NEWSFEED
Statistical Advance: Analyzing the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race
Statistical Advance: Analyzing the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (October 31, 2023) – Below is a look at the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Championship 4 contenders at Phoenix Raceway in Phoenix, Arizona leading into the Championship Race on November 5 at 3 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Outlook Following Martinsville Speedway (Race No. 35 of 36) Rank Driver Points Race Wins Stage Wins Playoff Pts +/- Cutoff 1 Ryan Blaney 5,000 3 6 14 Advanced To Championship 4 Round 2 Christopher Bell 5,000 2 4 16 3 Kyle Larson 5,000 4 8 24 4 William Byron 5,000 6 8 41 5 Denny Hamlin 2,354 3 8 32 Eliminated From The Playoffs 6 Tyler Reddick 2,329 2 6 16 7 Brad Keselowski 2,278 0 6 11 8 Chris Buescher 2,263 3 1 21 9 Ross Chastain 2,242 1 5 11 10 Bubba Wallace 2,242 0 0 0 11 Joey Logano 2,239 1 3 8 12 Martin Truex Jr. 2,228 3 6 36 13 Kyle Busch 2,220 3 2 19 14 Kevin Harvick 2,194 0 1 4 15 Michael McDowell 2,157 1 2 7 16 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 2,154 1 0 5
PHOENIX-SPECIFIC STATISTICS
*Playoff drivers are seeded by best finishes from the Playoffs Round of 8; Loop Data from 2005-2021.
1 – Ryan Blaney (No. 12 Team Penske Ford)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.3, seventh-best
2023 Rundown:
· Three wins, seven top fives, 17 top 10s
· Led 560 laps
· Average Finish of 14.4
Phoenix Raceway Outlook:
· Six top fives, 10 top 10s, three poles
· Average Finish of 11.933, ninth-best
· Average Running Position of 9.717, fourth-best
· Driver Rating of 98.2, sixth-best
· 205 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-best
· 3,861 Laps in the Top 15 (82.1%), 10th-most
· 407 Quality Passes, 13th-most
2 – Christopher Bell (No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 92.0, fifth-best
2023 Rundown:
· Two wins, 10 top fives, 19 top 10s, six poles
· Led 599 laps
· Average Finish of 12.3
Phoenix Raceway Outlook:
· Four top 10s
· Average Finish of 14.429, 13th-best
· Average Running Position of 13.624, 12th-best
· Driver Rating of 83.6, 13th-best
· 56 Fastest Laps Run, 16th-best
· 1,279 Laps in the Top 15 (58.3%), 19th-most
· 274 Quality Passes, 19th-most
3 – Kyle Larson (No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.4, third-best
2023 Rundown:
· Four wins, 14 top fives, 17 top 10s, two poles
· Led 1,127 laps
· Average Finish of 15.0
Phoenix Raceway Outlook:
· One win, seven top fives, 11 top 10s, two poles
· Average Finish of 11.722, sixth-best
· Average Running Position of 10.709, seventh-best
· Driver Rating of 97.7, seventh-best
· 246 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-best
· 4,151 Laps in the Top 15 (74.8%), ninth-most
· 500 Quality Passes, 10th-most
4 – William Byron (No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 98.1, series-best
2023 Rundown:
· Six wins, 14 top fives, 20 top 10s, three poles
· Led 921 laps
· Average Finish of 11.2
Phoenix Raceway Outlook:
· One win, one top five, six top 10s
· Average Finish of 11.909, seventh-best
· Average Running Position of 10.694, sixth-best
· Driver Rating of 91.5, 10th-best
· 116 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-best
· 2,692 Laps in the Top 15 (78.2%), 13th-most
· 422 Quality Passes, 12th-most
NASCAR Cup Series Season Finale Playoff Fast Facts: Phoenix Raceway
· The 2023 season marks the fourth year the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race will be held at Phoenix Raceway in Phoenix, Arizona (2020-2023), and the 20th consecutive season Phoenix has participated in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
· Since the inception of the Playoffs in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2004, Phoenix Raceway has occupied three different positions on the postseason schedule:
o In 2004, Phoenix Raceway hosted the eighth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, and the event was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr.
o From 2005 – 2019 (15 seasons), Phoenix Raceway hosted the penultimate race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs – Race No. 9 of 10. The event became the elimination race of the Round of 8 from 2014-2019.
o From 2020-2023 (four seasons), Phoenix Raceway has hosted the season finale race in the NASCAR Cup Series.
· A total of 11 different drivers have won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff races at Phoenix Raceway.
· Kevin Harvick leads the NASCAR Cup Series in Playoff race wins at Phoenix Raceway with four victories (2006, 2012, 2013 and 2014).
· Since hosting the series’ Championship Race (2020-2022), the winner of the race has also won the NASCAR Cup Series title – Chase Elliott won at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 8, 2020, Kyle Larson won at Phoenix on Nov. 7, 2021, and Joey Logano won at Phoenix on Nov. 6, 2022.
· Among the Championship 4 drivers this season – Ryan Blaney, Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson and William Byron – Larson is the only driver to win a Playoff race at Phoenix and did so in 2021.
