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Analysis of all 43 cars in Sunday’s Kobalt 400
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RELATED: Full race results | Updated series standings
1. Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. An 18th-place start was only a temporary stall for the defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, who surged to take the lead on Lap 91. He paced the field for a race-high 142 laps and persevered through "an uncomfortable last run" to earn his first Cup win at the 1.5-mile desert oval and his third straight top-two result of the 2015 season. Harvick, now the points leader, has won his past three contests at Phoenix International Raceway, the next stop on the Cup circuit. | WATCH: Harvick discusses the win in Victory Lane
2. Martin Truex Jr., No. 78 Chevrolet, Furniture Row Racing. Truex overcame a loose-handling condition midway through the race to record his best LVMS result and earn his third straight top-10 of the year. | READ: Truex’s inspirational drive
3. Ryan Newman, No. 31 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. As the temperatures increased on the 1.5-mile desert track, the handling of Newman’s Chevrolet initially disappeared. He rallied to finish third and capture his best career LVMS result. | WATCH: Newman discusses Vegas finish
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 88 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Junior showed strength driving the high line, but his late-race lead was cut short by a hard-charging Harvick. "Second, fifth, fourth — it don’t matter (where you finish) if you don’t win," said Earnhardt, who now ranks second in the points standings. | WATCH: Junior weighs in on late-race gamble
5. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. The left-front of Hamlin’s Toyota sustained damage early while he tried to navigate a congested pit road. The impact was enough to affect his initial speed but not his overall performance. He is the biggest mover from the race weekend, improving 11 spots to eighth in the standings.
6. AJ Allmendinger, No. 47 Chevrolet, JTG-Daugherty Racing. The single-car outfit continues its ascent after Allmendinger wheeled his way to his second straight top-10 result. Allmendinger picked up three spots and now ranks fifth in the standings.
7. Brad Keselowski, No. 2 Ford, Team Penske. A tire vibration and subsequent pit road violation could have spelled doom for Keselowski, but he caught a break in both cases. First, the competition caution gave his team a chance to address the vibration. Much later, Jimmie Johnson blew a tire, which prompted the caution and enabled then-beneficiary of the free pass Keselowski to return to the lead lap. The 2012 Champion picks up six spots in the standings, improving to 16th.
8. Kyle Larson, No. 42 Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing. Larson’s pit crew performed well, helping the Cup sophomore nab his first top 10 of the season.
9. Matt Kenseth, No. 20 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Kenseth scored his second top-10 of the year after working with his team to solve a loose-handling condition. Another big mover, Kenseth improves eight spots to now rank 10th in the points standings. | See the full Sprint Cup Series standings
10. Joey Logano, No. 22 Ford, Team Penske. Two pit road speeding penalties couldn’t keep Logano down, as the driver led the opening 27 laps prior through the competition caution. The Daytona 500 champion rallied to post his third straight top-10 of the year and ranks third in the points standings.
11. Jamie McMurray, No. 1 Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing. McMurray just missed recording his first top-10 of the season and improves seven positions to 25th in the driver standings.
12. Paul Menard, No. 27 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Menard, who narrowly avoided being collected by Carl Edwards’ incident on Lap 195, improves four spots in the points standings to 13th.
13. Brian Scott, No. 33 Chevrolet, Circle Sport Racing. Scott benefited from the beneficiary of the free pass after a caution on Lap 187 and went on to claim his best career Cup finish.
14. Greg Biffle, No. 16 Ford, Roush-Fenway Racing. Biffle started strong, but encountered a loose-handing condition that hindered his forward progress. Still, he improved two spots in the points standings to 11th.
15. Brian Vickers, No. 55 Toyota, Michael Waltrip Racing. Vickers, in his first race back since open heart surgery, began Sunday’s race by thanking his team for not giving up on him. He surged quickly through the field after starting 28th.
16. Regan Smith, No. 41 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Smith weathered an early pit road penalty and returned to the lead lap as the beneficiary of the free pass after Carl Edwards’ accident on Lap 195. Smith was running fourth with 17 laps to go and was among the leaders trying to hold out for a late-race caution during the long green-flag stretch.
17. Kasey Kahne, No. 5 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Kahne could seemingly run any line he wanted at Vegas on Sunday and spent the first half of the event racing inside the top five. His luck faded, though, on Lap 195 when he was traveling the high line and Carl Edwards forced him into the wall. | MORE: Kahne, Edwards clash in Kobalt 400
18. Jeff Gordon, No. 24 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Gordon, the Coors Light Pole Award winner, had to start from the rear of the field after being involved in an accident with Danica Patrick during final practice. The highs and lows continued for the veteran in his final Vegas race. He improved to crack the top 10 by Lap 143, but sustained critical damage to the nose of his car after bumping Jeb Burton 29 laps later. Burton was trying to avoid being collected when Jimmie Johnson blew a tire. | MORE: Tough day for Gordon in Las Vegas
19. Ryan Blaney, No. 21 Ford, Wood Brothers Racing. Blaney recovered from early issues to find speed late in the race and post his best result so far of the 2015 Sprint Cup Series season.
20. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Dillon improved 15 spots to crack the top 10 on Lap 75, but later was dealt a pit road penalty that impacted his team’s forward march.
21. Clint Bowyer, No. 15 Toyota, Michael Waltrip Racing. Rear grip was a problem for Bowyer in practice and on Sunday, he constantly reported a tight-handling race car. His team gambled on pit strategy by staying out during late-race, green-flag stops, but Bowyer ultimately had to stop to make it to the end.
22. David Ragan, No. 18 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Despite qualifying 13th, Ragan started from the rear of the field after slapping the wall during final practice. The team made consistent gains and ran steadily inside the top 25.
