Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway… In 150 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Phoenix Raceway, Richard Childress Racing has scored six victories, led by Kevin Harvick with four wins (including a sweep of both races in 2006 plus fall races in 2012 and 2013). Ryan Newman was victorious in the 2017 Spring event. Dale Earnhardt won in 1990 to claim his ninth victory of the season en route to his fourth of seven Cup Series championships. The Welcome, N.C.-based race team has 21 top-five finishes and 47 top-10 finishes.

Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at Phoenix Raceway… Richard Childress Racing has four NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series wins by four different drivers at Phoenix Raceway: Harvick (2006), Clint Bowyer (2007), Elliott Sadler (2012) and Jesse Love (2025). The win by Harvick was one of nine victories he claimed on the way to his second O’Reilly Auto Parts Series title with RCR. Bowyer led the most laps (120 of 200) on the way to Winner’s Circle, while the victory by Sadler ended a 91-race winless streak. Love’s victory earned him the championship title, giving the storied organization their sixth NOAPS driver championship (2001, 2006, 2008, 2013, 2019, 2025) – surpassing RFK Racing for the most all-time.

Catch Saturday’s Action… The O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Phoenix Raceway will be televised live on Saturday, October 17 at 7:30 p.m. ET on The CW and stream live on the ESPN App with ESPN Unlimited. The live radio broadcast can be heard on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Saturday afternoon’s practice and qualifying session will be shown for free on The CW App and stream live on the ESPN App with ESPN Unlimited beginning at 1 p.m. ET.

Watch Us on USA Network… The Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway will be televised on Sunday, October 18 at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network. The live radio broadcast can be heard on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Saturday afternoon’s practice and qualifying session will be shown live on truTV beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET. Ride shotgun all season long with live, in-car camera feeds and scanner audio with a paid subscription to Max as part of their NASCAR driver cam experience during the race.

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Austin Dillon and No. 3 Dow/ARM & HAMMER™ Chevrolet at Phoenix Raceway… Austin Dillon has 25 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Phoenix Raceway to his credit, earning two top-10 finishes. The North Carolina native has 11 starts at the one-mile oval in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, with a career-best finish of second in November 2016. Dillon has three top-10 finishes and one top-five finish in three starts in the NASCAR Truck Series at Phoenix Raceway.

Dow & ARM & HAMMER™… Dow is a global materials science company with an ambition to lead through innovation, customer focus, inclusion, and sustainability. Helping bring that ambition to life are strong partnerships that combine expertise with a shared goal of pushing the boundaries of innovation. For 180 years, the ARM & HAMMER™ brand has delivered trusted, practical solutions for everyday life. From its iconic Baking Soda, the brand has expanded across laundry care, cat litter, oral care, cleaning solutions and more, while remaining a symbol of quality, value, and performance.

Through partnerships with companies like ARM & HAMMER, Dow provides materials science expertise that helps optimize its collaborators’ products while gaining real-world insights that strengthen its own knowledge base and capabilities. Together, the companies share a focus on continued innovation, performance and developing solutions that meet the evolving needs of consumers.

Dow and ARM & HAMMER are bringing that partnership to the racetrack through a co-branded paint scheme on RCR’s No. 3 Chevrolet. Through its collaboration with RCR, Dow can spotlight partners like ARM & HAMMER and demonstrate what’s possible when trusted brands bring their expertise together.

To learn more about Dow’s Sports partnerships, visit: https://corporate.dow.com/en-us/collaborations/dow-sports.html.

For more information on ARM & HAMMER™, visit: https://www.armandhammer.com/en/about-us.

Meet Dillon… On Sunday, October 18 beginning at 8:25 a.m. Local Time, Dillon is scheduled to stop by the RCR Merchandise Hauler in the Fan Zone to sign autographs. Be sure to stop by and stock up on all your race day gear. For fans unable to travel to the race, visit the official RCR Team Store to purchase Austin Dillon merch: https://store.rcrracing.com.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:

What are your thoughts on Phoenix Raceway?

“Phoenix Raceway is a tough place. We’ve worked really hard on getting good finishes at the track, but it’s one of those places where you hit on the setup or you don’t. It’s a very challenging short track, but everyone on the No. 3 Dow Arm & Hammer Chevrolet team loves a good challenge. It’s a fun track for drivers because the track is so unique. You try and turn it into a short track, but the aero platform in the car really matters. One end of the track is flat, one end is banked, and you’re just trying to get the car neutral in both. You have to constantly work on improving there, but we’re always optimistic.”

