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Four-tire pit stop saddled veteran, who started from the pole

AVONDALE, Ariz. — He was fastest in final practice, and fastest in qualifying. But when the racing began at Phoenix International Raceway, Mark Martin simply couldn’t overcome a lack of track position.

The pole sitter for Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at the 1-mile facility wasn’t a factor at the end, rolling home 21st as Carl Edwards snapped his 70-race winless skid. The class of the field all weekend, Martin led the first 49 laps but repeatedly found himself buried back in traffic, and the last time he just couldn’t drive himself out of it.

“We learned a few things, and we’ll try to apply them next time,” the Michael Waltrip Racing driver said. “Obviously, it’s a disappointing result for a great effort on the weekend. The car was pretty fast, but we had multiple problems.”

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In the garage area, crew chief Rodney Childers was watching his No. 55 car being torn down, and beating himself up at the same time. The hurdles for Martin began early, when he was forced to pit for a loose wheel and found himself trapped a lap down after Dave Blaney hit the wall to bring out a caution. Martin received the free pass and led another 26 laps by staying out when the other leaders pitted, but his stint out front would prove only temporary.

After the second of two consecutive cautions brought out by Ryan Newman hitting the wall, Childers called for a four-tire stop — and almost immediately second-guessed it over the radio. Martin’s car was a bullet in clean air, but like many others it struggled back in the pack. He restarted 16th, and was never a factor again.

“Made a good call and got back in the lead, and then made a bad call and got us back there in the mess,” Childers lamented. “Just couldn’t do anything. One bad call, and you’re stuck.”

Martin was third-fastest in opening practice Friday, and after claiming the pole was the quickest driver in both practices Saturday. He practiced his car for just 22 minutes in Saturday’s final session before parking it, telling Childers the vehicle was as good as it was going to be.

“We felt good about our car,” Childers said. “Normally you go into a practice, and you try this and try that. You think, that’s a little better, that’s a little worse. Mark and I talked about it, and he said, ‘No matter what you do, it’s going to be worse. Nothing you do we’re going to change to start the race, so what’s the point?’ Once we got into the race, it was good, but it was the same for everybody. Nobody could really move forward. The 2 car (of Brad Keselowski) was about it. You just needed to be the leader and restart on the front row and check out.”

Martin was able to do that early, but not after he was bogged down in traffic. Scott Miller, vice president for competition at MWR, said being atop the speed charts on the first two days of the weekend doesn’t always guarantee the same success in the race.

“Sometimes that translates, but you can’t count any chickens before they hatch,” he said. “You’ve seen that with competitors and have it not go as planned in the race. It’s better to be fast in practice and sit on the pole. We’ll take that every time. But to feel confident that will translate over into the race is a little bit of a stretch.”

Martin wasn’t the only MWR driver to struggle Sunday — Martin Truex Jr. broke a rear-end gear in what Miller termed an isolated issue. In fairness, overcast and cooler conditions Sunday did make the track different from the hot, slick layout teams had prepared on for much of the weekend. In the garage area after the race, Childers said the No. 55 team had some work to do to make their car better in traffic.

But in the end, the crew chief always returned to a familiar refrain.

“Very seldom does the fastest car ever win,” Childers said. “You can look at it a lot of different ways, but the only reason we didn’t finish in the top five was because we took four tires when we should have taken two. That’s all there is to it. Nothing we can do about it now.”

READ MORE:

READ: Carl Edwards
ends losing streak

READ: Phoenix a different
story for Danica

WATCH: Bowyer hits
pit crew member

WATCH: Edwards returns
to Victory Lane

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Edwards makes huge jump; Johnson stays No. 1

1. Jimmie Johnson (No. 48)

Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet

Where he stands: Johnson leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings with 90 points.
Last week: In the Subway Fresh Fit 500, Johnson finished second place after winning the season-opening Daytona 500. The driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet SS dueled with Brad Keselowski late in the race, then trailed only eventual race-winner Carl Edwards at the start of a green-white-checkered finish. While Johnson and Keselowski tangled on the final lap, Denny Hamlin dipped way down onto the apron to pass the two, but Johnson stayed in his outside lane and inched past Hamlin at the start/finish line to take runner-up status.
This week: In 11 career starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Johnson has four wins, five top fives and six top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Las Vegas, Johnson ranks third out of 62 drivers with an average place of 10.4.
Last year: Johnson had one of the fastest cars leading up to the 2012 race, then watched it get destroyed during the final practice session. No matter. Relegated to the back of the field and in his back-up car, Johnson was in the top five within 75 laps (out of 267) and finished second.
What he said: “I didn’t think Carl (Edwards) followed restart protocol and slowed us down before we took off. But, outside of that, it was pretty much a perfect day.”

2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88)

Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet

Where he stands: Earnhardt Jr. is second in the standings with 82 points. He is eight points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and zero points ahead of third-place Brad Keselowski.
Last week: In the Subway Fresh Fit 500, Earnhardt Jr. led the third-most laps of the race (47) and was in contention for the win. In a final surge of pit stops, Earnhardt got hung up in traffic, which allowed Edwards to beat him onto the track in first place — a spot he never relinquished. Junior managed to save his fuel during a caution (although he lost a spot in the process for failing to maintain speed) before a green-white-checkered finish and finished fifth.
This week: In 13 career starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Earnhardt has two top fives and six top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Las Vegas, Earnhardt ranks 14th out of 62 drivers with an average place of 15.9.
Last year: On the pole, Earnhardt led for the first 43 laps, and then again for an additional 27 laps early in the race. An on-track incident with Mark Martin, though, both annoyed and slowed the No. 88 driver, who finished 10th.
What he said: “Well, I hate to be frustrated at Phoenix, but I think we are. We had a real good car. We feel like we could have finished better than fifth, maybe won the race."