23. David Gilliland, No. 38 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Crew chief Donnie Wingo reminded Gilliland that Las Vegas had a history of getting looser as the race continued and encouraged Gilliland to use the driver-adjustable track bar feature.
24. Sam Hornish Jr., No. 9 Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports. Late-race gains improved the handling of the No. 9 Ford, and he held on to score his best result at LVMS since 2009.
25. Casey Mears, No. 13 Chevrolet, Germain Racing. Although handling was an ongoing issue, Mears’ top-25 result keeps him inside the top 10 of the points standings. He is ranked ninth going into next week at Phoenix International Raceway.
26. Aric Almirola, No. 43 Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports. Almirola ran as high as ninth on Sunday and raced inside the top 20 until he was clocked going too fast entering pit road at Lap 197.
27. Danica Patrick, No. 10 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Patrick’s team salvaged her starting spot after she was involved in a last-minute accident in final practice. She reported aero issues on Sunday, which she said made her car easy to turn sideways in traffic.
28. Trevor Bayne, No. 6 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing. Bayne struggled to find balance all race long in his Ford, which shifted from a tight- to loose-handling condition as the race unfolded.
29. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 17, Roush Fenway Racing. Stenhouse’s Vegas run was complicated after he made contact with the wall and then hit a loose tire on pit road. He worked with his team to persevere through the damage.
30. Michael McDowell, No. 95 Ford, Leavine Family Racing. McDowell narrowly avoided colliding with Michael Annett, when Annett lost the handle on his car around Lap 150. Still, McDowell held on to earn his best LVMS finish.
31. Justin Allgaier, No. 51 Chevrolet, HScott Motorsports. Allgaier struggled to make forward progress after being penalized three times throughout the race by the new pit road scoring system. | MORE: Allgaier’s car too light in post-race inspection
32. Cole Whitt, No. 35 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Although Whitt’s team struggled to find the right combination, he held on to achieve his best Las Vegas result.
33. Tony Stewart, No. 14 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. A steering box issue compounded initial handling woes for Stewart, who also was dealt an uncontrolled tire violation during a Lap 84 pit stop.
34. Josh Wise, No. 98 Ford, Phil Parsons Racing. Wise kept his nose clean during Sunday’s race and quietly steered the No. 98 machine to his best result at the 1.5-mile desert track.
35. Landon Cassill, No. 40 Chevrolet, Hillman Smith Motorsports. An early pit road violation wasn’t insurmountable for Cassill, who went on to post his best Vegas finish.
36. J.J. Yeley, No. 23 Toyota, BK Racing. Yeley finished 16th in Saturday’s NASCAR XFINITY Series race, but struggled to carry that momentum over into the Cup scene.
37. Brett Moffitt, No. 34 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Moffitt opened the race with promise after posting an eighth-place finish last weekend at the intermediate track of Atlanta Motor Speedway. He qualified 36th and struggled to make up much ground, ultimately brushing the wall as he concluded his first outing at Las Vegas.
38. Brendan Gaughan, No. 62 Chevrolet, Premium Motorsports. The only Las Vegas native in the race — given the absence of the Busch brothers — was clocked too fast entering pit road on Lap 76 during green flag stops.
39. Michael Annett, No. 46 Chevrolet, HScott Motorsports. Early in Sunday’s contest, Annett wiggled exiting Turn 4 and made hard contact with the wall. Tire smoke prompted him to make an unscheduled pit stop.
40. Jeb Burton, No. 26 Toyota, BK Racing. The lone Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate in the field, Burton slowed to avoid Jimmie Johnson‘s first incident when he received an inadvertent nudge from behind by veteran Jeff Gordon.
41. Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Johnson led 45 laps during the first half of Sunday’s race and appeared poised to contend for his fifth Las Vegas victory when tire issues arose. Two blown tires within 14 laps of one another sent Johnson to the garage at Lap 186. | MORE: Tire trouble ruins Johnson’s day at Vegas
42. Carl Edwards, No. 19 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Edwards’ promising run was cut short Sunday when his car slid up the track and made contact with Kahne. Edwards almost saved his car from a subsequent spin, but ultimately retreated to the garage with a busted oil cooler. | MORE: Edwards, Kahne clash at Las Vegas
43. Alex Bowman, No. 7 Chevrolet, Tommy Baldwin Racing. An engine issue on Lap 28 dashed Bowman’s hopes of continuing the momentum he started last week at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
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NASCAR Productions original gets two additional airings
Play: NASCAR Fantasy Live
NASCAR Productions and Spike TV joined forces to create a captivating and revealing documentary on the life of a legendary American sports hero — Dale Earnhardt.
The original film, "I AM DALE EARNHARDT," premiered on Monday, March 2 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Spike TV, and you can see it twice more.
On Sunday, March 15, you can catch it at 11 a.m. ET and again on Wednesday, March 18 at 11 p.m. ET.
With in-depth and insightful interviews with some of the biggest names in the sport, unforgettable highlights from Earnhardt’s greatest moments on the track, and rare footage of Earnhardt’s life off-the track, the film is an up-close-and-personal look at the man behind the iconic mustache.
"I AM DALE EARNHARDT" digs deep beyond the legend to reveal the complex figure at the core of "The Intimidator." He was an idol to millions, but a villain to others; a working man’s hero, but also a darling of Madison Avenue; a husband, father and friend, but also a solitary man who few really knew. His tragic death on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 sent shockwaves through the nation and immortalized him as one of the greatest stars NASCAR has ever known.
"I’ve got many fond memories of my dad, so being able to share some of those memories in a project such as this was a privilege," said Dale Earnhardt Jr. "This film captures everything about him — the dad, the racer, the businessman, the friend, the polarizing figure, everything. I think fans — even longtime Dale Earnhardt fans — will find themselves learning new things about my dad by watching this documentary."
