Below is a look at the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Championship 4 contenders at Phoenix Raceway in Phoenix, Arizona leading into the Championship Race on November 7 at 3 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
| NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Outlook Following Martinsville Speedway-2 | |||||||||
| Rank | Drivers | Points | Starts | Race Wins | Stage Wins | Playoff Pts | Top 5 | Top 10 | DNFs |
| 1 | Kyle Larson (P) | 5,000 | 35 | 9 | 17 | 65 | 19 | 25 | 2 |
| 2 | Chase Elliott (P) | 5,000 | 35 | 2 | 6 | 22 | 14 | 20 | 2 |
| 3 | Martin Truex Jr. (P) | 5,000 | 35 | 4 | 5 | 29 | 12 | 19 | 2 |
| 4 | Denny Hamlin (P) | 5,000 | 35 | 2 | 10 | 30 | 18 | 24 | 0 |
| 5 | Brad Keselowski | 2,323 | 35 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 16 | 3 |
| 6 | Kevin Harvick | 2,318 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 23 | 2 |
| 7 | Ryan Blaney | 2,308 | 35 | 3 | 4 | 24 | 10 | 19 | 3 |
| 8 | Joey Logano | 2,308 | 35 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 10 | 19 | 5 |
| 9 | Kyle Busch | 2,285 | 35 | 2 | 7 | 23 | 14 | 21 | 4 |
| 10 | William Byron | 2,280 | 35 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 5 |
| 11 | Kurt Busch | 2,274 | 35 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 4 |
| 12 | Christopher Bell | 2,251 | 35 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 15 | 4 |
| 13 | Tyler Reddick | 2,232 | 35 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 2 |
| 14 | Alex Bowman | 2,221 | 35 | 4 | 0 | 15 | 8 | 16 | 5 |
| 15 | Aric Almirola | 2,184 | 35 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| 16 | Michael McDowell | 2,139 | 35 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Active NASCAR Cup Series Drivers with Championships (1949-2020) | |||
| Rank | No. of Titles | Active Champions (7) | Years |
| 1 | 2 | Kyle Busch | 2019, 2015 |
| 2 | 1 | Chase Elliott | 2020 |
| 1 | Joey Logano | 2018 | |
| 1 | Martin Truex Jr. | 2017 | |
| 1 | Kevin Harvick | 2014 | |
| 1 | Brad Keselowski | 2012 | |
| 1 | Kurt Busch | 2004 | |
NASCAR Cup Series Season Finale Playoff Fast Facts: Phoenix Raceway
- The 2021 season marks the second year the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race will be held at Phoenix Raceway in Phoenix, Arizona (2020-2021).
- Since the inception of the Playoffs in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2004, Phoenix Raceway has occupied three different positions on the postseason schedule:
- In 2004, Phoenix Raceway hosted the eighth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs – the event was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr.
- From 2005 – 2019 (15 seasons), Phoenix Raceway has hosted the penultimate (ninth) race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
- A total of 10 different drivers have won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff races at Phoenix Raceway.
- Kevin Harvick leads the NASCAR Cup Series in Playoff race wins at Phoenix Raceway with four victories (2006, 2012, 2013 and 2014).
- Last season, Chase Elliott secured his first NASCAR Cup Series title by winning the season finale at Phoenix Raceway (Nov. 8, 2020).
| NASCAR Cup Series Phoenix Raceway Playoff Race Winners | |||
| Track | Playoff Race Winners | Date | Race No. |
| Phoenix | Dale Earnhardt Jr | Sunday, November 7, 2004 | 34 |
| Phoenix | Kyle Busch | Sunday, November 13, 2005 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Kevin Harvick | Sunday, November 12, 2006 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Jimmie Johnson | Sunday, November 11, 2007 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Jimmie Johnson | Sunday, November 9, 2008 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Jimmie Johnson | Sunday, November 15, 2009 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Carl Edwards | Sunday, November 14, 2010 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Kasey Kahne | Sunday, November 13, 2011 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Kevin Harvick | Sunday, November 11, 2012 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Kevin Harvick | Sunday, November 10, 2013 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Kevin Harvick | Sunday, November 9, 2014 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Dale Earnhardt Jr | Sunday, November 15, 2015 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Joey Logano | Sunday, November 13, 2016 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Matt Kenseth | Sunday, November 12, 2017 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Kyle Busch | Sunday, November 11, 2018 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Denny Hamlin | Sunday, November 10, 2019 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Chase Elliott | Sunday, November 8, 2020 | 36 |
- Four non-Playoff drivers have won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Phoenix Raceway:
- In 2005, Kyle Busch won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Phoenix Raceway and was ranked 19th in the point standings at the time of the win.
- In 2011, Kasey Kahne won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Phoenix Raceway and was ranked 14th in the point standings at the time of the win.
- In 2015, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Phoenix Raceway and was seventh in point standings at the time of the win. Earnhardt Jr. had made the Playoffs in 2015 but was eliminated in the Round of 12.
- In 2017, Matt Kenseth won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Phoenix Raceway and was seventh in points at the time of the win. Kenseth had made the Playoffs in 2017 but was eliminated in the Round of 12.
- The worst finish in a NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Phoenix Raceway by a driver that went on to win the title the same season was 38th by Jimmie Johnson in 2016. In 2016, Phoenix occupied the penultimate event of the season.
- Prior to the 2020 season, Homestead-Miami Speedway hosted the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff’s season finale from 2004-2019 (16 seasons). Phoenix Raceway is just the second track to host the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race in the Playoffs.
