So If Auto Club’s Race Is The “Real” Opener…

Then here’s the “take away” from what my buddy “Mad Mikie” calls the “Otto Klubb” 500…

Richard Childress Racing is the “Real Deal.” Kevin Harvick is the race runner-up and the early season points leader. Jeff Burton took third and is running second in the points. Clint Bowyer takes a top ten from California to go with his fourth at Daytona.

Now before you give me a bunch of grief about how this season is just two races old, remember this: this trend of improved performance dates back to the end of 2009. The good news going in to Las Vegas is two career wins for Burton there, Harvick has been solid, and Bowyer can only get better.

The Good Get “Lucky.” As a basketball play-by-play guy, I’ve talked about the “shooter’s bounce” a player will get on a foul shot. You know, it’s where shooter will get a “lucky bounce” and the ball goes in. It’s called a shooter’s bounce, because it seems like only the good shooters get the lucky bounce.

Jimmie Johnson may have got lucky in this race, even by his own admission. That said, he got lucky by being in a position to capitalize on it.

On Twitter, NASCAR writer Jenna Fryer wondered if she’d be writing “Jimmie Johnson wins” for the first of several more times this season. To her question, it’s possible, you’ll excuse me if I refrain from a bandwagon ride at the moment. To his win, Auto Club is “Jimmie’s Playland,” and he’s proven it again.

Joey Logano Continues His Ascent. I can remember one writer in particular last year opining about how overhyped Joey Logano was after his first handful of races. I wonder if that writer is re-thinking his opinion? Logano followed a quantum improvement at Daytona with another huge step forward, finishing fifth at Fontana.

I’m not quite ready to re-write him into my Chase predictions for 2010, but I’ll tell you what: the kid is a quick study. Logano is coming on strong and coming on quick.

Have You Ever Noticed Some Guys Are Frequent Targets Of The “Pinball Treatment?” Once again, Logano pushed around some in both the Nationwide and Cup races this weekend. I also saw David Reutimann get shoved around in the middle of the pacl for the umpteenth time.

Now, maybe these guys are just better men than me, but if I’m them, I am sending a couple of drivers this message… “Some day, there’ll be a race where my equipment is junk and I have nothing to lose. When that happens, I’m looking for you, and I’m planting you in the infield grass. Count on it.” Of course, then they have to follow through. I don’t think its an accident that some drivers get pushed around more than others, and I think it happens because they aren’t one of the “Chosen Ones.” Me? I just think it’s time to put NASCAR’s new policies to the test.

Other Notes Of Randomness…

After much struggle, the Roush Fords didn’t fair too terribly. Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle made top ten, and Carl Edwards a respectable 13th. These are huge numbers, but think about what things were like coming in to the race.

After being virtually invisible throughout the race, Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart finished sixth and ninth respectively. Who knew? Let’s just say they didn’t get a ton of camera time.

Scott Speed made a little noise in a positive way. He ended up 11th, with Red Bull teammate Brian Vickers 12th. The Manteca, California even led a few laps and did the rain gamble.

What To Say About Hendrick Motorsports? The season begins with the “5” and the “48” right on stride, and the “24” and “88” well behind them. Let’s just say Junior’s struggles at California aren’t a real surprise to me, but now Gordon has finished outside the top 20 two races in a row. 

Las Vegas may be the place where you hear people talk about luck, looks like Jimmie Johnson found his good fortune a week early. His 48th career win ties him with 50’s star Herb Thomas for 12th on the career wins list.

PHOTO CREDITS- Bowyer and Burton by Tom Pennington. Gordon and Johnson by Rusty Jarrett. Courtesy of Getty Images for NASCAR.