NASCAR Cup Series Phoenix Raceway Playoff Race Winners Track Playoff Race Winners Date Race No. Phoenix Dale Earnhardt Jr Sunday, November 7, 2004 34 Phoenix Kyle Busch Sunday, November 13, 2005 35 Phoenix Kevin Harvick Sunday, November 12, 2006 35 Phoenix Jimmie Johnson Sunday, November 11, 2007 35 Phoenix Jimmie Johnson Sunday, November 9, 2008 35 Phoenix Jimmie Johnson Sunday, November 15, 2009 35 Phoenix Carl Edwards Sunday, November 14, 2010 35 Phoenix Kasey Kahne Sunday, November 13, 2011 35 Phoenix Kevin Harvick Sunday, November 11, 2012 35 Phoenix Kevin Harvick Sunday, November 10, 2013 35 Phoenix Kevin Harvick Sunday, November 9, 2014 35 Phoenix Dale Earnhardt Jr Sunday, November 15, 2015 35 Phoenix Joey Logano Sunday, November 13, 2016 35 Phoenix Matt Kenseth Sunday, November 12, 2017 35 Phoenix Kyle Busch Sunday, November 11, 2018 35 Phoenix Denny Hamlin Sunday, November 10, 2019 35 Phoenix Chase Elliott Sunday, November 8, 2020 36 Phoenix Kyle Larson Sunday, November 7, 2021 36 Phoenix Joey Logano Sunday, November 6, 2022 36
· Four non-Playoff drivers have won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Phoenix Raceway: Kyle Busch, Kasey Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth.
1. In 2005, Kyle Busch won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Phoenix Raceway, then the ninth race on the postseason schedule, and was ranked 19th in the point standings at the time of the win.
2. In 2011, Kasey Kahne won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Phoenix Raceway, then the ninth race on the postseason schedule, and was ranked 14th in the point standings at the time of the win.
3. In 2015, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Phoenix Raceway, then the ninth race on the postseason schedule, and was seventh in the point standings at the time of the win. Earnhardt Jr. had made the Playoffs in 2015 but was eliminated in the Round of 12.
4. In 2017, Matt Kenseth won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Phoenix Raceway, then the ninth race on the postseason schedule, and was seventh in points at the time of the win. Kenseth had made the Playoffs in 2017 but was eliminated in the Round of 12.
· The worst finish in a NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Phoenix Raceway by a driver that went on to win the title the same season was 38th by Jimmie Johnson in 2016 – Phoenix occupied the penultimate event of the season.
· Prior to the 2020 season, Homestead-Miami Speedway hosted the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff’s season finale from 2004-2019 (16 seasons). Phoenix Raceway is just the second track to host the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race in the Playoffs.
· A total of 13 different drivers have won the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race during the Playoff Era: 2004-2022. Greg Biffle leads the NASCAR Cup Series in Championship Race wins from 2004-2022 with three victories (2004, 2005, 2006 – all at Homestead-Miami Speedway).
NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race Winners (Race No. 36) Track Playoff Race Winners Date Race No. Homestead Greg Biffle Sunday, November 21, 2004 36 Homestead Greg Biffle Sunday, November 20, 2005 36 Homestead Greg Biffle Sunday, November 19, 2006 36 Homestead Matt Kenseth Sunday, November 18, 2007 36 Homestead Carl Edwards Sunday, November 16, 2008 36 Homestead Denny Hamlin Sunday, November 22, 2009 36 Homestead Carl Edwards Sunday, November 21, 2010 36 Homestead Tony Stewart Sunday, November 20, 2011 36 Homestead Jeff Gordon Sunday, November 18, 2012 36 Homestead Denny Hamlin Sunday, November 17, 2013 36 Homestead Kevin Harvick Sunday, November 16, 2014 36 Homestead Kyle Busch Sunday, November 22, 2015 36 Homestead Jimmie Johnson Sunday, November 20, 2016 36 Homestead Martin Truex Jr Sunday, November 19, 2017 36 Homestead Joey Logano Sunday, November 18, 2018 36 Homestead Kyle Busch Sunday, November 17, 2019 36 Phoenix Chase Elliott Sunday, November 8, 2020 36 Phoenix Kyle Larson Sunday, November 7, 2021 36 Phoenix Joey Logano Sunday, November 6, 2022 36
· Since the inception of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs in 2004, the winner of the NASCAR Cup Series season finale race has won the championship 10 times, including the last nine consecutive: 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022.
1. In 2011, Tony Stewart won from the 15th starting position at Homestead-Miami Speedway, and as a result secured his third-career NASCAR Cup Series championship in the closest points battle in series history – tied with Carl Edwards – Stewart won the title by virtue of the tiebreaker: most wins.
2. In 2014, Kevin Harvick won from the fifth starting position at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the first year of the elimination-style format of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, as a result he won his first series title.
3. In 2015, Kyle Busch won from the third starting position at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the second year of the elimination-style format of the Playoffs, as a result he won his first series championship.
4. In 2016, Jimmie Johnson won from the 14th starting position at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the third year of the elimination-style format of the Playoffs, and as a result he tied NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty andDale Earnhardt for the series-most championships with seven each.
5. In 2017, Martin Truex Jr. won from the second starting position at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the fourth year of the elimination-style format of the Playoffs, and as a result he won his first series championship.
6. In 2018, Joey Logano won from the fifth starting position at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the fifth year of the elimination-style format of the Playoffs, and as a result he won his first series championship.
7. In 2019, Kyle Busch won from the fourth starting position at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the sixth year of the elimination-style format of the Playoffs, and as a result he became just the second active driver at the time with multiple titles (20115, 2019) joining seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson.
8. In 2020, Chase Elliott won from the first starting position at Phoenix Raceway in the seventh year of the elimination-style format of the Playoffs, and as a result he won his first series championship. Worth noting, Elliott was served a pre-race penalty and as a result of serving the penalty he actually started the race from back of the field and still won.
