Statistical Advance: Analyzing the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race

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 2 at 3 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

NASCAR Cup Series Season Finale Playoff Fast Facts: Phoenix Raceway

• The 2025 season marks the sixth consecutive year the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race will be held at Phoenix Raceway in Phoenix, Arizona (2020-2025), and the 22nd consecutive season Phoenix has participated in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
• 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, and the event was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr.
• From 2005 – 2019 (15 seasons), Phoenix Raceway hosted the penultimate race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs – Race No. 9 of 10. The event became the elimination race of the Round of 8 from 2014-2019.
• From 2020-2025 (six seasons), Phoenix Raceway has hosted the season finale race in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• A total of 12 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). Joey Logano leads all active drivers this weekend with three wins (2016, 2022, 2024).
• Since hosting the series’ Championship Race (2020-2024), the winner of the race has also won the NASCAR Cup Series title in three of the last four seasons – Chase Elliott won at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 8, 2020, Kyle Larson won at Phoenix on Nov. 7, 2021, and Joey Logano won at Phoenix on Nov. 6, 2022 and on Nov. 10, 2024. In 2023, Ryan Blaney finished runner-up at Phoenix to win his first title.
• Among the Championship 4 drivers this season – Chase Briscoe, Denny Hamlin, William Byron and Kyle Larson – Larson (2021) and Hamlin (2019) are the two drivers that have won a Playoff race at Phoenix.

• A total of 16 different crew chiefs have won a NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Phoenix Raceway, led by NASCAR Hall of Famer Chad Knaus with three wins (at Phoenix from 2007-2009 all with driver Jimmie Johnson).
• A total of nine different organizations have won a NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Phoenix Raceway, led by Hendrick Motorsports with seven wins (2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2015, 2020, 2021).
• Five times a non-Playoff driver has won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Phoenix Raceway: Kyle Busch (2005), Kasey Kahne (2011), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2015), Matt Kenseth (2017) and Ross Chastain (2023).

1. In 2005, Kyle Busch won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Phoenix Raceway, then the ninth race on the postseason schedule, and was ranked 19th in the point standings at the time of the win.
2. In 2011, Kasey Kahne won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Phoenix Raceway, then the ninth race on the postseason schedule, and was ranked 14th in the point standings at the time of the win.
3. In 2015, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Phoenix Raceway, then the ninth race on the postseason schedule, and was seventh in the point standings at the time of the win. Earnhardt Jr. had made the Playoffs in 2015 but was eliminated in the Round of 12.
4. In 2017, Matt Kenseth won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Phoenix Raceway, then the ninth race on the postseason schedule, 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.
5. In 2023, Ross Chastain won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Phoenix Raceway, then the Championship race on the postseason schedule, and he was ninth in points at the time of the win. Chastain had made the Playoffs in 2023 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 – then 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 14 different drivers have won the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race during the Playoff Era: 2004-2024.
• Greg Biffle (2004, 2005, 2006 at Homestead) and Joey Logano (2018 at Homestead and 2022, 2024 at Phoenix) leads the NASCAR Cup Series in Championship Race wins from 2004-2024 with three victories each.
• Denny Hamlin (2009, 2013 at Homestead) and Kyle Larson (2021 at Phoenix) are the only current Championship 4 drivers with a win in a NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race.
• A total of 14 different crew chiefs have won a NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race, led by Doug Richert with three wins (at Homestead from 2004-2006 all with driver Greg Biffle). Among this season’s Championship 4 crew chiefs – Adam Stevens (2015, 2019), Cliff Daniels (2021) – have won a Cup Series Championship Race.
• A total of seven different organizations have won the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race (2004-2024), led by RFK Racing with six victories (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 all at Homestead-Miami).
• Hendrick Motorsports (2012, 2016, 2020, 2021) and Joe Gibbs Racing (2009, 2013, 2015, 2019) are tied for the second-most Cup Series Championship Race wins from 2004-2024 with four each.
• Hendrick Motorsports (2020, 2021) and Team Penske (2022, 2024) lead all organizations in NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race wins at Phoenix Raceway with two each.

