NASCAR Cup Series

“I look forward to racing at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR) because it’s a fun track for me and it is a technical track,” AJ Allmendinger said. “I have just always enjoyed it. Hopefully, we can go there and get some momentum going.

Michael Annett and the No. 7 Accell Construction Chevrolet SS race team descend upon the desert this weekend, traveling to Phoenix International Raceway for the second race on the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule.

Roush Fenway has started 130 Sprint Cup races at Phoenix, while finishing inside the top 10 with almost 50 percent of the entries (55). In addition, RFR cars have led 2,289 laps (including 197 last season) and driven to victory lane seven times; including Edward’s win last season.

“I love the West, that’s where I grew up and I love Phoenix and the race track. Coming off an eighth-place finish at Daytona we want to come here and really see what we’ve got. We had a lot of speed at Daytona, but that means nothing for Phoenix and Vegas.

Newly crowned Daytona 500 champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. received a rousing Texas-sized welcome Tuesday as he was greeted by more than 1,000 members of "Junior Nation" at the iconic Scholz Garten restaurant in the state capital of Austin to celebrate his thrilling victory in NASCAR's marquee season-opening race.

A visit to Phoenix International Raceway located in the “Valley of the Sun” presents the perfect opportunity for Clint Bowyer and the No.15 5-hour ENERGY Toyota to shine this weekend.

Although this weekend marks McDowell's first start with Leavine Family Racing at Phoenix International Raceway, the Glendale driver has made eight NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at the one-mile track, earning a career-best 32nd-place finish at the track in November 2013.

Camry driver Denny Hamlin started the 2014 season strong by winning the Sprint Unlimited and one of the Budweiser Duels qualifying races as well as finishing runner-up in Sunday’s Daytona 500 -- his career-best result in the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway.

Denny Hamlin charged from sixth to second on the final lap of Sunday’s rain-delayed Daytona 500 to score his best-career finish in the “Great American Race” in the #11 FedEx Express Toyota behind eventual winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hamlin lined up sixth for a restart with three laps remaining, and used the momentum on the outside groove in the draft to push towards the front.

“After our great finish at Daytona, I am looking forward to Phoenix and having NOS Energy Drink on our Ford. Phoenix is a tough track, but we had some solid runs there last year and never finished outside the top-10 in the Nationwide car.