Six of the eight remaining NASCAR drivers on the Chase Grid have a shot at an automatic advance to the Championship final four by winning this week in the Can-Am 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.
The Chase Grid drivers will take to the track with the other 32 drivers and race on a track that is essentially a flat track. Phoenix International Raceway is a one-mile track with just 10-11 degrees of banking through turns one and two and an even lower 8-9 degrees of banking through turns three and four. This provides a very challenging race for the drivers. The slightest mistake can result in the driver sliding out into the wall or spinning into another car.
The crew chiefs will also need to have their best ideas ready to make sure the car has the power and speed built into the car while making sure the handling is just right for the drivers to run the car just on the edge of out of control. That will give the driver the ability to use the available space on the track to pass and advance through the field to the front without losing control and wrecking out of the race.
When it comes to pit stops, the drivers and teams will need to be fast and efficient while not making any mistakes. If the driver speeds and incurs a pit road penalty it can easily cost them losing a lap. If the crew stumbles in any way the extended pit time can lose a lot of spots on the track that could be difficult to make up.
Here is a look at the drivers that have performed the best over their careers at the track in Phoenix.
Top 10 Active Driver Ratings at Phoenix
*Jimmie Johnson – 112.0
*Kevin Harvick – 111.2
Chase Elliot – 101.0
*Carl Edwards – 100.5
*Kurt Busch – 98.7
*Kyle Busch – 98.3
*Denny Hamlin – 95.2
Tony Stewart – 92.7
Brad Keselowski – 92.0
*Joey Logano – 90.2
(* = Chase Driver)
(NOTE: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2016 races {23 total} among active drivers at Phoenix International Raceway.)
Kevin Harvick is slightly behind Jimmie Johnson on the list of driver ratings at Phoenix. However, he is the all-time leader in wins at the track with at total of eight wins. Kevin not only won the 2016 spring race at Phoenix, he has won six of the last eight Sprint Cup races at the track including three of the last four fall races there. Kevin will need to use all of his expertise at the track this week since the only way he controls his own Chase destiny is to win again at Phoenix. He could advance to the final four without winning, but it would require some help from other Chase Grid drivers having poor results in the race.
Jimmie is next among active drivers in the win column at Phoenix having been to Victory Lane four times. He has no pressure to perform this week as he won the first race in the Round of Eight to clinch his spot in the final four next week. He can put more pressure on the six drivers (including Kevin) that haven’t clinched their spot by being out front with the chance to win the race and block them from an automatic advance.
Carl Edwards is the only other active driver with multiple wins at Phoenix with a pair of them. He, like Jimmie, has nor pressure since he earned his automatic advance with last week’s win in the Round of Eight. Also, like Jimmie, he can increase the pressure on the other Chase Grid drivers by running up front all day.
There are four Chase Grid drivers that have won a single time at Phoenix. They are Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin. Kyle can clinch his spot in the final four with the most laps led and a second place finish, otherwise he has to win to advance. Matt, Kurt and Denny all can only control their own Chase destiny by winning the race. For these three anything but a win will require help from other drivers to earn them a spot in the final four.
The eighth Chase Grid driver is Joey Logano. Joey has not won yet at Phoenix. However, Joey could clinch his chance at the championship with a second place finish and at least one lap led. Obviously a win would also get him in the final four.
Last year this race was rain-delayed and rain-shortened. It was Dale Earnhardt Jr. that played spoiler to the Chase Grid drivers by capturing that win. There are three non-Chase Grid drivers that have won at Phoenix a single time and could play the role of spoiler this year with a second win at the track. Those drivers are Tony Stewart (this is his second to last chance to win a race before retiring), Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne.
Of course all of the other drivers will be doing all they can to play spoiler as well to have not only a win at the track, but also head into the off season with a win and momentum to build on for next year. All of this could add up to an exciting race at the foot of Camelback Mountain in Arizona.
The Chase Grid final four picture will fill in when NASCAR waives the green flag on the Can-Am 500 for 312 laps (500 kilometers/312 miles) of racing at Phoenix International Raceway Sunday, November 13th starting at 1:30 PM central time (2:30 PM eastern time).
By: Buck Stevens
