NASCAR Cup PR

As Paul Menard’s 13-year career as a full-time driver on the Monster Energy Cup Series nears its end, his crew chief Greg Erwin is working to prepare fast cars for his driver’ final runs in the No. 21 Menards/Maytag Ford Mustang.

Jimmie Johnson on his Texas race: “It felt good to get out and lead at Texas last weekend. We had a strong car. This black cloud seems to be following us around, but we are digging in harder than ever. I can’t say that enough.”

Kyle Busch must feel buoyed by his record at the ISM Raceway in Phoenix, where he is the only driver to win in the two races since the facility completed a major renovation and re-configuration last year.

Watkins Glen International and the Eternal Fan will be featured on the No. 66 Eternal Fan Toyota Camry for MBM Motorsports during the Bluegreen Vacations 500 Playoff race at ISM Raceway, November 10.

Richard Childress Racing's Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series History at ISM Raceway ... Team owner Richard Childress has six victories at ISM Raceway, ranking him third on the all-time car owner victories list at the Avondale, Ariz. facility. This includes wins with Ryan Newman in March 2017, along with Kevin Harvick in Nov. 2013, Nov. 2012 and March and Nov. 2006. Prior to that, Dale Earnhardt won the Checker 500 on Nov. 4, 1990. In 121 starts at ISM Raceway, the Welcome, North Carolina based organization boasts 19 top-five and 43 top-10 finishes.

Phoenix Preview: With only two races remaining in the 2018 season, the Series returns to Phoenix at the one-mile ISM Raceway. In 28 starts at Phoenix, Denny has secured 12 top-five and 16 top-10 finishes, including a single victory in 2012. Denny will be looking to bounce back and secure a spot in the Championship 4 after a disappointing race at Texas.

For the second time in 2019, David Ragan's No. 38 Ford Mustang will carry the Mannington Commercial colors during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race weekend at ISM Raceway.

Newman will make his 35th career Cup start at ISM Raceway on Sunday. In 34 previous events, Newman has proven Phoenix is arguably one of his best tracks, finishing top-10 on 12 occasions with two wins.

In nine Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career starts in Phoenix, Matt DiBenedetto has an average start of 29.1 and an average finish of 26.4.  He’s completed  2,706 of 2,730 (99.1 percent) career laps at the 1.0-mile track in Avondale, Arizona.

After battling a tight machine in stage two, the Olive Branch, Miss. native dropped to 16th by the time the yellow flag waved just three laps shy of the stage end forcing stage two to end under caution.