Getty Kyle Larson (bottom) and Kyle Busch (top) will battle again at Auto Club Speedway.
The NASCAR Cup Series returns to Auto Club Speedway on February 27 (3:30 p.m. ET on FOX), marking the first race at the two-mile track with the Gen 7 cars. The drivers do not know who will achieve success first, but Kyle Larson has the best odds to win.
According to BetMGM, the defending Cup Series champion is the favorite to win the return to Auto Club Speedway at 7-2 odds as he pushes for a spot in the playoffs. Larson has a narrow advantage over Chase Elliott and Kyle Busch, who both sit at 7-1. Denny Hamlin (8-1) and Martin Truex Jr. (9-1) round out the top five.
ALL the latest NASCAR news straight to your inbox! Subscribe to the Heavy on NASCAR newsletter here!
Sign up for the Heavy on NASCAR Newsletter!
Larson has only reached Victory Lane at Auto Club Speedway once in his Cup Series career. He captured the 2017 race after leading 110 laps and holding off Brad Keselowski in the final dash to the checkered flag. However, Larson narrowly missed out on two other wins. He finished second behind Busch during his rookie season in 2014 and then second behind Truex in the 2018 race.
Busch Is the Active Leader at Fontana in 2 Categories
Took some time to walk around and reminisce about all the memories I’ve made here at Auto Club Speedway over the years. 🏁
While Larson is the favorite to win at Auto Club Speedway, Busch will draw considerable attention based on his past success at the two-mile track. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver is the current active leader in two categories — laps led and wins.
The driver of the No. 18 Toyota Camry TRD has won four times at Auto Club Speedway, including back-to-back in 2013 and 2014. His first career Cup Series win (2005) took place at the California track, as did his 200th across the three national series.
Busch, who has an average finish of 9.6 at Auto Club Speedway, has also led 807 of the total 4,899 laps. His brother, Kurt Busch, is the closest active driver with only 298 laps led and one career victory at the track.
The all-time leader in both categories is seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, who retired after the 2020 season. Johnson won six times at Auto Club Speedway, and he led a total of 990 laps while averaging a finish of 7.6. His marks will be difficult to top, but Busch will have the opportunity to continue his pursuit of Johnson on February 27.
The Defending Winner Has Decent Odds
Busch and Larson will dominate the conversations heading toward the race at Auto Club Speedway, as will the defending track winner. Alex Bowman, who captured the victory in 2020, will strive to go back-to-back on the same weekend that he enters the track’s Walk of Fame.
According to BetMGM, the driver of the No. 48 Ally Racing Chevrolet Camaro has 12-1 odds to repeat at Auto Club Speedway. He is just behind a Hendrick Motorsports teammate in William Byron (10-1) and eighth overall.
Bowman’s 2020 race featured a dominant performance in the No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro. He led 110 laps and built up a nearly nine-second advantage over Busch while capturing his first win of the year.
The February 27 race will mark Bowman’s sixth start at Auto Club Speedway and his fourth with Hendrick Motorsports. He only has one top-10 finish at the track — his 2020 win — and an average finish of 18.0, but he is fresh off a career season that featured four wins. Now he will pursue another while driving the No. 48 Ally Racing Chevrolet.
READ NEXT: Jeb Burton Has a New Partner for Auto Club Speedway