• Since the inception of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs in 2004, the winner of the Championship Race has won the season title 11 times: 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024.
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. In 2021, Kyle Larson won from the pole position at Phoenix Raceway in the eighth year of the elimination-style format of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, and as a result he won his first series championship.
  10. In 2022, Joey Logano won from the pole position at Phoenix Raceway in the ninth year of the elimination-style format of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. With the win, Logano earned his second NASCAR Cup Series championship (2018, 2022), becoming just the second active driver with multiple titles.
  11. In 2024, Joey Logano won from the second starting position at Phoenix Raceway in the 10th year of the elimination-style format of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. With the win, Logano earned his third NASCAR Cup Series championship (2018, 2022, 2024).
• The worst finish in a Playoff race by the eventual series champion at Homestead-Miami Speedway was 15th, and it occurred three times: Tony Stewart in 2005, Jimmie Johnson in 2008 and Brad Keselowski in 2012.
• Three non-Playoff drivers have won the season finale Playoff race: Greg Biffle (Homestead: 2004 and 2006), Denny Hamlin (Homestead: 2013) and Ross Chastain (Phoenix 2023) .

NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4 Comparisons:

Comparing Season Stats Heading into the Season Finale (in descending order chronologically)

Phoenix Raceway Stats & Tidbits:
Race Name: NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race
Season Race #: 36 of 36 (November 2, 2025)
Playoff Race #: 10 of 10
Track Size/Type: 1 Mile Asphalt Oval
The Purse: $12,394,135
The Time: 3 p.m. ET
TV: NBC, 2 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
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 / 312 Miles
Stage 1 Length: 60 laps
Stage 2 Length: 125 laps (Ends on Lap 185)
Final Stage Length: 127 laps (Ends on Lap 312)

QUALIFYING / RACE RECORDS

Track Qualifying Record:
Jimmie Johnson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, 143.158 mph, 25.147 secs., November 13, 2015

Track Race Record:
Tony Stewart, Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac, 118.132 mph, (02:38:28), November 7, 1999

2024 Championship Race Pole Winner:
Martin Truex Jr., Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, 134.741 mph, 26.718 secs., November 9, 2024

2024 Championship Race Winner:
Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford, 106.203 mph, (02:56:16), November 10, 2024

HISTORY

• Construction was completed, on what was then known as Phoenix International Raceway, in January of 1964.
• The facility consisted of a one-mile oval and a 2.5-mile road course.
• In 1985, Buddy Jobe purchased Phoenix Raceway from then owner Dennis Wood. Jobe soon initiated a massive improvement program to upgrade the track and its facilities.
• The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway was held on November 6, 1988 and was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Alan Kulwicki. Kulwicki celebrated by performing the first-ever ‘Polish Victory Lap’
• International Speedway Corporation (now NASCAR) purchased Phoenix Raceway in 1997.
• The first spring race at Phoenix Raceway was held on April 23, 2005 and was also the first night race, which was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer 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):
• Widened the frontstretch from 52 to 62 feet and reconfigured pit road with the installation of concrete pit stalls
• 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
• 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 a second 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.
• In total, there have been 58 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 Race (2020-2025).

STARTS

• In total 249 different drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway, and 191 have competed in more than one Cup Series race at Phoenix.
• Kevin Harvick leads the NASCAR Cup Series in starts at Phoenix Raceway with 42 starts.
• Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch lead all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in starts at Phoenix Raceway with 40 starts each.
• Top five all-time in starts at Phoenix: Kevin Harvick (42), Denny Hamlin (40), Kyle Busch (40), Kurt Busch (39), Ryan Newman (39).
• In total 26 different drivers have made their first NASCAR Cup Series career start at Phoenix Raceway; none are currently active in the series; the most recent was Katherine Legge on March 9, 2025.
• Of the 26 drivers that made their first NASCAR Cup Series start at Phoenix Raceway, Clint Bowyer had the best finish in his series debut at Phoenix, with a 22nd-place finish on April 23, 2005.