3. Brad Keselowski (No. 2)

Penske Racing, Ford 

Where he stands: Keselowski is third in the standings with 82 points. He is eight points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is 10 points ahead of fourth-place Denny Hamlin.
Last week: In the Subway Fresh Fit 500, Brad Keselowski and crew chief Paul Wolfe won a fuel gamble to finish fourth for the second consecutive race. Keselowski led for 16 late laps and battled Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin in the final lap before settling for fourth. The 2012 champion said his car ran out of gas as he crossed the start/finish line under the checkered flag.
This week: In four career starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Keselowski’s best finish is 26th. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Las Vegas, Keselowski ranks 34th out of 62 drivers with an average place of 25.9.
Last year: Keselowski’s hard-luck history at Las Vegas didn’t get a respite in 2012. The No. 2 driver was in position for not only his best-ever Vegas finish, but to challenge for a win. Running second with less than 40 laps to go, Keselowski was forced to take his car to the garage early with a fuel cell issue. He finished 32nd.
What he said: “I was running side-by-side with Jimmie (Johnson) and Denny (Hamlin), it was a good battle to the end. Those guys fought hard and we fought hard and there was a lot of desire. It’s early in the season, but I feel like there’s a lot of passion and that’s a good thing.”

4. Denny Hamlin (No. 11)

Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota 

Where he stands: Hamlin is fourth in the standings with 72 points. He is 18 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and zero points ahead of fifth-place Clint Bowyer.
Last week: In the Subway Fresh Fit 500, Hamlin went through the ringer to earn a third-place finish. After qualifying eighth, Hamlin and team decided to change the engine on the No. 11 Toyota Camry, sending Hamlin to the back of the field for the second consecutive week. Much like he did at the Daytona 500, Hamlin slowly worked his way through traffic and got into the top 10 late in the race. A daring move — dipping way down onto the apron during the final lap — gave Hamlin enough momentum to claim his third consecutive top-five finish at Phoenix.
This week: In seven career starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Hamlin has one top five and four top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Las Vegas, Hamlin ranks 16th out of 62 drivers with an average place of 17.4.
Last year: Hamlin’s success at Vegas came early in his Cup career. The last four years have been middling, with a seventh-place finish in 2011 the highlight. He’s finished 19th or worse the past four races, including last year’s 20th-place effort.
What he said: “We overachieved a ton. We really just had good pit strategy. The pit crew picked up spots here and there, and you end up on the right lane here or there on each restart and you find yourself in the top 10 and then in the top five at the end."

5. Clint Bowyer (No. 15)

Michael Waltrip Racing, Toyota 

Where he stands: Bowyer is fifth in the standings with 72 points. He is 18 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is six points ahead of sixth-place Greg Biffle.
Last week: In the Subway Fresh Fit 500, Bowyer overcame a miscommunication on an early pit stop — in which he almost ran over a crew member — to finish in sixth place. Bowyer’s No. 15 was one of three Toyotas to finish in the top seven.
This week: In seven career starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Bowyer has one top five and three top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Las Vegas, Bowyer ranks 19th out of 63 drivers with an average place of 18.8.
Last year: Bowyer’s car was fine in Vegas last year, but finishing sixth place was more due to a critical pit-road decision. With a caution flag waved on Lap 228 (of 267 laps), Bowyer was one of just a handful of cars to stay out on the track. That bumped him up from around 15th place to the top three, and he stayed in the lead pack for the remaining 39 laps.
What he said: "After everything that happened, it was a decent day. We got up there and got position. I thought we were going to have at
least a top-five car."

6. Greg Biffle (No. 16)

Roush Fenway Racing, Ford 

Where he stands: Biffle is sixth in the standings with 66 points. He is 24 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is one point ahead of seventh-place Mark Martin.
Last week: In the Subway Fresh Fit 500, Biffle finished 17th after searching for speed all day. The driver of the No. 16 Ford led 39 laps, but was not in contention for a top-10 spot as the race lengthened.
This week: In nine career starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Biffle has two top fives, six top 10s and one pole. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Las Vegas, Biffle ranks second out of 62 drivers with an average place of 9.7.
Last year: Biffle’s superb — and consistent — start to the 2012 season continued in Las Vegas last year. The No. 16 driver finished the third race of the season in third place — his third consecutive week finishing No. 3. Biffle, who stayed in the top 10 all day, also took command of first place in the points standings.

7. Mark Martin (No. 55)

Michael Waltrip Racing, Toyota 

Where he stands: Martin is seventh in the standings with 65 points. He is 25 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is five points ahead of eighth-place Jeff Gordon.
Last week: In the Subway Fresh Fit 500, Martin appeared to be in position to challenge for the win. He was on the pole and topped the practice speed charts on Saturday. Despite that — and leading 75 laps — the 54-year-old veteran faded after a strong start and was never in contention over the last half of the race. He finished 21st.
This week: In 15 career starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Martin has one win, six top fives and 10 top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Las Vegas, Martin ranks 10th out of 62 drivers with an average place of 14.7.
Last year: Martin started 13th and was in the top 10 by Lap 75. The veteran, though, wouldn’t yield his track position when a barreling Dale Earnhardt Jr. tried to breeze by up top. Martin, who was at a slower speed, drifted toward the top of the track and was put into the wall, a move for which Earnhardt later apologized. That sent Martin back, and he finished 18th.
What he said: "We learned a few things and we’ll try to apply them next time. Obviously, it’s a disappointing result for a great effort on the weekend. The car was pretty fast, but we had multiple problems today."

8. Jeff Gordon (No. 24)

Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet 

Where he stands: Gordon is eighth in the standings with 60 points. He is 30 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and zero points ahead of ninth-place Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Last week: In the Subway Fresh Fit 500, Gordon was one of three Hendrick Motorsports drivers to finish in the top 10. His ninth-place finish showed consistency after a frustrating run at the Daytona 500 a week prior.
This week: In 15 career starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Gordon has one win, six top fives and seven top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Las Vegas, Gordon ranks first out of 62 drivers with an average place of 9.1.
Last year: Gordon recovered from a handling problem on his No. 24 Chevrolet to finish 16th. The veteran had slipped to 26th at one point before coming to pit road under green conditions on Lap 119. Adjustments made there allowed Gordon to eventually get back on the lead lap.
What he said: “Sometimes the cautions fall your way and sometimes they don’t. (Sunday), most of them didn’t, but we had a couple there at the end that did. That got us a little bit of that track position back.”

9. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (No. 17)

Roush Fenway Racing, Ford 

Where he stands: Stenhouse Jr. is ninth in the standings with 60 points. He is 30 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and zero points ahead of 10th-place Aric Almirola.
Last week: In the Subway Fresh fit 500, Stenhouse Jr. salvaged a 16th-place finish. The Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate ran in the top three early in the afternoon.
This week: Stenhouse Jr. has no starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
What he said: “You have to look at the positives and learn from the things we need to make better, but for the second weekend together I think we’re definitely heading in the right direction.”

10. Aric Almirola (No. 43)

Richard Petty Motorsports, Ford 

Where he stands: Almirola is 10th in the standings with 60 points. He is 30 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is one point ahead of 11th-place Carl Edwards.
Last week: In the season-opening Subway Fresh Fit 500, Richard Petty Motorsports brought back the Petty Blue. And for a while, Aric Almirola drove like The King, at least early in the race when he was running in the top five. The driver of the No. 43 Ford finished 15th, his second consecutive solid showing to the season.
This week: In four career starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Almirola’s best finish is 24th in 2012. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Las Vegas, Almirola ranks 56th out of 62 drivers with an average place of 33.7.
Last year: Almirola’s tough luck at Vegas continued in 2012. He qualified 27th, never got out of the 20s during the race and finished in 24th place, one lap down.
What he said: “We had a solid top-10 car, but track position was so important. We know that, but it seemed like whatever you could get in the first three or four laps was really important because then it got so hard to pass.”

11. Carl Edwards (No. 99)

Roush Fenway Racing, Ford 

Where he stands: Edwards is 11th in the standings with 59 points. He is 31 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is seven points ahead of 12th-place Marcos Ambrose. He is one point out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Subway Fresh Fit 500, Edwards put the perils of Daytona behind him, breaking a 70-race winless streak in the process. The driver of the No. 99 Ford wrecked multiple cars last week, but his dominance wasn’t in doubt in Phoenix. After leading 122 laps, and pulling away on a couple of late restarts, Edwards cruised to the start/finish line — and showed off his signature backflip.
This week: In eight career starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Edwards has two wins, three top fives and four top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Las Vegas, Edwards ranks sixth out of 62 drivers with an average place of 12.0.
Last year: After winning at Vegas in 2011, Edwards continued his strong racing in 2012 with a fifth-place finish. He started 21st but steadily moved up, saving his best for last with a furious final few laps to crack the top five.
What he said: “I was really worried about Jimmie (Johnson) and Brad (Keselowski) and all those guys behind me. It’s just so cool to win this race. I can’t tell you how cool this is. I love Phoenix. This is a blast.”

12. Marcos Ambrose (No. 9)

Richard Petty Motorsports, Ford 

Where he stands: Ambrose is 12th in the standings with 52 points. He is 38 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is two points ahead of 13th-place J.J. Yeley. He is eight points out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Subway Fresh Fit 500, Ambrose recorded his second consecutive 18th-place finish to start the season, but he managed to move up five places in the standings.
This week: In four career starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Ambrose has one top five and one top 10. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Las Vegas, Ambrose ranks 18th out of 62 drivers with an average place of 18.5.
Last year: Ambrose and his team rallied last season, making a number of changes on his No. 9 Ford that set up a 13th-place finish. Ambrose was troubled by his rear grip throughout the race, necessitating a few long-than-usual pit stops. After not pitting on the final caution of the race, Ambrose passed five cars on the final three laps.
What he said: "We just never had the track position to really help us. Our car was better at the end, but it was so hard to pass."

13. J.J. Yeley (No. 10)

Tommy Baldwin Racing, Chevrolet 

Where he stands: Yeley is 13th in the standings with 50 points. He is 40 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is one point ahead of 14th-place Bobby Labonte. He is 10 points out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Subway Fresh Fit 500, Yeley started 27th and stayed around the same place all afternoon. He finished 28th, one lap down.
This week: In five career starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Yeley’s best finish is 17th place in 2006. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Las Vegas, Yeley ranks 40th out of 62 drivers with an average place of 27.9.
Last year: Vegas hasn’t been too kind to J.J. Yeley, a fact reinforced last year when he finished 43rd.
What he said: "Racing at Phoenix is always a special time for me — seeing family and friends, it means a lot to me to be here. It was a tough day for the Accell Construction team, we are ready to head to Las Vegas and keep fighting."

14. Bobby Labonte (No. 47)

JTD Daugherty Racing, Toyota 

Where he stands: Labonte is 14th in the standings with 49 points. He is 41 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is one point ahead of 15th-place Jeff Burton. He is 11 points out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Subway Fresh Fit 500, Labonte finished 24th after starting 33rd.
This week: In 15 career starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Labonte has four top fives, five top 10s and two poles. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Las Vegas, Labonte ranks 32nd out of 62 drivers with an average place of 24.7.
Last year: Labonte, along with Jeff Gordon, has the most experience at Vegas among his fellow Cup drivers, having driven all 15 races at the track. Labonte finished 26th last season.
What he said: "It seemed like we never really identified anything that made a big difference for some reason. We could not get a handle on it."

15. Jeff Burton (No. 31)

Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet 

Where he stands: Burton is 15th in the standings with 48 points. He is 42 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and zero points ahead of 16th-place David Reutimann. He is 12 points out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Subway Fresh Fit 500, Burton showed he’s more than a restrictor-plate racer. The 45-year-old veteran had his first top 10 of the season Sunday, finishing 10th. He was one of the week’s biggest movers, going up 13 spots in the standings. This week: In 15 career starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Burton has two wins, five top fives and eight top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Las Vegas, Burton ranks eighth out of 62 drivers with an average place of 12.7.
Last year: Burton ended the 2012 race on an uptick. He moved up eight spaces in the in the final 27 laps, going from 22nd to 14th, which is where he finished.
What he said: “Over the last 60 or so laps we consistently had the fastest car in the field. It was great to top it off with a top-10 finish.”