Among those interviewed for the film include some of the biggest names in NASCAR such as Jimmie Johnson, Darrell Waltrip, Rusty Wallace, Jeff Gordon, Richard Childress, and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
"I AM DALE EARNHARDT" is the latest in Spike’s critically-acclaimed "I AM" documentary series. Past subjects include Bruce Lee, Steve McQueen and Evel Knievel.
Jeff Cvitkovic from NASCAR Productions directed and produced "I AM DALE EARNHARDT" for Spike TV. The Executive Producers for the documentary include Zane Stoddard and Tally Hair from NASCAR Productions and Gil Colon, Jon Slusser, and Kevin Kay from Spike TV.
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See what’s coming this week to NASCAR.com
Play: NASCAR Fantasy Live
Here’s what you’ll see on NASCAR.com this week:
MONDAY: Dale Earnhardt is off to one of the best starts to a season of his career, and he’s doing it with a new crew chief. Learn why he and Greg Ives have had a strong beginning. And find out why NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell is meeting with Jeff Gordon and Ryan Newman.
TUESDAY: Will Kevin Harvick‘s win at Las Vegas make him No. 1 in our Power Rankings? Plus our weekly video of the best sounds from the scanner.
WEDNESDAY: Check out the new paint schemes for this weekend’s action at Phoenix International Raceway.
THURSDAY: Who are the ones to watch for your NASCAR Fantasy Live and Streak to the Finish teams? Driver Reports breaks down the best at Phoenix.
FRIDAY: The "NASCAR Illustrated" weekly preview catches up with Phoenix native JJ Yeley. Also, we’ll give you the eight best NASCAR-related tweets of the week.
Also coming this week: From @nascarcasm — A new feature on the Facebook page of this week’s winner … senior writer Holly Cain has a story on Stewart-Haas Racing‘s struggles despite Harvick’s success … senior writer Kenny Bruce will preview and cover this week’s Sprint Cup Series test at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
O’Donnell invites drivers to R&D Center, awaits report on Kurt Busch’s progress
Play: NASCAR Fantasy Live
Jeff Gordon revealed last Friday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway that he plans to meet with NASCAR officials at the sanctioning body’s research and development center to discuss safety measures. As it turns out, NASCAR has already talked safety with another veteran driver, one who has an engineering degree on his resume.
RELATED: Gordon to meet with NASCAR
NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell said Monday that officials met with Ryan Newman last week to examine safety enhancements. The meeting comes ahead of a similar visit planned Tuesday with Gordon, the four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion in his last full season of competition.
O’Donnell said officials welcomed Newman "and walked him through the plans that the tracks are making, and it’s a very similar situation here where we talked to Jeff throughout the week. (Gordon) was interested in our plans and we invited him to the R&D Center. He’s a busy guy, but taking the time to meet with our staff there is a great opportunity for us to walk him through what plans are in place and get his feedback. We’ve certainly got a great deal of knowledge within the space, so we can lay out our plans and bounce those off of him, get his feedback and apply what we can from those learnings in the meeting."
Gordon made heavy contact with a concrete wall unprotected by a Steel and Foam Energy Reduction (SAFER) barrier system during the series’ second race of the year at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The crash renewed the call for expanded coverage with energy-absorbing walls, a measure that several tracks on the schedule have accommodated with short-term additions of tire barriers as well as plans for longer-term SAFER extensions.
"We’ll go from there, but it’s really just getting on the same page in terms of what’s planned from a safety standpoint at each of the tracks coming up," O’Donnell said, "and we’ll also talk to him about the new rules package, what he’s feeling in the car and get feedback from there."
O’Donnell also said that NASCAR officials expected to receive a report Monday on suspended driver Kurt Busch‘s progress toward potential reinstatement. Busch — suspended Feb. 20 after a Delaware family court’s findings were released, detailing the "preponderance of the evidence" indicated that he "committed an act of domestic violence" — applied for reinstatement Feb. 27, setting in motion an individually tailored program in consultation with an outside expert toward the ultimate goal of regaining his NASCAR competition license.
RELATED: Delaware AG won’t charge Busch
"Each case is unique and so there’s a specific plan spelled out for Kurt," O’Donnell said. "He signed on to that plan, and we expect to hear back actually today where he is on making progress there, so we’re eager to hear as well from the program that was laid out for Kurt and go from there."
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Goodyear portion to test 2016; open portion focused on ’15 package
Play: NASCAR Fantasy Live
Several NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams will be testing Wednesday at Charlotte Motor Speedway, one day after four teams are scheduled to hit the track to take part in a Goodyear tire test at the 1.5-mile track.
Tomorrow’s tire test will consist of drivers Kasey Kahne, Martin Truex Jr., Aric Almirola and J.J. Yeley.
Speedway officials are expecting more than one dozen teams to participate in Wednesday’s open portion of the session, including Kevin Harvick, the defending series champion and winner of Sunday’s Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The two-day effort is the third test of the season under NASCAR’s National Series Unified Testing policy. A Goodyear tire test was conducted Jan. 19 at Las Vegas and an open team test for all teams was held Feb. 26 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, one day before race weekend activities at AMS got underway.
A Goodyear test originally slated for Monday and Tuesday following last week’s Atlanta race was cancelled.
Under the new testing policy, private team testing is no longer allowed at any NASCAR-sanctioned or non-sanctioned venue.