9. In 2021, Kyle Larson won from the pole position at Phoenix Raceway in the eighth year of the elimination-style format of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, and as a result he won his first series championship.
10. In 2022, Joey Logano won from the pole position at Phoenix Raceway in the ninth year of the elimination-style format of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. With the win, Logano earned his second NASCAR Cup Series championship (2018, 2022), becoming just the second active driver with multiple titles.
· The worst finish in a Playoff race by the eventual series champion at Homestead-Miami Speedway is 15th (three times): Tony Stewart in 2005, Jimmie Johnson in 2008 and Brad Keselowski in 2012.
· Two non-Playoff drivers have won the Homestead-Miami Speedway season finale Playoff race: Greg Biffle (2004 and 2006) and Denny Hamlin (2013).
NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4 Comparisons:
Comparing Season Stats Heading into the Season Finale
2023 Starts Wins Top Fives Top 10s Poles Laps Led Laps Completed % Led Avg. Start Avg. Finish Driver Rating Ryan Blaney 35 3 7 17 0 560 8,748 6.40% 12.6 14.4 88.3 Christopher Bell 35 2 10 19 6 599 8,760 6.84% 9.5 12.3 92.0 Kyle Larson 35 4 14 17 2 1,127 8,628 13.06% 10.5 15.0 96.4 William Byron 35 6 14 20 3 921 8,752 10.52% 11.2 11.2 98.1 Totals & Averages 15 45 73 11 3,207 34,888 9.2% 11.0 13.2 93.7 Winning Percentage 42.86% 2022 Starts Wins Top Fives Top 10s Poles Laps Led Laps Completed % Led Avg. Start Avg. Finish Driver Rating Joey Logano 35 3 10 16 3 597 8,981 6.60% 10.7 13.8 89.5 Christopher Bell 35 3 12 19 4 573 8,504 6.70% 9.9 13.9 91.2 Ross Chastain 35 2 14 20 0 692 8,740 7.90% 14.1 13.5 93.4 Chase Elliott 35 5 12 20 3 857 8,514 10.10% 10.8 12 99.1 Totals & Averages 13 48 75 10 2,719 34,739 7.80% 11.4 13.3 93.3 Winning Percentage 37.10% 2021 Starts Wins Top Fives Top 10s Poles Laps Led Laps Completed % Led Avg. Start Avg. Finish Driver Rating Kyle Larson 35 9 19 25 1 2,474 8,688 28.50% 6.2 9.3 111.9 Chase Elliott 35 2 14 20 0 858 8,738 9.80% 8.2 11.8 101.5 Martin Truex Jr. 35 4 12 19 0 793 8,822 9.00% 8.3 12.3 96.7 Denny Hamlin 35 2 18 24 0 1,502 8,884 16.90% 6.4 8.6 109.2 Totals & Averages 17 63 88 1 5,627 35,132 16.10% 7.3 10.5 104.8 Winning Percentage 48.60% 2020 Starts Wins Top Fives Top 10s Poles Laps Led Laps Completed % Led Avg. Start Avg. Finish Driver Rating Joey Logano 35 3 11 20 0 814 9,473 8.60% 6.5 12.1 101 Chase Elliott 35 4 14 21 1 1,094 9,229 11.90% 9.2 12 102.3 Brad Keselowski 35 4 12 23 0 936 9,427 9.90% 7.7 10.3 99.4 Denny Hamlin 35 7 17 20 0 1,083 9,579 11.30% 9 9.5 100.3 Totals & Averages 18 54 84 1 3,927 37,708 10.40% 8.1 11 100.8 Winning Percentage 51.40% 2019 Starts Wins Top Fives Top 10s Poles Laps Led Laps Completed % Led Avg. Start Avg. Finish Driver Rating Denny Hamlin 35 6 19 23 3 920 9,857 9.30% 11.3 9.5 97.7 Kyle Busch 35 4 16 26 1 1,462 9,900 14.80% 12.5 9.2 107.5 Martin Truex Jr. 35 7 14 23 0 1,268 9,885 12.80% 13.4 10 102.7 Kevin Harvick 35 4 14 25 6 912 9,537 9.60% 8.7 10.2 104.9 Totals & Averages 21 63 97 10 4,562 39,179 11.60% 11.5 9.7 103.2 Winning Percentage 60.00% 2018 Starts Wins Top Fives Top 10s Poles Laps Led Laps Completed % Led Avg. Start Avg. Finish Driver Rating Joey Logano 35 2 12 25 1 854 9,559 8.90% 9.9 10.9 96.1 Kyle Busch 35 8 21 27 4 1,448 9,734 14.90% 7.6 8.4 109.3 Martin Truex Jr. 35 4 19 20 4 996 9,493 10.50% 10.1 11 101.2 Kevin Harvick 35 8 22 28 4 1,932 9,424 20.50% 8.7 9 115.2 Totals & Averages 22 74 100 13 5,230 38,210 13.70% 9.1 9.8 105.5 Winning Percentage 62.90% 2017 Starts Wins Top Fives Top 10s Poles Laps Led Laps Completed % Led Avg. Start Avg. Finish Driver Rating Martin Truex Jr. 35 7 18 25 3 2,175 10,101 21.5% 6.9 9.7 115.7 Kyle Busch 35 5 13 21 8 1,980 10,017 19.8% 7.3 11.8 108.2 Brad Keselowski 35 3 15 20 2 777 9,226 8.4% 8.9 12.6 95.9 Kevin Harvick 35 2 13 22 4 850 9,888 8.6% 8.8 11.3 102.7 Totals & Averages 17 59 88 17 5,782 39,232 14.7% 8 11.3 105.6 Winning Percentage 48.6% 2016 Starts Wins Top Fives Top 10s Poles Laps Led Laps Completed % Led Avg. Start Avg. Finish Driver Rating Jimmie Johnson 35 4 10 15 1 734 9,963 7.4% 12 14.3 95.7 Kyle Busch 35 4 17 24 2 1,378 9,657 14.3% 9.6 11.6 104.7 Carl Edwards 35 3 9 18 6 871 10,046 8.7% 7.1 13.3 97.6 Joey Logano 35 3 15 25 3 697 9,892 7.0% 7.9 10.7 100.8 Totals & Averages 14 51 82 12 3,680 39,558 9.3% 