- A total of 12 different drivers have won the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race (2004-2020).
- Greg Biffle leads the NASCAR Cup Series in Championship Race wins with three victories (2004, 2005, 2006 – all at Homestead-Miami Speedway).
| NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Season Finale Race Winners | ||
| Track | Playoff Race Winners | Date |
| Homestead | Greg Biffle | Sunday, November 21, 2004 |
| Homestead | Greg Biffle | Sunday, November 20, 2005 |
| Homestead | Greg Biffle | Sunday, November 19, 2006 |
| Homestead | Matt Kenseth | Sunday, November 18, 2007 |
| Homestead | Carl Edwards | Sunday, November 16, 2008 |
| Homestead | Denny Hamlin | Sunday, November 22, 2009 |
| Homestead | Carl Edwards | Sunday, November 21, 2010 |
| Homestead | Tony Stewart | Sunday, November 20, 2011 |
| Homestead | Jeff Gordon | Sunday, November 18, 2012 |
| Homestead | Denny Hamlin | Sunday, November 17, 2013 |
| Homestead | Kevin Harvick | Sunday, November 16, 2014 |
| Homestead | Kyle Busch | Sunday, November 22, 2015 |
| Homestead | Jimmie Johnson | Sunday, November 20, 2016 |
| Homestead | Martin Truex Jr | Sunday, November 19, 2017 |
| Homestead | Joey Logano | Sunday, November 18, 2018 |
| Homestead | Kyle Busch | Sunday, November 17, 2019 |
| Phoenix | Chase Elliott | Sunday, November 8, 2020 |
- Eight times the winner of the NASCAR Cup Series season finale race has won the championship during the Playoff Era (2004-Present):
- In 2011, Tony Stewart won from the 15th starting position at Homestead-Miami Speedway, and as a result secured his third-career NASCAR Cup Series championship in the closest points battle in series history – tied with Carl Edwards – Stewart won the title by virtue of the tiebreaker: most wins.
- In 2014, Kevin Harvick won from the fifth starting position at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the first year of the elimination-style format of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, as a result he won his first series title.
- In 2015, Kyle Busch won from the third starting position at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the second year of the elimination-style format of the Playoffs, as a result he won his first series championship.
- In 2016, Jimmie Johnson won from the 14th starting position at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the third year of the elimination-style format of the Playoffs, and as a result he tied NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the series-most championships with seven each.
- In 2017, Martin Truex Jr. won from the second starting position at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the fourth year of the elimination-style format of the Playoffs, and as a result he won his first series championship.
- In 2018, Joey Logano won from the fifth starting position at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the fifth year of the elimination-style format of the Playoffs, and as a result he won his first series championship.
- In 2019, Kyle Busch won from the fourth starting position at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the sixth year of the elimination-style format of the Playoffs, and as a result he became just the second active driver at the time with multiple titles (20115, 2019) joining seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson.
- In 2020, Chase Elliott won from the first starting position at Phoenix Raceway in the seventh year of the elimination-style format of the Playoffs, and as a result he won his first series championship. Worth noting, Elliott was served a pre-race penalty and as a result of serving the penalty he actually started the race from back of the field and still won.
- The worst finish in a Playoff race by the eventual series champion at Homestead-Miami Speedway is 15th (three times): Tony Stewart in 2005, Jimmie Johnson in 2008 and Brad Keselowski in 2012.
- Two non-Playoff drivers have won the Homestead-Miami Speedway season finale Playoff race: Greg Biffle (2004 and 2006) and Denny Hamlin (2013).
NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4 Comparisons:
| 2021 | Starts | Wins | Top Fives | Top 10s | Poles | Laps Led | Laps Completed | % Led | Avg. Start | Avg. Finish | Driver Rating |
| Kyle Larson | 35 | 9 | 19 | 25 | 1 | 2474 | 8,688 | 28.48% | 6.2 | 9.3 | 111.9 |
| Chase Elliott | 35 | 2 | 14 | 20 | 0 | 858 | 8,738 | 9.82% | 8.2 | 11.8 | 101.5 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | 35 | 4 | 12 | 19 | 0 | 793 | 8,822 | 8.99% | 8.3 | 12.3 | 96.7 |
| Denny Hamlin | 35 | 2 | 18 | 24 | 0 | 1,502 | 8,884 | 16.91% | 6.4 | 8.6 | 109.2 |
| Totals & Averages | 17 | 63 | 88 | 1 | 5,627 | 35,132 | 16.05% | 7.3 | 10.5 | 104.8 | |
| Winning Percentage | 47.22% | ||||||||||
| 2020 | Starts | Wins | Top Fives | Top 10s | Poles | Laps Led | Laps Completed | % Led | Avg. Start | Avg. Finish | Driver Rating |
