NASCAR Cup Series

While it may be a two-driver battle for the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship entering Sunday's AdvoCare 500, Jeff Gordon still has plenty to fight for.

For the fourth time in history, Chevrolet has captured the Manufacturers’ Championship Award in all three NASCAR National Touring Series. Chevrolet has accomplished the feat of winning the three titles in 1996, 1998, 2005 and now in 2012.

Jason Leffler will make his second start in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) for 2012, both starts coming with Turner Motorsports. The NNS veteran also has numerous starts under his belt at the 1-mile desert tri-oval including a pair of second- place finishes (2000 and 2009). Leffler is looking to score F.O.E. their third overall NASCAR win of the 2012 season.

Ryan Truex will step back behind the wheel of the No. 27 Hillman Racing Chevy this Friday evening at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR). This will mark his second career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start and first series start at the recently-paved Phoenix track. Truex made his Truck Series debut at Martinsville Speedway and was on tap for a strong finish before a failed transmission ended his day early.

Racing in the Desert…James Buescher and the No. 31 head out to the desert for the second to last event on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) schedule. This will mark the first time the NCWTS has returned to Phoenix International Raceway (PIR) since the track went through a transformation in 2011.

Miguel Paludo and the No. 32 World Diabetes Day/Duroline team head to the desert for the penultimate race of the 2012 season at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR). The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) has not visited PIR since the spring of 2011, which marked Paludo's first and only trip to the 1.0-mile tri-oval. Paludo started 28th at the event and finished 25th after battling a loose truck, which ultimately led to late-race spin.

Last Race Recap... Nelson Piquet Jr. and the No. 30 Turner Motorsports team left their mark on Texas Motor Speedway. After leading both practice sessions, Piquet Jr. went on to capture his third Keystone Light Pole Award of the 2012 season.

Ron Hornaday is the only active, full-time competitor whose career dates back to the inaugural NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) event at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR) on February 5, 1995

When the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards™ get underway later this month in Las Vegas, superstar comedian, actor, producer, author and judge Howie Mandel will take the stage in another role he is extremely familiar with: show host.

A maximum of 96 points are left on the table as the boys and Danica move on to Phoenix and Homestead, which comes as bad news for pretty much anybody not named Jimmie Johnson or Brad Keselowski.