This Weekend in NASCAR – Phoenix Storylines

All three of NASCAR’s national series are on track this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway for their second-to-last races of the 2015 season. Weekend storylines follow…

Party Of Five: Harvick Goes For Fifth Straight Win At Phoenix

Pretty much automatic at Phoenix International Raceway, Kevin Harvick will go for his fifth straight win at the one-mile track in Sunday’s Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup cutoff race (2:30 p.m. ET on NBC). With a visit to Victory Lane on Sunday, Harvick would join NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty (Richmond, 7) and Darrell Waltrip (Bristol, 7; North Wilkesboro, 5) as the only drivers to win at least five consecutive races at a single track.

Currently third on the Chase Grid, 10 points above the cutoff line, Harvick is trying to advance to the four-driver Championship Round race at Homestead-Miami Speedway to defend his 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title. Regardless of how the rest of the field performs at Phoenix, Harvick can clinch a Championship Round berth with a finish of second or better; third and at least one lap led; or fourth and the most laps led.

Harvick owns a track-record seven wins at Phoenix. He has the second-best average finish (11.0), driver rating (108.3), average running position (9.4) and average green flag speed (126.523 mph) at the Arizona oval.

Johnson Plays Spoiler At Texas, Approaches Earnhardt On All-Time Wins List

Jimmie Johnson passed Brad Keselowski with four laps remaining in Sunday’s AAA Texas 500 to win his third consecutive race at Texas Motor Speedway and block an automatic qualifying berth in the Championship Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup from one of the Eliminator 8 drivers. The win was the fifth of the season for Johnson and the 75th of his career. He now trails NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt by just one victory for seventh on NASCAR’s all-time wins list.

Johnson will attempt to play spoiler again this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway where he owns four wins, 14 top fives and 18 top 10s in 24 starts.

The No. 48 Chevrolet driver is not the only one who can ruin a Chase-eligible driver’s day in Arizona. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2 wins), Denny Hamlin (1), Kasey Kahne (1), Ryan Newman (1) and Tony Stewart (1) are all non-Chase drivers who have won at Phoenix. Jeff Gordon, a two-time Phoenix winner who has already advanced to the Championship Round via his victory at Martinsville, can also block a transfer spot by taking the checkered flag on Sunday.

Championship Round Clinch Scenarios

Sunday’s Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 at Phoenix International Raceway marks the final race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup’s Eliminator Round. At the conclusion of the event, the four Chase drivers who are winless in the Eliminator Round and have the least amount of points will be dropped from the Chase. The remaining four drivers will make the Championship Round race held on Sunday, Nov. 22 at Homestead-Miami Speedway where the highest Chase-eligible finisher will take home the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

Jeff Gordon is the only driver who has clinched a Championship Round spot so far.

Regardless of the finish of any other driver…

Kyle Busch will clinch with a finish of third or better; fourth and at least one lap led; or fifth and most laps led.

Kevin Harvick will clinch with a finish of second or better; third and at least one lap led; or fourth and most laps led.

Martin Truex Jr., Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch and Joey Logano only control their own destiny with a victory. Logano can ONLY make it to the Championship Round with a win at Phoenix.

Keselowski Sets Sights On Phoenix After Coming Up Short At Texas

Statistically speaking, Brad Keselowski could not have raced any better in Sunday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway without winning it. He posted the highest possible driver rating (145.0) a competitor can earn without winning a race. The only other time it’s happened since 2005 was when Kyle Busch achieved the feat when he finished second at Bristol on Aug. 23, 2008.

Keselowski led 312-of-334 laps at Texas, but could not hold on, finishing runner-up to Jimmie Johnson, who passed him with four laps remaining. A win would’ve earned Keselowski an automatic berth in the Championship Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, but instead he sits in sixth on the Chase Grid, 19 points below Martin Truex Jr. on the cutoff line.

The 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion gets one more shot at reaching the Championship Round in Sunday’s Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. In 12 starts at the Arizona oval, Keselowski has four top-five and six top-10 finishes with one Coors Light Pole Award (March 2, 2014). He has placed sixth or better in six of the last seven races held at Phoenix with a high finish of third (March 2, 2014).

Logano’s Last Shot

Needing a win on Sunday to make the Championship Round, can Joey Logano rise at Phoenix?

Maybe.

In 13 starts at the one-mile track, Logano claims two top fives and seven top 10s, including four top 10s in the last four races there.