9.1 12.5 99.7 Winning Percentage 40.0% 2015 Starts Wins Top Fives Top 10s Poles Laps Led Laps Completed % Led Avg. Start Avg. Finish Driver Rating Kyle Busch 35 4 11 15 1 695 6,485 10.7% 8.4 11.2 107.1 Kevin Harvick 35 3 22 27 1 2,248 9,913 22.7% 8.2 8.9 118.9 Martin Truex Jr. 35 1 8 22 0 564 10,005 5.6% 12.5 12.2 100 Jeff Gordon 35 1 5 20 4 256 10,025 2.6% 12 13.9 92.5 Totals & Averages 9 46 84 6 3,763 36,428 10.3% 10.3 11.5 104.6 Winning Percentage 25.7% 2014 Starts Wins Top Fives Top 10s Poles Laps Led Laps Completed % Led Avg. Start Avg. Finish Driver Rating Joey Logano 35 5 16 22 1 993 10,127 9.8% 9.8 11.2 106.7 Kevin Harvick 35 4 13 19 8 2,083 9,765 21.3% 9.2 13.3 109.9 Denny Hamlin 35 1 7 17 3 313 9,443 3.3% 14.7 14.5 90.7 Ryan Newman 35 0 4 15 0 41 10,212 0.4% 13.1 13 86.1 Totals & Averages 10 40 73 12 3,430 39,547 8.7% 11.7 13 98.4 Winning Percentage 28.6%
NASCAR Cup Series 2023 Championship 4 Round Drivers at Phoenix Raceway
Rank Driver Races Poles Wins Top Fives Top 10s DNFs Average Finish Driver Rating 1 Ryan Blaney 15 3 0 6 10 2 11.9 98.2 2 Christopher Bell 7 0 0 0 4 0 14.4 83.6 3 Kyle Larson 18 2 1 7 11 2 11.7 97.7 4 William Byron 11 0 1 1 6 0 11.9 91.5
* – Based on last 36 races at Phoenix Raceway (2005 – 2023).
Phoenix Raceway Stats & Tidbits:
Season Race #: 36 of 36 (11-05-23)
Track Size: 1-mile
The Purse: $11,143,232
Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 9 degrees
Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 11 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 3 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 9 degrees
Race Length: 312 laps / 500 Kilometers / 312 Miles
Stage 1 Length: 60 laps
Stage 2 Length: 125 laps
Final Stage Length: 127 laps
QUALIFYING / RACE RECORDS
Track Qualifying Record:
Jimmie Johnson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, 143.158 mph, 25.147 secs., November 13, 2015
2022 Championship Race Pole Winner:
Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford, 134.389 mph, 26.788 secs., November 5, 2022
Track Race Record:
Tony Stewart, Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac, 118.132 mph, (02:38:28), November 7, 1999
2021 Championship Race Winner:
Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford, 104.757 mph, (02:58:42), November 6, 2022
HISTORY
· Construction was completed, on what was then known as Phoenix International Raceway, in January of 1964.
· The facility consisted of a one-mile oval and a 2.5-mile road course.
· NASCAR Hall of Famer Alan Kulwicki won the first NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway on November 6, 1988.
· The first spring race at Phoenix Raceway was held on April 23, 2005 and was also the first night race, which was won by Kurt Busch.
· The track underwent its first repave in 2011. The construction began in March and concluded in September of that year.
· The following changes were made during the construction period (March – Sept. 2011):
o Widened the frontstretch from 52 to 62 feet and reconfigured pit road with the installation of concrete pit stalls
o Pushed the dog-leg curve between Turn 2 and Turn 3 out 95 feet and tightened the turn radius of the dog-leg from 800 to 500 feet
o Implemented banking, including 11-degree banking between Turn 1 and Turn 2; 10-11-degree banking in the apex of the dog-leg; and 9-degree banking in Turns 3 and 4.
· Phoenix Raceway underwent a second reconstruction following the Spring race of 2018, with many new fan amenities added to the track, as well as the track itself being reconfigured so that the start/finish line is now just before the dog leg.
· In total, there have been 54 NASCAR Cup Series races at Phoenix Raceway, one per season from 1988-2004 and two each season since.
· Phoenix Raceway has participated in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs since 2004.
· The 2020 season marked the first year Phoenix Raceway hosted the championship finale race (2020-2023).
STARTS
· In total 242 different drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway, and 184 have competed in more than one Cup Series race at Phoenix.
· Kevin Harvick leads the NASCAR Cup Series in starts at Phoenix Raceway with 41 appearances.
· In total 25 different drivers have made their first NASCAR Cup Series career start at Phoenix Raceway; none are currently active in the series; the most recent was Bayley Currey on March 10, 2019.
