WYPALL 200 - PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
Nationwide Series Race #33 of 34 for the 2011 season
Last Race - Texas
Next Race - Homestead
Hornish wins at Phoenix: #12-Sam Hornish, Jr. won the WYPALL 200 at Phoenix International Raceway for his first NASCAR win. #22-Brad Keselowski finished second followed by #60-Carl Edwards, #18-Joey Logano, #6-Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., #16-Trevor Bayne, #33-Clint Bowyer, #20-Ryan Truex, #31-Justim Allgaier, #62-Michael Annett. #2-Elliott Sadler, second in the points, was wrecked late in the race and finished 27th. #6-Ricky Stenhouse will enter the final race of the season with a 41 point lead. There were 7 cautions for 44 laps and 2 lead changes among 3 leaders. The estimated attendance was 40,000. Complete results are posted on the Phoenix race results page.(11-12-2011)
Phoenix Race Fast Facts:
Sam Hornish Jr. won the 13th Annual WYPALL 200, his first victory in 32 NASCAR Nationwide Series races. His best previous finish (and only top five) was fifth at Chicagoland Speedway on Sept. 17, 2011.
This is his first victory and fifth top-10 finish in 2011.
This is his first victory and first top-10 finish in three races at Phoenix International Raceway.
Brad Keselowski(i) (second) posted his fifth top-10 finish in ten races at Phoenix International Raceway. It is his 20th top-10 finish in 2011. The last time Team Penske finished one-two in a NASCAR Nationwide Series race was March 2010 (Justin Allgaier, Brad Keselowski) at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Carl Edwards(i) (third) posted his 13th top-10 finish in 14 races at Phoenix International Raceway.
Ryan Truex (eighth) was the highest finishing rookie.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. leads the point standings by 41 points over Elliott Sadler.(NASCAR Statistics)(11-12-2011)
Lucky Dogs - Who got a lap back on each caution at Phoenix and their finish
Caution 1: none, no one on track a lap or more down
Caution 2: #01-Wallace, 16th
Caution 3: #89-Shepherd, 28th
Caution 4: #89-Shepherd (2), 28th
Caution 5: #51-Clements, 24th
Caution 6: #51-Clements (2), 24th
(NASCAR)(11-12-2011)
Driver standings following Phoenix:
1) #6-Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 1179
2) #2-Elliott Sadler 1138 -41
3) #31-Justin Allgaier 1074 -105
4) #88-Aric Almirola 1059 -120
5) #82-Reed Sorenson 1043 -136
6) #38-Jason Leffler 996 -183
7) #09-Kenny Wallace 952 -227
8) #62-Michael Annett 918 -261
9) #11-Brian Scott 912 -267
10) #66-Steve Wallace 911 -268
Complete standings are posted on the driver standings page.(11-12-2011)
Owner Standings following Phoenix are posted. The top 30 in owners points who have attempted all races are locked in at Homestead.(11-12-2011)
Almirola on pole at Phoenix: #88-Aric Almirola won the Coors Light Pole for the WYPALL 200 at Phoenix International Raceway with a speed of 132.910mph. #60-Carl Edwards will start second. The rest of the top 10: #16-Trevor Bayne, #33-Clint Bowyer, #12-Sam Hornish, Jr., #2-Elliott Sadler, #31-Justin Allgaier, #20-Ryan Truex, #18-Joey Logano, and #22-Brad Keselowski. Points leader #6-Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. will start 11th. #02-Daryl Harr wrecked during his qualifying lap and did not qualify. The rest of the DNQs: #13-Jennifer Jo Cobb, #75-Carl Long, #42-Josh Wise. The starting lineup is posted on the Phoenix starting lineup page.(11-12-2011)
Stenhouse, Jr. fastest in happy hour: #6-Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.was fastest during happy hour for the WYPALL 200 with a speed of 135.227mph. He was followed by: #88-Aric Almirola, #31-Justin Allgaier, #12-Sam Hornish, Jr., #11-Brian Scott, #33-Clint Bowyer, #16-Trevor Bayne, #2-Elliott Sadler, #19-Mike Bliss, and #38-Jason Leffler. Complete results are posted on the Phoenix practice results page.(11-10-2011)
Phoenix Qualifying Notes:
Aric Almirola won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 13th Annual WYPALL 200 with a lap of 27.086 seconds, 132.910 mph.
This is his fifth pole in 72 NASCAR Nationwide Series races.
This is his first pole and 12th top-10 start in 2011. His last pole came on July 28, 2007 at Lucas Oil Raceway.
This is his first pole in five races at Phoenix International Raceway.
Carl Edwards(i) (second) posted his 30th top-10 start of 2011 and his 12th in 14 races at Phoenix International Raceway.
