‘New’ Phoenix Suggests Multitude of Potential Winners
Last year’s repaving and reconfiguration consigned most of Phoenix International Raceway’s record book to the dusty pages of history. The racing definitely has changed – especially taking March’s event into consideration. A Phoenix-record 15 different drivers took turns leading the 312-lap event won by Denny Hamlin. Kasey Kahne captured last fall’s AdvoCare 500, the first run on the new surface.

That said Phoenix has produced seven consecutive different winners. Johnson is one of them. He won the track’s Chase race in three consecutive championship seasons – 2007-09 – and counts four victories overall. He was fourth in March. Keselowski’s fifth-place finish in March’s SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500 was his first Phoenix top five, although his “near miss” at Texas – a track where Keselowski previously had no top 10s – suggests he’ll be a contender for the victory this week as well. Bowyer finished 30th in March, his second race in the No. 15 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota.