Traditional Name: None
Other Notable Names: CampingWorld.com 500, The Profit on CNBC 500, Subway Fresh Fit 500
When Phoenix ran its inaugural race in 1988, it was the first time a new track had been added to the circuit in quite some while. Before that, Pocono Raceway had been the most recent new venue and its first Cup race was in 1974. It was fitting that a first-time winner took the checkered flag in the Checker 500, which was run that fall.
Phoenix began hosting two races per year in 2005 and with that, the data pool deepened. Along with New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Martinsville Speedway, and Richmond International Raceway, these courses are collectively known as the short, flat tracks and they host eight events per season—or 22 percent of the schedule. Fantasy owners will find a little assist from the 2.5-mile flat tracks of Pocono and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but the closest comparative is New Hampshire. Any driver who runs strong there, can typically be counted on to run well at Phoenix as well.
10 best drivers at Phoenix
Over the past six races, these drivers have the best average finish on this track.
1. Kevin Harvick
Last six races average finish at Phoenix: 3.17
Career avg. finish: 10.6 in 26 attempts
Rarely has a driver shown as much dominance on a track than Harvick in recent seasons. His last five attempts produced four consecutive wins and a second-place finish. Before that, he had a 13th in 2013 that barely hurts his average and two more top-two results in 2012. He will be considered a favorite by most this week, but so far he seems to have struggled in practice and qualified only 18th.
2. Brad Keselowski
Last six races average finish at Phoenix: 6.17
Career avg. finish: 13.5 in 13 attempts
Keselowski cannot rival Harvick in terms of sheer power, but he has just as much consistency at Phoenix. His last eight attempts have resulted in finishes of 11th or better. Keselowski should occupy the second position on most lineups unless he is too expensive in salary cap games.
3. Joey Logano
Last six races average finish at Phoenix: 9.33
Career avg. finish: 13.7 in 14 attempts
If the top of the order this week looks a lot like the Chase grid from 2015, there is a reason. No one makes the Chase without being strong on the short, flat tracks and similarly-configured, 1.5-mile courses—unless they happen to win on the wild cards. Logano’s last five races at Phoenix have been a sweep of the top five with an average of sixth.
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Last six races average finish at Phoenix: 10.50
Career avg. finish: 9.5 in 13 attempts
Junior makes his way into the top five based on consistency. Five of his last six attempts on this track ended in top-10s and all but one of those was a top-five. In fact, he would be much higher on the list if not for an accident in last year’s edition of this race.
5. Jimmie Johnson
Last six races average finish at Phoenix: 11.00
Career avg. finish: 7.7 in 25 attempts
Johnson was once the dominant driver at Phoenix. From fall 2006 through spring 2011, he swept the top five in 10 races and amassed his four wins. He has faltered a little lately and his three-year average is marred by an accident in fall 2014, but he is strong enough overall to make the top five.
6. Carl Edwards
Last six races average finish at Phoenix: 11.67
Career avg. finish: 12.3 in 23 attempts
Edwards snapped two long winless streaks at Phoenix so he has fond memories of this place. His latest win came in 2013, however, and he has only one top-10 in the five races that followed. The new low down force package could make the difference in him scoring a top-10 and fantasy owners will want to watch him closely in practice and qualification.
7. Matt Kenseth
Last six races average finish at Phoenix: 12.20 (five starts)
Career avg. finish: 16.6 in 26 attempts
Phoenix was one of two races Kenseth sat out last fall after intentionally wrecking Logano, but it might not have made much of a difference to fantasy owners. His spring result on this track was a modest 16th and he has been trending down for a while. This is not where he wants to come in the midst of his current streak of bad luck.
8. Jamie McMurray
Last six races average finish at Phoenix: 13.50
Career avg. finish: 19.8 in 25 attempts
McMurray made his way into the top 16 last week and with one of the 10-best, three-year averages he might be able to stay there. Last fall was the first time in six races that he failed to finish on the lead lap and that might have been different if the Quicken Loans 500 had gone the complete distance.
9. Ryan Newman
Last six races average finish at Phoenix: 13.67
Career avg. finish: 17.1 in 27 attempts
Newman is probably better evaluated by his tenure with Richard Childress Racing at Phoenix than the two races that preceded it. His last four attempts have all ended in results of 11th or better with an average of eighth. At his salary cap level, that makes him one of this week’s best bargains.
10. Kasey Kahne
Last six races average finish at Phoenix: 13.83
Career avg. finish: 17.7 in 23 attempts
Kahne may finally have turned a corner after scoring a top-10 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last week. In three starts this year, he has been uneven though and it might be a little soon to overburden his bandwagon. He is barely hanging onto the top 10 in three-year average at this track, and that also points to a lack of consistency.
Rank
Driver
Avg. Fin. L3Yr
Attempts
1.
Kevin Harvick
3.17
6
2.
Brad Keselowski
6.17
6
3.
Joey Logano
9.33
6
4.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
10.50
6
5.
Jimmie Johnson
11.00
6
6.
Carl Edwards
11.67
6
7.
Matt Kenseth
12.20
5
8.
Jamie McMurray
13.50
6
9.
Ryan Newman
13.67
6
10.
Kasey Kahne
13.83
6
11.
Denny Hamlin
14.33
6
12.
Kurt Busch
15.00
6
13.
Kyle Busch
15.40
5
14.
Aric Almirola
16.00
6
15.
Kyle Larson
16.00
4
16.
Martin Truex Jr.
16.50
6
17.
Greg Biffle
18.00
6
18.
Paul Menard
18.17
6
19.
AJ Allmendinger
18.80
5
20.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
19.33
6
21.
