Phoenix Raceway
Sunday, March 13, 2022
1-Mile Oval
3:30 PM ET
Location: Phoenix
TV: Fox
Event: NASCAR Cup Series (4 of 36)
Radio: SiriusXM, PRN
5 KYLE LARSON
Age: 29 (July 31, 1992)
Hometown: Elk Grove, California
Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels
Standings: 1st
No. 5 Valvoline Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
TOTAL TEAM EFFORT: Last November at Phoenix Raceway, Kyle Larson led the final 28 laps to capture his first NASCAR Cup Series championship. The No. 5 pit crew’s final performance of 2021 – a 12.345-second four-tire stop on lap 285 – moved Larson from fourth to first for the final restart and propelled the 29-year-old driver to his fifth win in 10 playoff races. In 2022, the over-the-wall crew returns its starters of gasman Brandon Harder, jackman Brandon Johnson, tire carrier R.J. Barnette and tire changers Donnie Tasser (front) and Calvin Teague (rear).
BACK ON TOP: Larson led 27 laps en route to a second-place finish Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. With the runner-up finish, the 2021 Cup Series champion moved from eighth to first in the standings after three races. Dating back to last season, Larson has held the top spot after 14 of the last 17 events.
TWO-FER: In February, Larson earned his first victory of the season in the 400-mile event at Auto Club Speedway. The Elk Grove, California, native has posted top-two finishes in two of three events held in 2022 making him the only driver to score multiple top-five finishes this year. Since joining Hendrick Motorsports, Larson has finished first or second 18 times in 39 Cup starts (46%).
LUCKY 13: Larson has led at least one lap in the last 13 Cup Series races – more than double his previous personal best of six in a row. Only two other Hendrick Motorsports drivers have posted longer streaks: Jeff Gordon in 1995 (19 straight) and 1998 (14) and Geoff Bodine in 1986 (17).
SIX PACK: In his last six starts at Phoenix Raceway, Larson has six top-10 finishes – his longest streak ever at any track. Overall, his nine top-10s at the 1-mile facility rank second-most at a track for Larson, trailing only Dover Motor Speedway where he has 10.
VALVOLINE’S ’22 DEBUT: Valvoline will make its first of three appearances as the primary sponsor of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 this weekend at Phoenix Raceway. Valvoline Inc. (NYSE: VVV) is a leading worldwide marketer and supplier of premium branded lubricants and automotive services, with sales in more than 140 countries. Established in 1866, the company’s heritage spans more than 150 years, during which time it has developed powerful brand recognition across multiple product and service channels. Valvoline ranks as the No. 3 passenger car motor oil brand in the DIY market by volume. To learn more, visit Valvoline.com.
RED HOT: In 2021, Larson raced the red No. 5 Valvoline entry on two occasions: Nashville Superspeedway in June and Bristol Motor Speedway in September. He was victorious in both races, pacing the field for a combined 439 of a possible 800 laps.
9 CHASE ELLIOTT
Age: 26 (Nov. 28, 1995)
Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia
Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia
Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson
Standings: 7th
No. 9 UniFirst Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
PHOENIX STATS: This Sunday, Chase Elliott will make his 13th Phoenix Raceway start in the NASCAR Cup Series. In his previous 12 races at the track, he has amassed one win (November 2020), five top-five finishes and an impressive eight top-10s. His 496 laps led there rank as his second-most among active tracks on the circuit. In his four most recent starts at the 1-mile desert oval, Elliott has an average finish of 4.5, has led 340 laps and is tied for the most top-10s in that span with four.
WINNING MOMENT: Elliott’s 2020 Cup Series championship was secured after he drove his way to a victory at Phoenix in the season finale. Starting from the back of the pack, he drove to the front and led a race-high 153 laps en route to the win. It was Elliott’s first and only victory to date at the track and his first Cup Series title.
EARLY CONSISTENCY: Just three races into the 2022 season, Elliott and the No. 9 crew are one of only four Cups Series teams to score multiple top-10 finishes. He has proven to be a model of consistency, earning more than 20 top-10 finishes in four of the last five seasons.
GUSTAFSON AT PHOENIX: On Sunday, Alan Gustafson will call his 35th Phoenix race as a Cup Series crew chief. In his previous 34 starts there, he has collected four wins, 12 top-five results, 23 top-10s and 927 laps led. Gustafson’s four wins are tied with Chad Knaus for the second-most by a crew chief at Phoenix and came via four different drivers: Kyle Busch in 2005, Mark Martin in 2009, Jeff Gordon in 2011 and Elliott in 2020.
