700 34 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 34.200 35 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota 36.600 36 77 Ty Dillon Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 40.000Official starting lineup
Race
Race results
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 65
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 102 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 93 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 84 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 75 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 66 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 57 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 48 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 39 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 210 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 65
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 102 8 Kyle Busch Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 93 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 84 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 75 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 66 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 57 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 48 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 39 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 210 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 1Official stage two results
Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 70
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 21 8 Kyle Busch Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 200 492 33 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 200 403 8 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 200 544 7 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 200 475 10 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 200 426 13 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 200 427 16 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 200 328 4 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 200 399 28 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 200 2810 3 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 200 39 11 14 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 200 2812 2 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 200 2513 5 17 Chris Buescher RFK Racing Ford 200 2414 12 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 200 2415 24 21 Harrison Burton Wood Brothers Racing Ford 200 2216 23 54 Ty Gibbs (R) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 200 2117 25 38 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 200 2018 26 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 200 1919 34 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 200 1820 31 14 Chase Briscoe Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 200 1721 29 31 Justin Haley Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 199 1622 20 42 Noah Gragson (R) Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 199 1523 22 15 J. J. Yeley Rick Ware Racing Ford 199 1424 30 78 B. J. McLeod Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet 199 1325 32 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 198 1726 9 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 196 2027 11 51 Cody Ware Rick Ware Racing Ford 195 1028 19 2 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 194 929 15 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 185 830 18 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 172 731 36 77 Ty Dillon Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 140 632 1 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 88 533 27 41 Ryan Preece Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 87 434 35 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota 87 335 17 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 86 236 6 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 75 1Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 28 among 13 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 8 for 38 laps Red flags: 0 Time of race: 3 hours, 8 minutes and 5 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television The race was the 22nd race Fox Sports covered at the Auto Club Speedway. Mike Joy, Clint Bowyer and three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, two-time Fontana winner and co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing Tony Stewart called the race in the booth for Fox. Jamie Little and Regan Smith handled the pit road duties, and Larry McReynolds provided insight from the Fox Sports studio in Charlotte.
FoxBooth announcersPit reportersIn-race analyst Lap-by-lap: Mike JoyColor-commentator: Clint BowyerColor-commentator: Tony Stewart Jamie LittleRegan Smith Larry McReynolds
Radio MRN had the radio call for the race, which was also simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden, Jeff Striegle, and 2018 NASCAR Cup Championship crew chief Todd Gordon called the race from the booth when the field raced their way down the front stretch. Dan Hubbard called the race from a billboard outside turn 2 when the field raced their way through turns 1 and 2, and Kyle Rickey called the race from a billboard outside turn 3 when the field raced their way through turns 3 and 4. Steve Post and Jason Toy had the pit road duties for MRN.
MRNBooth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Alex HaydenAnnouncer: Jeff StriegleAnnouncer: Todd Gordon Turns 1 & 2: Dan HubbardTurns 3 & 4: Kyle Rickey Steve PostJason Toy
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 5 1 Ross Chastain 92 1 2 Joey Logano 91 (–1) 2 3 Alex Bowman 80 (–12) 4 4 Kevin Harvick 79 (–13) 7 5 Daniel Suárez 77 (–15) 4 6 Chris Buescher 74 (–18) 4 7 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 73 (–19) 14 8 Kyle Busch 67 (–25) 10 9 Denny Hamlin 64 (–28) 1 10 Brad Keselowski 64 (–28) 1 11 Martin Truex Jr. 60 (–32) 5 12 Ryan Blaney 57 (–35) 2 13 Corey LaJoie 51 (–41) 15 14 Chase Elliott 49 (–43) 11 15 Christopher Bell 49 (–43) 5 16 Michael McDowell 40 (–52)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 80 2 Ford 67 (–13) 3 Toyota 65 (–15)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
References