| Joey Logano | 35 | 3 | 11 | 20 | 0 | 814 | 9,473 | 8.59% | 6.5 | 12.1 | 101 |
| Chase Elliott | 35 | 4 | 14 | 21 | 1 | 1,094 | 9,229 | 11.85% | 9.2 | 12 | 102.3 |
| Brad Keselowski | 35 | 4 | 12 | 23 | 0 | 936 | 9,427 | 9.93% | 7.7 | 10.3 | 99.4 |
| Denny Hamlin | 35 | 7 | 17 | 20 | 0 | 1,083 | 9,579 | 11.31% | 9 | 9.5 | 100.3 |
| Totals & Averages | 18 | 54 | 84 | 1 | 3,927 | 37,708 | 10.42% | 8.1 | 11 | 100.8 | |
| Winning Percentage | 51.43% | ||||||||||
| 2019 | Starts | Wins | Top Fives | Top 10s | Poles | Laps Led | Laps Completed | % Led | Avg. Start | Avg. Finish | Driver Rating |
| Denny Hamlin | 35 | 6 | 19 | 23 | 3 | 920 | 9,857 | 9.30% | 11.3 | 9.5 | 97.7 |
| Kyle Busch | 35 | 4 | 16 | 26 | 1 | 1,462 | 9,900 | 14.80% | 12.5 | 9.2 | 107.5 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | 35 | 7 | 14 | 23 | 0 | 1,268 | 9,885 | 12.80% | 13.4 | 10 | 102.7 |
| Kevin Harvick | 35 | 4 | 14 | 25 | 6 | 912 | 9,537 | 9.60% | 8.7 | 10.2 | 104.9 |
| Totals & Averages | 21 | 63 | 97 | 10 | 4,562 | 39,179 | 11.60% | 11.5 | 9.7 | 103.2 | |
| Winning Percentage | 60.00% | ||||||||||
| 2018 | Starts | Wins | Top Fives | Top 10s | Poles | Laps Led | Laps Completed | % Led | Avg. Start | Avg. Finish | Driver Rating |
| Joey Logano | 35 | 2 | 12 | 25 | 1 | 854 | 9,559 | 8.90% | 9.9 | 10.9 | 96.1 |
| Kyle Busch | 35 | 8 | 21 | 27 | 4 | 1,448 | 9,734 | 14.90% | 7.6 | 8.4 | 109.3 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | 35 | 4 | 19 | 20 | 4 | 996 | 9,493 | 10.50% | 10.1 | 11 | 101.2 |
| Kevin Harvick | 35 | 8 | 22 | 28 | 4 | 1,932 | 9,424 | 20.50% | 8.7 | 9 | 115.2 |
| Totals & Averages | 22 | 74 | 100 | 13 | 5,230 | 38,210 | 13.70% | 9.1 | 9.8 | 105.5 | |
| Winning Percentage | 62.90% | ||||||||||
| 2017 | Starts | Wins | Top Fives | Top 10s | Poles | Laps Led | Laps Completed | % Led | Avg. Start | Avg. Finish | Driver Rating |
| Martin Truex Jr. | 35 | 7 | 18 | 25 | 3 | 2,175 | 10,101 | 21.50% | 6.9 | 9.7 | 115.7 |
| Kyle Busch | 35 | 5 | 13 | 21 | 8 | 1,980 | 10,017 | 19.80% | 7.3 | 11.8 | 108.2 |
| Brad Keselowski | 35 | 3 | 15 | 20 | 2 | 777 | 9,226 | 8.40% | 8.9 | 12.6 | 95.9 |
| Kevin Harvick | 35 | 2 | 13 | 22 | 4 | 850 | 9,888 | 8.60% | 8.8 | 11.3 | 102.7 |
| Totals & Averages | 17 | 59 | 88 | 17 | 5,782 | 39,232 | 14.70% | 8 | 11.3 | 105.6 | |
| Winning Percentage | 48.60% | ||||||||||
| 2016 | Starts | Wins | Top Fives | Top 10s | Poles | Laps Led | Laps Completed | % Led | Avg. Start | Avg. Finish | Driver Rating |
| Jimmie Johnson | 35 | 4 | 10 | 15 | 1 | 734 | 9,963 | 7.40% | 12 | 14.3 | 95.7 |
| Kyle Busch | 35 | 4 | 17 | 24 | 2 | 1,378 | 9,657 | 14.30% | 9.6 | 11.6 | 104.7 |
| Carl Edwards | 35 | 3 | 9 | 18 | 6 | 871 | 10,046 | 8.70% | 7.1 | 13.3 | 97.6 |
| Joey Logano | 35 | 3 | 15 | 25 | 3 | 697 | 9,892 | 7.00% | 7.9 | 10.7 | 100.8 |
| Totals & Averages | 14 | 51 | 82 | 12 | 3,680 | 39,558 | 9.30% | 9.1 | 12.5 | 99.7 | |
| Winning Percentage | 40.00% | ||||||||||
| 2015 | Starts | Wins | Top Fives | Top 10s | Poles | Laps Led | Laps Completed | % Led | Avg. Start | Avg. Finish | Driver Rating |
| Kyle Busch | 35 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 1 | 695 | 6,485 | 10.70% | 8.4 | 11.2 | 107.1 |
| Kevin Harvick | 35 | 3 | 22 | 27 | 1 | 2,248 | 9,913 | 22.70% | 8.2 | 8.9 | 118.9 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | 35 | 1 | 8 | 22 | 0 | 564 | 10,005 | 5.60% | 12.5 | 12.2 | 100 |
| Jeff Gordon | 35 | 1 | 5 | 20 | 4 | 256 | 10,025 | 2.60% | 12 | 13.9 | 92.5 |
| Totals & Averages | 9 | 46 | 84 | 6 | 3,763 | 36,428 | 10.30% | 10.3 | 11.5 | 104.6 | |
| Winning Percentage | 25.70% | ||||||||||
| 2014 | Starts | Wins | Top Fives | Top 10s | Poles | Laps Led | Laps Completed | % Led | Avg. Start | Avg. Finish | Driver Rating |
| Joey Logano | 35 | 5 | 16 | 22 | 1 | 993 | 10,127 | 9.80% | 9.8 | 11.2 | 106.7 |
| Kevin Harvick | 35 | 4 | 13 | 19 | 8 | 2,083 | 9,765 | 21.30% | 9.2 | 13.3 | 109.9 |
| Denny Hamlin | 35 | 1 | 7 | 17 | 3 | 313 | 9,443 | 3.30% | 14.7 | 14.5 | 90.7 |
| Ryan Newman | 35 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 0 | 41 | 10,212 | 0.40% | 13.1 | 13 | 86.1 |
| Totals & Averages | 10 | 40 | 73 | 12 | 3,430 | 39,547 | 8.70% | 11.7 | 13 | 98.4 | |
| Winning Percentage | 28.60% | ||||||||||
NASCAR Cup Series 2021 Championship 4 Round Drivers at Phoenix Raceway
| Rank | Driver | Races | Poles | Wins | Top Fives | Top 10s | DNFs | Average Finish | Driver Rating | |
| 1 | Kyle Larson | 14 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 11.6 | 93.5 | |
| 2 | Chase Elliott | 11 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 11.2 | 107.1 | |
| 3 | Martin Truex Jr | 31 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 4 | 15.4 | 89.7 | |
| 4 | Denny Hamlin | 32 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 19 | 1 | 10.8 | 99.2 |
* – Based on last 32 races at Phoenix Raceway (2005 – 2021).