· Of the 25 drivers that made their first NASCAR Cup Series start at Phoenix Raceway, Clint Bowyer had the best finish in his series debut at Phoenix with a 22nd-place finish on April 23, 2005.
First-Time Drivers Date First-Time Drivers Date 1 Bayley Currey Sunday, March 10, 2019 14 Jack Sprague Sunday, October 27, 1996 2 Quin Houff Sunday, March 10, 2019 15 Lance Hooper Sunday, October 27, 1996 3 Tanner Berryhill Sunday, November 11, 2018 16 Ernie Cope Sunday, October 29, 1995 4 D.J. Kennington Sunday, November 13, 2016 17 Rich Woodland Jr Sunday, October 31, 1993 5 Ryan Ellis Sunday, November 15, 2015 18 Wayne Jacks Sunday, October 31, 1993 6 Matt DiBenedetto Sunday, March 15, 2015 19 Jeff Davis Sunday, November 1, 1992 7 Cole Whitt Sunday, November 13, 2011 20 Mike Wallace Sunday, November 3, 1991 8 Sam Hornish Jr Sunday, November 11, 2007 21 Brent Kaeding Sunday, November 4, 1990 9 Brandon Whitt Sunday, November 12, 2006 22 Mark Reed Sunday, November 4, 1990 10 Jerry Robertson Sunday, November 13, 2005 23 Bill Sedgwick Sunday, November 5, 1989 11 Clint Bowyer Saturday, April 23, 2005 24 Bobby Hamilton Sunday, November 5, 1989 12 Christian Fittipaldi Sunday, November 10, 2002 25 Gary Collins Sunday, November 6, 1988 13 Ryan Newman Sunday, November 5, 2000
· Ryan Blaney leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Phoenix Raceway with a 5.533 in 15 starts each.
Top 10 in Average Starting Position at Phoenix Raceway (All-Time & Active)
Rank All-Time Drivers Avg Start Race Rank Active Drivers Avg Start Races 1 Ryan Blaney 5.533 15 1 Ryan Blaney 5.533 15 2 Chase Elliott 5.571 14 2 Chase Elliott 5.571 14 3 Kyle Larson 6.389 18 3 Kyle Larson 6.389 18 4 Rusty Wallace 8.053 19 4 Denny Hamlin 9.583 36 5 Alan Kulwicki 8.600 5 5 Christopher Bell 10.000 7 6 Denny Hamlin 9.583 36 6 Joey Logano 10.276 29 7 Christopher Bell 10.000 7 7 Kyle Busch 10.667 36 8 Joey Logano 10.276 29 8 William Byron 11.273 11 9 Kyle Busch 10.667 36 9 Martin Truex Jr 12.171 35 10 Jeff Gordon 10.794 34 10 Erik Jones 12.929 14
POLES
· There have been 26 different NASCAR Cup Series pole winners at Phoenix Raceway and 16 of 26 pole winners have won multiple poles at the one-mile track.
· A total of 12 of the 26 NASCAR Cup Series Phoenix Raceway pole winners are active this weekend.
Active Phoenix Pole Winners (12) Poles Seasons Kyle Busch 4 2006, 2012, 2016, 2019 Ryan Newman 4 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008 Ryan Blaney 3 2017, 2019, 2022 Kyle Larson 2 2021, 2023 Joey Logano 2 2017, 2022 Kevin Harvick 2 2015, 2018 Martin Truex Jr 2 2009, 2018 Denny Hamlin 2 2005, 2014 Chase Elliott 1 2020 Alex Bowman 1 2016 Brad Keselowski 1 2014 AJ Allmendinger 1 2010
· Ryan Newman (2002, 2003, 2004, 2008) and Kyle Busch (2006, 2012, 2016, 2019) lead the NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Phoenix Raceway with four each.
· Geoffrey Bodine won the first NASCAR Cup Series pole at Phoenix Raceway in 1988 at a speed of 123.203 mph (29.220 secs.) in a Chevrolet.
· Youngest series Phoenix pole winner: Kyle Busch (April 22, 2006 – 20 years, 11 months, 20 days).
· Oldest series Phoenix pole winner: Mark Martin (March 3, 2013 – 54 years, 1 month, 22 days).
· Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon and Carl Edwards are the only drivers to win consecutive poles at Phoenix Raceway. Newman won three-straight (2002-04), Gordon won in the Fall of 2006 and the Spring of 2007. Edwards won in the Fall of 2010 and Spring of 2011.
· Four drivers have won their first career NASCAR Cup Series pole at Phoenix Raceway: Casey Atwood (October 2001), Denny Hamlin (November 2005), AJ Allmendinger (April 2010) and Alex Bowman (November 2016).
· A total of 17 different owners have won the pole at Phoenix Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series.
· Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Phoenix Raceway with 14 among nine different drivers: Geoff Bodine (1988), Ken Schrader (1989), Jeff Gordon (2005, 2006, 2007), Kyle Busch (2006), Jimmie Johnson (2008, 2013, 2015), Mark Martin (2009), Alex Bowman (2016), Chase Elliott (2020) and Kyle Larson (2021, 2023).
· Five different manufacturers have won a pole in the NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway, led by Chevroletwith 20 and followed by Ford (17), Toyota (7), Dodge (4) and Pontiac (4).
WINS
· A total of 29 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Phoenix Raceway, and 13 of the 29 have won multiple times at the one-mile track.
· A total of 10 of the 29 NASCAR Cup Series Phoenix Raceway winners are active this weekend.