Trevor Bayne (third) posted his third top-10 start at Phoenix International Raceway. It is his 22nd in 28 races this season.
Ryan Truex (eighth) was the fastest qualifying rookie.(NASCAR Statistics)(11-12-2011)
Stenhouse, Jr. fastest in second practice: #6-Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. was quickest during Thursday's second practice session for the WYPALL 200 with a speed of 133.422mph. He was followed by: #18-Joey Logano, #30-James Buescher, #2-Elliott Sadler, #20-Ryan Truex, #16-Trevor Bayne, #11-Brian Scott, #19-Mike Bliss, #60-Carl Edwards, and #88-Aric Almirola. Complete results are posted on the Phoenix practice results page.(11-10-2011)
Bayne fastest in first practice: #16-Trevor Bayne was fastest during first Thursday practice at the reconfigured Phoenix International Raceway with a speed of 129.748mph. #6-Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. was second, followed by: #2-Elliott Sadler, #60-Carl Edwards, #12-Sam Hornish, Jr., #20-Ryan Truex, #88-Aric Almirola, #33-Clint Bowyer, #30-James Buescher, and #19-Mike Bliss. Complete results are posted on the Phoenix practice results page.(11-10-2011)
Entry List:There are 48 cars on the preliminary entry list for Saturday's WYPALL 200 at Phoenix International Raceway. Some notes:
Joey Logano will be in the Joe Gibbs #18 while Ryan Truex drives the #20;
Ron Hornaday will be in the Turner Motorsports #32;
Ricky Carmichael will drive the #34 for Turner Motorsports;
Matt Frahm returns to the Go Green #39;
Kevin Lepage is back in the #52 for Jimmy Means;
D.J. Kennington will drive the #80 for MacDonald Motorsports.(11-7-2011)
UPDATE: The #48 team with Dennis Setzer has withdrawn. TJ Duke will be in the #40 for Key Motorsports and Josh Wise moves to the #42.(11-10-2011)
See the complete list on the Phoenix entry list page.
Wednesday, November 9th
5:00 PM NNS HAULERS ENTER
Thursday, November 10th
9:30 AM NNS REGISTRATION OPENS
10:00 AM NNS GARAGE OPENS
12:00 PM NNS ROOKIE & SPOTTER MEETINGS & RANDOM DRAWING
1:00 PM-3:00 PM NNS PRACTICE
3:30 PM-5:00 PM NNS PRACTICE
7:00 PM NNS GARAGE CLOSES
Friday, November 11th
7:00 AM NNS GARAGE & REGISTRATION OPENS
1:40 PM-3:20 PM NNS FINAL PRACTICE
5:00 PM NNS REGISTRATION CLOSES
6:00 PM NNS GARAGE CLOSES
Saturday, November 12th
7:00 AM NNS GARAGE & REGISTRATION OPENS
10:05 AM (12:05 PM/ET) NNS QUALIFYING (TWO LAPS, ALL POSITIONS)
11:15 AM NNS DRIVER/CREW CHIEF MEETING (TENT )
1:00 PM NNS DRIVER INTRODUCTION
1:30 PM (3:30 PM/ET) NNS RACE (200 LAPS, 200 MILES)
2:00 PM NNS REGISTRATION CLOSES
Roush Fenway Racing Facing Series History With Two To Go
Roush Fenway Racing’s exceptional season continues. With two races remaining, it should be no surprise with the success the organization has had this season that it’s on the cusp of making series history if it can become the first organization to win the series driver standings championship and the owner standings championship in the same season with two different teams.
Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 18 team leads the owner standings, but Roush Fenway Racing’s No. 60 team is just two points back and closing. Gibbs aims for a series-record fourth consecutive owners title. Jack Roush leads all owners with nine NASCAR Nationwide Series wins at Phoenix, including this race last year. Carl Edwards, the 2007 series driver champion, has won the last three November races at Phoenix and has a pre-race Driver Rating of 123.3. Edwards has made 13 series starts, posting four wins, nine top fives and 12 top 10s at Phoenix.
“Phoenix is really a big unknown,” said Edwards. “The track is very smooth and easy to drive. I don’t know that you’ll be able to go there and manhandle the car and hustle it around there like you could at the old Phoenix, at least not this first time.”
Joey Logano will be in the No. 18 this weekend at Phoenix, attempting to pad his team’s scant lead. Logano has made five series starts at the 1-mile raceway, posting two top fives and five top 10s. The tale of the tape may give the nod to Logano in this bout. He has a better Average Running Position (5.310) than Edwards (5.759) at Phoenix.
At the other end of the championship table sits Ricky Stenhouse Jr., leading the driver’s standings by 17 points over second place Elliott Sadler, the only competitor who can mathematically catch Stenhouse.