Phoenix Raceway:
Season Race #: 36 of 36 (11-07-21)
Track Size: 1-mile
Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 9 degrees
Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 11 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 3 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 9 degrees
Race Length: 312 laps / 500 Kilometers
Stage 1 Length: 75 laps
Stage 2 Length: 115 laps
Final Stage Length: 122 laps
QUALIFYING / RACE RECORDS
Track Qualifying Record:
Jimmie Johnson
Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
143.158 mph, 25.147 secs.
November 13, 2015
2020 Championship Race Pole Winner:
Starting Lineups were determined by Metric Qualifying.
Chase Elliott started from the pole position.
Track Race Record:
Tony Stewart
Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac
118.132 mph, (02:38:28)
November 7, 1999
2020 Championship Race Winner:
Chase Elliott, Chevrolet
112.096 mph, (02:47:00), 11-08-20
HISTORY
- Construction was completed, on what was then known as Phoenix International Raceway, in January 1964. The facility consisted of a one-mile oval and a 2.5-mile road course.
- NASCAR Hall of Famer Alan Kulwicki won the first NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway on November 6, 1988.
- The first spring race at Phoenix Raceway was held on April 23, 2005 and was also the first night race, which was won by Kurt Busch.
- The track underwent its first repave in 2011. The construction began in March and concluded in September of that year.
- The following changes were made during the construction period (March – Sept. 2011):
o Widened the frontstretch from 52 to 62 feet and reconfigured pit road with the installation of concrete pit stalls
o Pushed the dog-leg curve between Turn 2 and Turn 3 out 95 feet and tightened the turn radius of the dog-leg from 800 to 500 feet
o Implemented banking, including 11-degree banking between Turn 1 and Turn 2; 10-11-degree banking in the apex of the dog-leg; and 9-degree banking in Turns 3 and 4.
- Phoenix Raceway underwent reconstruction following the Spring race of 2018, with many new fan amenities added to the track, as well as the track itself being reconfigured so that the start/finish line is now just before the dog leg.
- There have been 50 NASCAR Cup Series races at Phoenix Raceway, one per season from 1988-2004 and two each season since.
- Phoenix Raceway has participated in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs since 2004. The 2020 season marked the first year Phoenix Raceway hosted the championship finale race.
STARTS
- In total 234 different drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway; 174 have competed in more than one.
- Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman lead the NASCAR Cup Series in starts at Phoenix Raceway with 37 starts each.
- In total 25 different drivers have made their first NASCAR Cup Series career start at Phoenix Raceway; three of the 25 are active this season – Ryan Newman (11/5/2000), Matt DiBenedetto (03/15/2015) and Quin Houff (03/10/2019).
- Chase Elliott leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Phoenix Raceway with a 4.727 in 11 starts.
Top 10 in Average Starting Position at Phoenix Raceway (All-Time & Active)
| Rank | All-Time Drivers | Avg Start | Race | Rank | Active Drivers | Avg Start | Races |
| 1 | Chase Elliott | 4.727 | 11 | 1 | Chase Elliott | 4.727 | 11 |
| 2 | Ryan Blaney | 6.182 | 11 | 2 | Ryan Blaney | 6.182 | 11 |
| 3 | Kyle Larson | 7.286 | 14 | 3 | Kyle Larson | 7.286 | 14 |
| 4 | Rusty Wallace | 8.053 | 19 | 4 | Denny Hamlin | 9.813 | 32 |
| 5 | Alan Kulwicki | 8.600 | 5 | 5 | Erik Jones | 10.000 | 10 |
| 6 | Denny Hamlin | 9.813 | 32 | 6 | Kyle Busch | 10.281 | 32 |
| 7 | Erik Jones | 10.000 | 10 | 7 | Joey Logano | 10.440 | 25 |
| 8 | Kyle Busch | 10.281 | 32 | 8 | Martin Truex Jr | 11.903 | 31 |
| 9 | Joey Logano | 10.440 | 25 | 9 | Christopher Bell | 12.000 | 3 |
| 10 | Jeff Gordon | 10.794 | 34 | 10 | Kurt Busch | 12.243 | 37 |
POLES
- There have been 25 different NASCAR Cup Series pole winners at Phoenix Raceway.
