NASCAR National Series News & Notes - Phoenix Raceway

Today at 01:35 AM

NASCAR Cup Series
Next Race: Shriners Children‘s 500
The Place: Phoenix Raceway
Track Length: 1 Mile Asphalt Oval
The Date: Sunday, March 9
The Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
The Purse: $11,055,250
TV: FS1 & FOX Deportes, 2 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
Distance: 312 miles (312 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 60),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 185), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 312)

NASCAR Xfinity Series
Next Race: GOVX 200
The Place: Phoenix Raceway
Track Length: 1 Mile Asphalt Oval
The Date: Saturday, March 8
The Time: 5 p.m. ET
The Purse: $1,651,939
TV: CW, 4:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
Distance: 200 miles (200 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 45),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 90), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 200)

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
Next Race: Ecosave 200
The Place: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Track Length: 1.5 Mile Asphalt Oval
The Date: Friday, March 14
The Time: 9 p.m. ET
The Purse: $782,900
TV: FS1, 9 p.m. ET
Radio: NRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
Distance: 201.0 miles (134 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 30),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 60), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 134)

Where To Watch NASCAR This Week:

Saturday, March 8
NXS Kennametal Pole Qualifying (The CW App at 11:30 a.m. ET)
NCS Practice and Busch Light Pole Qualifying (Amazon Prime at 2 p.m. ET)
NXS Race: GOVX 200 (The CW, MRN, SiriusXM at 5 p.m. ET)

Sunday, March 9
NCS Race: Shriners Children‘s 500 (FS1 & FOX Deportes, MRN, SiriusXM at 3:30 p.m. ET)

NASCAR Cup Series

Phoenix Storylines and Insights:

• This weekend will be the 58th running of a NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway, and 2025 is the sixth season that Phoenix has hosted the Championship Round (2020-2025).
• There have been 125 lead changes so far in 2025, the most ever for the first three races of a Cup season.
• The average starting position of the race winners through the first three races is 18.7, the lowest in series history.
• Christopher Bell is attempting to become the first driver to win three straight races with the NextGen car. He won Phoenix last Spring. Last driver to win three straight in the Cup Series was Kyle Larson in 2021.
• Christopher Bell is the third driver in history to finish 31st or worse in the season opening race, then win the next two events (Jimmie Johnson — 2010, Kevin Harvick — 2018)
• Michael McDowell has the fifth best average finish in 2025 (11.7) yet has not finished inside the top 10. But he is the only driver to finish top 15 in each race this season.
• Katherine Legge will become the eighth female driver to run a NASCAR race in the Modern Era (1972-2025), the 17th overall and the first to drive the Next Gen car.
• Five multi car teams have yet to finish top five this season: Trackhouse Racing, Front Row Motorsports, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, Kaulig Racing, and Rick Ware Racing.
• Chase Elliott leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Phoenix Raceway with a 6.235 in 17 starts.
• 27 different drivers have won the pole in the Cup Series at Phoenix. This weekend, 10 of the 27 NASCAR Cup Series Phoenix Raceway pole winners are active:

• A team swept the poles at Phoenix in all three seasons there in the Next Gen car: Joe Gibbs Racing in 2024, Hendrick Motorsports in 2023 and Team Penske in 2022.
• Ryan Blaney finished top-10 in the last nine races at Phoenix and top-five in the last seven.
• Ryan Blaney‘s seven race top-five streak at Phoenix is the second longest in Phoenix history, behind Jimmie Johnson (10). Longest streak by a driver at a track since Martin Truex Jr at Richmond (2018-2022)
• In the last nine Phoenix races, Ryan Blaney has an average running position of 5.5.
• William Byron leads all drivers in laps run in the top-five at Phoenix in the Next Gen car with 1,351 laps, next best is Ryan Blaney with 983.
• Ryan Blaney leads all driver in laps run in the top-10 at Phoenix in the Next Gen car with 1,683 laps, William Byron ranks second with 1,677 laps.
• William Byron is the only driver to lead laps in each race this season.
• A total of 31 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Phoenix Raceway. This weekend, nine of the 31 NASCAR Cup Series Phoenix Raceway winners are active:

