March 17, 2017
Logano wins Phoenix pole: #22-Joey Logano won the Coors Light pole for the Camping World 500(k) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix International Raceway with speed of 137.321mph for his 1st pole of 2017, 1st at Phoenix and 18th of his career. Logano has won three races from the pole.
#21-Blaney will start 2nd followed by #88-Earnhardt Jr. #42-Larson, #1-McMurray, #2-Keselowski, #24-Elliott, #77-Jones, #18-Busch, #5-Kahne, #41-Busch and #20-Kenseth.
#22-Logano was fastest in the second round with a speed of 137.065mph, will start 1st
#42-Larson was fastest in the first round with a speed of 136.695mph, will start 4th
Driver(s) who will miss the race: none as 39 were entered for 40 spots
See round-by-round qualifying results on the Las Vegas qualifying results page (pdf) and the complete starting lineup on the Phoenix Starting Lineup page (pdf).(3-17-2017)
Joey Logano edges Ryan Blaney for pole position at PhoenixApparently unfazed by last week’s controversy at Las Vegas, Joey Logano put his No. 22 Team Penske Ford on the pole for Sunday’s Camping World 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix International raceway. In winning his first Coors Light Pole Award of the season, his first at Phoenix and the 18th of his career, Logano saved his best lap for the third and decisive round, streaking around the one-mile track in the Sonoran Desert in 26.216 seconds (137.321 mph). Ryan Blaney (136.877 mph) was second fastest in the money round in his No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford, posting the best qualifying effort of his young career in Friday’s time trials.
“I woke up this morning thinking about my race car, and how we could end up sitting here (as the pole winner) at the end of the day,” said Logano, whose day at the track started with a meeting with NASCAR officials and Kyle Busch after last Sunday’s last-lap collision between the drivers spilled over into a fistfight on pit road. In between, do I have to think about other things? Yeah, obviously, we had a meeting today. There’s a lot of, I guess, distractions that we don’t typically have. So it’s a matter of managing those distractions and keeping your head back in the right spot for when it’s game time.”
Dale Earnhardt Jr. qualified third and was on top of the board late in the third round until Blaney and Logano bettered his speed of 136.783 mph. Kyle Larson claimed the fourth starting spot, followed by Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Jamie McMurray. A major point of emphasis for Blaney during the offseason was qualifying, which the driver felt wasn’t as strong as it needed to be. Last week Blaney was third in Las Vegas time trials. On Friday, he was one spot better. “The last two weekends, we’ve shown really good speed in qualifying trim,” Blaney said. “It’s nice to have fast race cars. You’ve seen it the past two weeks. Our Wood Brothers car and the Penske group have been fast in qualifying trim. That’s something to be proud of as the two organizations work well together. We just needed a little more to get there, but we were close.”
Notes: The pole was the second straight for Team Penske, with Brad Keselowski having secured the top starting spot at Las Vegas. Keselowski will roll off sixth on Sunday. … Kevin Harvick’s mastery of Phoenix didn’t extend to Friday’s qualifying session. The eight-time Phoenix winner will start 23rd after posting his worst qualifying effort since the fall race of 2011.(NASCAR Wire Service)(3-17-2017)
Phoenix International Raceway – Qualifying Fast Facts:
#22-Joey Logano won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 13th Annual Camping World 500 with a lap of 26.216 seconds, 137.321 mph.
This is his 18th pole in 295 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series races.
This is his first pole and third top-10 start in 2017.
This is his first pole in 17 races at Phoenix Raceway.
#21-Ryan Blaney (second) posted his second top-10 start of 2017 and his second in three races at Phoenix Raceway.
#88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. (third) posted his seventh top-10 start at Phoenix Raceway. It is his second in four races this season.
#77-Erik Jones (eighth) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
(NASCAR Statistics)(3-17-2016)
Second Round of Qualifying for the Camping World 500(k) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix International Raceway is over, after 10 scheduled minutes.
#22-Logano 137.065
#21-Blaney 136.731
#24-Elliott 136.565
#1-McMurray 136.297
#88-Earnhardt Jr. 136.199
the rest of the top 12: 77 42 41 5 2 18
out of the top 12 and not advancing to round 3: 14 48 13 78 3 27 11 47 17 31 4 6
(3-17-2017)
First Round of Qualifying for the Camping World 500(k) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix International Raceway is over, after 20 scheduled minutes.