Active Phoenix Race Winners (10) Wins Seasons Kevin Harvick 9 2018, 2016, 2015, 2014 sweep, 2013, 2012, 2007 sweep Joey Logano 3 2022, 2020, 2016 Kyle Busch 3 2019, 2018, 2005 Denny Hamlin 2 2019, 2012 Ryan Newman 2 2017, 2010 William Byron 1 2023 Chase Briscoe 1 2022 Kyle Larson 1 2021 Martin Truex Jr 1 2021 Chase Elliott 1 2020
· Kevin Harvick leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Phoenix Raceway with nine victories (2006 sweep, 2012 Playoff race, 2013 Playoff race, 2014 sweep, 2015 Spring race, 2016 Spring race, 2018 Spring race).
· A total of 13 drivers have multiple wins at Phoenix Raceway: Kevin Harvick leads the series in wins with nine followed by Jimmie Johnson (four), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (three), Kyle Busch (three), Joe Logano (three), Davey Allison (two), Jeff Burton (two), Jeff Gordon (two) Carl Edwards (two), Mark Martin (two), Matt Kenseth (two), Ryan Newman (two), and Denny Hamlin (two).
· Of the 13 drivers with multiple wins at Phoenix Raceway, Mark Martin (Ford; 1993 and Chevrolet; 2009) and Kyle Busch (Chevrolet; 2005 and Toyota; 2018, 2019) are the only two drivers to win in two different manufacturers.
· Six drivers have won consecutive races at Phoenix Raceway: Davey Allison (1991,1992); Jeff Burton (2000, 2001); Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2003, 2004); Kevin Harvick (swept 2006, then 2013 Playoff race, swept 2014 and 2015 spring race); Jimmie Johnson (fall race of 2007, swept 2008); Kyle Busch (Playoff race 2018, Spring race 2019).
· Three drivers have scored their first career NASCAR Cup Series victory at Phoenix Raceway – Alan Kulwicki (11/6/1988), Bobby Hamilton (10/27/1996) and Chase Briscoe (3/13/2022).
· In total 22 different starting positions on the grid have resulted in victories in the NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix.
· Eight of the 54 NASCAR Cup Series races (14.81%) at Phoenix Raceway have been won from the pole or first starting position: Jeff Gordon (Spring race of 2007), Jimmie Johnson (Playoff race of 2008), Mark Martin (Spring race of 2009), Carl Edwards (Playoff race of 2010), Kevin Harvick (Spring race of 2015), Chase Elliott (Playoff race of 2020), Kyle Larson (Playoff race of 2021) and Joey Logano (Playoff race of 2022).
· A total of 11 of the 54 (20.37%) NASCAR Cup Series races at Phoenix Raceway have been won from the front row: eight from the first starting position and three from second starting position.
· The first and third starting positions are tied for the most proficient starting position in the field producing more winners (eight each) than any other starting positions – the most recent was William Byron’s win earlier this season from the third starting position.
· Ricky Rudd won the 1995 Phoenix Raceway race from the 29th-place starting position, the furthest in the field a NASCAR Cup Series race winner has started at the one-mile raceway.
· Ryan Newman won the 2017 Phoenix Raceway race from the 22nd starting position, the furthest back an active NASCAR Cup Series race winner has started at the one-mile track.
NASCAR Cup Series Wins by Starting Positions at Phoenix Raceway
Starting Position Wins Winning % Starting Position Wins Winning % 1 8 14.81% 13 5 9.26% 2 3 5.56% 14 2 3.70% 3 8 14.81% 15 3 5.56% 4 2 3.70% 17 1 1.85% 5 1 1.85% 18 1 1.85% 6 4 7.41% 19 2 3.70% 7 2 3.70% 20 1 1.85% 9 2 3.70% 21 1 1.85% 10 2 3.70% 22 1 1.85% 11 2 3.70% 28 1 1.85% 12 1 1.85% 29 1 1.85% Stats Winning % Wins Winning from the Pole: 14.81% 8 Winning from the Front Row: 20.37% 11 Winning from a Top-Five Starting Position: 40.74% 22 Winning from a Top-10 Starting Position: 59.26% 32 Winning After Starting Outside the Top 20: 7.41% 4
· Youngest NASCAR Cup Series Phoenix winner: Kyle Busch (November 13, 2005 – 20 years, 6 months, 11 days).
· Oldest NASCAR Cup Series Phoenix winner: Mark Martin (April 18, 2009 – 50 years, 3 months, 9 days).
· A total of 27 of the 29 NASCAR Cup Series drivers who have won at Phoenix Raceway participated in at least two or more races before visiting Victory Lane. NASCAR Hall of Famers Alan Kulwicki (11/6/1988) and Tony Stewart (11/7/1999) are the only two drivers to win at Phoenix Raceway in their first appearance.
· In total 13 different organizations have won at Phoenix Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series, led by Hendrick Motorsports with 13 victories.
Rank Organizations Wins Seasons 1 Hendrick Motorsports 13 2023, ’21, ’20, ’15, ’11, ’09 sweep, ’08 sweep, ’07 sweep, ’05, ’94 2 Stewart-Haas Racing 7 2022, ’18, ’16, ’15, ’14 sweep, ’10 3 Joe Gibbs Racing 7 2021, ’19 sweep, ’18, ’17, 12, 99 4 RFK Racing 7 2013, ’10, ’05, ’02, ’01, ’00, ’93 5 Richard Childress Racing 6 2017, ’13, ’12, ’06 sweep, ’90 6 Team Penske 4 2022, ’20, ’16, ’98 7 Robert Yates Racing 3 1997, ’92, ’91 8 Dale Earnhardt, Inc. 2 2004, ’03 9 Red Bull Racing 1 2011 10 Petty Enterprises 1 1996 11 Rudd Performance Motorsports 1 1995 12 Melling Racing 1 1989 13 AK Racing 1 1988
· Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Phoenix Raceway with 13 victories among nine drivers: Terry Labonte (1994), Kyle Busch (2005), Jeff Gordon (2007, 2011), Jimmie Johnson (2007, 2008 sweep, 2009), Mark Martin (2009), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2015), Chase Elliott (2020), Kyle Larson (2021) and William Byron (2023).