- 10 of the 25 NASCAR Cup Series Phoenix Raceway pole winners are active this weekend.
| Active Pole Winners | Poles | Seasons |
| Kyle Busch | 4 | 2006, 2012, 2016, 2019 |
| Ryan Newman | 4 | 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008 |
| Denny Hamlin | 2 | 2005, 2014 |
| Kevin Harvick | 2 | 2015, 2018 |
| Martin Truex Jr | 2 | 2009, 2018 |
| Ryan Blaney | 2 | 2017, 2019 |
| Alex Bowman | 1 | 2016 |
| Brad Keselowski | 1 | 2014 |
| Chase Elliott | 1 | 2020 |
| Joey Logano | 1 | 2017 |
- Ryan Newman (2002, 2003, 2004, 2008) and Kyle Busch (2006, 2012, 2016, 2019) lead the NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Phoenix Raceway with four each.
- Geoffrey Bodine won the first NASCAR Cup Series pole at Phoenix Raceway in 1988 at a speed of 123.203 mph (29.220 secs.) in a Chevrolet.
- Youngest series Phoenix pole winner: Kyle Busch (April 22, 2006 – 20 years, 11 months, 20 days).
- Oldest series Phoenix pole winner: Mark Martin (March 3, 2013 – 54 years, 1 month, 22 days).
- Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon and Carl Edwards are the only drivers to win consecutive poles at Phoenix Raceway. Newman won three-straight (2002-04), Gordon won in the Fall of 2006 and the Spring of 2007. Edwards won in the Fall of 2010 and Spring of 2011.
- Four drivers have won their first career NASCAR Cup Series pole at Phoenix Raceway: Casey Atwood (October 2001), Denny Hamlin (November 2005), AJ Allmendinger (April 2010) and Alex Bowman (November 2016).
- Five different manufacturers have won a pole in the NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway, led by Chevrolet with 18 and followed by Ford (15), Toyota (7), Dodge (4) and Pontiac (4).
WINS
- A total of 26 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Phoenix Raceway.
- 10 of the 26 NASCAR Cup Series Phoenix Raceway winners are active this weekend.
| Active Race Winners | Wins | Seasons |
| Kevin Harvick | 9 | 2018, 2016, 2015, 2014 sweep, 2013, 2012, 2007 sweep |
| Kyle Busch | 3 | 2019, 2018, 2005 |
| Joey Logano | 2 | 2020, 2016 |
| Denny Hamlin | 2 | 2019, 2012 |
| Ryan Newman | 2 | 2017, 2010 |
| Martin Truex Jr | 1 | 2021 |
| Chase Elliott | 1 | 2020 |
| Kurt Busch | 1 | 2005 |
- Kevin Harvick leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Phoenix Raceway with nine victories (2006 sweep, 2012 Playoff race, 2013 Playoff race, 2014 sweep, 2015 Spring race, 2016 Spring race, 2018 Spring race).
- A total of 13 drivers have multiple wins at Phoenix Raceway: Kevin Harvick leads the series in wins with nine followed by Jimmie Johnson (four), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (three), Kyle Busch (three), Davey Allison (two), Jeff Burton (two), Jeff Gordon (two) Carl Edwards (two), Mark Martin (two), Matt Kenseth (two), Ryan Newman (two), Joe Logano (two) and Denny Hamlin (two).
- Of the 13 drivers with multiple wins at Phoenix Raceway, Mark Martin (Ford; 1993 and Chevrolet; 2009) and Kyle Busch (Chevrolet; 2005 and Toyota; 2018, 2019) are the only two drivers to win in two different manufacturers.
- Six drivers have won consecutive races at Phoenix Raceway: Davey Allison (1991,1992); Jeff Burton (2000, 2001); Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2003, 2004); Kevin Harvick (swept 2006, then 2013 Playoff race, swept 2014 and 2015 spring race); Jimmie Johnson (fall race of 2007, swept 2008); Kyle Busch (Playoff race 2018, Spring race 2019).
- Alan Kulwicki (11/6/1988) and Bobby Hamilton (10/27/1996) are the only two drivers to post their first NASCAR Cup Series career win at Phoenix Raceway.
- In total 22 different starting positions on the grid have resulted in victories in the NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix.
- Six of the 50 NASCAR Cup Series races (12%) at Phoenix Raceway have been won from the pole or first starting position: Jeff Gordon (Spring race of 2007), Jimmie Johnson (Playoff race of 2008), Mark Martin (Spring race of 2009), Carl Edwards (Playoff race of 2010), Kevin Harvick (Spring race of 2015), Chase Elliott (2020).
- Eight of the 50 (18%) NASCAR Cup Series races at Phoenix Raceway have been won from the front row: six from the first starting position and three from second starting position.
- The third starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field producing more winners (seven) than any other starting position – the most recent was Denny Hamlin’s win in this race in 2019.