How much do you think you’ll be able to take from the Spring Phoenix Raceway race and apply to this weekend?

“I would say some things will probably change, but not a whole lot. We just need to take good notes. Anytime we go to a track, we’re going to be writing notes and talking about ways we can get better and improve. There’s always something you can learn and take to the next event.”

Austin Hill and the No. 33 FICO Chevrolet at Phoenix Raceway… On Sunday, Austin Hill will make his second career start at Phoenix Raceway. Hill previously ran at the Arizona racetrack in March where the 32-year-old overcame a flat tire in the final stage to finish in the 21st position. The veteran racer’s best finish in nine starts in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series is fourth place in Spring 2024.

About FICO… FICO powers decisions that help people and businesses around the world prosper. Founded in 1956, the company is a pioneer in the use of predictive analytics and data science to improve operational decisions. FICO holds more than 200 US and foreign patents on technologies that increase profitability, customer satisfaction and growth for businesses in financial services, insurance, telecommunications, health care, retail and many other industries. Using FICO solutions, businesses in more than 80 countries do everything from protecting 4 billion payment cards from fraud, to improving financial inclusion, to increasing supply chain resiliency. The FICO® Score, used by 90% of top US lenders, is the standard measure of consumer credit risk in the US and has been made available in over 40 other countries, improving risk management, credit access and transparency.

Meet Hill… On Sunday, October 18 at 8:55 a.m. Local Time, Hill is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Hauler in the Fan Zone at Phoenix Raceway. Stop by to meet the racer before the green flag waves in the desert.

AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:

What are your overall thoughts of NASCAR Cup Series racing at Phoenix Raceway?

“My approach will certainly be different from the O’Reilly race on Saturday to the Cup race on Sunday. Practice will be key to stay ahead of the racetrack. The track changes a lot in temperature and the way rubber is laid down, so we need to make sure we are not fighting the track and focusing only on the drivability of our FICO Chevrolet. You have to know where the track is going to go. We raced here in the spring and had ourselves inside the top-20 when we cut a tire down under green. We needed the car to be loose for speed, so we’ll remember that for this weekend.”

Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet at Phoenix Raceway… Jesse Love will look for his second career win at Phoenix Raceway in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series this weekend. Throughout his career at the Arizona oval, the Menlo Park, California native has completed more than 1,300 laps at the one-mile track. Love has made four career O’Reilly Series starts at Phoenix, earning one win (2025-fall) and four top-10 finishes, including a runner-up result in the Spring. Additionally, Love has one NASCAR Truck Series start at Phoenix, posting a fourth-place result (2023) in just his third series event. The 21-year-old has also made seven starts in ARCA Menards Series competition at the facility, posting a best finish of second (2022) and three top-10 results.

Last Time at Phoenix… This Spring, Love started on the front row at Phoenix Raceway and led a race-high 114 laps and won Stage 2. The young gun lost the race lead with 13 laps to go to eventual race winner Justin Allgaier and finished runner-up. Love finished with 55 points, the second highest total amongst all drivers that night. Love continued his streak finishing in the top-10 in each of his five starts at the Avondale oval in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.

Previous Winner… Last year’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Championship race saw Love and RCR triumph by taking the checkered flag after leading the race’s final 25 laps enroute to his first Series championship. Love became the fifth driver to win the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series championship under the RCR banner, joining Harvick (2001, 2006), Bowyer (2008), Dillon (2013) and Tyler Reddick (2019).

Did You Know… In five starts at Phoenix Raceway, Love has earned three top-five and five top-10 finishes. The 21-year-old has an average finish of 4.0 at Phoenix Raceway, his best average finish at a track in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (minimum of two starts).

Excelling on Pit Road… No one achieves success alone, and that’s certainly true for RCR’s pit department, who demonstrated what happens when preparation, teamwork and execution come together under pressure. This past Sunday evening at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet pit crew recorded the fastest, four-tire pit stop of the 2026 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season, recording an 11.81-second stop. The stop was one of many successes for the team who dominated on pit road all night long. While Love entered pit road second following the end of both Stage 1 and Stage 2, his team put out a fast stop and let him leave in first position.