The Charlotte tire test will consist of teams from Hendrick Motorsports (Kahne), Furniture Row Racing (Truex), Richard Petty Motorsports (Almirola) and BK Racing (Yeley)
"The tire test is really 2016-focused,” NASCAR’s Steve O’Donnell said Monday. "As you’ve heard some of the drivers say, the corner speeds are still not where we’d like them to be, so we want to bring the speeds down. This will be a package where we’re able to affect the aero, look at downforce and match that up with the tire."
O’Donnell, Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer for the sanctioning body, said the ultimate goal "is to slow some of the speeds in the corner, get the drivers off the gas a little bit and in talking with drivers and the industry, really enable them to open up some passing opportunities in the corners.
"That’s the goal and Goodyear is aligned with us, where we want to go, so we’ll get that feedback from the teams from the tire test, then see what happens when we have more teams out on the race tracks for the 2015 package at Charlotte on Wednesday as well.”
According to the ’15 testing policy, only one vehicle from each organization is allowed to participate in the open tests.
Also, if an organization participates in a tire test and open team test, it must be with the same team and driver. So Kahne would be the HMS representative for both days; teammates Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson or Dale Earnhardt Jr. would not be allowed to participate.
All teams were allowed to participate in the test prior to the Atlanta event since that track’s race was the first race using this year’s rules package for non-restrictor plate tracks.
Participation in non-Goodyear related tests is not mandatory.
Wednesday’s test is to help teams prepare for the upcoming NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and Coca-Cola 600 weekends at CMS; Tuesday’s Goodyear effort is focused on continuing development of a compatible tire for the 2016 rules package.
The sanctioning body and Goodyear, along with Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota officials, are already looking ahead to next year when it is expected that changes will be made to take additional downforce off the cars.
"We’ve analyzed where the ’16 aero package will put us in terms of … how much downforce do you lose, what does that mean to the performance of the car on the race track,” Pat Suhy, manager, NASCAR engineering and program management for Chevrolet, said.
Discussions about the best way to achieve those downforce changes and "put more mechanical grip in the tires" have been on-going, Suhy said.
"Until we get to a test where we really look at the ’16 package and have some proper tires … everything you do to model some performance of the car on the track, it’s only as good as the tire model. Until we get a handle on what the tires are going to be like, it’s going to be very hard to predict.”
Goodyear also has tire tests scheduled for: Richmond International Raceway, Kentucky Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Dover International Speedway, Darlington Raceway, Chicagoland Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Phoenix International Raceway and Auto Club Speedway for 2015.
Open team tests are scheduled for the following day at each of the tracks.
On-track testing at CMS is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. ET Wednesday and run through noon. After a break for lunch, testing will resume at 1 p.m. and end at 5 p.m.
Fans will be allowed to attend Wednesday’s portion of the two-day test. Gates will open at 9 a.m.
Here’s a complete look at the 2015 testing schedule:
| Date | Track | Type | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 19 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway | Goodyear | Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR); JTG Daugherty Racing (JTGD); Team Penske (TP); Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) |
| Feb. 26 | Atlanta Motor Speedway | Team | One car/one driver from any organization |
| March 10 | Charlotte Motor Speedway | Goodyear | Hendrick Motorsports (HMS); Furniture Row Racing (FRR); Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM); BK Racing (BK) |
| March 11 | Charlotte Motor Speedway | Team | One car/one driver from any organization |
| April 7 | Richmond International Raceway | Goodyear | SHR, JTGD, TP, JGR |
| April 8 | Richmond International Raceway | Team | One car/one driver from any organization |
| April 13-14 | Kentucky Speedway | Goodyear | RCR, CGR, RFR, MWR |
| April 15 | Kentucky Speedway | Team | One car/one driver from any organization |
| April 27-28 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Goodyear | HMS, FRR, RPM, BK |
| April 29 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Team | One car/one driver from any organization |
| May 11-12 | Dover International Speedway | Goodyear | SHR, JTGD, TP, JGR |
| May 13 | Dover International Speedway | Team | One car/one driver from any organization |
| June 9-10 | Darlington Raceway | Goodyear | RCR, CGR, RFR, MWR |
| June 11 | Darlington Raceway | Team | One car/one driver from any organization |
| July 13-14 | Chicagoland Speedway | Goodyear | HMS, FRR, RPM, BK |
| July 15 | Chicagoland Speedway | Team | One car/one driver from any organization |
| July 28-29 | Bristol Motor Speedway | Goodyear | SHR, JTGD, TP, JGR |
| July 30 | Bristol Motor Speedway | Team | One car/one driver from any organization |
| Aug. 24-25 | Homestead-Miami Speedway | Goodyear | RCR, CGR, RFR, MWR |
| Aug. 26 | Homestead-Miami Speedway | Team | One car/one driver from any organization |
| Sept. 14-15 | Kansas Speedway | Goodyear | HMS, FRR, RPM, BK |
| Sept. 16 | Kansas Speedway | Team | One car/one driver from any organization |
| Oct. 12-13 | Phoenix International Raceway | Goodyear | SHR, JTGD, TP, JGR |
| Oct. 14 | Phoenix International Raceway | Team | One car/one driver from any organization |
| Oct. 27-28 | Auto Club Speedway | Goodyear | RCR, CGR, RFR, MWR |
| Oct. 29 | Auto Club Speedway | Team | One car/one driver from any organization |
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A stats-based look ahead to the fourth race of the 2015 Sprint Cup season
Play: NASCAR Fantasy Live
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla – Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Arizona going into the CampingWorld.com 500 on March 15.
