Week 35 Preview: Phoenix

Qucken Loans Race For Heroes 500

Week 35

By Richard Tix

NASCAR heads to Phoenix International Speedway for its second to last race of the 2014 season. Doesn't it just feel like yesterday that the season started and Dale Earnhardt Jr was winning the Daytona 500?

The season started with many fans totally against a new change in the points (these are all based on personal opinions I saw on social media). It seems like every step of the way the new NASCAR format has been gaining followers. People have been digging the drama and action on the track during this stretch. In my opinion, this is what sports is all about (and what playoffs bring to a sport).

Yes, I get the old school, never change opinion, that they "best full season driver" may not win, but I will say to them, then why don't we just run 45 races a year and let the guy with the highest points win the Championship? Well because that would be flat out boring. Kind of like if the NBA played 100 games and then said, alright, you have the best record, you win the title.

No, NASCAR is not all these other stick and ball sports, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't have a compelling playoff system that awards a team for sticking through adversity. I still find it more satisfying as a fan (and would as a driver or owner) to fight through a playoff system to win the title. Just look at the emotion it brings out! And before you go cussing BK, just think, this sport needs BK's and Rowdy's otherwise it would just be boring. Different personalities are what make this sport and what MANY fans have been asking for years, now we have it.

So, sit back, grab a cold beverage or two, and enjoy the show because the first New Era Chase Format is almost over.

The Good

• Kevin Harvick- Want to talk about dominate? Its Harvicks last 4 races here. He has 3 wins in that time frame (the other was 13th). Earlier this year he lead 224 laps on his way to an easy win. If you go back 5 races you can add a runner up finish in 2012. He is the one to beat this weekend.
• Jimmie Johnson- 2nd, 3rd, and 6th. That's JJ's last three Phoenix finishes. In his career he only has four finishes outside the top 10, and only 1 out of the top 15. That's 22 career races with 18 top 10's. He is the king of consistency here.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr- This spot is all about the short term. If you look at his full career at Phoenix it is nothing to get excited about, but his last three finishes have been 5th, 4th, and 2nd (earlier this year). In those races he has been running mostly in the top 10, so maybe Jr has something figured out here he didn't earlier in his career.
• Extra Credit- Brad Keselowski

The Middle

• Matt Kenseth- For how well Kenseth has run over his career, I think most would say Phoenix isn't his best track. In 24 career starts he only has 9 top 10's and 5 top 5's. However, he does have a win at Phoenix and he normally doesn't finish outside the top 15. 

The Bad

• Danica Patrick- Danica's first start here was a great 17th place run, but since she has three straight finishes of 33rd or higher. In all three of those races her average running position was 30th or higher. 
• Casey Mears- Mears has 20 starts at Phoenix and not a single top 10. It's not that he has been terrible here, but in those 20 races he still only has four top 15's (which I normally judge guys like him on small teams on). 
• Martin Truex Jr- In his last four races at Phoenix  he has one 8th place finish and three above 22nd. In his last 9 he still only has that lone top 10. It has been a rough stretch for Martin.

Track Stats

• Kevin Harvick has won 3 of the last 4 races
• Chevy won 10 straight races from 2005-10
• In the last 8 races here Chevy has won 4 races, Ford 2, and Toyota 2
• Mark Martin has the most top 10's (21) followed by Jeff Gordon (20) in track history
• Jimmie Johnson has the best Average Finish position with 6.3 over his career (22 races)
• First NASCAR Cup Win at Phoenix in 1988 was by Alan Kulwicki. Also, his first career Cup win
• First Night race at Phoenix was run in 2005, won by Kurt Busch
• Ricky Rudd won the 1995 race from 29th position. Still the farthest back a winner has started
• Mark Martin is the only driver to win in two different manufacturers (Ford 1993 and Chevy 2009)
• Mark Martin's last Career Pole was at Phoenix Intl Raceway

More Phoenix Articles:

• TV Schedule
• Entry List
• Power Rankings
• Fantasy Preview- TimersSports
• "It's Racing Folks, and I Love it" -Jeff Nathans from TimersSports

2014 Phoenix Entry List

NASCAR Driver Entry List for Phoenix

By Richard Tix

Entry list from Jayski.com

2014 Phoenix Schedule

Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500

By Richard Tix

**All Times are Eastern**


Thursday November 6, 2014

• 3-3:55 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice
• 5:30-7 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice

Friday November 7, 2014

• 12-1:20 p.m.: NASCAR Nationwide Series practice- FOX Sports 1
• 1:30-3 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice- FOX Sports 1
• 3:10-4:20 p.m.: NASCAR Nationwide Series final practice- FOX Sports 1
• 4:45 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying- FOX Sports 1
• 6:45 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying- ESPN2 
• 8:30 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Lucas Oil 150 (150 laps)- FOX Sports 1

Saturday November 8, 2014

• 11:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice- FOX Sports 2 
• 12:45 p.m.: NASCAR Nationwide Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying- FOX Sports 2
• 2:30-3:20 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series final practice- FOX Sports 2
• 4 p.m.: NASCAR Nationwide Series DAV 200 - Honoring America's Veterans (200 laps)- ESPN

Sunday November 9, 2014

• 3 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 (312 laps)- ESPN

Pit Road Week 34: Texas

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

Week 34

By Richard Tix

I will start this weeks review by saying congratulations to Jimmie Johnson and the #48 team. Lost in everything else Sunday night was the fact that he had a pretty dominating win and stole another Chasers automatic bid to the finale.