· In total four different manufacturers have won at Phoenix Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series, led by Chevroletwith 26 victories and followed by Ford (19), Toyota (7) and Pontiac (2).
LAP LEADERS
· In total 97 different drivers have led at least one lap in the NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway.
· Kevin Harvick leads the NASCAR Cup Series in laps led at Phoenix with 1,699 laps led in 41 starts.
Top 10 Lap Leaders at Phoenix Raceway in NASCAR Cup Series (All-Time & Active)
Rank All-Time Drivers Led Completed % Led Rank Active Drivers Led Completed % Led 1 Kevin Harvick 1,699 12,783 13.3% 1 Kevin Harvick 1,699 12,783 13.3% 2 Kyle Busch 1,190 11,038 10.8% 2 Kyle Busch 1,190 11,038 10.8% 3 Jimmie Johnson 998 10,619 9.4% 3 Joey Logano 908 8,720 10.4% 4 Mark Martin 911 10,477 8.7% 4 Denny Hamlin 854 11,178 7.6% 5 Joey Logano 908 8,720 10.4% 5 Chase Elliott 546 4,235 12.9% 6 Rusty Wallace 867 5,406 16.0% 6 Ryan Blaney 429 4,377 9.8% 7 Denny Hamlin 854 11,178 7.6% 7 Kyle Larson 382 5,264 7.3% 8 Kurt Busch 818 12,094 6.8% 8 Brad Keselowski 284 8,365 3.4% 9 Dale Earnhardt Jr 569 8,734 6.5% 9 Martin Truex Jr 259 10,105 2.6% 10 Tony Stewart 555 8,690 6.4% 10 Ryan Newman 242 10,924 2.2%
· The most laps led by the race winner in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway was 264 of the scheduled 312 laps (84.6%) by Kevin Harvick on November 9, 2014 – he started from the third position.
· The most laps led by a driver that did not win in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway was 237 of the scheduled 312 laps (74.3%) by Kyle Busch on November 11, 2012 – he started from the pole but finished third.
· The fewest laps led by the race winner in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway was four of the scheduled 378 laps (1.05%) by Ryan Newman on April 10, 2010 – he started from the 14th position.
ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS
Runner-Up Finishes:
· A total of 32 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished runner-up at Phoenix Raceway.
· NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin leads the NASCAR Cup Series in runner-up finishes at Phoenix Raceway with five second-place finishes.
· Kyle Busch leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in runner-up finishes at Phoenix with four second-place finishes.
Top Five in Runner-Up Finishes at Phoenix Raceway (All-Time & Active)
Rank All-time Drivers Runner-Ups Rank Active Drivers Runner-Ups 1 Mark Martin 5 1 Kyle Busch 4 2 Kyle Busch 4 2 Kevin Harvick 3 3 Jimmie Johnson 3 3 Brad Keselowski 2 Kevin Harvick 3 Martin Truex Jr 2 Tony Stewart 3 Ryan Blaney 2 Ryan Newman 2
Top-Five Finishes:
· A total of 55 different drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series have finished inside the top-five at Phoenix.
· Kevin Harvick leads the NASCAR Cup Series in top-five finishes at Phoenix Raceway with 20 top fives.
Top Five in Top-Five Finishes at Phoenix Raceway (All-Time & Active)
Rank All-time Drivers Top Fives Rank Active Drivers Top Fives 1 Kevin Harvick 20 1 Kevin Harvick 20 2 Denny Hamlin 16 2 Denny Hamlin 16 Jimmie Johnson 16 3 Kyle Busch 12 4 Jeff Gordon 12 4 Ryan Newman 10 Kyle Busch 12 5 Brad Keselowski 8 Mark Martin 12 Joey Logano 8
Top-10 Finishes:
· A total of 92 different drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series have finished inside the top-10 at Phoenix Raceway.
· Kevin Harvick leads the NASCAR Cup Series in top-10 finishes at Phoenix Raceway with 28 top 10s.
Top Five in Top-10 Finishes at Phoenix Raceway (All-Time & Active)
| Rank | All-time Drivers | Top 10s | Rank | Active Drivers | Top 10s |
| 1 | Kevin Harvick | 30 | 1 | Kevin Harvick | 30 |
| 2 | Kyle Busch | 26 | 2 | Kyle Busch | 26 |
| 3 | Jeff Gordon | 24 | 3 | Denny Hamlin | 21 |
| 4 | Jimmie Johnson | 22 | 4 | Joey Logano | 16 |
| 5 | Denny Hamlin | 21 | 5 | Martin Truex Jr | 14 |
| Kurt Busch | 21 | ||||
| Mark Martin | 21 |
Average Finish:
· Alan Kulwicki (five starts) leads the series in average finishing position at Phoenix Raceway with a 5.200.
· Kevin Harvick (41 starts) leads all active drivers in average finishing position at Phoenix Raceway with a 8.561.