Greg Biffle (No. 16 Ortho Ford)
· Five top fives, eight top 10s
· Average finish of 13.8
· Driver Rating of 90.1, 10th-best
· 288 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
· 873 Green Flag Passes, third-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 125.818 mph, 12th-fastest
· 3,508 Laps in the Top 15 (55.5%), 11th-most
· 432 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), 10th-most
Carl Edwards (No. 19 Stanley Toyota)
· Two wins, seven top fives, 12 top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 12.2
· Average Running Position of 12.7, eighth-best
· Driver Rating of 99.2, fourth-best
· 368 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 126.048 mph, sixth-fastest
· 4,325 Laps in the Top 15 (68.5%), seventh-most
· 462 Quality Passes, seventh-most
Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet)
· Two wins, 12 top fives, 22 top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 11.0
· Average Running Position of 10.1, third-best
· Driver Rating of 100.5, third-best
· 250 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
· 786 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 126.021 mph, seventh-fastest
· 5,173 Laps in the Top 15 (81.9%), second-most
· 476 Quality Passes, fourth-most
Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota)
· One win, nine top fives, 10 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 11.0
· Average Running Position of 12.0, seventh-best
· Driver Rating of 96.6, sixth-best
· 241 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 125.959 mph, ninth-fastest
· 4,261 Laps in the Top 15 (70.9%), eighth-most
· 419 Quality Passes, 11th-most
Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Jimmy John’s/Budweiser Chevrolet)
· Six wins, nine top fives, 13 top 10s
· Average finish of 11.4
· Average Running Position of 9.8, second-best
· Driver Rating of 106.2, second-best
· 523 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 126.232 mph, third-fastest
· 4,958 Laps in the Top 15 (78.5%), fourth-most
· 452 Quality Passes, eighth-most
Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
· Four wins, 14 top fives, 18 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 7.7
· Series-best Average Running Position of 7.4
· Series-best Driver Rating of 114.0
· Series-high 609 Fastest Laps Run
· 796 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most
· Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 126.428 mph
· Series-high 5,403 Laps in the Top 15 (85.5%)
· 541 Quality Passes, third-most
Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Dollar General Toyota)
· One win, six top fives, 10 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 16.6
· Driver Rating of 87.9, 12th-best
· 178 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most
· 857 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 125.837 mph, 11th-fastest
· 3,924 Laps in the Top 15 (62.1%), 10th-most
· 471 Quality Passes, fifth-most
Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Alliance Truck Parts Ford)
· Four top fives, five top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 14.6
· Average Running Position of 14.0, 10th-best
· Driver Rating of 91.5, ninth-best
· 169 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 126.089 mph, fourth-fastest
Ryan Newman (No. 31 Quicken Loans Chevrolet)
· One win, eight top fives, 10 top 10s; four poles
· Average finish of 17.9
· Average Running Position of 15.0, 12th-best
· Driver Rating of 87.9, 11th-best
· 870 Green Flag Passes, fourth-most
· 4,258 Laps in the Top 15 (67.4%), ninth-most
· 569 Quality Passes, second-most
Tony Stewart (No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet)
· One win, eight top fives, 12 top 10s
· Average finish of 12.4
· Average Running Position of 11.1, fifth-best
· Driver Rating of 96.4, eighth-best
· 220 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
· 818 Green Flag Passes, 10th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 126.052 mph, fifth-fastest
· 4,359 Laps in the Top 15 (72.6%), sixth-most
· 465 Quality Passes, sixth-most
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2015 Top 16 at Phoenix International Raceway
|
Rank |
Driver |
Races |
Poles |
Wins |
Top Fives |
Top 10s |
DNFs |
Average Finish |
Driver Rating |
|
|
1 |
24 |
0 |
6 |
9 |
13 |
0 |
11.4 |
106.2 |
||
|
2 |
25 |
0 |
2 |
7 |
12 |
3 |
16.1 |
86.5 |
||
|
3 |
12 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
6 |
2 |
15.1 |
85.5 |
||
|
4 |
18 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
17.7 |
83.7 |
||
|
5 |
11 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
16.6 |
80.4 |
||
|
6 |
21 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
7 |
1 |
18.0 |
79.6 |
||
|
7 |
23 |
2 |
4 |
14 |
18 |
1 |
7.7 |
114.0 |
||
|
8 |
19 |
2 |
1 |
9 |
10 |
0 |
11.0 |
96.6 |
||
|
9 |
21 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
26.0 |
61.7 |
||
|
10 |
25 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
10 |
3 |
16.6 |
87.9 |
||
|
11 |
22 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
8 |
1 |
13.8 |
90.1 |
||
|
12 |
25 |
4 |
1 |
8 |
10 |
4 |
17.9 |
87.9 |
||
|
13 |
16 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
22.0 |
66.2 |
||
|
14 |
19 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
6 |
3 |
18.1 |
80.2 |
||
|
15 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
18.5 |
73.7 |
||
|
16 |
11 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
5 |
1 |
14.6 |
91.5 |
* – Based on last 20 races at Phoenix International Raceway (2005 – 2014).
Phoenix International Raceway Data
|
Season Race #: 4 of 36 (03-15-15) Track Size: 1-mile Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 10-11 degrees Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 8-9 degrees Banking/Frontstretch: 3 degrees Banking/Backstretch: 8-9 degrees Frontstretch Length: 1,179 feet Backstretch Length: 1,551 feet Race Length: 312 laps / 500 Kilometers Top 10 Driver Ratings at Phoenix Jimmie Johnson…………………… 114.0 Kevin Harvick………………………. 106.2 Jeff Gordon………………………… 100.5 Carl Edwards………………………… 99.2 Denny Hamlin……………………….. 96.6 Tony Stewart…………………………. 96.4 Brad Keselowski……………………. 91.5 Greg Biffle……………………………. 90.1 Ryan Newman……………………….. 87.9 Matt Kenseth………………………… 87.9 Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2014 races (20 total) among active drivers at Phoenix International Raceway. Qualifying/Race Data 2014 pole winner: Brad Keselowski, Ford 139.384 mph, 25.828 secs. 02-28-14 2014 race winner: Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet 109.229 mph, (02:51:23), 03-02-14 Track qualifying record: Denny Hamlin, Toyota 142.113 mph, 25.332 secs. 11-07-14 Track race record: Tony Stewart, Pontiac 118.132 mph, (2:38:28), 11-07-99 |
Phoenix International Raceway:
History
· Construction was completed in January 1964. The facility consisted of a one-mile oval and a 2.5-mile road course.