Despite racking up top 10s at Phoenix, he has never won there. That likely isn’t a concern to Logano, who has visited Victory Lane at four tracks this year where he had never won before: Daytona, Watkins Glen, Charlotte and Talladega.

Truex “Home(stead) Free” If He Advances Through Phoenix

Keeping his dream season alive heading into the penultimate race of 2015 at Phoenix, Martin Truex Jr. currently sits in the final Championship Round qualifying position on the Chase Grid, seven points above the cutoff line.

In 19 starts at Phoenix, Truex claims one top five and seven top 10s. He finished seventh at the one-mile track in March.

Historically, Truex ranks lowest among The Eliminator 8 at Phoenix in average finish (17.1) and driver rating (80.1), but this is a new year where the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing driver has set career highs in top fives (8) and top 10s (22).

If Truex can make it out of Phoenix and into the Championship Round, he is one of the best Chase-eligible drivers at Homestead-Miami Speedway where he has three top fives, seven top 10s and 108 laps led in 10 starts. Among The Eliminator 8 at Homestead, Truex boasts the second-highest driver rating (106.6) and third-best average finish (10.0). His track history combined with the speed he’s found this season would give him as good of a shot at the championship as anyone.

Kurt Busch Tries To Back Up Brother’s Prediction In Desert

Prior to the Eliminator Round, Kyle Busch adamantly stated the only drivers who have the chance to win at Phoenix were Kevin Harvick and his brother Kurt Busch.

Currently seventh on the Chase Grid, 28 points below Martin Truex Jr. on the cutoff line, Kurt Busch essentially can only advance to the Championship Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup by winning Sunday’s race at Phoenix where he finished fifth earlier this season.

In 25 starts at the Arizona oval, Busch has one win (April 23, 2005), six top fives and 14 top 10s. His overall body of work at Phoenix is strong, but he has finished worse than 20th there three times in eight starts since the 2011 repave.

Busch is enjoying his best season since 2009 when he finished fourth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings. His two wins and 19 top 10s this year are his most since 2009 when he notched two wins along with 21 top 10s.

Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch Lead JGR To Phoenix

Joe Gibbs Racing may not have been able to achieve its goal of putting all four of its drivers in the Championship Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, but it has a good chance at getting two in. Heading into Sunday’s race at Phoenix, Kyle Busch (11 points above the cutoff line) ranks second on the Chase Grid, while Carl Edwards (7 points below the cutoff line sits in sixth).

Regardless of what happens with other drivers, Busch will clinch a Championship Round spot with a finish of third or better; fourth and at least one lap led; or fifth and the most laps led. Edwards can only control his own destiny with a win.

Busch has one win, three top fives, 12 top 10s and two Coors Light Pole Awards in 20 Phoenix starts.

Edwards boasts two wins, seven top fives, 12 top 10s and three Coors Light Poles in 22 Phoenix starts.

By advancing to the Championship Round, Busch would be guaranteed to at least tie his career-best fourth-place final standings finish achieved in 2013.

Busch (four wins) and Edwards (two wins) have helped JGR tally 13 victories this season – the most in the organization’s history.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Etc.

If the top-finishing Chevrolet at Phoenix places 10th or better, the company will capture its 13th consecutive manufacturers’ championship and the 39th in its history. … Erik Jones will pilot the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota for the second straight weekend. He has won at Phoenix in both of his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts there. In two NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at Phoenix, Jones has finished fifth and sixth.

Two To Go: Buescher Close To Title For Roush Fenway Racing

Count ‘em.

Just two races remain until the NASCAR XFINITY Series champion is crowned for the 2015 season.

Current standings leader, Chris Buescher can clinch the title this weekend if he leaves Phoenix 49 points ahead of second-place in the standings. Buescher is currently 24 points up on second-place Chase Elliott.

If he doesn’t reach the magic number of 49 points ahead following Phoenix, he can still win the title no matter what any other driver does if he finishes seventh or better without leading a lap, eighth or better leading at least one lap or ninth or better leading the most laps in the final two races.

“We just need two more solid races to wrap this thing up,” Buescher said. “Phoenix is a unique race track that I really want to have a good race at.  I like short track racing and feel that this will be a good weekend for us.”

Buescher has made 31 starts this season, posting two wins (Iowa, Dover), 11 top fives, 20 top 10s and an average finish of 8.2.

Buescher will have his work cut out for him this weekend though. In three starts at Phoenix he has an average finish of 13.7 and has yet to finish inside the top 10.

