Next Race: Can-Am 500 The Place: Phoenix Raceway The Date: Sunday, Nov. 12 The Time: 2:30 p.m. ET TV: NBC, 1:30 p.m. ET Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Distance: 312 miles (312 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 75), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 150), Final Stage (Ends on lap 312) 5 Drivers To Fight For Final Championship 4 Berth At Phoenix The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to Phoenix Raceway for its penultimate race of the season and the Playoffs Round of 8 cutoff event – Sunday’s Can-Am 500 (2:30 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Three of the four berths in the Championship 4 race (Sunday, Nov. 19 at Homestead Miami Speedway, 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) have been claimed. Kyle Busch captured the first with his win at Martinsville, Kevin Harvick took the second with his Texas victory and Martin Truex Jr. clinched the third via points following Texas. Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott and Jimmie Johnson will duke it out on Sunday for the final spot in the Championship 4. Keselowski sits 19 points above on the cutoff line for the final Championship 4 position. Hamlin is followed by Blaney (22 points behind Keselowski), Chase Elliott (-49) and Jimmie Johnson (-51). A victory at Phoenix by any of the winless Playoff-eligible drivers guarantees him a bid to the Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The five drivers have the following clinch scenarios: Keselowski – If Keselowski wins, he will clinch. If Kyle Busch/Truex/Harvick or a non-playoff driver wins, he would guarantee a clinch on points with 37 Points. Hamlin – If Hamlin wins, he will clinch. Could clinch on points with a Kyle Busch/Truex/Harvick or a non-playoff driver win and help. Blaney – If Blaney wins, he will clinch. Could clinch on points with a Kyle Busch/Truex/Harvick or a non-playoff driver win and help. Elliott – If Elliott wins, he will clinch. Could clinch on points with a Kyle Busch/Truex/Harvick or a non-playoff driver win and help. Johnson – If Johnson wins, he will clinch. Could clinch on points with a Kyle Busch/Truex/Harvick or a non-playoff driver win and help. Keselowski Readies To Rack Up The Points In Sun Devil State As it stands, Brad Keselowski has the best chance at making it to the Championship 4 of the five drivers vying for the final berth. He can clinch with a win at Phoenix, or with 37 points if Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick or a non-playoff driver takes the checkered flag at the one-mile track. In 16 career starts at Phoenix, Keselowski has never won, but claims five top fives, eight top 10s and a 14.0 average finish. Keselowski, the 2012 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title-winner, has never competed in the Championship 4. Elliott Tries To Close At Phoenix Chase Elliott essentially must win Sunday’s Can-Am 500 at Phoenix Raceway to make the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4. The No. 24 Chevrolet driver finished 12th at Phoenix in March, but led 106 laps (second to Kyle Busch’s 114) and won the second stage. In three career starts at the one-mile track, Elliott has finished eighth (March 2016), ninth (November 2016) and 12th (March 2017) for a 9.7 average finish. Defending Champ Johnson Must Tame Phoenix To Have Shot At Record Eighth Title Like his Hendrick Motorsports protégé Chase Elliott, Jimmie Johnson virtually needs to win at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday to make the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4. Johnson, the defending Monster Energy Series champion, is trying to surpass Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt (seven titles) with a record eighth crown. In 28 career starts at Phoenix, Johnson boasts four wins, 15 top fives and 20 top 10s. Among active drivers at Phoenix he owns the series-best driver rating (111.0), the second-ranked average running position (8.4) and the third-best average finish (9.1). The No. 48 Chevrolet driver has struggled lately. He finished 27th last week at Texas – three circuits off the lead lap. Johnson hasn’t finished in the top 10 since his seventh-place showing four races ago at Charlotte. Hamlin Hopes To Muster Phoenix Magic Despite finishes of seventh and third in the first two Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 8 races, Denny Hamlin sits 19 points behind Brad Keselowski for the final berth in the Championship 4 entering Sunday’s cutoff race at Phoenix. Luckily for Hamlin, he has a strong resume at the desert track. In 24 starts there, he boasts one win (March 2012), 10 top fives and 14 top 10s. Among active drivers at Phoenix, Hamlin has the fifth-best average finish (10.8) and sixth-best driver rating (95.1). “Overall we had a good day in Texas,” Hamlin said. “We scored a lot of points, and that helped us, we just need to keep digging to give ourselves a shot at a win this weekend. That’s the way we’re going to pull this thing off. We’ve been up front to contend for a win at the end of these past two races, and that’s our plan again at Phoenix.” Blaney Can Blaze To Championship 4 With Phoenix Victory It’s been a season of firsts for Ryan Blaney. He earned his first victory and first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs berth. He’ll try to continue that trend by going to the Championship 4 for the first time. To achieve that feat, the 23-year-old North Carolinian either must win Sunday’s race at Phoenix or