• Joey Logano leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in wins at Phoenix Raceway with four (2016, 2020, 2022, 2024).
• Joey Logano‘s Phoenix wins in 2022 and 2024 won him the Championship. They are his only finishes better than 8th in the Next Gen car at Phoenix, he finished outside the top-10 in three of the last four races there.
• Joey Logano will make his 436th career start for Team Penske this weekend, passing Brad Keselowski for second most all time with the team. (Rusty Wallace leads Team Penske with 496 starts)
• Joey Logano is the only driver to win multiple Phoenix races with the Next Gen car.
• William Byron has finished inside the top-10 in 17 straight stages at Phoenix.
• Alan Kulwicki (November 6, 1988), Bobby Hamilton (October 29, 1996) and Chase Briscoe (March 13, 2022) are the three drivers to post their first NASCAR Cup Series career win at Phoenix Raceway.
• Four drivers finished in the top-10 in both Phoenix Cup races last season: Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, Chris Buescher and Tyler Reddick.
• The first and third starting positions are the two most proficient starting positions, producing more winners (eight each) than any other positions on the starting grid.
• 2025 is the first season since 2014 that Phoenix is the first race on the West Coast Swing.
• A total of 100 different drivers have led at least one lap in the NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway.
• The most different leaders in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway were 15 on March 4, 2012.
• The most lead changes at Phoenix Raceway in a NASCAR Cup Series race were 28 on February 27, 2011.
• Phoenix Raceway has the most days between events on the 2025 schedule at 238 days.
• Prior to this weekend, Danica Patrick is the only female driver in the NASCAR Cup Series that has competed at Phoenix Raceway. She made 11 starts at Phoenix Raceway in her Cup Series career posting a best finish of 16th in 2015.
• Two drivers from the state of Arizona have won in the NASCAR Cup Series: Alex Bowman (eight wins) from Tucson and Michael McDowell (two wins) from Phoenix.
• Christopher Bell‘s 10 wins in the Next Gen car have come at nine different tracks.
• Bubba Wallace has scored the most Stage points through the first three races of 2025 at 41 points.
• Katherine Legge will be the third different driver to make their NASCAR Cup Series career debuts this season; joining Helio Castroneves (Daytona) and Connor Zilisch (COTA).
• With Katherine Legge from England making a start this weekend, five different countries will be represented in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2025: United States, Mexico, New Zealand, Brazil and England.
• Kaulig Racing‘s A.J. Allmendinger will be making his 450th NASCAR Cup Series career start this weekend at Phoenix Raceway. Allmendinger ranks 59th on the all-time Cup starts list.
• This weekend‘s NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix will feature option tires — the same process the series did for Richmond last year. The numbers: For all entries, Practice allotment will be 1 primary set and 1 option set. Qualifying will be 1 primary set. Race allotment will be 6 primary sets, 2 option sets, and Qualifying carryover set.

Katherine Legge Bio:

• 44 years old (7/12/1980) from Guildford, England.
• Eighth female to start a Cup Series race in the Modern Era (1972-2025) and 17th overall, first in a Next Gen car.
• 102 career IMSA starts between 2007-2024, four career class wins and 18 podiums.
• Moved to USA in 2004 and competed in 2005 Atlantic Championship, won three races and became the first female to win in the series.
• Raced in Champ Car World Series full-time in 2006 & 2007.
• Four Indianapolis 500 starts (2012, 2013, 2023, 2024) with a best finish of 22nd in 2012.
• Inducted into the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame in 2024, first female to be inducted.
• Made NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in 2018 at Mid-Ohio and ARCA Menards Series debut in 2025 at Daytona.

NASCAR Xfinity Series

Phoenix Storylines and Insights:

• This weekend will be the 48th running of a NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Phoenix Raceway (1999-2025).
• Kyle Busch leads the Xfinity Series in poles at Phoenix with 10; four active Xfinity Phoenix pole winners are active this weekend: Justin Allgaier, Aric Almirola, William Sawalich and Sammy Smith.
• Eight different drivers won the last eight Phoenix races. Sammy Smith is only winner in last eight entered this weekend.
• Three former Xfinity Phoenix Raceway winners are active this weekend: Justin Allgaier (2017, 2019), Brandon Jones (2020) and Sammy Smith (2023).
• Three drivers have posted their first career Xfinity Series win at Phoenix: Sam Hornish Jr. (2011), Daniel Hemric (2021) and Sammy Smith (2023).
• Since 2020 (the last five years), more drivers 25 years old or younger won at Phoenix than any other track (nine of the 10 races).
• 11 of the last 12 races at Phoenix were won from a top-eight starting position.
• The NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Phoenix has been won from the pole or first starting position 11 times; most recent was in 2022 by Ty Gibbs.
• Each of the last three Xfinity Phoenix races ended in overtime.
• The Phoenix race winner finished no worse than fourth in either stage in each of the last nine races.
• The driver leading the most laps won the last six Phoenix races.
• There were a Xfinity Series track record 21 lead changes at Phoenix last November, the eight leaders tied the track record as well.
• Only one of the last 10 Phoenix races was won by a Chevrolet driver (Noah Gragson 3/22).
• Ausitn Hill leads the NASCAR Xfinity Series driver point standings by 13 points over his Richard Childress Racing teammate Jesse Love in second following COTA.
• Austin Hill and Sheldon Creed have the longest active top 10 streaks at Phoenix with five each.
• Through three races, Tanner Gray holds a scant one point edge in the NXS Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings over Christian Eckes in second.
• Richard Childress Racing‘s next win will be their 100th in NASCAR Xfinity Series. Only two other teams won at least 100 NXS races (Joe Gibbs Racing-215, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing-138).
• Richard Childress Racing drivers led 257 of the 354 laps raced in 2025 (73%).
• Joe Gibbs Racing has won seven of the last 13 Xfinity races at Phoenix Raceway (2018-2024).
• Joe Gibbs Racing leads the NASCAR Xfinity Series in consecutive wins at Phoenix with four straight from 2012-2014.
• No drivers finished top-10 in all three races in 2025, Harrison Burton, Taylor Gray, Jesse Love, Austin Hill, Sam Mayer and William Sawalich finished top-10 in two of the three (Austin Hill and Sam Myer finished top-five in two of the three).
• Connor Zilisch became the 11th different driver to win two races in their first seven starts with his victory last weekend at Circuit of The Americas. And the seventh different driver to get his first two Xfinity wins on road courses.
• Justin Allgaier will be making his 475th NASCAR Xfinity Series career start this weekend at Phoenix. Allgaier ranks sixth on the Xfinity Series all-time starts list.

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Storylines and Insights:

• 2025 will mark the 33rd time the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series has competed at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (starting in 1996).
• The first two Truck races of 2025 have combined to produce 49 leads changes (30 at Daytona and 19 at Atlanta) — the series-most through the first two races of a season.
• The first two Truck races of 2025 have combined to produce 23 different leaders (12 at Daytona and 11 at Atlanta) — the series-most through the first two races of a season.
• Grant Enfinger leads the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series standings by one point over reigning series champion Ty Majeski in second following Atlanta.
• Six different winners in the last six CRAFTSMAN Truck races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (2020-2024).
• Four of the last seven Truck races at Las Vegas have been won by the driver that leads the most laps.
• In three of the last five Truck races at Las Vegas the last lap for the lead was with 21 or more laps to go: 2024 (21 to go), 2023 (24 to go), 2022 (2 to go), 2021 (4 to go), 2021 (31 to go).
• In total, 22 different drivers have won the pole at Las Vegas in the Truck Series.
• Four former Truck Series Las Vegas pole winners have made starts this season — Kyle Busch (three), Rajah Caruth (one), Matt Crafton (one), Johnny Sauter (one) and Ben Rhodes (one).
• Eleven times the Truck Series race winner at Las Vegas started from the pole or first starting position; the most recent was Rajah Caruth in 2024.
• In total 26 different drivers have won a race in the Truck Series at Las Vegas.
• Five former Truck Series Las Vegas winners have made starts this season — Kyle Busch (four), Rajah Caruth (one), Grant Enfinger (one), Johnny Sauter (one) and Chandler Smith (one).
• Caruth looks to become the first driver in series history to win back-to-back Truck races at Las Vegas.
• Seven drivers have scored their first career CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: Rajah Caruth (2024), Christian Eckes (2021), Ben Rhodes (2017), John Wes Townley (2015), Johnny Sauter (2009), Shane Hmiel (2004) and David Starr (2002).

NASCAR & Phoenix, Etc.