Elliott, Dillon and Smith Need To Win To Have Chance At Catching Buescher

The three drivers who have not been mathematically eliminated from the title hunt in 2015 are second-place Chase Elliott (-24), third-place Ty Dillon (-30) and fourth-place Regan Smith (-31).

If Elliott were to have his best two performances at Phoenix and Homestead by winning both events and leading the most laps he would total out at 1,198 points on the season. To win the title, Elliott would still need Buescher to falter and finish eighth or worse in both of the final two races.

Elliott has made three starts at Phoenix posting one top five, three top 10s and an average finish of 7.0.

If Dillon were to have the best case scenario for him at Phoenix and Homestead by winning both events and leading the most laps, he would total out at 1,192 points on the season. To win the title, Dillon would still need Buescher to struggle and finish 12th or worse in both of the final two races to catch him.

Dillon has made three starts at Phoenix posting one top five, three top 10s and an average finish of 6.7.

If Smith were to win both Phoenix and Homestead, while leading the most laps in each, his season point total would be 1,192 points. Smith would still need Buescher to finish 13th or worse in the next two races to win the title.

Smith has made nine starts at Phoenix, tallying one top five, five top 10s and an average finish of 14.4.

Ross Kenseth Returns For Second Career Series Start

Ross Kenseth, son of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Matt Kenseth, will be making his career NASCAR XFINITY Series career start this weekend in the DAV 200 Honoring  America’s Veterans (4 p.m. ET on NBSCN).

Kenseth made his first career start earlier this season for Joe Gibbs Racing at Chicagoland Speedway. He drove the No. 20 Toyota from a second-place starting position to a sixth-place finish.

This weekend the 22-year-old will be attempting to qualify at Phoenix in the No. 80 Toyota for car owner Shigeaki Hattori. This will be the first car Hattori has attempted to field this season.

Last season Hattori gave Ross Chastain, Johnny Sauter and Alex Bowman chances to compete in the XFINITY Series. Chastain has posted the best finish for Hattori as a car owner, finishing 10th at Kentucky last season.

Rookie Sensation Daniel Suarez Could Break Into Driver Standings Top Five At Phoenix

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Daniel Suarez has the opportunity to break into the top five in the NASCAR XFINITY Series driver standings at Phoenix this weekend. Suarez is just eight points back from fifth-place Elliott Sadler and only one point back from sixth-place and fellow Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate Darrell Wallace Jr.

If Suarez makes the top five in points, he will be invited to speak at the banquet and be celebrated by the series with the champion and the other four drivers in the top five in points.

Suarez finished 11th at Phoenix in his series track debut earlier this season, one spot better than Sadler and four spots better than Wallace.

DAV 200: The Second Stop Of Three For Erik Jones At Phoenix

Erik Jones continues to impress with his talents in NASCAR, most recently, becoming the youngest driver (19) to attempt a tripleheader last weekend at Texas. Jones has been racking up time on the track lately running in all three NASCAR national series and is scheduled to attempt to pull triple duty again in Phoenix.

Expect Jones to do well in the NASCAR XFINITY Series event. He has made 21 starts this season, posting 11 top fives and 15 top 10s.

Jones has made two starts at Phoenix, posting an average finish of 5.5 – including a fifth-place finish earlier this season.

NASCAR XFINITY Series Etc.

Two Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers will be competing in the XFINITY Series event this weekend, Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski. The remaining Sprint Cup drivers entered this weekend are Kasey Kahne, Kyle Larson and Austin Dillon. … 2014 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series champion Anthony Kumpen will attempt to qualify for his second NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Phoenix in the No. 55 Chevrolet. He placed 28th at Iowa in August after starting 35th. Kumpen’s United States schedule is part of the Nexteer Road to Daytona program designed by Nexteer and the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series to get European drivers to race in the U.S.

Jones Makes Lone Star Statement

Erik Jones put on a dazzling performance at Texas Motor Speedway where counterpart Matt Crafton normally dominates, leading 117 of 147 laps to win last Friday’s WinStar World Casino 350. Jones’ victory marked his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win at Texas and his third checkered flag of the season. He also posted a near-perfect 149.5 driver rating.

Jones became only the third driver to win a NCWTS and NASCAR XFINITY Series (April 2015) race at TMS, joining his No. 4 truck owner Kyle Busch and 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick.

The NASCAR Next alumnus currently rides a streak of 13 consecutive top-10 finishes – the longest in the NCWTS this season. He ranks first in the NCWTS standings – 17 points ahead of second-place Matt Crafton – with two races left in the season.