#42-Larson 136.695
#1-McMurray 136.467
#21-Blaney 1353731
#22-Logano 135.583
#88-Earnhardt Jr 135.542
the rest of the top 24: 31 2 24 4 48 17 11 5 20 78 41 27 3 18 47 6 77 13 14
out of the top 24 and not advancing to round 2: 95 10 19 43 34 32 83 72 37 38 15 23 55 33 51
Drivers who will miss the race: none, 39 entered
(3-17-2017)
Phoenix Stats and Notes – ESPN Kevin Harvick has been dominant at Phoenix recently. Although he didn’t win there last November, he has won 5 of the last 7 races at the track and has led a huge chunk of laps. #42-Kyle Larson has finished in the top 3 in 4 of his last 5 races, a streak that started at Phoenix last November. Despite having not won a race or a stage this season, Larson is 2nd in points, 1 point behind #2-Brad Keselowski. Larson has finished every stage in the top 10, except for the final stage in the Daytona 500 (12th).[More](3-17-2017)
Axalta makes first 2017 appearance on the #88 Phoenix marks the first of 13 races where Axalta Coating Systems will be the primary sponsor for Earnhardt’s #88 Chevy. The new “Flash Point” paint scheme, designed by artist Sam Bass, will make its on-track debut this weekend. The #88 Axalta Chevy incorporates bright, neon yellow and red colors to create an eye-catching paint scheme.(Hendrick Motorsports)[More](3-17-2017)
Great Clips makes 2017 #5 sponsor debut at Phoenix Kasey Kahne will pilot the #5 Great Clips Chevy this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway. The event marks the first of 10 races in which the longtime Hendrick Motorsports partner will adorn the #5 car as its primary sponsor this season.(Hendrick Motorsports)[More](3-17-2017)
Standard Plumbing Supply to sponsor Whitt at Phoenix TriStar Motorsports announced Standard Plumbing Supply as the primary sponsor of the #72 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series entry with driver Cole Whitt for this weekend’s race at Phoenix International Raceway. With over 80 stores servicing many western states, Standard Plumbing Supply provides wholesale residential and commercial plumbing, heating and cooling, irrigation and hydronics products to contractors.(TriStar Motorsports)[More](3-17-2017)
Roush sees retirement ahead Jack Roush, one of NASCAR’s most successful owners and a pioneer in bringing engineering technology into the sport with his multi-car Ford teams, has used the “R” word. Retire. “I expected to have better years than (winless) 2016 and 2015,” Roush said to azcentral sports in advance of Sunday’s Camping World 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. “Had I realized I had those years in front of me, I might have decided to side-step, and retire. I’m 74. I can’t do what I’m doing today for another 10 years. My window is, the longest I’ve been able to predict what I was going to do in life, has been five years. I’m probably down to a three-year window. I’m looking at how I can be useful.”(Arizona Republic)[More](3-17-2017)
Fry’s featured on the #47 at Phoenix ClickList: “We’re continuing to tell people about how easy ClickList is to use,” Allmendinger said. “You sign up, you order your groceries online and then you go pick them up when ready. I’ve tried it out myself and it so convenient. If I can do it, anyone can do it.”
