News

on

Nov. 10, 2012

By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service

AVONDALE, Ariz. — Joey Logano smoked the field, while Elliott Sadler’s title dreams went up in smoke.

Logano, the polesitter, dominated Saturday’s Great Clips 200 Nationwide Series race at Phoenix International Raceway, beating new Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Brian Vickers to the finish line to win for the ninth time in 21 starts this season, the first time at PIR and the 18th time in his career.

Sadler’s wreck forced the race to a green-white-checkered-flag finish and extended the length of the race from the scheduled 200 laps to 204.

Defending NNS champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. ran third and opened his lead in the series standings to 20 points over Sadler, whose late crash led to a 22nd-place finish.

Continue reading “Joey Logano Dominates Phoenix Nationwide Race, Sadler Falters”

on

1 18 Joey Logano(i) GameStop / Epic Mickey2 Toyota 27.145 132.621
2 54 Kyle Busch(i) Monster Energy Toyota 27.181 132.445
3 3 Austin Dillon # AdvoCare Chevrolet 27.219 132.261
4 12 Sam Hornish Jr. Alliance Truck Parts Dodge 27.263 132.047
5 20 Brian Vickers(i) Dollar General Toyota 27.266 132.033
6 22 Brad Keselowski(i) Discount Tire Dodge 27.275 131.989
7 38 Kasey Kahne(i) Great Clips Chevrolet 27.305 131.844
8 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Valvoline NextGen Ford 27.340 131.675

THE FINAL LAP WEEKLY – PHOENIX PREVIEW FEATURING JEFF GORDON

9 30 Jason Leffler(i) FOE Chevrolet 27.357 131.593
10 11 Brian Scott Dollar General Toyota 27.416 131.310

Continue reading “2012 Phoenix Nationwide Series Starting Lineup – Joey Logano On Pole”

on

1 18 Kyle Busch M&M’s Toyota 25.943 138.766
2 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota 26.046 138.217
3 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Ground Toyota 26.167 137.578
4 5 Kasey Kahne Farmers Insurance Chevrolet 26.186 137.478
5 43 Aric Almirola Farmland Ford 26.237 137.211
6 78 Kurt Busch Furniture Row / Farm American Chevrolet 26.276 137.007
7 27 Paul Menard Rheem / Menards Chevrolet 26.279 136.992
8 51 Regan Smith Phoenix Construction Chevrolet 26.302 136.872

THE FINAL LAP WEEKLY – PHOENIX PREVIEW FEATURING JEFF GORDON

9 14 Tony Stewart MOBIL 1 / Office Depot Chevrolet 26.303 136.867
10 55 Mark Martin Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota 26.303 136.867

Continue reading “2012 Phoenix Cup Series Starting Lineup – Kyle Busch On Pole”

on

Danica Patrick literally will be racing in her backyard this weekend as she prepares for her fifth Nationwide Series start at Phoenix International Raceway. The Phoenix resident is on the verge of making history.

She currently sits 10th in the NASCAR Nationwide Series points standings with two races remaining.

If she finishes 12th or better in the standings at season’s end she will become the highest-finishing female in national series history.

The record is currently held by Sara Christian. Patrick has finished 14th or better in five of the last six races, including a 10th-place finish two weeks ago at Kansas.

on

Elliott Sadler cannot shake Ricky Stenhouse Jr. For the second consecutive season, Sadler finds himself in familiar territory battling Stenhouse for the NASCAR Nationwide Series championship with two races remaining. Sadler has held the top spot for the last four weeks, but watched the lead dwindle to zero this past weekend at Texas as Stenhouse captured his 18th top five of the season. The duo is now deadlocked with 1,170 points apiece, setting up a dead heat to the finish. Stenhouse holds the current tie-breaker: six wins to Sadler’s four.

Phoenix could be Sadler’s best chance to regain the reins of the top spot. He led 26 laps in March en route to his first of four victories this season.