Tag Archives: Phoenix International Raceway

In Championship 4, Joe Gibbs Racing Must Deal with Unprecedented Success

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Photo - Robert Laberge/Getty Images

Photo – Robert Laberge/Getty Images

The crowning achievement of Joe Gibbs Racing’s 2016 season may also be its biggest problem.

But it’s a problem the organization is happy to have.

When defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kyle Busch earned a return trip to the Championship 4 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway with a second-place finish at Phoenix, JGR became the first organization in the three-year history of the Chase’s elimination format to put more than one driver in the final race with a chance to win the title. Continue reading →

The Bottom Line in the Championship 4? There’s No Clear Favorite

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Photos - Getty Images

Photos – Getty Images

A week before they were to race for the NASCAR Sprint Series championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch sat side-by-side at the daïs in the Phoenix International Raceway media center and began the bickering that invariably accompanies the battle for the series title.

“I think my stats at Homestead show that I’m the favorite, right?” Johnson said facetiously.

“I think my results from last year show that I’m the favorite, right?” Busch retorted.

Busch goes to Homestead as the defending champion, having overcome a broken leg and foot that caused him to miss the first 11 races of the 2015 season. With the elimination of Kevin Harvick in Sunday’s Can-Am 500 at Phoenix, Busch is the only Championship 4 contender who has won a title under the 16-driver Chase format introduced by NASCAR in 2014. Continue reading →

Fan4Racing NASCAR & Race Talk Review Phoenix with Hot Topic Sound Off – Monday, November 14, 2016

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Guest include, Spencer Boyd who is racing with MAKE Motorsports in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this weekend. His No. 50 team will continue a Salute to Veterans at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Friday night.

Patrick Staropoli is also racing at Homestead in a Young Motorsports Camping World Truck Series entry bringing awareness to the 2017 AutoNation Cure Bowl benefitting Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Join host Sharon Burton and guest co-host Brian Eberly this Monday night 8:30 to 10 pm ET as we bring fans the smartest racing talk around on Fan4Racing NASCAR & Race Talk Review!

NASCAR Hot Topic Sound Off starts at 10 pm for the fastest half-hour in motorsports, then our overtime conversation as we review the hottest topics from the weekend of racing with co-host Aaron Bearden.

We’re reviewing the weekend of racing at Phoenix International Raceway with the NASCAR Sprint Cup, XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series Chase elimination races. Listen to our panel discussion with drivers, crew, and other racing personalities.

Call 929-477-1790 OR tweet @Fan4RacingSite @beberly18 or @AaronBearden93 with any questions or comments during our LIVE broadcast.

Our show begins at 8:30 pm ET on Monday, November 14, 2016

As always…Thanks for listening!

Kevin Harvick’s Chase Streak Ends at Phoenix

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Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Jimmy John's Chevrolet, walks on stage during driver introductions prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Can-Am 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on November 13, 2016 in Avondale, Arizona. Photo - Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images

Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet, walks on stage during driver introductions prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Can-Am 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on November 13, 2016 in Avondale, Arizona. Photo – Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images

Kevin Harvick’s hopes of a second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title ended with a fourth-place finish at Phoenix International Raceway.

For the first time since NASCAR introduced its 16-driver elimination Chase format in 2014, Harvick won’t be racing for a championship in the season finale.

The performance of Harvick’s No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet was far from optimal during the weekend of the Can-Am 500 elimination event at the Arizona track. Continue reading →

Matt Kenseth’s Championship 4 Aspirations Evaporate with Late Accident

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AVONDALE, AZ - NOVEMBER 13: Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 Dollar General Toyota, leads Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 Monster Energy/Haas Automation Chevrolet, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Can-Am 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on November 13, 2016 in Avondale, Arizona. Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

AVONDALE, AZ – NOVEMBER 13: Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 Dollar General Toyota, leads Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 Monster Energy/Haas Automation Chevrolet, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Can-Am 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on November 13, 2016 in Avondale, Arizona. Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

In one moment, Matt Kenseth was leading Sunday’s Can-Am 500 and seemed destined to race for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship next Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

A moment later, he was wrecked and out of the Chase.

Kenseth led the field to green on the first attempt at overtime, with polesitter Alex Bowman to his inside. Kyle Busch made a move to the inside of Bowman from the third position, and Bowman blocked. Continue reading →