Clint Bowyer
21.00
6
22.
Casey Mears
22.00
6
23.
Austin Dillon
24.25
4
24.
David Ragan
27.50
6
25.
Brian Vickers
28.33
3
26.
Danica Patrick
28.67
6
27.
Trevor Bayne
31.00
2
28.
Matt DiBenedetto
31.50
2
29.
Michael McDowell
32.00
3
30.
Cole Whitt
33.40
5
31.
Michael Annett
33.50
4
32.
Landon Cassill
34.17
6
33.
Joey Gase
37.50
2
34.
Josh Wise
38.40
5
Drivers with only one start
Ty Dillon
27.00
1
Brian Scott
32.00
1
Exercise Caution
Most caution flags: 12, 2014 Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500
Fewest caution flags: 2, 1999 Checker Auto Parts / Dura Lube 500, 2015 Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 (rain-shortened to 219 laps)
Average number of caution flags per race: 7.3
In 2016: 5.0
Final Caution, last five races on this track:
November 2015: 197 of 219: 1-car accident in turn 3 (Joey Gase)
March 2015: lap 297 of 312: 2-car accident in turn 4 (Danica Patrick and David Ragan—in a relationship at the time)
November 2014: 298 of 312: 2-car accident in turn 4 (Reed Sorenson and Mike Wallace)
March 2014: 298 of 312: (fluid from Kurt Busch)
November 2013: 287 of 312: debris
Most caution laps: 66, 2003 Checker Auto Parts 500
Fewest caution laps: 10, 1999 Checker Auto Parts / Dura Lube 500
Average number of caution laps per race: 39.5
In 2016: 26.7
Leading the way
Most leaders: 15, 2012 Subway Fresh Fit 500
Fewest leaders: 2, 1990 Checker 500
Average number of leaders: 8.1
In 2016: 9.5
Most lead changes: 28, 2011 Subway Fresh Fit 500
Fewest lead changes: 1, 1990 Checker 500
Average number of lead changes: 13.6
In 2016: 24.5
Victory Lane
Last five winners (starting position):
November 2015: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (third)
March 2015: Kevin Harvick (pole)
November 2014: Kevin Harvick (third)
March 2014: Kevin Harvick (13th)
November 2013: Kevin Harvick (ninth)
Worst starting position for race winner: 29th, Ricky Rudd: 1995 Dura Lube 500
A race at Phoenix has been won by the pole sitter 5 times and from the front row 8 times in 39 races.
Recent races won from the pole:
March 2015: Kevin Harvick, CampingWorld.com 500
November 2010: Carl Edwards, Kobalt Tools 500
April 2009: Mark Martin, Subway Fresh Fit 500
November 2008: Jimmie Johnson, Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 by Pennzoil
April 2007: Jeff Gordon, Subway Fresh Fit 500
Active winners at Phoenix:
Kevin Harvick: 7
Jimmie Johnson: 4
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: 3
Carl Edwards: 2
Jeff Gordon: 2
Kurt Busch: 1
Kyle Busch: 1
Denny Hamlin: 1
Kasey Kahne: 1
Matt Kenseth: 1
Ryan Newman: 1
Tony Stewart: 1
First time winners at Phoenix:
Bobby Hamilton, 1996 Dura Lube 500
Alan Kulwicki, 1988 Checker 500
All-time Winners at Phoenix:
Top 10
Kevin Harvick: 7
Jimmie Johnson: 4
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: 3
Davey Allison: 2
Jeff Burton: 2
Jeff Gordon: 2
Mark Martin: 2
Carl Edwards: 2
Bill Elliott, Bobby Hamilton Sr., Dale Earnhardt Sr., Kyle Busch, Dale Jarrett, Kurt Busch, Tony Stewart, Rusty Wallace, Terry Labonte, Alan Kulwicki, Ryan Newman, Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, Ricky Rudd, and Kasey Kahne: 1 each
All-time winners
Short, flat tracks (Phoenix, New Hampshire, Martinsville, and Richmond)
Top 10
Jimmie Johnson: 18
Jeff Gordon: 16
Richard Petty: 15
Rusty Wallace: 15
Kevin Harvick: 12
Darrell Waltrip: 11
Denny Hamlin: 10
Tony Stewart: 10
Dale Earnhardt Sr.: 9
Jeff Burton: 8
Kurt Busch: 8
Running at the End
The following active drivers have been running at the end of every Phoenix race they started:
Kevin Harvick (26)
Denny Hamlin (21)
Paul Menard (18)
AJ Allmendinger (13)
Aric Almirola (10)
Michael Annett (4)
Austin Dillon (4)
Kyle Larson (4)
Matt DiBenedetto (2)
Ty Dillon (1)
Brian Scott (1)
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. had been running at the end of five straight races until he crashed out of last fall’s.
Trevor Bayne crashed out of his first attempt, but has been running at the end of the last two.
Great Starts
Active drivers with top-10s in their first start on this track:
Tony Stewart: first (1999)
Kasey Kahne: fifth (2004)
Kyle Busch: eighth (2005), he won in his second attempt.
Current Streaks
At Phoenix
Kevin Harvick, five top-twos
Joey Logano, five top-10s
Brad Keselowski, four top-10s
Kurt Busch, three top-10s
On Short, flat tracks
Denny Hamlin, four top-10s
Kyle Busch, two top-fives
Dale Earnhardt Jr., two top-fives
Kevin Harvick, two top-10s
In 2015/2016
Kyle Busch, seven top-fives
Kevin Harvick, seven top-10s
Kurt Busch, six top-10s
Jimmie Johnson, two top-fives
Brad Keselowski, two top-10s
Dale Earnhardt Jr., two top-10s
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