Phoenix Resident: Danica Patrick Is Building On Previous Success
If there were such a category at the NASCAR Nationwide Series Awards Banquet for the most improved driver on a limited schedule, Danica Patrick would take the honors.
Patrick has bettered her NASCAR career in almost every facet. In 2010, she finished the season ranked 43rd in the driver standings, having made 13 starts posting an average finish of 28.0 and leading only four laps. She also posted a season-to-date Driver Rating of 51.7 and an Average Running Position of 27.8, and only 2.3 percent of her laps completed were in the top 15.
This season she has exceeded expectations. Patrick is ranked 26th in the driver standings, having made 10 starts year-to-date, posting an average finish of 15.6 and having led 14 laps.
This weekend, many of the series competitors are looking at Phoenix as a wildcard with all the unknowns since the one-mile track was repaved, but Patrick has taken a different approach.
“I think it’s (Phoenix’s surface) going to be a little bit different, but probably for me that’s not the worst thing in the world because of being new to the car and new to the sport. It’s not the worst thing in the world that everybody has to start from learning the track a little bit,” said Patrick.
Though she calls Roscoe, Ill., her hometown, Patrick currently resides in Phoenix, Ariz., and will be making her third series start at Phoenix International Raceway this weekend. Patrick finished 32nd in 2010 and 17th earlier this season at Phoenix.
Sunoco Rookie Title Tied
Two races remain for Sunoco Rookie of the Year contenders, Timmy Hill and Blake Koch, to settle what could come down to the closest race for rookie of the year honors in series history. Hill and Koch are tied atop the rookie standings at 184 points each, but don’t forget third-place Ryan Truex, who is entered at Phoenix to drive the Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20 Toyota. Truex is just two points behind Koch and Hill with 181 points in the rookie standings.
The closest rookie of the year standings battle in series history was when Danny O’Quinn edged John Andretti by one point in 2006.
Koch tied up the standings with Hill after winning the past two Sunoco Rookie of the Race Awards by being the highest-finishing rookie at Charlotte (18th) and Texas (22nd).
NASCAR Nationwide, Etc.
Four-time NCWTS champion Ron Hornaday Jr. will make his debut with Turner Motorsports, driving the No. 32 Dollar General Chevrolet at Phoenix. Hornaday has made 11 series starts at Phoenix posting three top-five and six top-10 finishes. … MacDonald Motorsports will enter three cars this weekend at Phoenix – Nos. 80, 81, 82. Team owner Randy MacDonald’s daughter, Jeni MacDonald, 18, will be listed as the owner of the No. 80 this weekend for DJ Kennington. … Elliott Sadler’s wife Amanda gave birth to the family’s second child on Monday, Nov. 7, Austyn Rose Sadler. … Milestone Watch: Roush Fenway Racing will attempt to post its 300th NASCAR national series win, RAB Racing will attempt its 100th series start, Joe Nemechek will attempt his 950th NASCAR national series start, and Brian Scott will make his 75th series start.
Tire: Goodyear Eagle Speedway Radials
Number of Tires:
Nationwide: Left-side -- 525, Right-side -- 525
Set limits:
Nationwide: 6 sets for Friday/Saturday (up to 3 sets for Thursday practice only)
Tire Codes:
Left-side -- D-4472; Right-side -- D-4520
Tire Circumference:
Left-side -- 87.3 in.; Right-side -- 88.4 in.
Technical Inspection Inflation:
Left Front -- 26 psi; Left Rear -- 26 psi;
Right Front -- 36 psi; Right Rear -- 36 psi
Minimum Recommended Inflation:
Left Front -- 14 psi; Left Rear -- 14 psi;
Right Front -- 34 psi; Right Rear -- 32 psi
Notes: Teams in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series will run the same Goodyear tire codes at Phoenix this weekend . . . due to the track's repave and reconfiguration since the last NASCAR race weekend at Phoenix in February, this a brand new tire set-up for these teams at this track . . . this combination of left- and right-side tires came out of a Goodyear tire test at Phoenix on August 29-30 . . .
teams/drivers participating in that test were the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet with Tony Stewart, No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota with Kyle Busch, No. 22 Penske Racing Dodge with Kurt Busch, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet with Jimmie Johnson and No. 99 Roush-Fenway Racing Ford with Carl Edwards . . . this tire set-up was confirmed at NASCAR's open test at Phoenix last month . . . this left-side tire code (D-4472) is the one Sprint Cup teams ran at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July . . . this right-side code (D-4520) is based on the Indianapolis right-side -- it features the same compound and construction, but has less gage (tread thickness) to help dissipate heat . . . as on most NASCAR ovals one mile or less in length, teams will not run inner liners in their tires at Phoenix.
