Austin Dillon puts on his helmet on pit row prior to the qualifying session for the NASCAR auto race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., Friday, March 24, 2017. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Austin Dillon puts on his helmet on pit row prior to the qualifying session for the NASCAR auto race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., Friday, March 24, 2017. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo) Credit: Alex Gallardo

Fontana, Calif. — Ryan Blaney already had his Hollywood moment earlier in the week when he got a photo with actress Daisy Ridley at a Lakers game.

“She had no idea who I was,” Blaney said with a grin. “I wasn’t going to be like, ‘Hey, I drive race cars.’ You can’t do that. That’s not cool. … We didn’t really talk that much. I was just trying not to sweat profusely and make a fool out of myself.”

Hopefully the up-and-coming NASCAR driver is a bit smoother on the track at Fontana when he attempts to make another West Coast memory today.

He’s in the middle of a crowded field led by pole-sitter Kyle Larson, while defending champion Jimmie Johnson will be charging up from 37th in his backup car.

Between those two Californians, Blaney will attempt to continue his strong start. He is one of several youngsters making an impact early in the season for NASCAR, which can always use some new blood.

“It’s cool to see some younger drivers running very well,” said Blaney, who finished second at Daytona and seventh at Las Vegas in his Wood Brothers Racing Ford. “I think we’ve hit on a lot of those goals that we had, while we’re still getting better and better. But it’s nice to have a good start right away. Hopefully we can keep getting better and keep the momentum rolling.”

While NASCAR’s aging fan base and regional appeal have been scrutinized this season, the sport’s transition toward a younger demographic is exemplified by the show going on outside Auto Club Speedway this weekend: Monster Energy drink, the Cup series’ new title sponsor, is putting on a showcase featuring motocross, stunt truck drivers and other action sports-related fun.

Cars going over 180 mph also should be appealing to that demographic, and NASCAR usually delivers a solid race when it closes out its West Coast swing on the well-aged asphalt of the 2-mile track built by Roger Penske. The former California Speedway opened 20 years ago, and its anniversary race should feature the same four-wide racing that made it famous.

“It’s always a lot of fun to go to a worn-out surface,” said Larson, the overall points leader despite not winning a race or even a stage. “Fontana is one of my favorites, because there are so many different lanes to choose from and the seams are tricky. It’s a super-wide race track, and you can run anywhere from the bottom to the top. Got to be conservative on your tires and be patient against the wall, but also aggressive. It’s an intense race track.”

Larson is on the pole for just the second time in his career after three consecutive second-place finishes in NASCAR’s last three races. While the Northern California native might be the hottest driver on the circuit, nobody wins at Fontana like Johnson, the Southern Californian with a record six victories here — including last season, when he charged past Kevin Harvick in overtime.

Larson Wins Xfinity Race

Fontana, Calif. — Kyle Larson held off Joey Logano on the final lap to win the NASCAR Xfinity race at Auto Club Speedway on Saturday.

Larson thrived out of a late restart with smart moves and a clever lane choice on Fontana’s five-wide asphalt. The native Californian won the Xfinity race at Fontana for the second time in his Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet.

Kyle Busch was third, with Erik Jones in fourth and rookie William Byron in fifth.

Cup regulars Larson, Busch and Logano dominated the Xfinity race on a cloudy day at Fontana. Logano twice rallied from far back in the pack to challenge the leaders.