· Alan Kulwicki won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix on Nov. 6, 1988.
· The first spring race was held on April 23, 2005 and 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
o 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
o Tightened the turn radius of the dog-leg from 800 to 500 feet
o Implemented variable banking to ensure the immediate use of two racing grooves, including 10-11 degree banking between Turn 1 and Turn 2; 10-11 degree banking in the apex of the dog-leg; and 8-9 degree banking in Turn 4
Notebook
· There have been 37 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Phoenix International Raceway, one per season from 1988-2004 and two each season since.
· 196 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix; 143 in more than one.
· Mark Martin leads series in starts at Phoenix with 34; Jeff Gordon (second all-time) leads all active drivers with 32.
· Geoffrey Bodine won the first pole in 1988 at a speed of 123.203 mph (29.220 sec.).
· There have been 20 different Coors Light pole winners, led by Ryan Newman with four.
· Youngest Phoenix pole winner: Kyle Busch (4/22/06 – 20 years, 11 months, 20 days).
· Oldest Phoenix pole winner: Mark Martin (03/03/13 – 54 years, 1 month, 22 days).
· Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon and Carl Edwards are the only drivers to win consecutive poles. Newman won three straight (2002-04), Gordon won the fall of 2006 and the spring of 2007. Edwards won the fall of 2010 and spring of 2011.
· Denny Hamlin (November, 2005) and AJ Allmendinger (April, 2010) won their first career Coors Light poles at Phoenix International Raceway.
· There have been 23 different NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winners at Phoenix, eight have won more than once, led by Kevin Harvick, with six – (’06 spring race and Chase race, ’12 Chase race, ‘13 Chase race, ’14 spring race and Chase race).
· The eight drivers have won more than once at Phoenix: Kevin Harvick leads the series in wins with six followed by Jimmie Johnson (four), Davey Allison (two), Jeff Burton (two), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (two), Jeff Gordon (two) Carl Edwards (two) and Mark Martin (two).
· Of the eight drivers with multiple wins at Phoenix International Raceway, Mark Martin is the only driver to win in two different manufacturers: Ford (1993) and Chevrolet (2009).
· Five drivers have won consecutive races at Phoenix: Davey Allison (1991,1992); Jeff Burton (2000, 2001); Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2003, 2004); Kevin Harvick (swept 2006) and (2013 Chase race and swept 2014); Jimmie Johnson is the only one of the five to win three consecutive races (fall 2007, swept 2008).
· Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at Phoenix with nine, followed by Roush Fenway Racing with seven.
· Four of the 37 (10.8%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Phoenix have been won from the Coors Light pole: Jeff Gordon (spring 2007), Jimmie Johnson (fall 2008), Mark Martin (spring 2009) and Carl Edwards (fall 2010).
· Seven of the 37 (18.9%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Phoenix have been won from the front row: four from the pole and three from second-place.
· 18 of the 37 (48.6%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Phoenix have been won from a starting position inside the top 10.
· 19 of the 37 (51.3%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Phoenix have been won from a starting position outside the top 10.
· 3 of the 37 (8.1%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Phoenix have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.
· Jimmie Johnson leads the series in average finish at Phoenix with a 7.696; he is the only active driver with an average finish inside the top 10.
· Ricky Rudd won the 1995 race from the 29th-place starting position, the furthest back a race winner has started.
· Matt Kenseth won the 2002 race from the 28th-place starting position, the furthest back an active race winner has started.
· Three perfect Driver Ratings of 150.0 have been recorded at Phoenix, Kurt Busch in April of 2005 and Kevin Harvick in November of 2006 and November 2014.
· Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Phoenix International Raceway winner: Kyle Busch (11/13/2005 – 20 years, 6 months, 11 days).
· Oldest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Phoenix International Raceway winner: Mark Martin (04/18/2009 – 50 years, 3 months, 9 days).
· Mark Martin leads the series in runner-up finishes at Phoenix with five; followed by Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart with three each.
· Jimmie Johnson leads the series in top-five finishes at Phoenix with 14; followed by Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon with 12 each.
· Alan Kulwicki (11/6/1988) and Bobby Hamilton (10/27/1996) are the only two drivers to post their first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career win at Phoenix International Raceway.
· 21 of the 23 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers who have won at Phoenix participated in at least two or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Alan Kulwicki (11/6/1988) and Tony Stewart (11/7/1999) are the only two drivers to win at Phoenix in their first appearance.
· Jeff Gordon competed at Phoenix International Raceway 16 times before winning (4/21/2007); the longest span of any the 23 winners.
· Six drivers have made 10 or more attempts before their first win at Phoenix: Jeff Gordon (16), Ryan Newman (15), Kasey Kahne (14), Denny Hamlin (13), Carl Edwards (12) and Rusty Wallace (11).
· Jamie McMurray leads the series (active drivers) with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Phoenix without visiting Victory Lane with 23.
· Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Phoenix was the (4/10/2010) race won by Ryan Newman with a MOV of 0.13 seconds.
· Two drivers have won at Phoenix and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in the same season: Jimmie Johnson (2007, 2008 sweep and 2009); Dale Earnhardt (1990).