Phoenix International Raceway: “Phoenix is a flat track, but the corners are different,” Allmendinger said. “Turns 1 and 2 are definitely different than when you go through 3 and 4. It’s a tough racetrack that’s for sure.(JTG Daugherty Racing)[More]
Cast of movie “Car Dogs” to be honorary race officials at Phoenix The NASCAR Camping World 500 race weekend at Phoenix Raceway is all about fast cars and the state of Arizona. It seems only appropriate that six members from the cast of the upcoming movie “Car Dogs” will be on hand this weekend to serve as honorary race officials for Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Camping World 500, which starts at 12:30pm/et. The movie, which is scheduled to be released in select theaters on March 24, 2017, has many Arizona ties. Not only is the movie set in Scottsdale, but it also was shot there. The movie was written by Scottsdale native Mark King, while the director, Adam Collis, is currently a visiting professor of film at Arizona State University in Tempe. King and Collis will be two of the six who will take part in Sunday’s race festivities. The others are cast members Josh Hopkins, Dash Mihok, Alessandra Torresani and Chris Mulkey. The film also stars comedian superstar George Lopez, Oscar nominee Nia Vardalos (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding”) and TV star Patrick J. Adams (“Suits”).(PhoenixRaceway.com)[More](3-17-2017)
Brickyard 400 changes weekend schedule An exciting new schedule, race format and fan activities will deliver more NASCAR action and thrills than ever to the Brickyard 400 race weekend July 21-23 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. All on-track action for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series will take place over a condensed two-day schedule, Saturday, July 22 and Sunday, July 23. Practice and qualifying are set for Saturday, with the 24th annual Brickyard 400 at 3 p.m. (ET) Sunday. A full schedule of speed Saturday also will include qualifying and the race for the NASCAR XFINITY Series event, with the 250-mile race starting at 3:30 p.m. The event weekend will start Friday, July 21 on the 2.5-mile oval with two practice sessions for the NASCAR XFINITY Series. An engaging, new Friday Fan Fest featuring stars of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and the popular Hauler Parade that afternoon and evening will complete the opening day of race weekend at IMS.(Indianapolis Motor Speedway)[More](3-17-2017)
Gaughan paces final XFINITY practice: #62-Brendan Gaughan was quickest in final practice at Phoenix International Raceway with a speed of 131.152mph.
#22-Ryan Blaney was second, followed by: #9-William Byron, #19-Matt Tifft, #28-Dakoda Armstrong, #11-Blake Koch, #7-Justin Allgaier, #18-Daniel Suarez, #1-Elliott Sadler, and #20-Erik Jones .
37 drivers practiced during the session.
See complete results on the Phoenix final practice speeds page (pdf).(3-17-2017)
Ryan Blaney leads second XFINITY practice: #22-Ryan Blaney was fastest in the second XFINITY practice at Phoenix International Raceway at 131.277mph.
The rest of the top 10: #20-Erik Jones, #9-William Byron, #18-Daniel Suarez, #19-Matt Tifft, #1-Elliott Sadler, #7-Justin Allgaier, #5-Michael Annett, #21-Daniel Hemric, and #2-Austin Dillon.
37 drivers practiced during the session.
See complete results on the Phoenix second practice speeds page (pdf).(3-17-2017)
Erik Jones fastest in first XFINITY practice: #20-Erik Jones was fastest during opening practice at Phoenix International Raceway with a speed of 131.521mph.
The rest of the top 10: #22-Ryan Blaney, #9-William Byron, #33-Brandon Jones, #7-Justin Allgaier, #11-Blake Koch, #18-Daniel Suarez, #00-Cole Custer, #5-Michael Annett, and #28-Dakoda Armstrong.
Just 31 drivers practiced during the session.
See complete results on the Phoenix practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(3-17-2017)
TMC Transportation teams up with JR Motorsports in 2017: JR Motorsports announced a multi-race partnership with TMC Transportation, the nation’s largest employee-owned open deck transportation company, on board the team’s #5 entry driven by Michael Annett. The #5 team will carry TMC Transportation branding in multiple NASCAR Xfinity Series events this season, beginning at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.[More](3-17-2017)
Globe Life and Accident sponsoring Wallace in two races: Roush Fenway Racing announces Globe Life And Accident Insurance Company has signed on to partner with NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS) driver Bubba Wallace for the 2017 season. The partnership will see Globe Life serve as an associate for two races, beginning this week at Phoenix International Raceway and Texas Motor Speedway, and as the primary partner on Wallace’s #6 Ford Mustang at back-to-back races at Talladega Superspeedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway in May.[More](3-17-2017)
Alex Labbe expects to run some XFINITY races for Go FAS: After getting his feet wet last year in the XFINITY Series, Alex Labbe is set to return to the second-tier of NASCAR once again in 2017. Labbe stated at the Motorama Custom Car and Motorsports Expo that he would be running three to four XFINITY Series races this season with Go FAS Racing.[More](3-17-2017)
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