16. David Reutimann (No. 83)

BK Racing, Toyota 

Where he stands: Reutimann is 16th in the standings with 48 points. He is 42 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and zero points ahead of 17th-place Paul Menard. He is 12 points out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Subway Fresh Fit 500, veteran Reutimann finished in the middle of a pack of veteran drivers who stayed toward the rear. Reutimann finished in 25th place in his No. 83 Toyota.
This week: In five career starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Reutimann has one top five and one top 10. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Las Vegas, Reutimann ranks 27th out of 62 drivers with an average place of 23.4.
Last year: Reutimann qualified — and finished — 31st, six laps down.

17. Paul Menard (No. 27)

Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet 

Where he stands: Menard is 17th in the standings with 48 points. He is 42 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is two points ahead of 18th-place Matt Kenseth. He is 12 points out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Subway Fresh Fit 500, Menard continued his consistent start to the season. After a 21st-place finish last week, Menard finished 20th at Phoenix.
This week: In six career starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Menard has one top 10. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Las Vegas, Menard ranks 24th out of 62 drivers with an average place of 20.1.
Last year: Menard’s best outing in Vegas was last season when he finished seventh in the Kobalt Tools 400. The No. 27 driver qualified 26th, but quickly moved into the top 10 and stayed there.
What he said: "We struggled throughout the race to find the right setup for the Serta/Menards Chevrolet, but we were never able to get exactly what we needed."

18. Matt Kenseth (No. 20)

Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota 

Where he stands: Kenseth is 18th in the standings with 46 points. He is 44 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is one point ahead of 19th-place Casey Mears. He is 14 points out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Subway Fresh Fit 500, and for the second consecutive week, Kenseth had one of the best cars in the field. His engine held up this time, though. Although he didn’t lead a lap, Kenseth was in the lead pack most of the day and finished seventh with no problems one week after his engine blew up at the Daytona 500.
This week: In 13 career starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Kenseth has two wins, five top fives, six top 10s and one pole. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Las Vegas, Kenseth ranks 11th out of 63 drivers with an average place of 15.4.
Last year: Matt Kenseth’s outstanding day soured at the end, resulting in a disappointing 22nd-place finish. Kenseth led 21 laps, but he was passed by then-teammate Carl Edwards on a restart with four laps to go. In the process, Edwards made it three-wide, and Kenseth would wreck.
What he said: "After Daytona last weekend and this week too — I thought we had, maybe not the
best car, but one of the best cars."

19. Casey Mears (No. 13)

Germain Racing, Ford  

Where he stands: Mears is 19th in the standings with 45 points. He is 45 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and is one point ahead of 20th-place Ryan Newman. He is 15 points out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Subway Fresh Fit 500, Casey Mears was the first of five consecutive middle-of-the-pack Fords to cross the start/finish line. He finished 14th, the third best showing of the day for the manufacturer.
This week: In nine career starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Mears has three top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Las Vegas, Mears ranks 32nd out of 62 drivers with an average place of 27.8.
Last year: Mears qualified 13th, but slipped down the standings and finished 27th.
What he said: “It was a good rebound. The guys worked really, really hard on Friday night and we definitely had a much better piece starting on Saturday."

20. Ryan Newman (No. 39)

Stewart-Haas Racing, Chevrolet 

Where he stands: Newman is 20th in the standings with 44 points. He is 46 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson zero points ahead of 21st-place Joey Logano. He is 16 points out of 10th place.
Last week: In the Subway Fresh Fit 500, Ryan Newman seemed pleased with his car and started 10th. The good feelings didn’t last. Newman completed 137 laps before exiting the field after a single-car wreck, finishing 40th. He tumbled 15 spots in the standings.
This week: In 12 career starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Newman has three top fives, six top 10s and one pole. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Las Vegas, Newman ranks 12th out of 62 drivers with an average place of 15.6.
Last year: Newman tied for his best-ever finish in Vegas, and did so with a crafty final lap. The No. 39 driver was in eighth place after driving past the white flag, but managed to maneuver his way up to fourth in the final standings. It was his second consecutive top-five finish at the track.
What he said: “We blew a right front, and I wasn’t real sure why. I don’t know if we melted a bead or what it was, but that set the stage for blowing the right front the second time."

Five in the rearview mirror …

Danica Patrick (No. 10)

Stewart-Haas Racing, Chevrolet 

Where she stands: Patrick is 22nd in the standings with 42 points.
Last week: In the Subway Fresh Fit 500, Patrick was in a bad position at the start — the very start. A shaky car in qualifying relegated the No. 10 Chevrolet to a 40th-place starting position on the grid. Patrick worked her way up into the 20s, but any hopes of continuing her ascent were dashed when she was claimed on a Lap 184 wreck. Patrick finished 39th.
This week: Patrick has no starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Tony Stewart (No. 14)

Stewart-Haas Racing, Chevrolet 

Where he stands: Stewart is 23rd in the standings with 39 points.
Last week: Stewart recovered from his opening-week disappointment at Daytona — he was sent to the garage early after being involved in a wreck — to place eighth at Phoenix. ‘Smoke’ ran in the top 10 all afternoon.
This week: In 14 career starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Stewart has one win, six top fives and nine top 10s. He is the defending race champion. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Las Vegas, Stewart ranks fourth out of 62 drivers with an average place of 10.8.

Kevin Harvick (No. 29)

Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet 

Where he stands: Harvick is 30th in the standings with 33 points.
Last week: Harvick settled into the race pace early at Phoenix, although he did cede ground late and finished 13th.
This week: In 12 career starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Harvick has three top fives and four top 10s. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Las Vegas, Harvick ranks seventh out of 62 drivers with an average place of 12.2.

Kasey Kahne (No. 5)

Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet 

Where he stands: Kahne is 31st in the standings with 33 points.
Last week: In the Subway Fresh Fit 500, Kahne was in position to challenge for the win, or at least a top-five spot. The driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet was in the top five early in the race and appeared to have one of the fastest cards in the field. But he steadily dropped back before finishing 19th.
This week: In nine career starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Kahne has two top fives, four top 10s and three poles. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Las Vegas, Kahne ranks 13th out of 62 drivers with an average place of 15.8.