NASCAR Cup Series Wins by Starting Positions at Phoenix Raceway
| Starting Position | Wins | Winning % | Starting Position | Wins | Winning % |
| 1 | 6 | 12.0% | 13 | 5 | 10.0% |
| 2 | 3 | 6.0% | 14 | 2 | 4.0% |
| 3 | 7 | 14.0% | 15 | 3 | 6.0% |
| 4 | 2 | 4.0% | 17 | 1 | 2.0% |
| 5 | 1 | 2.0% | 18 | 1 | 2.0% |
| 6 | 3 | 6.0% | 19 | 2 | 4.0% |
| 7 | 2 | 4.0% | 20 | 1 | 2.0% |
| 9 | 2 | 4.0% | 21 | 1 | 2.0% |
| 10 | 2 | 4.0% | 22 | 1 | 2.0% |
| 11 | 2 | 4.0% | 28 | 1 | 2.0% |
| 12 | 1 | 2.0% | 29 | 1 | 2.0% |
| Stats | Winning % | Wins | |||
| Winning from the Pole: | 12.0% | 6 | |||
| Winning from the Front Row: | 18.0% | 9 | |||
| Winning from a Top-Five Starting Position: | 38.0% | 19 | |||
| Winning from a Top-10 Starting Position: | 56.0% | 28 | |||
| Winning After Starting Outside the Top 20: | 8.0% | 4 | |||
- Ricky Rudd won the 1995 Phoenix Raceway race from the 29th-place starting position, the furthest in the field a NASCAR Cup Series race winner has started at the one-mile raceway.
- Ryan Newman won the 2017 Phoenix Raceway race from the 22nd starting position, the furthest back an active NASCAR Cup Series race winner has started.
- Youngest NASCAR Cup Series Phoenix winner: Kyle Busch (November 13, 2005 – 20 years, 6 months, 11 days).
- Oldest NASCAR Cup Series Phoenix winner: Mark Martin (April 18, 2009 – 50 years, 3 months, 9 days).
- 24 of the 26 NASCAR Cup Series drivers who have won at Phoenix Raceway participated in at least two or more races before visiting Victory Lane. NASCAR Hall of Famers Alan Kulwicki (11/6/1988) and Tony Stewart (11/7/1999) are the only two drivers to win at Phoenix Raceway in their first appearance.
- Brad Keselowski leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Cup Series starts at Phoenix Raceway without visiting Victory Lane with 24 starts.
- In total 13 different organizations have won at Phoenix Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series, led by Hendrick Motorsports with 10 victories.
| NASCAR Cup Series Organization Wins at Phoenix Raceway | |
| Organizations | Wins |
| Hendrick Motorsports | 11 |
| Joe Gibbs Racing | 7 |
| Roush Fenway Racing | 7 |
| Richard Childress Racing | 6 |
| Stewart-Haas Racing | 6 |
| Robert Yates Racing | 3 |
| Team Penske | 3 |
| Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | 2 |
| Petty Enterprises | 1 |
| Red Bull Racing | 1 |
| Melling Racing | 1 |
| Rudd Performance Motorsports | 1 |
| AK Racing | 1 |
- Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Phoenix Raceway with 11 victories among seven drivers: Terry Labonte (1994), Kyle Busch (2005), Jeff Gordon (2007, 2011), Jimmie Johnson (2007, 2008 sweep, 2009), Mark Martin (2009), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2015) and Chase Elliott (2020).
- In total four different manufacturers have won at Phoenix Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series, led by Chevrolet with 24 victories and followed by Ford (17), Toyota (7) and Pontiac (2).
LAP LEADERS
- In total 93 different drivers have led at least one lap in the NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway.
- Kevin Harvick leads the NASCAR Cup Series in laps led at Phoenix with 1,662 laps led in 33 starts.
Top 10 Lap Leaders at Phoenix Raceway in NASCAR Cup Series (All-Time & Active)
| Rank | All-Time Drivers | Led | Completed | % Led | Rank | Active Drivers | Led | Completed | % Led |
| 1 | Kevin Harvick | 1,662 | 11,530 | 14.4% | 1 | Kevin Harvick | 1,662 | 11,530 | 14.4% |
| 2 | Kyle Busch | 1,190 | 9,785 | 12.2% | 2 | Kyle Busch | 1,190 | 9,785 | 12.2% |
| 3 | Jimmie Johnson | 998 | 10,619 | 9.4% | 3 | Denny Hamlin | 854 | 9,925 | 8.6% |
| 4 | Mark Martin | 911 | 10,477 | 8.7% | 4 | Kurt Busch | 817 | 11,470 | 7.1% |
| 5 | Rusty Wallace | 867 | 5,406 | 16.0% | 5 | Joey Logano | 717 | 7,467 | 9.6% |
| 6 | Denny Hamlin | 854 | 9,925 | 8.6% | 6 | Chase Elliott | 402 | 3,301 | 12.2% |
| 7 | Kurt Busch | 817 | 11,470 | 7.1% | 7 | Brad Keselowski | 283 | 7,155 | 4.0% |
| 8 | Joey Logano | 717 | 7,467 | 9.6% | 8 | Ryan Newman | 242 | 10,612 | 2.3% |
| 9 | Dale Earnhardt Jr | 569 | 8,734 | 6.5% | 9 | Alex Bowman | 194 | 3,422 | 5.7% |
| 10 | Tony Stewart | 555 | 8,690 | 6.4% | 10 | Martin Truex Jr | 187 | 8,945 | 2.1% |
- The most laps led by the race winner in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway was 264 of the scheduled 312 laps (84.6%) by Kevin Harvick on November 9, 2014 – he started from the third position.
- The most laps led by a driver that did not win in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway was 237 of the scheduled 312 laps (74.3%) by Kyle Busch on November 11, 2012 – he started from the pole but finished third.