get a lot of help because he trails Brad Keselowski by 22 points for the final Championship 4 berth. In three career starts at Phoenix, Blaney has finished 10th (March 2016), eighth (November 2016) and 23rd (March 2017). Blaney has been in good form lately. He’s posted finishes of third, eighth and sixth in his last three races. Manufacturer Championship Clinch Scenario Toyota currently holds a 23-point lead over Ford in the manufacturer standings. To clinch an early title, Toyota needs to leave Phoenix with a 61-point lead over second place. Next Race: Ticket Galaxy 200 The Place: Phoenix Raceway The Date: Saturday, Nov. 11 The Time: 3:30 p.m. ET TV: NBC, 3 p.m. ET Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Distance: 200 miles (200 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 60), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 120), Final Stage (Ends on lap 200) Phoenix Raceway Is XFINITY Playoff Drivers Last Chance At The Championship 4 Eight drivers still have a shot to lock up their spot in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoff Championship 4 this Saturday, Nov. 4 in the Ticket Galaxy 200 at Phoenix Raceway (on NBC at 3:30 p.m.); as all four positions to move on to Homestead-Miami Speedway and vie for a title are still up for grabs. The Playoff Eight Will Be Soon Be Four Following Phoenix Below are the clinch scenarios for each Round of 8 Playoff driver heading into the weekend: Elliott Sadler (0 Wins This Round, 3,103 Points) – With a win, Sadler would clinch. If a Playoff driver wins, he would clinch with 32 points. If a Playoff driver doesn’t win, he would clinch with 27 points. William Byron (0 Wins This Round, 3,098 Points) – With a win, Byron would clinch. If a Playoff driver wins, he would clinch on points with 37 points. If a Playoff driver doesn’t win, he would clinch with 32 points. Justin Allgaier (0 Wins This Round, 3,094 Points) – With a win, Allgaier would clinch. If a Playoff driver wins, he would clinch on points with 41 points. If a Playoff driver doesn’t win, he would clinch on points with 36 points. Brennan Poole (0 Wins This Round, 3,079 Points) – With a win, Poole would clinch. If a Playoff driver doesn’t win, he would clinch on points with 51 points. He could also clinch on points with help if a Playoff driver wins. The next four Playoff drivers can clinch a spot in the next round on points, but will need help to do it. They can also clinch a spot in the Championship 4 with a win this weekend at Phoenix. Matt Tifft (0 Wins This Round, 3,074 Points) – Currently five points back from fourth-place Brennan Poole. Cole Custer (0 Wins This Round, 3,066 Points) – Currently 13 points back from fourth-place Brennan Poole. Daniel Hemric (0 Wins This Round, 3,061 Points) – Currently 18 points back from fourth-place Brennan Poole. Ryan Reed (0 Wins this Round, 3,046 Points) – Currently 33 points back from fourth-place Brennan Poole. Series Record In Our Midst: 18 Different Winners Would Tie Most In Single NASCAR XFINITY Series Season Two races are left on the 2017 NASCAR XFINITY Series schedule, offering two more opportunities for new drivers to extend the current different winners list (17) to a record-tying 18 different winners; a record that was set back in 1988 – 29 years ago. The record-setting 1988 NASCAR XFINITY Series season that saw 18 different winners was composed of a tide of drivers who became the faces of the sport over the last few decades – some even went on to NASCAR Hall of Fame careers – Harry Gant (five wins), Larry Pearson (three), Tommy Ellis (three), Tommy Houston (three), Rick Mast (two), Rob Moroso (two), Bobby Allison, Bobby Hillin Jr., Dale Earnhardt, Dale Jarrett, Darrell Waltrip, Dick McCabe, Geoff Bodine, Jim Hensley, Mark Martin, Michael Waltrip, Mike Alexander and Morgan Shepherd (each had one win). The 17 different NASCAR XFINITY Series winners in 2017 includes Kyle Busch (five wins), Erik Jones (three), Kyle Larson (three), William Byron (three), Brad Keselowski (two), Denny Hamlin (two), Justin Allgaier (two), Ryan Blaney (two), Alex Bowman, Aric Almirola, Christopher Bell, Jeremy Clements, Joey Logano, Ryan Preece, Ryan Reed, Sam Hornish Jr., Tyler Reddick (each have one). The one driver not already on the 2017 different winners list, but who is entered this weekend and is a former series Phoenix winner, is Elliott Sadler. Sadler has made 17 series starts at Phoenix, posting one win, five top fives, nine top 10s and an average finish of 11.7. Tucson Native Alex Bowman Returns To NASCAR XFINITY Series This Weekend At Phoenix How good is Arizona native Alex Bowman’s life right now? Pretty good. The 24-year old from Tucson, Arizona, was named the driver to replace retiring Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet next season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Plus, Bowman has only made one start this season in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, and did so in impressive fashion, taking the checkered flag at Charlotte Motor Speedway while making his series debut driving for Chip Ganassi Racing. This weekend, the up-and-coming star is back behind the wheel of the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet, looking to showcase more of his driving talent. Bowman has made five series starts at Phoenix, posting a best finish of 11th back in 2013. His average finish at Phoenix is 22.4. He competed in this event last season driving for JR Motorsports – he started seventh but finished 38th after being caught in an