Kyle Busch (No. 18)

Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota 

Where he stands: Busch is 33rd in the standings with 31 points.
Last week: In the Subway Fresh Fit 500, Busch was considered one of the race favorites, especially after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Saturday night. Busch moved to the rear of the field after being forced to replace an engine, though. He started to work his way through the field before spinning out midway through the race. He wasn’t able to regain his momentum and finished 23rd.
This week: In nine career starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Busch has one win, three top fives, four top 10s and two poles. For point-paying races in the past eight years at Las Vegas, Busch ranks fifth out of 62 drivers with an average place of 10.9.

READ MORE:

READ: Carl Edwards
ends losing streak

READ: Phoenix a different
story for Danica

WATCH: Bowyer hits
pit crew member

WATCH: Edwards returns
to Victory Lane



___________________________________________________________________________________________

We apologize. We are having technical issues with our comment sections and fan community and it is temporarily unavailable. We are actively working on these issues and hope to have it up and running soon. We are also working on enhancements to provide a better forum for our fans. We appreciate your patience and apologize for the inconvenience.

Posted on by Nascar

PIR doesn’t offer great insight into Gen-6 capabilities; Las Vegas looks to showcase the new addition more

AVONDALE, Ariz. –- Track position was crucial during Sunday’s Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Speedway, but not many folks in the garage seemed to be surprised by that fact.

While NASCAR’s Generation-6 car has been touted as a much more competitive piece, and more likely to promote side-by-side completion, the finicky 1-mile PIR layout has been something of a riddle for a number of teams since it was repaved in 2011.

Steve Letarte, crew chief for runner-up Dale Earnhardt Jr., said afterward that it might be well into the season before the true gains of the new car becomes evident on the race track.

"This is an unusual place. Next week should be a better judgment. Las Vegas will be a little different."

—Richard Childress

“Because it’s like a new job,” Letarte said. “If you want to form an opinion in the first week or two, I don’t think you’re really going to know what you have. … Absolutely, what you saw (at Phoenix) was a product of this race track. It’s raced that way since they repaved it. That’s just the way it works.”

There were 12 lead changes among nine drivers during the 316-lap event, which was extended four laps by a late caution flag. Besides debuting a new car on the track, teams also were dealing with a new tire, one that was developed following a tire test at the track in late October of last year.

“The cars were a lot looser than anyone I think anticipated,” said team owner Richard Childress. “With this much spoiler on them, we thought they’d be a little tighter, but it wasn’t just us. A lot of cars were really loose. Track position meant a whole lot.

“This is an unusual place. Next week should be a better judgment. Las Vegas will be a little different.”

Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosts the next stop for the Sprint Cup Series, the Kobalt Tools 400 scheduled for March 10.

Series director John Darby said it’s “fair” to say that it is difficult to make a judgment off a single race, but from his vantage point, one difference in this year’s event was the closeness of the field up front.

“What we didn’t see … was the leader break out and get 7-8-9 seconds out in front of anybody, any of the leaders,” he said. “It was maybe a second, something like that.

“What I look at are things like early on the 5 car (of Kasey Kahne) was good on the top of the race track. He was making a lot of passes outside. The other thing … was the ability for somebody to come out of a round of pit stops for example, maybe be in that seventh-, eighth-, ninth-place position and still be able to drive back to the front. (Brad) Keselowski did it a couple of times. The 20 (of Matt Kenseth) did it all day long. The 48 (of Jimmie Johnson) did it. There were a lot of different cars that, even after the pit stops and not being the first guy off of pit road, were able to make their way back to the front.”

Such instances, Darby said, indicate that the changes are to be moving in the right direction. As teams continue to work with the new car, and get a better handle on how it reacts to the various adjustments in setups, competition should improve.

“I agree that you cannot make a judgment off of one race,” he said, “but what I know is I didn’t see anything today that I didn’t like.”

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Here’s the entry list for the Sam’s Town 300 at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:

Entry Veh. # Driver Manufacturer Sponsor
1 00 Jason White Toyota Headrush
2 01 Mike Wallace Chevrolet TBA
3 2 Brian Scott Chevrolet White Tail
4 3 Austin Dillon Chevrolet AdvoCare
5 4 Danny Efland Chevrolet TBA
6 5 Brad Sweet Chevrolet Great Clips
7 6 Trevor Bayne Ford World Financial Group
8 7 Regan Smith Chevrolet Fire Alarm Services
9 8 Scott Lagasse Jr. Chevrolet HybridLight / Boy Scouts of America
10 10 Jeff Green Toyota TriStar Motorsports / Plaza Hotel & Casino
11 11 Elliott Sadler Toyota One Main Financial
12 12 Sam Hornish Jr. Ford Wurth
13 14 Eric McClure Toyota Hefty / Reynolds Wrap
14 15 Juan Carlos Blum # Ford Western Bakery
15 19 Mike Bliss Toyota TriStar Motorsports / Plaza Hotel & Casino
16 20 Brian Vickers Toyota Dollar General
17 21 Brendan Gaughan (i) Chevrolet South Point
18 22 Brad Keselowski (i) Ford Discount Tire
19 23 Robert Richardson Jr. Chevrolet NTX Pipe-Golden Gate Casino
20 24 Blake Koch Toyota I am Second-Salt Life-Support Military
21 30 Nelson Piquet Jr. # Chevrolet Worx
22 31 Justin Allgaier Chevrolet Brandt
23 32 Kyle Larson # Chevrolet Clear Men Shampoo
24 33 Ty Dillon (i) Chevrolet WESCO
25 40 Josh Wise Chevrolet e-Swisher
26 42 JJ Yeley (i) Chevrolet Curtis Key Plumbing
27 43 Reed Sorenson Ford Pilot
28 44 Hal Martin # Toyota American Custom Yachts / Plaza Hotel & Casino
29 46 Chase Miller Chevrolet Curtis Key Plumbing
30 51 Charles Lewandoski Chevrolet TBD
31 52 Joey Gase Chevrolet TBA
32 54 Kyle Busch (i) Toyota Monster Energy
33 55 Jamie Dick Chevrolet Viva Auto Group
34 60 Travis Pastrana Ford Roush Fenway Racing
35 70 Johanna Long Chevrolet Foretravel
36 74 Mike Harmon Chevrolet MHR
37 77 Parker Kligerman Toyota Toyota
38 79 Jeffrey Earnhardt # Ford Uponor/reload.biz
39 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota AM/FM Energy Wood & Pellet Stoves
40 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (i) Chevrolet TaxSlayer.com
41 92 Dexter Stacey # Ford Maddie’s Place
42 98 Kevin Swindell Chevrolet Carroll Shelby Motors
43 99 Alex Bowman # Toyota TBA