- The fewest laps led by the race winner in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway was four of the scheduled 378 laps (1.05%) by Ryan Newman on April 10, 2010 – he started from the 14th position.
ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS
Runner-Up Finishes:
- A total of 30 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished runner-up at Phoenix Raceway.
- NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin leads the series in runner-up finishes at Phoenix Raceway with five.
- Kyle Busch leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in runner-up finishes at Phoenix with four second-place finishes.
Top Five in Runner-Up Finishes at Phoenix Raceway (All-Time & Active)
| Rank | All-time Drivers | Runner-Ups | Rank | Active Drivers | Runner-Ups |
| 1 | Mark Martin | 5 | 1 | Kyle Busch | 4 |
| 2 | Kyle Busch | 4 | 2 | Kevin Harvick | 3 |
| 3 | Jimmie Johnson | 3 | 3 | Brad Keselowski | 2 |
| Kevin Harvick | 3 | Ryan Newman | 2 | ||
| Tony Stewart | 3 | 5 | Chase Elliott | 1 | |
| Denny Hamlin | 1 | ||||
| Joey Logano | 1 | ||||
| Kurt Busch | 1 | ||||
| Kyle Larson | 1 | ||||
| Martin Truex Jr | 1 |
Top-Five Finishes:
- A total of 51 different drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series have finished inside the top-five at Phoenix.
- Kevin Harvick leads the series in top-five finishes at Phoenix Raceway with 18 top fives.
Top Five in Top-Five Finishes at Phoenix Raceway (All-Time & Active)
| Rank | All-time Drivers | Top Fives | Rank | Active Drivers | Top Fives |
| 1 | Kevin Harvick | 18 | 1 | Kevin Harvick | 18 |
| 2 | Jimmie Johnson | 16 | 2 | Denny Hamlin | 15 |
| 3 | Denny Hamlin | 15 | 3 | Kyle Busch | 12 |
| 4 | Jeff Gordon | 12 | 4 | Ryan Newman | 10 |
| Kyle Busch | 12 | 5 | Brad Keselowski | 8 | |
| Mark Martin | 12 |
Top-10 Finishes:
- A total of 86 different drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series have finished inside the top-10 at Phoenix Raceway.
- Kevin Harvick leads the NASCAR Cup Series in top-10 finishes at Phoenix Raceway with 26 top 10s.
Top Five in Top-10 Finishes at Phoenix Raceway (All-Time & Active)
| Rank | All-time Drivers | Top 10s | Rank | Active Drivers | Top 10s |
| 1 | Kevin Harvick | 26 | 1 | Kevin Harvick | 26 |
| 2 | Jeff Gordon | 24 | 2 | Kyle Busch | 22 |
| 3 | Jimmie Johnson | 22 | 3 | Kurt Busch | 20 |
| Kyle Busch | 22 | 4 | Denny Hamlin | 19 | |
| 5 | Mark Martin | 21 | 5 | Joey Logano | 14 |
Average Finish:
- Alan Kulwicki (five starts) leads the series in average finishing position at Phoenix Raceway with a 5.200.
- Kevin Harvick (37 starts) leads all active drivers in average finishing position at Phoenix Raceway with a 8.838.
Top 10 in Average Finishing Position at Phoenix Raceway (All-Time & Active)
| Rank | All-time Drivers | Avg Finish | Races | Rank | Active Drivers | Avg Finish | Races |
| 1 | Alan Kulwicki | 5.200 | 5 | 1 | Kevin Harvick | 8.838 | 37 |
| 2 | Kevin Harvick | 8.838 | 37 | 2 | Denny Hamlin | 10.781 | 32 |
| 3 | Dale Earnhardt | 9.538 | 13 | 3 | Kyle Busch | 10.969 | 32 |
| 4 | Mark Martin | 9.588 | 34 | 4 | Chase Elliott | 11.182 | 11 |
| 5 | Jimmie Johnson | 10.229 | 35 | 5 | Kyle Larson | 11.643 | 14 |
| 6 | Jeff Gordon | 10.765 | 34 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | 12.625 | 24 |
| 7 | Denny Hamlin | 10.781 | 32 | 7 | William Byron | 12.714 | 7 |
| 8 | Kyle Busch | 10.969 | 32 | 8 | Joey Logano | 13.400 | 25 |
| 9 | Davey Allison | 11.000 | 5 | 9 | Aric Almirola | 14.619 | 22 |
| 10 | Chase Elliott | 11.182 | 11 | 10 | Ryan Blaney | 15.182 | 11 |
TRACK / EVENT STATS
- Since the advent of electronic scoring (1993), the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway is the Spring race of 2016 (March 13, 2016) when Kevin Harvick beat Carl Edwards to the line by 0.010 seconds – which is tied with Atlanta (3/12/2000), Daytona (2/21/2016), and Rockingham (2/22/2004) for the eighth closest finish in series history.
Top Five Closest Margins of Victory at Phoenix Raceway
| Margin of Victory | Race Winner | Runner-Up | Date |
| 0.010 | Kevin Harvick | Carl Edwards | Sunday, March 13, 2016 |
| 0.130 | Ryan Newman | Jeff Gordon | Saturday, April 10, 2010 |
| 0.170 | Mark Martin | Ernie Irvan | Sunday, October 31, 1993 |
| 0.250 | Kevin Harvick | Jimmie Johnson | Sunday, November 12, 2006 |
| 0.276 | Joey Logano | Kevin Harvick | Sunday, March 8, 2020 |
- Qualifying has never been cancelled due to weather at Phoenix Raceway.