COMING HOME: On Sunday, No. 9 team fueler and Tucson, Arizona, native John Gianninoto will compete in front of his home-track crowd at Phoenix Raceway. Gianninoto graduated with honors from Catalina Foothills High School and went on to play as an offensive lineman for UNLV in 2006 – earning his first letter in 2007 and becoming a team captain in 2010. In 2012, he participated in the NFL’s Carolina Panthers training camp before signing with Hendrick Motorsports that September. Gianninoto set a Guinness World Record in 2018, teaming with Sunoco for the most vehicles refueled by an individual in one hour (148).
RETURN OF UNIFIRST: This weekend, UniFirst Corporation (NYSE: UNF), a North American leader in providing customized work uniform programs, corporate attire and facility service products, will serve as the primary sponsor of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. It will mark the third time UniFirst has adorned Elliott’s Chevrolet at Phoenix Raceway, including the two most recent spring events at the track. Earlier this year, Hendrick Motorsports and UniFirst announced a partnership extension, keeping UniFirst with the team through the 2028 season.
A SHOC ENERGY DAYTONA RACE EXPERIENCE: A SHOC Energy is giving fans the opportunity to win a VIP trip to the Cup Series race at Daytona on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022. One grand prize winner and a guest will receive flight and hotel accommodations, tickets to the regular-season finale and a $500 Visa gift card. The sweepstakes is open now through July 15 and fans can enter by texting “ASHOCTRIP” to 97579.
24 WILLIAM BYRON
Age: 24 (Nov. 29, 1997)
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle
Standings: 21st
No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
MOMENTUM SHIFT: Showing speed in the first three events of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, William Byron’s first two races didn’t end the way he hoped – but Sunday’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway changed the momentum. Qualifying 14th, Byron powered his way through the field, leading laps in the opening stage and scoring top-five results in both stage one and stage two. The 24-year-old driver continued to race within the top-five running order in the final stage and maintained that position even during a dicey overtime restart. Byron’s fifth-place result was his first top-five of the season and a track-best for him at Las Vegas at the Cup level.
LEADING THE CHARGE: So far in the 2022 Cup Series season, only three drivers have led laps in all three events held so far: Byron, Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson and Ryan Blaney. Byron has led the field in his No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 a collective 25 laps in the three races.
VALLEY OF THE SUN: Heading to a track where he has found success at in every level of NASCAR competition, Byron will return to Phoenix for the ninth time in his Cup career. Across his eight Cup Series starts at the 1-mile oval, Byron has a personal-best finish of eighth (March 2021). In fact, half of his starts at Phoenix have resulted in top-10s – tied for the third-most at a track for Byron. He also is tied for the third-most top-10s in the last four races there behind teammate Chase Elliott and Kevin Harvick, who both have four. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native also has two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Phoenix on his résumé, both coming in 2017 when he started on the front row and finished in the top four in both races, including a win in November. With that victory, he became the youngest Xfinity Series winner ever at Phoenix Raceway at 19 years, 11 months and 13 days.
DYNAMIC DUO OUT WEST: In 2016, Byron was behind the wheel for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Phoenix with crew chief Rudy Fugle atop the pit box. The duo won the pole position and went on to lead 112 laps. An engine failure while Byron was leading with 10 laps to go ended his night and his chances to advance on to the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway where the team found redemption and won.
RUDY’S PHOENIX PERFORMANCE: Heading to Phoenix Raceway for the third time in his Cup Series crew chief career, Fugle’s first outing in the spring of 2021 resulted in an eighth-place effort with the No. 24 team. He returned to Phoenix for the season finale, and while he and Byron were poised for a top-10 finish, late race damage forced the driver down pit road, ending in a 17th-place effort. Aside from those two Cup Series starts, Fugle has eight Truck Series races under his belt at the 1-mile oval. In those events, he has four pole awards and his drivers have led a total of 471 laps. While Fugle has only one win Phoenix (Erik Jones in 2013), he also has two runner-up results, three top-fives and six top-10s. In fact, Fugle’s drivers have only finished worse than ninth two times, including the race with Byron that they dominated before an engine failure resulted in a 27th-place finish.