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Here’s the entry list for the Kobalt Tools 400 at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Entry Veh. # Driver Manufacturer Sponsor
1 1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet SS McDonald’s
2 2 Brad Keselowski Ford Fusion Miller Lite
3 5 Kasey Kahne Chevrolet SS Farmers Insurance
4 7 Dave Blaney Chevrolet SS Sany
5 9 Marcos Ambrose Ford Fusion Stanley
6 10 Danica Patrick # Chevrolet SS GoDaddy.com
7 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota Camry FedEx Office
8 13 Casey Mears Ford Fusion No. 13 GEICO Ford Fusion
9 14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet SS Mobil 1 Racing/Bass Pro Shops
10 15 Clint Bowyer Toyota Camry 5 Hour Energy
11 16 Greg Biffle Ford Fusion American Red Cross
12 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. # Ford Fusion Zest
13 18 Kyle Busch Toyota Camry M&M’s
14 19 Mike Bliss (i) Toyota Camry Plinker Tactical / Stratosphere Hotel, Casino & Tower
15 20 Matt Kenseth Toyota Camry Dollar General
16 21 Trevor Bayne (i) Ford Fusion Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center
17 22 Joey Logano Ford Fusion Shell Pennzoil
18 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet SS Drive to End Hunger
19 27 Paul Menard Chevrolet SS Menards / Schrock
20 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet SS Rheem
21 30 David Stremme Toyota Camry Swan Racing
22 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet SS Caterpillar
23 32 Ken Schrader Ford Fusion FEDERATED AUTO PARTS
24 33 Landon Cassill Chevrolet SS TBA
25 34 David Ragan Ford Fusion TBA
26 35 Josh Wise(i) Ford Fusion MDS Transport
27 36 JJ Yeley Chevrolet SS Accell Construction
28 38 David Gilliland Ford Fusion Long John Silver’s
29 39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet SS Quicken Loans
30 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Chevrolet SS AXE APOLLO
31 43 Aric Almirola Ford Fusion Farmland
32 47 Bobby Labonte Toyota Camry Kingsford
33 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet SS Lowe’s / Kobalt Tools
34 51 Austin Dillon Chevrolet SS TAG HEUER
35 55 Mark Martin Toyota Camry Aaron’s Dream Machine
36 56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota Camry NAPA Auto Parts
37 78 Kurt Busch Chevrolet SS Furniture Row Racing
38 83 David Reutimann Toyota Camry Burger King-Dr. Pepper
39 87 Joe Nemechek (i) Toyota Camry Maddie’s Place Rocks.com
40 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet SS AMP Energy Orange
41 93 Travis Kvapil Toyota Camry Burger King-Dr.Pepper
42 95 Scott Speed Ford Fusion TBD
43 98 Michael McDowell Ford Fusion Ambient Edge HVAC
44 99 Carl Edwards Ford Fusion Aflac

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Early damage hampers Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch

AVONDALE, Ariz. — Denny Hamlin leaned against his race car on pit road, staring up at the big screen at Phoenix International Raceway. He was watching the replay of a move he had made only moments earlier, a bold dive to the bottom of the race track on the final lap Sunday that fittingly capped his drive from the rear of the field.

Hamlin’s No. 11 car bombed low — way low — through the dogleg the final time around the 1-mile facility, allowing him to pass Brad Keselowski for third place and come within a fender of beating Jimmie Johnson for second. Carl Edwards may have won the race, but no driver made up more ground in Phoenix than Hamlin, who started at the back because of a post-qualifying engine change yet still managed to be a factor at the end.

“We didn’t pass that many guys, we just had good pit strategy,” Hamlin said. “We just did all the right things as far as strategy and tires, and the pit crew made up spots every time we got on pit road. When you don’t have a good car, that’s what you have to do to get a good finish, and that’s what we got.”

Hamlin wasn’t the only Joe Gibbs Racing driver forced to work his way up through the field Sunday. Teammate Kyle Busch also had to vacate his starting position because of an engine change, and also had to start at the rear. But Busch spun while challenging Edwards for 14th place on lap 48, damaging the front end of the No. 18 car and losing a lap while on pit road undergoing repairs.

“It looked like Kyle was out there just joyriding, but after the race he said he was pushing real hard to get by the 99 (car of Edwards),” said Dave Rogers, Busch’s crew chief. “I thought we were a little bit better than the 99, and they went on to win the race.”

MORE: View full results from the race

"We didn’t pass that many guys, we just had good pit strategy."

— Denny Hamlin

In the end, it was Hamlin among the JGR drivers who challenged for the victory, but not before driving up through the field. Hamlin qualified eighth, but the engine in his No. 11 car broke a valve spring after the starting field was set, forcing a change under the hood and a move to the rear. Though Hamlin made the charge look easy, it was anything but, according to crew chief Darian Grubb, who used strategy to make up for shortcomings with the car.

“It was tougher than we thought,” Grubb said. “We really played the strategy well, and were able to pick up four, five spots each time we were able to play the strategy. But it was tougher than we thought it was going to be. We thought our car was a little better than it was, and we had to work on it all day. Sometimes that actually limited how far we could actually go on the strategy calls. But overall, a great day.”

And a great ending, as Hamlin dove low through the backstretch dogleg, looking for a moment as if he would vault from fourth to first. He actually passed Johnson for second, but had to hit the brakes and slow his momentum entering Turn 3, allowing the five-time champion to nudge back ahead. Up on the pit box, Grubb didn’t see it — he only heard the spotter calling that his car was three-wide and on the bottom.