Get to the Points… With just four races remaining in the 2026 Chase, Love is currently second in the standings, a mere 2 points behind leader Sheldon Creed. Last weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Love started from the third position after both practice and qualifying were rained out. Love led a race-high 80 laps, finishing second in both stages, en route to earning his second runner-up finish of the year at the North Carolina track. The gains on-track allowed Love to rise to No. 2 in the standings entering the final weeks of the season.

About Whelen Engineering… Since 1952, Whelen Engineering has been a proud ally and supporter of our nation’s first responders. Driven by a mission to protect those who protect others, Whelen provides the high-quality, reliable products and technology needed to aid them in their critical missions. From warning lights to white illumination, sirens, controllers, and software, every product that bears the Whelen name has been thoughtfully designed, manufactured, and tested right here in America to perform at the highest level in any condition. Whelen is honored to have earned the trust of first responders around the world as leaders of the emergency warning industry and carries that responsibility earnestly, always striving to ensure that the everyday heroes serving under the illumination and protection of Whelen products are equipped to do their jobs with enhanced efficiency, reliability, and safety. To learn more about Whelen Engineering, visit www.whelen.com.

Meet Love… This weekend at Phoenix Raceway, on Saturday, October 17, beginning at 1:30 p.m. Local Time, Love will participate in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series autograph signing in Victory Lane. Fans are encouraged to stop by, meet Love, along with numerous other drivers in the series, and get his autograph before the green flag waves.

JESSE LOVE QUOTE:

You’re travelling to Phoenix only two points behind Chase leader Sheldon Creed. How do you feel ahead of this weekend?

“Obviously I am really confident going to Phoenix Raceway because it is one of our best, and our cars have had alot of speed there. But at the same time we have to go there and execute a good weekend, and its hard to race anybody but yourselves at Phoenix. You can’t really manufacture a good result there – you kind of have to have it, or you don’t. So we’ll go to Phoenix and hopefully pick off a win there, and then go to the next couple of races and try to win the war.”

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Titan Cattle Company Chevrolet at Phoenix Raceway…  Austin Hill will look to reach Victory Lane for the first time in his career at Phoenix Raceway this weekend. Hill has made nine career NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts with six top-10 results and a best finish of fourth in Spring 2024. The veteran racer has five NASCAR Truck Series starts at the Arizona speedway, notching one pole (2019) and one top-10 result (2021).

Get to the Points…  Hill currently holds the eighth position in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase standings. The Winston, Georgia native is only seven points behind seventh-place Taylor Gray and 94 points behind leader Sheldon Creed.

About Titan Community Outreach… Titan Community Outreach was founded through the deep relationships and opportunities that have been cultivated within Titan Risk Solutions. With the ultimate goal of helping those who are in need, Titan has evolved into a dynamic group of community ambassadors across the country. Titan Community Outreach has a goal to support the communities, families, and individuals who keep our industry and neighborhoods moving. Built on principles of integrity, responsibility, and people-first leadership, Titan Community Outreach strives to be on the forefront of providing opportunities for all people regardless of their current situation. Titan Community Outreach exists to give back in meaningful, hands-on ways. By Partnering with groups such as Pitstops For Hope, Harvesters, Big Brothers / Big Sisters of America, Team Dillon Management, and Richard Childress Racing, Titan has been able to provide resources to schools, families, and children across the country. Through charitable programs, community partnerships, and volunteer engagement, Titan Community Outreach focuses on creating real impact where it matters most. From supporting families in need to investing in youth and community programs, our mission is rooted in service, collaboration, and long-term positive change. For more information, or to support our mission of helping others visit www.titanoutreach.org.

AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:

What are your thoughts on Phoenix Raceway?

“Phoenix is a cool track, it’s very unique with how the frontstretch is. You know on restarts we fan out five or six wide getting into Turn 1, so the frontstretch is unique in that aspect. It’s so much different compared to any other track we go to. Turn 1 and 2 are very flat and long corners, then you have Turns 3 and 4 are very tight and banked. As a driver, you have to have totally different techniques when you go to Turns 1 and 2 versus Turns 3 and 4 on how you attack the corner, your braking, your turn-in, all those things. And then you have your crew chief trying to figure out how to be good in both ends so it’s a challenge.”