FOUR-FOR-FOUR: The fourth race of 2022 will mark the fourth time primary sponsor Axalta will be on board Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 this season. Now in its 30th year of partnership with Hendrick Motorsports, Axalta returns as a primary partner on Byron’s No. 24 in 2022. For a better look at Byron’s No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, click here.
48 Alex Bowman
Age: 28 (April 25, 1993)
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Resides: Concord, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Greg Ives
Standings: 8th
No. 48 Ally / Best Friends Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
WHAT HAPPENED IN VEGAS: Alex Bowman notched his first NASCAR Cup Series win of the young 2022 season Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The 28-year-old driver started the race 13th but made his way to the front of the pack before winning the first stage. He went on to lead the final two laps in overtime, fending off defending Cup Series champion Kyle Larson for the victory. Bowman’s performance all but locks him into his fifth consecutive playoff appearance.
TWO PAWS ON THE WHEEL: The No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will have a unique look this weekend at Phoenix Raceway. The car will don paw prints and the vibrant orange logo of Best Friends Animal Society to coincide with the season-long donation efforts of Bowman and primary sponsor Ally. The program returns for a second straight year after raising more than $160,000 as a result of the driver’s four-win season in 2021.
SAVE THEM ALL: Thanks to the No. 48 team’s win at Las Vegas, the $4,800 weekly donation from Ally and Bowman to the Best Friends Animal Society effort was increased to $10,000. The contribution will benefit Best Friends and The Animal Foundation in Las Vegas. This weekend, the driver will stop by The Barn House AZ to visit the animals helped by the program.
TELL THE WORLD I’M COMING HOME: Bowman returns to his home track of Phoenix Raceway on Sunday. The 28-year-old Tucson, Arizona, native, has garnered one top-10 finish there, which came in November 2016 when he started from the pole position and led 194 laps at the 1-mile circuit.
IVES AT PHOENIX: Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 48 Ally / Best Friends Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will make his 15th Phoenix start as a crew chief this Sunday. The veteran has tallied one win (with driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.), two top-five finishes, four top-10s and a pole position (Bowman) at the track.
WINNER, WINNER: Sunday’s win at Las Vegas made Bowman the second-winningest driver in the Cup Series since the start of the 2021 season. His five wins in that time are more than any other driver with the exception of teammate and defending Cup champion Kyle Larson (11).
$302K FOR UKRAINE: Hendrick Motorsports led 51 laps in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which added $102,000 in support to Ukraine relief and brought the total gift from the Hendrick organization to $302,000. To help bring awareness to the growing humanitarian crisis and to encourage donations, team owner Rick Hendrick and sponsor Hendrick Automotive Group committed $200,000 to Samaritan’s Purse to support disaster assistance. The organization also contributed $2,000 for each of the 51 laps led by the four-car Hendrick Motorsports stable at Las Vegas. Donations made via SamaritansPurse.org aid relief efforts in Ukraine, where Samaritan’s Purse has established an emergency field hospital and is providing other support.
22 OF 44: With Alex Bowman’s victory Sunday at Las Vegas, Hendrick Motorsports has won 22 of the last 44 points-paying Cup Series races dating back to 2020. It joined Joe Gibbs Racing (2018-2020) as the only teams in NASCAR’s modern era to post a winning percentage of 50% over a 44-race stretch. No organization has won 23 of 45 points races since Petty Enterprises accomplished it across the 1970 and 1971 seasons.
THE ONES AND TWOS: At Las Vegas, Hendrick Motorsports scored a 1-2 sweep with Bowman’s victory and Kyle Larson’s runner-up performance. It was the record-extending 51st time the team earned both first and second in the same points-paying race. Hendrick Motorsports has finished 1-2 in 23 different seasons, on 22 different tracks and in eight of the last 27 Cup events.
PHX RISING: Going into Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway, Hendrick Motorsports is the track’s all-time leader in wins (12), pole positions (13), top-five finishes (52), top-10s (94) and laps led (3,105). Larson won the most recent race held there in November when he clinched Hendrick Motorsports’ record-extending 14th Cup Series championship.
GOING STRONG: Since the beginning of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, Hendrick Motorsports has won 19 points-paying races. During that period, all other teams combined have posted 20 victories.