Significant Events at Phoenix Raceway:

• Construction was completed on Phoenix Raceway in January of 1964. The facility was built by Richard Hogue, an amateur sports car racer. The facility was built in the foothills of the Estrella Mountains and originally consisted of a one-mile oval, a quarter mile drag strip and a 2.5-mile road course.
• The first race held at Phoenix Raceway was in January of 1968 and the event was run on the 2.5-mile road course and won by Don White.
• In October of 1970 Hollywood giant Steve McQueen wins the 17 lap ‘Winter Sprint’ sports car race on the track’s road course in Porsche 908 from pole position, setting a new lap record of 1:41.09
• On Nov. 25, 1973, Phoenix Raceway holds its first USAC Midget race and the event was won by Billy Englehart.
• The first NASCAR race held at Phoenix Raceway was on November 27, 1977, and it was a NASCAR Winston West Series (now ARCA Menards Series West) race won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough.
• 15, 1985 — Emmett 'Buddy‘ Jobe purchases Phoenix Raceway from Dennis Wood. At the time, the track featured less than 10,000 reserved seats.
• April of 1987 – Lightning strikes the track’s main grandstand, burning the majority of the structure to the ground. Reconstruction begins.
• October of 1988 – Construction of a three-story suite building is completed outside Turn 1. Reserved seating capacity is increased to 30,000 at Phoenix Raceway.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Alan Kulwicki won the first NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway on November 6, 1988. Kulwicki performed his 'Polish Victory Lap‘ following the event.
• June of 1991 – During the summer months, the infield course is redesigned to a new configuration with 11 turns and 1.51 miles of track.
• April of 1997 – International Speedway Corporation (now NASCAR) purchases Phoenix Raceway from Emmett 'Buddy‘ Jobe.
• June of 2003 — Upgrades to Phoenix – Turn Two is modified for safety while a tunnel is installed under Turn Four.
• November of 2004 — Phoenix Raceway installs track lights, which will change the way racing is seen at Phoenix. The lights create 146 million lumens (a typical table lamp is 25 lumens), for a total of 1.5 million watts of power per hour.
• April of 2005 – Phoenix Raceway President Bryan R. Sperber announces the expansion of the Bobby Allison Grandstand, one of the most extensive construction projects in the history of the track.
• The first spring NASCAR Cup Series race was held on April 23, 2005, and was also the first night race, which was won by Kurt Busch driving for Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing.
• 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):

• • Widened the frontstretch from 52 to 62 feet and reconfigured pit road with the installation of concrete pit stalls
  • 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
  • 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.

• March 1, 2013 – Abraham Calderon captures the checkered flag in the inaugural stateside running of the NASCAR Mexico Series at Phoenix Raceway.
• 2014 — Phoenix Raceway celebrated its 50th anniversary.
• Following the spring race in 2015 the track added SAFER barrier. The outer wall around the entire track is completely protected by SAFER barrier, the longest stretch of new barrier was on the front stretch which still had portions of brick wall from when the track first opened in 1964.
• Monument Hill a.k.a. "Rattlesnake Hill", a part of the Estrella Mountain range, overlooks turns 1 and 2.
• Following the 2017 season, the track was renamed from Phoenix Raceway to ISM Raceway. Then in 2019 the track was renamed from ISM Raceway back to Phoenix Raceway.
• Phoenix Raceway underwent a $178 million modernization following the Spring race of 2018.  Upgrades included:

• • Relocating the start/finish line to what was previously Turn 2 area and reconfigured pit road.
  • Four new escalators, nine new elevators, 51 new and upgraded lounge style suites, 11 garage offices, and three garage suites, new pedestrian tunnel, new infield experience with garage access, media center, driver‘s meeting area and victory lane.
  • Extension of the grandstands around turn 2 and the demolition of previous front stretch grand stands, control tower and TV booth.

• March 26, 2019 – The Valley of the Sun will play host to a new championship sporting event as NASCAR announced that the NASCAR Championship Weekend will be held at Phoenix Raceway, November 6-8, 2020, for the first time in the sport‘s history.

• Phoenix Raceway has announced that Dave & Buster‘s will carry naming rights for the Dave & Buster‘s Gamer Garage, located in the infield connected to the NASCAR Cup Series Garage adjacent to the track‘s dogleg.

— NASCAR —