CONCORD, N.C. – After a one-year hiatus, No. 48 crew chief Greg Ives is excited for a return to one of his favorite places: Auto Club Speedway.
In the last race held at Fontana, California, Ives and driver Alex Bowman dominated as they led 110 of 200 laps en route to victory. During his weekly appearance for “The Morning Drive” on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Ives talked about the changes since the last time his team competed at the 2-mile track. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NASCAR Cup Series did not race there in 2021.
“It’s hard to know,” Ives said. “We had the 550 (horsepower) package last time, the lower horsepower package. Going out there with the high horsepower, low downforce package it’s definitely going to be different.”
Ives returns to the track located just outside of Los Angeles donning a new number from the last time his team competed there, sporting the No. 48, which many local fans have great familiarity with because of its history with seven-time NASCAR champion and California native Jimmie Johnson. The No. 48 has won at Auto Club Speedway a record six times in the Cup Series, all with Johnson behind the wheel.
For Ives and the No. 48 team to notch a seventh win and their second at the track together, they know figuring out what groove on the track is best will be the key.
“Some guys are going to be right on the apron on (turns) three and four, some are going to be right at the wall so you’re going to use that whole racetrack,” Ives explained. “(I’m) looking forward to going back (to Fontana). We had a great racecar out there a few years ago in 2020.”
Tune in to FOX on Sunday, Feb. 27 at 3:30 p.m. ET to watch our Camaro ZL1s in action live from Fontana.