WE’RE STREAKING: Hendrick Motorsports has led in each of the last 27 points-paying NASCAR Cup Series races representing the seventh-longest streak in its history. The team holds the all-time record for the most consecutive Cup races led at 74, which occurred between 2007 and 2009. It also holds the series’ second-longest streak of 55 that happened from 1995 to 1997.
BEST IN THE WEST: On Sunday, Hendrick Motorsports notched its seventh victory at Las Vegas, and its record-extending 41st combined NASCAR Cup Series win on the West Coast. It has also won 12 times at Phoenix Raceway, 12 times at Auto Club Speedway, seven times at Sonoma Raceway and three times at the defunct Riverside International.
100K MILESTONE: Since Hendrick Motorsports was founded in 1984, it has led a record 98,650.97 miles in points-paying Cup Series races. The team is less than 1,350 miles from hitting 100,000 laps led at NASCAR’s top level.
QUOTABLE /
Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on January’s Next Gen test at Phoenix and comparisons to last year’s race car: “The balance of the car during the test didn’t change as much during a run compared to last November at Phoenix. My first time in the Next Gen car – well, at least my first time with the rules package as close to what we’re using this year – was at Phoenix in January, which was the freshest track in my mind. It helped me realize it didn’t drive too much differently.”
Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his mindset entering January’s Next Gen test at Phoenix after winning the 2021 title there in November: “Pulling into Phoenix for the test was definitely cool because winning the championship there in the fall was such a special moment for this team. Getting back there brought back some very special memories. But our focus changed quickly with the challenge this Next Gen car brought, and a lot of those challenges we were preparing for at the test. It’s going to be a fun weekend – I love the track and I love the area, and I am looking for a lot of good things out of our team.”
Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on returning to Phoenix after testing the track in January: “When we tested at Phoenix earlier this year, I felt like of all the tracks it was the most similar to how our old car felt when we were there. Obviously, testing is a little different than going out and racing, but I’m looking forward to getting back there and continuing the success we’ve had in the past.”
Elliott on UniFirst’s first race of 2022: “I’m excited to have UniFirst with us for another season. They’ve been a great partner and we’ve had many memorable moments together over the years, including an All-Star Race win. I really like their new scheme and I’m looking forward to carrying their green and white colors this weekend at Phoenix. Hopefully we can create another winning moment for them and end Sunday in victory lane.”
William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the challenge that Phoenix brings: “Even with the Next Gen car, I think restarts are going to be just as crazy at Phoenix (Raceway) this weekend. We’ve seen it the last two races, and I think this weekend will be no different. Choosing the right lane is going to be crucial to get yourself in a good position heading into turn one as well as maintaining track position overall throughout the race. Once you get back in traffic, the harder it is to make up ground, especially at a short track like Phoenix. We’ve had pretty good speed last year at Phoenix in the spring. We just need to make sure to keep up with the track and minimize mistakes to keep us up front and in contention at the end.”
Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on keeping momentum heading to Phoenix: “We had a good run in Las Vegas and got the result that we needed. It was a solid day overall, and I think it shows the strength this No. 24 team has. We had lots of positives in that race and loads of potential left. We just need to clean up the little things and I think we will be in contention to win every time we show up to the track. This is a team that is hungry for more. We’ve been good at Phoenix. We just need to be a little bit better. It’s a track that I really like overall in every series I’ve been, so I enjoy that we get two chances at it in a season. The goal is to be in the Championship 4 when we come back in November.”
Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his win at Las Vegas: “We had an amazing race car at Las Vegas. Greg (Ives, crew chief) made a great (two-tire) call at the end that gave me a chance to go out and get the win. I am super proud of my team, and I’m looking forward to getting out to Phoenix with the momentum our team has.”
Bowman on the donation to the Best Friends program after his Las Vegas win: “It’s awesome to know that Ally will be making a bigger donation to help animals in Las Vegas. Having their support in helping animals is really neat. Last year, we were able to make a big difference with Ally’s support, so I am glad we are starting the year off on the right foot.”
Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his mindset heading to Phoenix: “Whenever you get a win, it always helps carry momentum into the next week. Going into this week at Phoenix, we are focused on running a clean race and executing like we did in Las Vegas. It is one of Alex’s favorite tracks and a place that we always look forward to going to and improving. We continue to work hard to get more consistent and find that little bit extra each year. So I am excited and ready to get out to Phoenix and have another great weekend.”