incident. Double Dippers Several drivers from the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series will try their luck this weekend at Phoenix in the NASCAR XFINITY Series race – MENCS Drivers: Austin and Ty Dillon, Erik Jones, Ryan Blaney, Corey LaJoie, Gray Gaulding and Alex Bowman; NCWTS Drivers: Christopher Bell and Joe Nemechek. None of the aforementioned drivers are former NASCAR XFINITY Series winners at Phoenix. Manufacturer Championship (Bill France Performance Award) Update Chevrolet currently holds a 58-point lead over Toyota in the NASCAR XFINITY Series manufacturer standings. To clinch an early title, Chevrolet needs to leave Phoenix Raceway with a 61-point lead over second place. Next Race: Lucas Oil 150 The Place: Phoenix Raceway The Date: Friday, Nov. 10 The Time: 8:30 p.m. ET TV: FS1, 8 p.m. ET Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Distance: 150 miles (150 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 40), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 80), Final Stage (Ends on lap 150) Three Championship 4 Spots On The Line At Phoenix Following the second race of the Round of 6 at Texas Motor Speedway, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs go west to Phoenix International Raceway for the Lucas Oil 150 on Friday (8:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). With Johnny Sauter capturing a win at Texas, there are currently three Championship 4 spots remaining to be earned at Phoenix this weekend. 2017 Playoffs contenders Sauter (second), Matt Crafton (third), John Hunter Nemechek (sixth) and Christopher Bell (seventh) all finished inside the top 10 in last season’s Round of 6 finale at Phoenix. Sauter (who had already clinched due to wins), Crafton, Bell and Timothy Peters advanced to the Championship 4 at the conclusion of the Phoenix race last season. Bell and Crafton are both looking to join Sauter as back-to-back Championship 4 contenders in 2016 and 2017. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs Clinch Scenarios Below is a look at the clinch scenarios for all six Playoffs drivers in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Round of 6 heading into Phoenix International Raceway: Johnny Sauter (1 Win, 3131 Points): Sauter clinched on wins at Texas Motor Speedway and has advanced to the Championship 4 round. Christopher Bell (0 Wins, 3135 Points): Bell would clinch on points with six points and a new winner. If there is a repeat winner, he would clinch on points with one point. Bell can also clinch a Championship 4 spot on wins. Matt Crafton (0 Wins, 3104 Points): Crafton would clinch on points with 37 points and a new winner. If there is a repeat winner, he would clinch on points with 32 points. Crafton can also clinch a Championship 4 spot on wins. Austin Cindric (0 Wins, 3085 Points): If there is a repeat winner, Cindric would clinch on points with 50 points. He could clinch on points with a new winner and help, or with a win at Phoenix. Ben Rhodes (0 Wins, 3080 Points): Rhodes could clinch on points with a new winner and help, or with a win at Phoenix. John Hunter Nemechek (0 Wins, 3046 Points): Nemecheck could clinch on points with a repeat winner and help or a win at Phoenix. Sauter Is The Lone Star At Texas Reigning NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Johnny Sauter has done it again. For the second consecutive season, Sauter has punched his ticket to the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway by winning in the Round of 6. The 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champ won the JAG Metals 350 Driving Hurricane Harvey Relief at Texas Motor Speedway to advance to the Championship 4, and now will have a chance to become the second driver in series history to win back-to-back championships (Matt Crafton – 2013 and 2014). Sauter has been clutch at crunch time, as he’s won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoff race at Texas two years in a row and four times overall. The win at Texas was Sauter’s third NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory of the season – matching his win total from last season. It was his 16th career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win in 219 starts. Gilliland To Make Final NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Start in ’17 NASCAR Next driver Todd Gilliland will make his last NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start of the 2017 season for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the No. 51 Toyota Tundra at Phoenix International Raceway. Gilliland has two top fives in his last two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races this season. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Owner Standings Update Kyle Busch Motorsports’ No. 4 Toyota Tundra leads GMS Racing’s No. 21 Chevrolet Silverado by a rail-thin four points in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series owner standings after 21 races this season. ThorSport Racing’s No. 88 Toyota Tundra (-31), Kyle Busch Motorsports’ second entry in the No. 51 Toyota Tundra (-36) and Brad Keselowski Racing’s No. 19 Ford F-150 (-51) round out the top five. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Manufacturer Standings Update Through 21 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races this season, Toyota holds a 42-point lead over Chevrolet in the manufacturer standings. To clinch an early title, Toyota needs to leave Phoenix with a 60-point lead over second place. source – NASCAR communications