Top 10 in Average Finishing Position at Phoenix Raceway (All-Time & Active)
Rank All-time Drivers Avg Finish Races Rank Active Drivers Avg Finish Races 1 Alan Kulwicki 5.200 5 1 Kevin Harvick 8.561 41 2 Kevin Harvick 8.561 41 2 Kyle Busch 10.556 36 3 Dale Earnhardt 9.538 13 3 Denny Hamlin 10.889 36 4 Mark Martin 9.588 34 4 Kyle Larson 11.722 18 5 Jimmie Johnson 10.229 35 5 William Byron 11.909 11 6 Kyle Busch 10.556 36 6 Chase Elliott 11.929 14 7 Jeff Gordon 10.765 34 7 Ryan Blaney 11.933 15 8 Denny Hamlin 10.889 36 8 Joey Logano 12.621 29 9 Davey Allison 11.000 5 9 Chase Briscoe 13.800 5 10 Kyle Larson 11.722 18 10 Brad Keselowski 13.893 28
TRACK / EVENT STATS
· Since the advent of electronic scoring (1993), the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway is the Spring race of 2016 (March 13, 2016) when Kevin Harvick beat Carl Edwards to the line by 0.010 seconds – which is tied with Atlanta (3/12/2000), Daytona (2/21/2016), and Rockingham (2/22/2004) for the eighth closest finish in series history.
Top Five Closest Margins of Victory at Phoenix Raceway
Margin of Victory Race Winner Runner-Up Date 0.010 Kevin Harvick Carl Edwards Sunday, March 13, 2016 0.130 Ryan Newman Jeff Gordon Saturday, April 10, 2010 0.170 Mark Martin Ernie Irvan Sunday, October 31, 1993 0.250 Kevin Harvick Jimmie Johnson Sunday, November 12, 2006 0.276 Joey Logano Kevin Harvick Sunday, March 8, 2020
· Qualifying has never been cancelled due to weather at Phoenix Raceway. But it has been cancelled twice due to the pandemic (2020 season finale and 2021 spring race)
· 10 of the 54 races at Phoenix Raceway have ended with NASCAR Overtime (18%):
Date Scheduled Actual Overtime Winner Runner-Up Sunday, March 12, 2023 312 317 5 William Byron Ryan Blaney Sunday, March 8, 2020 312 316 4 Joey Logano Kevin Harvick Sunday, March 19, 2017 312 314 2 Ryan Newman Kyle Larson Sunday, November 13, 2016 312 324 12 Joey Logano Kyle Busch Sunday, March 13, 2016 312 313 1 Kevin Harvick Carl Edwards Sunday, March 3, 2013 312 316 4 Carl Edwards Jimmie Johnson Sunday, November 11, 2012 312 319 7 Kevin Harvick Denny Hamlin Saturday, April 10, 2010 375 378 3 Ryan Newman Jeff Gordon Sunday, November 9, 2008 312 313 1 Jimmie Johnson Kurt Busch Sunday, November 7, 2004 312 315 3 Dale Earnhardt Jr Ryan Newman
· Only two of the 53 NASCAR Cup Series races at Phoenix Raceway have been shortened due to weather:
| Date | Scheduled | Actual | Fewer | Winner | Runner-Up |
| Sunday, November 15, 2015 | 312 | 219 | -93 | Dale Earnhardt Jr | Kevin Harvick |
| Sunday, October 25, 1998 | 312 | 257 | -55 | Rusty Wallace | Mark Martin |
FEMALE COMPETITORS
· Danica Patrick is the only female driver in the NASCAR Cup Series to compete at Phoenix Raceway. She made 11 starts at Phoenix Raceway in her career.
Date Driver Starting Position Finishing Position Driver Rating Sunday, November 12, 2017 Danica Patrick 24 25 48.2 Monday, March 13, 2017 Danica Patrick 26 22 52.8 Sunday, November 13, 2016 Danica Patrick 16 29 48.9 Sunday, March 13, 2016 Danica Patrick 36 19 60.3 Sunday, November 15, 2015 Danica Patrick 21 16 66.4 Sunday, March 15, 2015 Danica Patrick 23 26 59.6 Sunday, November 9, 2014 Danica Patrick 32 22 60.5 Sunday, March 2, 2014 Danica Patrick 33 36 51.7 Sunday, November 10, 2013 Danica Patrick 32 33 33.2 Sunday, March 3, 2013 Danica Patrick 40 39 44.2 Sunday, November 11, 2012 Danica Patrick 37 17 58.0 AVERAGES 29.1 25.8 53.1
NASCAR IN ARIZONA
· There have been 137 NASCAR national series races among four tracks in the state of Arizona.
· The first NASCAR Cup Series race held in the state of Arizona was on April 22, 1951 and the event had 33 competitors and was won by Marshall Teague driving a 1951 Hudson.
NASCAR National Series Tracks in Arizona
NASCAR Tracks In Arizona City Cup Xfinity Truck Combined First Year Phoenix Raceway Avondale 54 43 32 129 1988 Arizona State Fairgrounds Phoenix 4 0 0 4 1951 Tucson Raceway Park Tucson 0 0 3 3 1995 Tucson Rodeo Grounds Tucson 1 0 0 1 1955 Totals 59 43 35 137
ARIZONA IN NASCAR
· A total of 33 different drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Arizona.
· Of the 33 Arizona drivers, only two have won NASCAR national series races.
· Michael McDowell, from Phoenix, won the 2021 Daytona 500 – his first win in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Race Winners from Arizona
Winners From Arizona Cup Xfinity Truck Combined Alex Bowman 7 1 0 8 Michael McDowell 2 1 0 3 Totals 9 2 0 11