· Danica Patrick is the only female driver that has made a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start at Phoenix International Raceway.
|
Driver |
Starting Position |
Finishing Position |
Date |
|
32 |
22 |
11/9/2014 |
|
|
33 |
36 |
3/2/2014 |
|
|
32 |
33 |
11/10/2013 |
|
|
40 |
39 |
3/3/2013 |
|
|
37 |
17 |
11/11/2012 |
· Car numbers that have produced three or more Phoenix wins:
Car Number – Drivers – (Years)
o No. 48 – Jimmie Johnson (2007, 2008 sweep and 2009)
o No. 99 – Carl Edwards (2010 and 2013) and Jeff Burton (2000, 2001)
o No. 29 – Kevin Harvick (2006 sweep, 2012 and 2013)
o No. 5 – Mark Martin (2009), Kyle Busch (2005) and Terry Labonte (1994)
o No. 4 – Kevin Harvick (2014 sweep) and Kasey Kahne (2011)
NASCAR in Arizona
· There have been 42 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races among three tracks in Arizona.
|
Track Name |
City |
NSCS |
|
Avondale |
37 |
|
|
Arizona State Fairgrounds |
Phoenix |
4 |
|
Tucson Rodeo Grounds |
Tucson |
1 |
· 32 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Arizona.
· None of the drivers from Arizona have won a race in NASCAR’s three national series.
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Fourth-place finish gives Earnhardt three straight top-four finishes to start ’14
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LAS VEGAS — It all looks so easy, so effortless, when Dale Earnhardt Jr. and that No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet glide around the race track, snapping up the competition and soaring toward the front of the pack.
Trust crew chief Greg Ives on this: It’s not so simple.
"It’s been a lot of damn hard work," Ives said while walking through the garage following Sunday’s Kobalt 400, pausing to autograph a No. 88 hat. "We work hard. Everybody on the team does. Dale, me, the guys at the shop, the engineers, all those guys. They make it seem easy, but it’s not."
If that’s the case, they’re likely fooling a lot of folks.
Once again, the No. 88 came off the hauler fast, this time in sun-splashed Las Vegas. Once again, it kept that speed on race day. Junior finished fourth Sunday, and it’s his third consecutive top-five to start the year.
It’s the second consecutive year in which Earnhardt’s group has notched that achievement, but this year’s mark was set under the backdrop of change.
Ives is just one piece of a rebuilt No. 88 puzzle as Junior’s first-year crew chief — the over-the-wall crew has three new members, too, yet there hasn’t been a dip in either car speed or stops on pit road.
"I think we were first, second, second (to start the season last year), so we have to step it up a little bit," Junior said with a laugh. "No, Hendrick, overall, has great speed and the engine department is doing awesome. We’re having fun."
Clearly. The veteran has been at-ease this entire season, and for the second year in a row at Las Vegas was pleased with a late-race gamble.
Last year, it was a fuel strategy call that had Junior leading on the last lap, only to go dry on the final circuit and finish second. This year it was a two-tire call on the final round of green-flag pit stops, one that put him first when pit stops had cycled through.
The dominant No. 4 Chevrolet of Kevin Harvick eventually caught and passed Junior, and Earnhardt wound up finishing fourth — he was second at the time of the late pit stop. Still, it was the spirit in which that decision was made and not the subsequent loss of two spots that had Earnhardt excited.
"We didn’t put lefts (tires) on it; made it a gamble," he said. "I like to gamble. I liked the call. I love being aggressive. We weren’t going to drive up there and pass that No. 4. So, we had to take a chance. Second, fifth, fourth, whatever; it really don’t matter if you don’t win."
Wins may be coming soon, though, especially as Earnhardt continues to learn about his ability to adjust the track bar mid-race. After not finding it useful early on this season, he came out even more strongly in favor of it Sunday, making the self-adjusting track bar just another new thing that seems to work for this group.
"We’ve been running the track bar pretty much even the whole race, and at the end there I had it down three inches on right side trying to save my butt," he said. "Maybe it was worn-out lefts, I don’t know. The left side (tires) is new and a little softer compound maybe we just took it a little bit too far."
Maybe, but as his late-race gamble shows, this group would rather take it a little too far than play it conservatively. They have the speed and the skill; it’s those types of decisions, though, that often mean the difference between challenging for a win and, well, not.
"This year, our cars are racing up there," Earnhardt said. "So, we think we’ve got the cars better than we had last year. But I want to win. We’re going to get there."
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Younger sibling followed champion crew chief into NASCAR, makes a name for himself
Play: NASCAR Fantasy Live
Editor’s note: In this first-person account, Leavine Family Racing team hauler driver Willie Evernham writes about his career in racing and his trip from Concord, North Carolina to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Kobalt 400.
Racing has always been a part of my family’s life, even while growing up in Red Bank, New Jersey. My uncle used to take my older brother, Ray (Evernham, famed NASCAR crew chief and NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee), and I to the local short and dirt tracks growing up. This sparked our interest in the sport, so when Ray was 18 and I was 15, we got our first car. Three years later, we were racing locally and in the newly reopened IROC series in Trenton, New Jersey.
While competing, Ray and I met a bunch of people who work in the Sprint Cup garage now, like Wally and Gary Rogers. In fact, many people involved in NASCAR, like Les Richter, were involved in IROC at the time. I tried driving cars for a while but just didn’t have the right frame of mind for it. I was more into the fun side of racing, so I started working in maintenance and eventually was building the transmissions for the cars. Ray had a job at IROC as well. It basically just happened for us. We didn’t plan it. We just took the jobs because we thought it was cool to get paid to work on race cars.
A couple of years later, Ray had moved down to North Carolina to work in NASCAR. I joined him once I realized that you could only go so far in the IROC Series. I then started with Derrike Cope and Jay Frye at MB2 Motorsports. I moved around after that, learning as many different things as I could. Sometimes racing can be trying, but it’s something that I’ve always liked to do. It’s what I know. I’ve tried to work other normal jobs, and it just wasn’t meant to be.

This year is my 31st year in the racing industry, and sometimes the pressure just gets to you, and you need to take a step back to better yourself. So when the Leavine Family Racing opportunity came along, it just seemed like everything fell into place. I’m really glad to be here. What Bob and Sharon Leavine (team owners) are doing is really good. They are building a great race team that will last for years by building a good foundation first, just like you would do when building a house.
Making the trip from Atlanta to Las Vegas was a little stressful. As a hauler driver, you try to think of situations and think, "OK, if this happens, what can I do now?" It’s part of my responsibility to make sure the team has everything they need out at the track so they can concentrate on the car, so I’m always working hard to make everyone’s life easier.

After we got back to the shop from Atlanta, I stayed up to boot up the generator, fuel up the truck and unload everything I could so that when the guys got to the shop, all we had to do was unload the car. Then on Tuesday, my secondary driver and I left the shop and hit the road to Vegas. The route got a little rough in Texas when we started hitting snow, and I was worried we wouldn’t make it in time for the hauler parade on Thursday night, but everything worked out. We ended up traveling most of the way with two other haulers, which made me feel better just in case anything were to happen to one of us. The hauler guys are really like a big family, always radioing over to make sure you are OK if they see you out on the road.
During the race on Sunday, I tried to get a little bit ahead again by preloading everything I could back into the truck. I also helped out the team by grabbing anything they needed off the truck or helping hand off fuel cans and tires to the pit crew. When we had about 50 laps left, I headed back to hauler to try to get the bottom completely loaded so that all the team and I had to do was load the car in. There’s a test in Charlotte on Wednesday we are trying to make, so we needed to leave as soon as we could. There always seems to be something coming down the road!
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No. 78 Furniture Row driver starts the year off with two top-10 finishes
Play: NASCAR Fantasy Live
LAS VEGAS — Martin Truex Jr. was all smiles after climbing out of his car on Las Vegas Motor Speedway pit road, his runner-up finish in the No. 78 Furniture Row Chevrolet his best in two seasons with the team. And as happy as he was, you got the feeling Truex wasn’t satisfied. He still wanted more.
"I’ve finished second a lot in my career," Truex said, with a grin. "But this feels good and it’s better than third … or 30th."
And the very fact Truex is shooting higher than a runner-up effort shows how far this single-car team has come in a year.
Truex’ debut with the Furniture Row Racing Team included winning the outside pole for the 2014 Daytona 500 but he finished last in the race and it proved a harbinger of things to come. He scored five top-10s but had 11 finishes of 25th or worse and led only one lap on the season after contending for a Chase bid a year earlier with Michael Waltrip Racing.
This year he started 10th and finished eighth in the Daytona 500 and answered that last week at Atlanta with a sixth-place finish. His runner-up at Las Vegas equals a runner-up finish in the non-points paying Sprint Unlimited race at Daytona in February and he also finished fifth in his Daytona 500 qualifying race.
And Truex is fourth in the Sprint Cup Series championship standings, only five points behind Daytona 500 winner Joey Logano entering next week’s race in Phoenix.
Truex could only shake his head when asked to describe the difference between the start of 2015 and the disappointment of 2014.
"You can’t describe it," he said. "When things aren’t going good, you have to just keep on going and going, and working and working harder.
"It’s no different than what Sherry was going through. You find out what people are made of when they’re down," Truex said, referring to his longtime girlfriend Sherry Pollex, who has undergone treatment for ovarian cancer in the past year.
"After seeing all that and being a part of that, its was like, a bad year in the race car, that’s nothing.
Caring for Pollex through her difficult treatment and watching her will to persevere and strength to overcome has affected Truex greatly and inspired him mightily.
It has given him a new perspective and re-defined what it means to "never give up."
"When you get a glimpse of something that could possibly change your life like that in a bad way, it makes you look at things a lot differently," Truex said. "Suddenly those bad days at the race track weren’t so bad. Suddenly they were okay and I knew that if we just kept working hard, we could get through it all and certainly I feel like we have now.
"But we’re going to continue to work hard and try to get to that next level. We want to win races. We have got a great team. We have got good equipment right now and it’s important when you’re in those positions to try to take advantage of that."
Truex was quick to credit some major offseason changes for the early season results. He has a new crew chief, Cole Pearn, and says the team’s technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing is maturing and paying off, as is simply having a year under his belt with the FRR team.
Third-place finisher Ryan Newman, a RCR driver and sixth-place finisher, JTG Daugherty Racing driver A.J. Allmendinger are part of that RCR alliance.
"Just getting more experience together, getting more confidence in each other and really just having a better game plan going into the season is a big part of the reason why the cars are running better and all the teams seem to be running closer together," Truex said.
Asked if the rules changes to the cars may have played a role in his reversal of fortune and lent itself more to his driving style, Truex said it was simpler than that.
"I attribute it to knowing what we were doing wrong last year and fixing it over the winter time and coming out of the box kind of understanding what we’re doing.
"The biggest thing I was proud of today or took way from it was we were off a little bit at the beginning of the race and worked on it all day long, continued to get better and at the end of the day we were the best we’ve been all day."
He continued, "That’s what you like to see out of your team; you like to finish strong.
"Got a lot of momentum on our side right now and hopefully we can keep building on that, build some more momentum and hopefully we are able to catch that 4-car (Sunday’s race winner and points leader Kevin Harvick) in a couple weeks."
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