FORD PERFORMANCE: NASCAR ADVANCE NOTES
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stays out west for the second straight week as Phoenix International Raceway hosts this weekend’s NASCAR XFINITY AND NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events. Here’s a look at how Ford has fared at the one-mile facility since it began hosting races in 1988.
THE FIRST TIME…Ford won a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix International Raceway came in the first event hosted by the facility on Nov. 6, 1988. That’s when Alan Kulwicki, driving the No. 7 Zerex Ford, posted the first victory of his career and celebrated by taking a Polish Victory Lap for which he is still remembered for today. Kulwicki passed leader Ricky Rudd, who was forced to pit road with an engine problem 16 laps from the finish, and ended up taking the checkered flag in his 85th start by 18 seconds over runner-up Terry Labonte while fellow Ford drivers Davey Allison and Bill Elliott finished third and fourth, respectively. Kulwicki ended up leading four times for 41 laps in taking the next-to-last event of the season.
THE LAST TIME…Ford won at PIR in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Carl Edwards dominated as he led 122 of 312 laps, including the final 78, to win the second race of the 2013 season. The win snapped a 70-race winless drought for Edwards, whose previous victory came in Las Vegas in 2011. Edwards’ victory may have statistically looked easy, but there were anxious moments, particularly at the end when a green-white-checker finish had most of the leaders wondering if they had enough gas in the tank to reach the end. Edwards did and managed to beat Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski and Dale Earnhardt Jr. to the finish line.
IN BETWEEN…Ford dominated at PIR from 1998-2002, winning 11 of the first 15 races at the one-mile facility, including consecutive victories by Davey Allison (1991-92) and Jeff Burton (2000-01). Overall, Ford has 14 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series wins at PIR with Allison, Burton and Carl Edwards leading the way with two apiece.
FORD NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES WINNERS AT PHOENIX
> 1988 – Alan Kulwicki
> 1989 – Bill Elliott
> 1991 – Davey Allison
> 1992 – Davey Allison
> 1993 – Mark Martin
> 1995 – Ricky Rudd
> 1997 – Dale Jarrett
> 1998 – Rusty Wallace
> 2000 – Jeff Burton
> 2001 – Jeff Burton
> 2002 – Matt Kenseth
> 2005 – Kurt Busch
> 2010 – Carl Edwards
> 2013 – Carl Edwards