“Then I saw the replay and realized we were 50 yards on the bottom,” Grubb said, laughing. “That was pretty impressive. I’ve really proud of Denny for going out there, after the day and the weekend we had, and him fighting as hard as he had to get that position. … We’ll take that after the weekend we had.”

Hamlin said he started plotting the move after he saw Keselowski and Johnson side-by-side for second. “I knew it was going to be interesting, at least for that lap, because Brad was driving so hard,” he said. “Eventually he was going to slide up, and he knew he was going to slide up, and he did and opened the door for me.”

Johnson said his spotter let him know the No. 11 car was coming. In his rearview mirror, he had an eyeful of the black and orange Toyota. “We all rolled in there without wrecking,” said Johnson, who barely hung on to second. “ When I first heard that we were three-wide, I was pretty concerned that I wasn’t going to have a clean lane to race in.”

Busch, meanwhile, was back in the pack. The earlier accident set off a string of events that made it difficult for the No. 18 car to climb back into contention: the vehicle’s splitter was dragging the ground, so crew had to raise the whole car up to get it clear of the asphalt, which, in turn, compromised its aerodynamic properties and grip. Meanwhile Busch struggled to get back on the lead lap, not receiving the free pass until after David Gilliland’s accident with just 79 laps remaining.

"I just tried to get too much too early,” Busch said. “We came from the back and had worked out way up through there, but our car was really loose, especially in traffic. I came up on Carl getting into (Turn) 2, and it just came around on me. We just kept fighting for the lucky dog and finally got it there, but it was too late to get back up toward the front."

 “We just hurt the car so bad,” added Rogers, whose vehicle was one of the fastest in practice and qualified fourth at Phoenix, but wound up 23rd in the race. “… Once we got on the lead lap we started making up spots and thought we were OK, but we lost all of our grip. You can live on tire grip for a while, but you need that downforce. But we killed the downforce by raising the car up.”

That much was evident when Busch nearly wiggled up into the wall again while decelerating to avoid the slowing car of his brother Kurt.

Kyle Busch had to start in the rear because a spring was replaced improperly in his engine, which caused something in the valve train to break after it was restarted on Sunday morning. It was the fourth terminal failure involving Toyota Racing Development engines in the first two weeks of this season, including a pair of breakdowns — one each for Busch and teammate Matt Kenseth — in the Daytona 500.

Sunday, TRD senior vice president David Wilson said none of those issues were related, and that the company was working to restore confidence at JGR and Michael Waltrip Racing, which both use their product. After the race, Hamlin said that will come only with time.

“Until we run a whole weekend and not have problems, it will be a concern,” he said. “But it doesn’t alter how we approach every weekend. We’re going to drive the cars as hard as we can, because that’s what we’re supposed to do to win. We can’t try to make up for what we don’t have as far as reliability.”

Grubb added that he had no qualms about the engine used in Hamlin’s car Sunday, and will go into next weekend’s event at the high-speed Las Vegas Motor Speedway with the same confidence as always.

“They’re working really closely with us. Anytime we have an issue, we all dig into it to try and figure out what’s going on,” he said. “Luckily, nothing that they’ve had have really been recurring issues. Everything seems a little bit different. So we’re trying to dissect it just as much as they are, and help them out. We don’t know if we’re doing things wrong as a team individually, or if it’s the engine parts and pieces. We’re just trying to work together on all that, and we’ll go into next week with as much confidence as we’ve had all along. That’s what we have to do.”

READ MORE:

READ: Carl Edwards
ends losing streak

READ: Phoenix a different
story for Danica

WATCH: Bowyer hits
pit crew member

WATCH: Edwards returns
to Victory Lane

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Toyota teams scramble to address rash of early trouble

AVONDALE, Ariz. — For Toyota Racing Development, the work began well before the start of Sunday’s event at Phoenix International Raceway. TRD officials spent the morning reassuring its drivers and team owners after a spate of engine failures that have plagued the manufacturer in the first two weeks of the NASCAR season.

The issues continued Sunday, when the engine was changed in Kyle Busch’s car, forcing the second-row starter to drop to the rear at the green flag. That came after an engine change in the vehicle of Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin, which required him to also move to the back. And it all follows a Daytona 500 in which Busch and stablemate Matt Kenseth wound up in the garage early due to engine failures.

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“This is a very emotionally charged situation that we find ourselves in,” David Wilson, senior vice president at TRD, said Sunday morning. “… The part that’s difficult is the timing of this. Ultimately it becomes a psychological challenge to keep everyone focused and confident. The bottom line is, we need to get some success under our belt, and go out there and win today, and that will start the healing process. In the meantime, on the engineering side, we’re working on this 24/7.”

The issue is clearly frustrating to JGR drivers who have been bitten by part failures before. “We’ve got to have engines that last,” Busch said in the aftermath of his engine failure last week at Daytona. After learning that Busch also had to change engines at Phoenix, Hamlin tweeted a succinct message Sunday: “Sigh … Unreal.”

Wilson said TRD officials met with JGR and Michael Waltrip Racing ownership on Sunday morning to explain the recent engines failures, after doing the same Friday with crew chiefs on Toyota cars. The two problems at Phoenix, he added, proved unrelated — Hamlin’s engine broke a valve spring just 61 laps into the life of the motor, while Busch’s was the victim of a spring that was replaced incorrectly.

Regarding Hamlin’s problem, “All indications are, it was just a fluke,” Wilson said. “It’s probably an imperfection in the wire, in the spring, that we’ll find once we dig into it once we get back to the shop.”

In effort to improve reliability, Wilson said the springs in TRD engines are changed the night before a race. One of those was replaced incorrectly in Busch’s Phoenix engine, which cause something to snap in the drive train when it was restarted on Sunday morning.

“Human error,” Wilson said. “So there wasn’t anything wrong with the 18 motor. It was just again, in a course of getting it back together … that human error was made, and it caused a failure once the engine was restarted.”

