This Sunday (3/13) the NASCAR Cup Series will battle it out in the desert in the Ruoff Mortgage 500 at Phoenix Raceway.

So far in the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season each race has gotten more difficult as the teams and drivers are trying to figure out the seventh version of the Next Gen car. The first race was on the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway. Next was the 2-mile Auto Club Speedway. Last week was the 1.5-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

This week not only does the track shrink to a 1-mile track, it also is basically a flat track. The Phoenix Raceway is basically an oversized short track. Through the years it has proven to be as challenging as short track racing for most drivers. You often see the same kind of beating and banging between cars as on short tracks. You also see tempers bent out of shape in much the same way as what happens on the short tracks.

Here are the statistics for both the track and the race for this weekend.

Phoenix Raceway – Track Data
Track Size: 1-mile
Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 9 degrees
Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 11 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 3 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 9 degrees

Ruoff Mortgage 500 – Race Data
Season Race #: 04 of 36 (03-13-22)
Race Length: 312 laps / 500 Kilometers
Stage 1 Length: 60 laps
Stage 2 Length: 125 laps
Final Stage Length: 127 laps

Here are the top 10 active drivers in over-all driver rating in the NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway.

Kevin Harvick – 110.3
Chase Elliott – 108.9
Kyle Busch – 103.8
Denny Hamlin – 99.7
Kyle Larson – 96.1
Brad Keselowski – 95.6
Joey Logano – 94.7
Kurt Busch – 93.6
Ryan Blaney – 92.6
Martin Truex Jr. – 90.9
* Based on last 34 races at Auto Club Speedway (2005 – Present)

These are the active drivers that have won in their careers at Phoenix Raceway in NASCAR’s top division.

Kevin Harvick – 9 Wins (2018, 2016, 2015, 2014 sweep, 2013, 2012, 2006 sweep)
Kyle Busch – 3 Wins (2019, 2018, 2005)
Joey Logano – 2 Wins (2020, 2016)
Denny Hamlin – 2 Wins (2019, 2012)
Kyle Larson – 1 Win (Fall 2021)
Martin Truex Jr. – 1 Win (Spring 2021)
Chase Elliott – 1 Win (2020)
Kurt Busch – 1 Win (2005)

In the three race already held this year, there have been three different winners. I believe that because of the Next Gen car and difficulty level of racing at Phoenix Raceway there will be a fourth winner for the 2022 NASCAR season.

We will find out what does happen when the green flag waives to start the Ruoff Mortgage 500 Sunday, March 13th at 2:30 p.m. CT (3:30 p.m. ET) at Phoenix Raceway.

By: Buck Stevens