Secondly, even though the race had some late fireworks which may have some fans forgetting, but a 500 at Texas that starts later in the day is too much. This is another race on the season where the race could be cut back by 100 miles and be run as a 400. We would have still had the same ending where the excitement gets ramped up, but without the first 400 mile of sleeping. I do like the factor of preparing strategy for a long race, but bringing it down to a 400 still will have teams strategically preparing for that.

Now, lets get into the thing that every big media outlet will highlight and only talk about, the end of the race and post race.

I am going to put this out there first, I do not agree with everything Brad Keselowski has done lately and totally understand why he has picked up some enemies and haters. That being said, I didn't see anything wrong with what he did at Texas last night.

Jeff Gordon let a hole open up in between he and Jimmie Johnson and BK went for it (as would 90% of drivers in the position of almost needing a win to move on (obviously now that isn't the case, but it sure looked like it before)). BK got in the hole and Jeff Gordon seemed to start to close it just a little too late. They got into each other and JG ended up with a cut tire, but let me remind you, BK could have easily been the one with the cut tire as well.

It ended up as a racing thing in my opinion. This is the Winston Cup (yes, I know its the Sprint Cup now, but lets be honest everyone loves the old days, and in the old days the BK move would look normal). These guys are at the highest level and competing for a Championship, how do you expect a guy like BK who is already an aggressive hard nose driver to NOT take that hole of opportunity? If it was your driver you would want him to try and make a move as well, heck I think if Harvick was in front of BK at the moment he would have done the same.

But, he isn't your driver so it is easy to do the blame game because he is an easy target right now. Also, I respect Jeff Gordon and I know why he reacted the way he did, its high emotions and a Championship on the line for him as well. But, it seemed more like emotions from the past rolled into this one because it was BK. Unfortunately for JG he left a small window of hope open and anyone with the will to win was going to try it.

Both guys have different styles of racing, but BK did not hit that hole to wreck anyone, he hit it to go for a win, which is what we as fans should want to see. This high emotion racing will lead to a lot of people spewing a lot of hate, but before you say something vulgar and over the line just think about how great this style of racing is. Do you just want another aero, fuel mileage race? 

Last note before the Power Rankings. I hear so many fans clamoring for "old school racing" or "man I miss the old days" but then when we see action a bit like the old days where drivers would go for a hole and beat and bang during some aggressive RACING they get upset because it was there driver involved. We have to stop the hypocrisy just because our driver was involved or effected by the result of good hard racing. No intent was to wreck anyone and some of the past greats would have done the same thing, heck, they did. We can talk all day about respect, but when there is one race left to get into the Chase and you are only racing on respect and not the will to win then you will end up losing, because one of those driver you thought you respected is going to make the winning move and head to Miami as a Final Four Driver. 

Oh, and guys, Jimmie Johnson won....

Pit Road Power Rankings Week 34 (Week 33)

1. Joey Logano (LW-1)- Well, Sunday was crazy and Joey ended up leaving tied with Denny Hamlin as the points leader, but not by much. This Chase is tight but Joey has been very consistent. 
2. Kevin Harvick (LW-6)- Harvick was making moves at the end of the race but it wasn't enough. BK was keeping him behind him and KH waited too long to move him out of the way, leaving him no chance of catching Jimmie Johnson.
3. Denny Hamlin (LW-5)- DH is now tied for the points lead, that is how crazy Sunday night at Texas was. Not to take anything from DH, but you have to admit he has been very quiet this round.
4. Jeff Gordon (LW-2)- Gordon had a fast car all night, but went down with a cut tire when he and BK got together late. It was a rough way to end the day, but everyone still has a shot at the next round so hope is not gone for #5.
5. Ryan Newman (LW-3)- Newman finished 15th, but ran in the top 10 almost the whole day. He is sitting two points behind DH and JoLo so he still has a shot at Miami.
6. Brad Keselowski (LW-7)- BK is an aggressive driver and no one (or everyone) wanting to beat the crap out of him will change that. So, fireworks could be coming at Phoenix again if drivers start driving back at him. The fans win in this case....
7. Matt Kenseth (LW-4)- Rough finish for Kenseth, he had a strong car all day and looked like he would finish top 5. Late troubles did in his night, though. He sits just one point out of the top 4.
8. Carl Edwards (LW-8)- Carl is also only one point out of 4th after one point on Sunday being a couple laps down. It was a strong fight back for him, but I still don't see the speed. All that matters is two races, though. They will be looked at as finish top 4 or go home.
9. Kyle Busch (LW-10)- Yeah, Kyle had a beat up car. Yeah, Kyle ended up finishing 4th on Sunday. It was a run like BK had at MIS with a banged up car. He and that team never gave up, nice run.
10. Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW-12)- Jr finished 6th even after he was blocked top to bottom by McMurray. Not sure McMurray picked up to many fans after Jr Nation had a word for him, but Jr still fought on.
11. Kurt Busch (LW-NR)- Kurt ran a few laps up front on the long day, but it was a quality finish for he and his new team after bringing home an 8th place finish.
12. Tony Stewart (LW-NR)- Smokes 11th give hope to a fan base looking for something to cling to. Last week he finished 4th so maybe he is getting it going again and will smooth things out for a strong 2015?

Just because he is going to win, that's why!

Well that's it for this weeks Pit Road. NASCAR Behind the Wall only has two more Pit Road articles on the 2014 season! Thanks for checking them out and make sure you check out other articles throughout the week!