Those failures are different, Wilson said, from the ones that plagued the TRD engines a week ago at Daytona. Busch’s was a valve train problem that was also seen in the Toyota cars of MWR’s Martin Truex Jr. and Swan Racing’s Michael Waltrip, though those latter two issues were not terminal. Kenseth’s engine suffered what Wilson termed a bottom-end problem. “It was something we hadn’t seen before,” he said. “I think we’re confident that we have that handled.”

Wilson said the Daytona failures occurred in engines that are configured specifically for restrictor-plate tracks, and are different from those used at more traditional venues. “We have to take Daytona and put it off on its own island compared to what we’re dealing with this weekend,” he added. “We have no cause to believe there’s a connection, there’s a thread there. It’s the timing that leads you to lump them all in — well, Toyota’s in big trouble.”

JGR has borne the brunt of these early-season engine problems, and has battled other quality-control issues in recent years. But Wilson was adamant that the recent spate of failures rested with Toyota, and not any specific organization.

“I know the way this is getting labeled is as JGR-specific,” he said. “… There’s no bearing between JGR and MWR. We build exactly the same pieces for each of them. It’s a purely random coincidence. As to TRD, these are our responsibilities. Whether it’s a part failure or not, we take responsibility for those.”

It’s clearly a trying issue for a manufacturer that otherwise has shown plenty of performance — Kenseth was the driver to beat at Daytona before his problem, Busch has been speedy in each of the first two weekends, and MWR’s Mark Martin has been the class of Phoenix to this point. And next weekend looms the first intermediate-track event at a fast Las Vegas track that’s capable of taxing engines under any circumstances.

“Emotionally, this is hard,” Wilson said. “And psychologically, what we’re dealing with now is an issue of confidence with our teams, drivers and crew chiefs because of the timing of these incidents. It’s easy to lump this together and say, Toyota has a problem. There’s no cause for concern from strictly an engineering perspective that we have going to Vegas next week. We look forward to going to Vegas. We’ve done a lot of work. You can see by looking at the timing and scoring sheets of any practice and qualifying, we’ve got enough performance. What we don’t clearly have is enough margin in safety, and that’s where our focus is.”

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Johnson’s Nationwide Phoenix plans geared toward long-term Chase aspirations

AVONDALE, Ariz. — You’d think Jimmie Johnson would walk into Phoenix International Raceway feeling bulletproof. The five-time NASCAR champion is coming off a Daytona 500 that ranks among the most significant race victories of his career, and into a 1-mile track where he’s won four times. And yet, in preparation for this event his focus was not on triumphs — but on shortcomings in the event here last fall.

Not the blown tire that effectively wrecked his chances of a sixth championship on the Sprint Cup Series, but the way the No. 48 car performed before that — which perhaps led Johnson to ask more of the vehicle than it was prepared to give. Since the reconfiguration of this track in 2011, Johnson has suffered through two uncharacteristically poor finishes here, the latter a crash-induced 32nd-place result that all but sewed up Brad Keselowski’s first title. It all led Johnson to take the atypical step of signing up for Saturday’s Nationwide Series race in addition to the main event, where he finished 12th after battling a loose car.

Nationwide starts are a rarity for Johnson, who has only made 20 since his full-time Sprint Cup career began, and just one (at Watkins Glen International in 2011) in the previous three seasons. During his five-year championship stretch, he built his dominance by focusing almost exclusively on Sprint Cup events, and the historic results led some other drivers to follow suit. So for Johnson to step over to the Nationwide tour, there has to be a logic behind it — which is certainly the case at Phoenix.

"The way the Chase is settled anymore, you don’t need top-10s. You need top-fives and wins."

— Jimmie Johnson

“It’s tough to get laps on this track,” Johnson said. “We considered coming out and testing, but with the tire change and with them changing the testing policy for Cup, it just wasn’t going to work for a couple of reasons. The next best thing was to run the Nationwide Series race. I have no clue what I’m going to learn from those cars to carry over, but reps on the track can’t hurt, and ultimately that’s what I think I need.”

NASCAR has amended its limited testing policy to allow teams four tests per organization at sanctioned venues, but for Hendrick Motorsports, far-off Phoenix isn’t on the schedule. Johnson had a 12-race stretch where he never finished worse than seventh here, and success at Phoenix — which is the penultimate race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup — was a cornerstone of his championship reign. So it’s easy to see why this specific venue is so important to him personally, and why he’s trying anything he can to recapture the magic he once had here.

“The tracks in the Chase, we’re very strong at. We feel like with the testing policy that is in place now, we can prepare for some of the other tracks that are within the Chase if we want. We have that flexibility. But what we couldn’t do is test here,” Johnson said.

“All four teams have to go, and then the tire has to have raced at that track before, before you can go. We couldn’t come before. Then our teammates didn’t think this track was all that important to test at, so my only way to get more experience, and to try to get a better handle on this track is to run the (Nationwide) car. That’s really the bottom line. I’m still trying to learn the two cars, and figure out what can carry over from one to the other, because they are pretty different. I’m not sure I will figure it all out this weekend, but my first time on the track in the Cup car, I knew we were better off than we’ve been here in a long time. It should be a good week for us.”

Early indications are positive, given that Johnson backed up his Daytona 500 triumph by qualifying third for Sunday’s event. On Saturday, he drove a No. 5 car fielded by JR Motorsports, which is co-owned by his Hendrick teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Johnson is coming off a grueling week, having visited eight states in the publicity blitz that followed his Daytona victory, but didn’t regret signing up for the additional seat time this weekend at Phoenix.

He’s not sure how much will translate, given that the Sprint Cup division moved this year to the more brand-identifiable Generation-6 cars. But as usually the case with Johnson, the big picture is always in sight. Not even all the champagne and confetti sprayed in the aftermath of his Daytona triumph can obscure that.

“The track here is so different than what it was before,” Johnson said. “I just need to do something to try and improve this track. We were probably going to run top-10 if I didn’t blow a tire (last fall), but the way the Chase is settled anymore, you don’t need top-10s. You need top-fives and wins. We need to make sure we are covering our bases, and we are ready for the race this fall.”

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