The Final Lap – NASCAR News, Radio, Podcast

1 13 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Office Toyota
2 8 29 Kevin Harvick Rheem Chevrolet
3 7 16 Greg Biffle 3MWraps.com Ford
4 4 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s / Kobalt Tools Chevrolet
5 28 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Dodge
6 12 18 Kyle Busch M&M’s Brown Toyota
7 25 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Filters Toyota
8 30 24 Jeff Gordon Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet
9 1 55 Mark Martin Aaron’s Toyota
10 9 20 Joey Logano The Home Depot Toyota

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RACE RECAP | PHOENIX
10 Joey Logano
9 Mark Martin (pole sitter)
8 Jeff Gordon
7 Martin Truex Jr.
6 Kyle Busch
5 Brad Keselowski
4 Jimmie Johnson
3 Greg Biffle
2 Kevin Harvick

VICTORY LANE

1 Denny Hamlin takes home his 18th career win, first at Phoenix, with the help of his new crew chief Darian Grubb. Oh and by the way, is now the points leader.

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March 3, 2012

By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service

AVONDALE, Ariz. — Elliott Sadler got some well-deserved payback at Phoenix International Raceway.

At the one-mile venue where a wreck in Turn 3 effectively knocked him out of the NASCAR Nationwide Series championship last November, Sadler took the lead with 25 laps left in the Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 and held off hard-charging Brad Keselowski for the win.

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Hornish wins at Phoenix; Leffler KO’s Sadler’s title hopes

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(November 12, 2011)

AVONDALE, Ariz.—Sam Hornish Jr. cruised to his first Nationwide Series victory Saturday as Elliott Sadler’s championship hopes crumbled behind him.

Taking the lead after a two-tire stop on Lap 131 put him on the front row, Hornish held off teammate Brad Keselowski to win the Wypall 200 at Phoenix International Raceway.

Note: Sam Hornish’s first career IndyCar victory also came at PIR.

Carl Edwards ran third, followed by Joey Logano and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who all but locked up his first series championship with one race left.

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CLICK FOR SPRING 2012

1 17 Matt Kenseth Crown Royal Ford 26.258 137.101
2 43 A J Allmendinger WIX Filters Ford 26.384 136.446
3 9 Marcos Ambrose DeWalt Ford 26.411 136.307
4 5 Mark Martin GoDaddy.com Chevrolet 26.455 136.080
5 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota 26.455 136.080
6 1 Jamie McMurray McDonald’s Chevrolet 26.469 136.008
7 00 David Reutimann TUMS Toyota 26.473 135.988
8 14 Tony Stewart Mobil 1 / Office Depot Chevrolet 26.488 135.911

THE FINAL LAP PRE-RACE PODCAST – PHOENIX

9 99 Carl Edwards Aflac Ford 26.529 135.701
10 4 Kasey Kahne Red Bull Toyota 26.534 135.675

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The Kobalt Tools 500 will showcase the second to last race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup on the newly repaved and reconfigured one-mile oval at Phoenix International Raceway. To prepare the new surface, PIR has implemented a month-long program to groom the track. One of the techniques that is being utilized is an advanced tire dragging machine that will focus on enhancing the upper groove of the race track by applying rubber into the surface. Track officials are pleased with the early results and are confident that the grooming will produce excellent results in advance of the race teams arrival for the Kobalt Tools 500.

Day Two: NASCAR Test At Phoenix International Raceway
Final Preparations For The Fall Chase Weekend At Phoenix Officially In The Books

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. (Oct. 5, 2011) — On-track preparations for the 2011 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup weekend at Phoenix International Raceway are officially complete as teams concluded a two-day test session on Wednesday.

This second day of testing hosted 35 teams on the newly repaved and reconfigured one-mile oval. There were a variety of reactions to the new track, but change seems to be the one constant that drivers have seen to the 47-year-old facility.

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New Asphalt, New Configuration And A New Notebook for Teams At Phoenix
2011) — Among the grocery list of items needed to repave a one-mile race track located just outside of Phoenix: 23,000 tons of asphalt, 7,000 cubic yards of concrete and 600 pounds of rebar. Combine all of that, and you have cars on the race track in Arizona, and the first opportunity for a full-scale NASCAR Sprint Cup Series test on the newly repaved Phoenix International Raceway.

Testing on the repaved and reconfigured one-mile Phoenix oval kicked off Tuesday, the first of a two-day NASCAR Sprint Cup Series test session. This was the first opportunity for most teams to test the new track surface following the five-driver Goodyear tire test in late August.

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