• Chase Elliott leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Phoenix Raceway with a 6.222 in 18 starts.

Top 15 in Average Starting Position at Phoenix Raceway (All-Time & Active)

POLES

• There have been 27 different NASCAR Cup Series pole winners at Phoenix Raceway, and 17 of 27 pole winners have won multiple poles at the one-mile track.
• 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 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.
• 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.
• 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).
• This weekend, 10 of the 27 NASCAR Cup Series Phoenix Raceway pole winners are active.
• Three of this season’s Championship 4 Round drivers have won the pole at Phoenix – Denny Hamlin (2005, 2014, 2024), Kyle Larson (2021, 2023) and William Byron (2023, 2024).

• 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)
  • Alex Bowman (November 2016).
• A total of 17 different organizations have won a pole in the NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway.

• Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Phoenix Raceway with 16 poles among 10 drivers: Geoff Bodine (1988), Ken Schrader (1989), Jeff Gordon (2005, 2006, 2007), Kyle Busch (2006), Jimmie Johnson (2008, 2013, 2015), Mark Martin (2009), Alex Bowman (2016), Chase Elliott (2020), Kyle Larson (2021, 2023) and William Byron (2023, 2025).
• Five different manufacturers have won at least one pole in the NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway, led by Chevrolet with 22 poles; followed by Ford (17), Toyota (nine), Dodge (four) and Pontiac (four).
• Chevrolet has won the most consecutive NASCAR Cup Series poles at Phoenix Raceway with five straight from 2005-2007.

WINS

• A total of 31 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Phoenix Raceway, and 13 of the 31 have won multiple times at the one-mile track.
• This weekend, 10 of the 31 NASCAR Cup Series Phoenix Raceway winners are active, and two of the Championship 4 Round drivers are former Cup Series winners at the 1-mile track – Joey Logano (two wins) and William Byron (one win).
• 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).
• Joey Logano leads all active Cup drivers this weekend in wins at Phoenix Raceway with four (2016, 2020, 2022, 2024).
• Of the nine active Phoenix winners this weekend, four are current Championship 4 contenders – Denny Hamlin (2012, 2019), William Byron (2023), Chase Briscoe (2022) and Kyle Larson (2021).

• A total of 14 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), Joe Logano (three), Davey Allison (two), Jeff Burton (two), Jeff Gordon (two) Carl Edwards (two), Mark Martin (two), Matt Kenseth (two), Ryan Newman (two), Denny Hamlin (two), Christopher Bell (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).
• Three drivers have scored their first career NASCAR Cup Series victory at Phoenix Raceway – Alan Kulwicki (11/6/1988), Bobby Hamilton (10/27/1996) and Chase Briscoe (3/13/2022).
• In total 23 different starting positions on the grid have resulted in victories in the NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway.
• Since hosting the Championship Race in 2020 (last five Playoffs races) – only three starting positions have resulted in wins at Phoenix Raceway – the pole or first starting position (three wins: 2020, 2021, 2022), the second starting positions (one win: 2024) and the eighth starting position (one win: 2023).
• Eight of the 58 NASCAR Cup Series races (13.8%) 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 (Playoff race of 2020), Kyle Larson (Playoff race of 2021) and Joey Logano (Playoff race of 2022).
• The first and third starting positions are tied for the most proficient starting position in the field producing more winners than any other starting positions (eight each) – the most recent was William Byron’s win in 2023 from the third starting position.
• 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.
• Kyle Busch won the 2005 Phoenix Raceway race from the 15th starting position, the furthest back an active NASCAR Cup Series race winner has started at the one-mile track.

NASCAR Cup Series Wins by Starting Positions at Phoenix Raceway

• A total of 12 of the 58 (20.7%) NASCAR Cup Series races at Phoenix Raceway have been won from the front row: eight from the first starting position and three from second starting position.
• 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).
• A total of 27 of the 31 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.
• In total 14 different organizations have won at Phoenix Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series, led by Hendrick Motorsports with 13 victories.

• Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Phoenix Raceway with 13 victories among nine drivers: Terry Labonte (1994), Kyle Busch (2005), Jeff Gordon (2007, 2011), Jimmie Johnson (2007, 2008 sweep, 2009), Mark Martin (2009), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2015), Chase Elliott (2020), Kyle Larson (2021) and William Byron (2023).
• In total four different manufacturers have won at Phoenix Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series, led by Chevrolet with 27 victories and followed by Ford (20), Toyota (9) and Pontiac (2).

ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS

Runner-Up Finishes:

• A total of 33 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished runner-up at Phoenix Raceway.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin leads the NASCAR Cup Series in runner-up finishes at Phoenix Raceway with five second-place finishes.
• Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney lead all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in runner-up finishes at Phoenix with four second-place finishes each.

Top Five in Runner-Up Finishes at Phoenix Raceway (All-Time & Active)

Top-Five Finishes:

• A total of 59 different drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series have finished inside the top-five at Phoenix.
• Kevin Harvick leads the NASCAR Cup Series in top-five finishes at Phoenix Raceway with 20 top fives.
• Denny Hamlin leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in top-five finishes at Phoenix Raceway with 17 top fives.

Top Five in Top-Five Finishes at Phoenix Raceway (All-Time & Active)

Top-10 Finishes:

• A total of 95 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 31 top 10s.
• Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in top-10 finishes at Phoenix Raceway with 27 top 10s.

Top Five in Top-10 Finishes at Phoenix Raceway (All-Time & Active)

Average Finish:

• Alan Kulwicki (five starts) leads the Cup Series in average finishing position at Phoenix Raceway with a 5.200.
• Denny Hamlin (40 starts) leads all active drivers in average finishing position at Phoenix Raceway with a 10.600.
• Of this season’s Championship 4 drivers, Denny Hamlin has the best average finish at Phoenix Raceway with a 10.6; followed by Kyle Larson with a 10.68, William Byron with a 10.8 and Chase Briscoe with an 18.4.

Top 10 in Average Finishing Position at Phoenix Raceway (All-Time & Active)

• Since the introduction of the Next Gen car in 2022 (last seven Phoenix races), Ryan Blaney has the best average finish in the NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway with a 6.428.
• The Championship 4 drivers have the following average finishes in the Next Gen car (2022-2025) at Phoenix: William Byron (8.0), Kyle Larson (10.1), Denny Hamlin (10.8), Chase Briscoe (15.5).

LAP LEADERS

• In total 102 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 1,722 laps led in 42 starts.
• Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in laps led at Phoenix Raceway with 1,190 laps led in 40 starts.
• 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.

Top 10 Lap Leaders at Phoenix Raceway in NASCAR Cup Series (All-Time & Active)

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

• NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying has never been cancelled due to weather at Phoenix Raceway.
• But NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying has been cancelled twice due to the pandemic (2020 season finale and 2021 spring race)
• A total of 10 of the 58 Cup Series races at Phoenix Raceway have ended with NASCAR Overtime (17.8%):

• Only two of the 58 NASCAR Cup Series races at Phoenix Raceway have been shortened due to weather:

• Most lap leaders in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway – 15 (03/04/2012)
• Fewest lap leaders in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway – 2 (11/04/1990)
• Most lead changes in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway – 28 (02/27/2011)
• Fewest lead changes in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway – 1 (11/04/1990)

FEMALE COMPETITORS

• Danica Patrick and Katherine Legge are the two female drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series to compete at Phoenix Raceway.
• Patrick made 11 starts at Phoenix Raceway in her career, and Legge made her series track debut earlier this season.

NASCAR IN ARIZONA

• There have been 147 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

ARIZONA IN NASCAR

• A total of 36 different drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Arizona.
• Of the 36 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

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