- Nine of the 50 races at Phoenix Raceway have ended with NASCAR Overtime (18%):
| Date | Scheduled | Actual | Overtime | Winner | Runner-Up |
| Sunday, March 8, 2020 | 312 | 316 | 4 | Joey Logano | Kevin Harvick |
| Sunday, March 19, 2017 | 312 | 314 | 2 | Ryan Newman | Kyle Larson |
| Sunday, November 13, 2016 | 312 | 324 | 12 | Joey Logano | Kyle Busch |
| Sunday, March 13, 2016 | 312 | 313 | 1 | Kevin Harvick | Carl Edwards |
| Sunday, March 3, 2013 | 312 | 316 | 4 | Carl Edwards | Jimmie Johnson |
| Sunday, November 11, 2012 | 312 | 319 | 7 | Kevin Harvick | Denny Hamlin |
| Saturday, April 10, 2010 | 375 | 378 | 3 | Ryan Newman | Jeff Gordon |
| Sunday, November 9, 2008 | 312 | 313 | 1 | Jimmie Johnson | Kurt Busch |
| Sunday, November 7, 2004 | 312 | 315 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt Jr | Ryan Newman |
- Only two of the 50 NASCAR Cup Series races at Phoenix Raceway have been shortened due to weather:
| Date | Scheduled | Actual | Fewer | Winner | Runner-Up |
| Sunday, November 15, 2015 | 312 | 219 | -93 | Dale Earnhardt Jr | Kevin Harvick |
| Sunday, October 25, 1998 | 312 | 257 | -55 | Rusty Wallace | Mark Martin |
Additional Phoenix Raceway NASCAR Cup Series Race Statistics:
| Previous Races | Last Race | Most/Largest | Fewest/Smallest |
| Cars: | 38 | 44 – 2 Times (10/27/1996) | 36 (03/10/2019) |
| Lead Changes: | 22 | 28 (02/27/2011) | 1 (11/04/1990) |
| Leaders: | 9 | 15 (03/04/2012) | 2 (11/04/1990) |
| Cautions: | 7 | 12 – 2 Times (03/08/2020) | 2 – 2 Times (11/15/2015) |
| Caution Laps: | 45 | 73 (03/08/2020) | 10 (11/07/1999) |
| Lead Lap Finish: | 24 | 29 (11/02/2003) | 3 (10/30/1994) |
| Running at Finish: | 34 | 41 – 5 Times (11/15/2015) | 27 (11/05/1989) |
| Laps Led (Winner): | 64 | 264 (11/09/2014) | 4 (04/10/2010) |
| Margin of Victory*: | 1.698 | 7.315 (03/04/2012) | 0.01 (03/13/2016) |
| * Since 1993 (advent of digital timing and scoring); does not include races completed under caution | |||
FEMALE COMPETITORS
- Danica Patrick is the only female driver in the NASCAR Cup Series to compete at Phoenix Raceway. She made 11 starts at Phoenix Raceway in her career.
| Date | Driver | Starting Position | Finishing Position | Driver Rating |
| Sunday, November 12, 2017 | Danica Patrick | 24 | 25 | 48.2 |
| Monday, March 13, 2017 | Danica Patrick | 26 | 22 | 52.8 |
| Sunday, November 13, 2016 | Danica Patrick | 16 | 29 | 48.9 |
| Sunday, March 13, 2016 | Danica Patrick | 36 | 19 | 60.3 |
| Sunday, November 15, 2015 | Danica Patrick | 21 | 16 | 66.4 |
| Sunday, March 15, 2015 | Danica Patrick | 23 | 26 | 59.6 |
| Sunday, November 9, 2014 | Danica Patrick | 32 | 22 | 60.5 |
| Sunday, March 2, 2014 | Danica Patrick | 33 | 36 | 51.7 |
| Sunday, November 10, 2013 | Danica Patrick | 32 | 33 | 33.2 |
| Sunday, March 3, 2013 | Danica Patrick | 40 | 39 | 44.2 |
| Sunday, November 11, 2012 | Danica Patrick | 37 | 17 | 58.0 |
| AVERAGES | 29.1 | 25.8 | 53.1 |
NASCAR IN ARIZONA
- There have been 127 NASCAR national series races among four tracks in the state of Arizona.
- The first NASCAR Cup Series race held in the state of Arizona was on April 22, 1951 and the event had 33 competitors and was won by Marshall Teague driving a 1951 Hudson.
NASCAR National Series Tracks in Arizona
| Track Name | City | Cup | Xfinity | Truck | Combined | First Year |
| Phoenix Raceway | Avondale | 50 | 39 | 30 | 119 | 1988 |
| Arizona State Fairgrounds | Phoenix | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1951 |
| Tucson Raceway Park | Tucson | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1995 |
| Tucson Rodeo Grounds | Tucson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1955 |
| Totals | 55 | 39 | 33 | 127 |
ARIZONA IN NASCAR
- A total of 33 different drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Arizona.
- Of the 33 Arizona drivers, only two have won NASCAR national series races.
- Michael McDowell, from Phoenix, won the 2021 Daytona 500 – his first win in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Race Winners from Arizona
| Driver | Cup | Xfinity | Truck | Combined |
| Alex Bowman | 6 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| Michael McDowell | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Totals | 7 | 2 | 0 | 9 |
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