A NASCAR statistician’s dream, Jones tops the series in average running position (4.9), average finish (6.2), fastest laps run (549), percentage of laps led (25.9%) and driver rating (118.3).

Phoenix ‘Son’: Jones Controls Championship Destiny As Truck Series Goes West

With only two races left in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season, Erik Jones leads second-place Matt Crafton by 17 points and third-place Tyler Reddick by 21 points in the championship standings.

The No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota Tundra driver gets the opportunity to further increase his points advantage in Friday’s Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix International Raceway (8:30 p.m. ET on FS1)  – a place he has won in both of his starts. In 2013, Jones became the then-youngest winner in NASCAR national series history when he visited Victory Lane at Phoenix from the second starting position. Last year, he led 114-of-126 laps at the one-mile track to win from the 21 Means 21 Pole.

Crafton finished second to Jones at Phoenix last year and owns five top fives and 10 top 10s in 14 starts at the Arizona oval. His five wins this season are the most in the NCWTS.

Reddick placed 10th at Phoenix in his only start there, last season. He enters the race with a streak of three consecutive fifth-place finishes.

There’s an outside chance Jones clinches the 2015 championship a race early. If he leaves Phoenix with a 49-point lead over second place, he’ll clinch the title.

Abreu Set For Truck Series Debut At Phoenix

Noted dirt track ace and first-year stock car driver Rico Abreu will make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut in Friday’s Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix International Raceway driving the No. 31 NTS Motorsports Chevrolet.

Abreu, a NASCAR Next member, ran a full NASCAR K&N Pro Series East schedule this season, finishing fifth in the series standings on the strength of one win, four top fives, eight top 10s and three poles.

Outside of NASCAR, Abreu holds the title of 2014 USAC Midget National champion and is a three-time World of Outlaws winner. Earlier this season, he won the prestigious Chili Bowl Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

K&N East Champ Byron Readies For First Truck Series Start

NASCAR K&N Pro Series East champion William Byron will make his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start when he takes the wheel of the No. 9 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota at Phoenix on Friday.

The 17-year-old Charlotte native has taken NASCAR’s touring ranks by storm, winning not only the NKNPSE title, but also its Sunoco Rookie of the Year and Most Popular Driver Awards. In 14 NKNPSE starts, Byron posted four wins, five top fives, 11 top 10s and three poles.

Byron’s No. 9 Toyota is one of four KBM trucks entered in Friday’s race. Series standings leader Erik Jones (No. 4), Daniel Suarez (No. 51) and Matt Tifft (No. 54) will also compete at Phoenix for the Mooresville, North Carolina-based team.

Recently, KBM announced its plans to have Byron and Christopher Bell run a full-time schedule for the organization in 2016. Daniel Suarez and Cody Coughlin will split time in a third KBM entry.

Byron, who began racing in 2013, is a member of the 2015-16 NASCAR Next class.

“My goal for my first NASCAR Camping World Truck start is to get a top 10 and run all of the laps,” Byron said.

NASCAR Next Takes Phoenix

Five members of the 2015-16 NASCAR Next class are scheduled to compete in Friday’s Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix International Raceway: Rico Abreu, William Byron, Cole Custer, John Hunter Nemechek and Dalton Sargeant.

Abreu and Byron are set to make their NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debuts, while Sargeant will log his first start at Phoenix. Sargeant has finished in the top 10 in two of his first three NCWTS races.

Custer placed third at Phoenix in his lone start there last season, while Nemechek claims one top-10 finish in two career Phoenix starts.

Custer (Gateway) and Nemechek (Chicagoland) each have one NCWTS win this season.

Cindric Back In Action For BKR

Austin Cindric, 17, will take the wheel of the No. 29 Brad Keselowski Racing Ford in his second career series start in Friday’s Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix International Raceway. The Mooresville native placed 25th after running in the top 10 throughout much of the race in his debut at Martinsville Speedway on Oct. 31.

A versatile racer, Cindric medaled at the X-Games in the Red Bull Global Rallycross Lites Series and became the youngest ever IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge winner when he took the checkered flag at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in July.

Ryan Blaney piloted the No. 29 Ford to a third-place finish last weekend at Texas.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Etc.

If the top-finishing Toyota finishes 14th or better in Friday’s race at Phoenix, Toyota will capture its eighth Manufacturers’ Championship, tying Chevrolet for the most in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series history. The Manufacturers’ Championship would also be Toyota’s third consecutive title.