This week the NASCAR Cup Series and the Xfinity Series travel to Phoenix Raceway. The NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series is off this week and will return to competition at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday, March 14.
Michigan native Brad Keselowski will also be one to watch this weekend with a driver rating of 92.8 at Phoenix. He has six top fives, ten top 10s and one pole at the one-mile track. If you are a Keselowski fan, now might be the perfect time to also try the Michigan lottery.
Kyle Busch has had a rough start this season and is currently ranked 19th in the Cup Series points standings. But his prowess at Phoenix should provide him the opportunity to turn things around.
He has finished in the top-two in the last four races at the one-mile track. In 29 starts Busch has three wins, 11 top fives and 21 top-10 finishes.
Jimmie Johnson, competing in his final full-time Cup season, has the second highest driver rating at Phoenix. He has four wins, 15 top-fives, 21 top-10s and three poles.
Kevin Harvick, however, is clearly the favorite at Phoenix Raceway. He has won three of the last five Cup Series spring races at Phoenix, in 2015, 2016 and 2018 and has nine wins overall.
Harvick is heading to Phoenix with winning on his mind.
“I felt like last year, with that particular rules package, we definitely weren’t as good as we had been in the past. I think with the 2018 package, I think we were in the game. It’s been a great racetrack for us as we’ve gone through the years and a place that we go to expect a win. And I don’t see that any different, no matter what the rules package is, the expectations from our side are the same and that’s to go there and have a chance to win. And we didn’t do that last year, but the expectations didn’t change.”
While this is only the third race of the season we are beginning to get an idea of who to watch this year. If you love playing the odds, no matter your driver or your game, check out us betting codes for special promotions and offers.
There have been five different Xfinity winners going back to November 2017 when William Byron won. Keselowski earned the win in March 2018 while Christopher Bell went to victory lane in Nov. 2018. Kyle Busch (March 2019) and Justin Allgaier (Nov. 2019) round out the previous five winners. Notably, former winners Busch, Keselowski and Allgaier are entered in this weekend’s Xfinity race.
Ty Gibbs won the K&N Series West event at Phoenix in 2019.
All times are Eastern.
Friday, March 6
Noon: ARCA Menards Series Final Practice – No TV
2:35 p.m. – 3:25 p.m.: Xfinity Series First Practice – FS1
3:35 p.m. – 4:25 p.m.: Cup Series First Practice – FS1/MRN
4:30 p.m.: ARCA Series Qualifying – Impound (Group Qualifying) No TV
5:02 p.m. – 5:27 p.m.: Xfinity Series Final Practice – FS1
5:35 p.m. – 6:25 p.m.: Cup Series Final Practice – FS1/MRN
7 p.m.: ARCA Menards Series General Tire 150 – FS1
Saturday, March 7
1:05 p.m.: Xfinity Series Qualifying – Impound (Single Vehicle/Two Laps All Positions) – FS1
2:35 p.m.: Cup Series Qualifying – Impound (Single Vehicle/Two Laps All Positions) – FS1/MRN
4 p.m.: Xfinity Series LS Tractor 200 (Stages 45/90/200 Laps = 200 Miles) – FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Sunday, March 8
3 p.m.: Cup Series FanShield 500 (Stages 75/190/312 Laps = 312 Miles) – FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