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB:
PHOENIX II PRE-RACE ADVANCE
EVENT: Freeway Insurance 500

DATE: October 18, 2026
RACE: NASCAR Cup Series 33 of 36
TRACK: Phoenix Raceway | 1-Mile Oval

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
NO. 42 DOLLAR TREE TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
JHN AT PHOENIX: John Hunter Nemechek has eight NASCAR Cup Series starts at Phoenix, with a highest finish of 14th coming in March 2025. In the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Nemechek has made eight starts, where he earned one pole in November 2018, six top-10 finishes, and two top-fives. He earned a best finish of fourth in November 2019. In his nine starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Phoenix, he earned six top-10 finishes, including three top-five finishes. He earned a best finish of second twice in November 2015 and November 2017.

SUNS UP IN PHOENIX: John Hunter Nemechek will visit the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix and take in the NBA action as the Suns face the Utah Jazz on Friday, October 16 ahead of the Freeway Insurance 500 on Sunday.

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK QUOTE:
“We had pretty consistent speed in Phoenix in the spring until we got caught up in a late-race wreck. Hopefully that can translate into our No. 42 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE this weekend and we can bring home a solid finish.”

ERIK JONES
NO. 43 DOLLAR TREE TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
JONES PHOENIX STATS: Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway will mark Erik Jones’ 21st Cup Series start at the mile oval in the desert of Arizona. In his career, he’s collected one top-five, four top-10s, and led 25 laps at the track. He earned his best finish of fourth in November 2017 after starting 11th. He has an additional 10 starts outside of the Cup Series at Phoenix – three in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and seven in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. He won twice in the Truck Series in November 2013 and November 2014. He never finished worse than ninth in all three of those starts. In the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Jones also never finished outside the top-10 with five top-fives and seven top-10s. He earned a best finish of second after starting from the pole in March 2016, finishing just 2.285 seconds behind race winner Kyle Busch.

JONES’ FIRST NASCAR WIN: In November 2013, Jones captured his first career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory and his first win in NASCAR’s top-three series at Phoenix when he was just 16 years old. The Michigan native was running a limited five-race schedule for Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2013 and never finished worse than ninth in those starts. Jones qualified second for the race at Phoenix and led 84 laps en route to a 1.616-second margin of victory over Ross Chastain. He defended that win the following season in November 2014 with another victory at the track while once again running a part-time schedule. Jones started from the pole and led 114 of the 150 laps to best Matt Crafton. Across his three Truck Series starts at the track, he boasted an impressive average start of 1.3 and an average finish of 3.7.

ERIK JONES QUOTE:
“We’re hoping that Phoenix will be good for us after the past few weeks. This is a track where I think we saw a good bit of improvement in last year’s November race. The past few weeks haven’t turned out like we’ve wanted, but we’re not giving up. LEGACY MOTOR CLUB has put in a lot of work to try to figure out what went wrong the last two weeks and how we can continue to get better. I’m looking forward to this weekend as I’ve always liked Phoenix. We’ll see where we stack up on Saturday and Sunday.”

CLUB NOTES:
JJ AT PHOENIX: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB owner and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson owns 36 Cup Series starts at Phoenix Raceway. In his career, he has collected four victories, 16 top-fives, and 22 top-10s, and led 998 laps. Johnson scored three back-to-back wins at Phoenix between 2007 to 2008. His first victory came in November 2007 when he started sixth, led 55 laps, and finished .870 seconds ahead of Greg Biffle. He followed that up in April 2008 where he started seventh and led 120 laps en route to besting Clint Bowyer by 7.002 seconds. The series returned in November 2008 and saw Johnson as the victor for the third straight race. He started on the pole, led 217 of the 312 laps and finished .295 seconds ahead of Kurt Busch. Johnson scored his final win at Phoenix in November 2009 after starting third, leading 238 of 312 laps, and beating Jeff Burton by 1.033 seconds. He owns four additional starts at Phoenix in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series where he earned a best finish of 12th in March 2013.

KENSETH PHOENIX STATS: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB competition advisor and 2003 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Matt Kenseth has 32 career Cup Series starts at Phoenix where he scored two wins, seven top-fives, and 13 top-10s as well as led 29 laps. Kenseth scored his first win at Phoenix early in his career in November 2002 in just his third start at Phoenix. He started 28th, led 55 laps, and bested Rusty Wallace by 1.344 seconds. His second victory came in November 2017 where Kenseth started seventh, led 62 laps and beat runner-up Chase Elliott by 1.207 seconds. He has an additional 15 starts at Phoenix in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series where he scored a total of one win, six top-fives, and 13 top-10s. From November 2004 to his final O’Reilly Auto Parts Series start in March 2015, Kenseth never finished outside the top-10 at Phoenix. He won from the pole in November 2006 after leading 125 of 200 laps and besting Kevin Harvick by .337 seconds.

THE KING AT PHOENIX: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB ambassador and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Richard Petty owns five NASCAR Cup Series starts at Phoenix Raceway in his career between 1988 and 1992. He earned a best finish of 23rd in his November 1990 start after starting 36th.

LOCAL TIES: Born in nearby Mesa, Ariz., pit crew fueler Kellen Mills is a former Arizona State football defensive end who has emerged as one of the top talents in the current pit crew lineup with the No. 42 Dollar Tree team. Before his NASCAR career, he played defensive end for Arizona State University in the early 2000s and was an all-state fullback at Mesa Mountain View High School. After college, Mills moved to North Carolina, where he has spent the last six years as a pit crew member beginning his career as a fueler before transitioning to a jackman in 2019, gaining experience with powerhouse teams like Team Penske and Joe Gibbs Racing. Along the way, he contributed to championship pursuits alongside drivers such as Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, and Martin Truex Jr. In January, it was announced that Mills was the inaugural recipient of the Richard Petty Award of Excellence, a LEGACY MOTOR CLUB honor meant to recognize individuals who embody the values and enduring spirit of Richard Petty, “The King.” After being the jackman on the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE for most of the season, Mills moved to serve as the fueler on the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE to close out the 2026 season.

SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT:

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB proudly announced Kellen Mills, the No. 42 Fueler, as the inaugural recipient of the Richard Petty Award for Excellence, at the 2026 season kickoff in January. This newly created award is the organization’s highest internal honor recognizing individuals who embody the values and enduring spirit of Richard Petty, “The King.”

CLUB APPEARANCES:
John Hunter Nemechek will make an appearance at the NASCAR 26 Activation in the NASCAR Experience Fan Zone on Saturday, October 17 to test out the new game at 10:45 a.m. local time and follow that up with the trackside merchandise trailer at 11 a.m. local time for an autograph session. On Sunday, October 18, he will stop by the Toyota merchandise trailer at 9 a.m. local time for an autograph session.

TUNE IN:
Fans can tune in to watch the Freeway Insurance 500 at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday, October 18 at 3 p.m. EDT on USA Sports, HBO MAX, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: (LEGACY MC) is a premier auto racing organization owned by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2024 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, Jimmie Johnson and Knighthead Capital Management, LLC. Drawing from a rich tradition of success, LEGACY MC is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of motorsport and setting new standards of excellence. The CLUB competes under the Toyota Racing banner in the NASCAR Cup Series with the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE piloted by Erik Jones and the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE driven by John Hunter Nemechek. The No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE driven by Riley Herbst will debut full time in the 2027 season, while Johnson will make his final NASCAR Cup Series start at the 2027 DAYTONA 500 in the No. 48 Toyota Camry XSE. With NASCAR legend and Hall of Famer Richard Petty, “The King”, serving as CLUB Ambassador, LEGACY MC blends timeless racing traditions with a new forward-thinking vision. As an inclusive community for motorsport enthusiasts, LEGACY MC honors both its storied past and the promising future of its members, always striving for victory and championship glory at the pinnacle of NASCAR competition.

Phoenix II Event Info:
Date: Sunday, October 18th
Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Avondale, Arizona
Format: 312 Laps, 312 miles, Stages: 60-185-312
TV: USA
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)

Weekend Schedule:
Saturday: 1:30 p.m. ET, Practice (TruTV, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 2:35 p.m. ET, Qualifying (TruTV, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 3:00 p.m. ET, Race (USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Pace Laps:

• Phoenix hosts its annual fall date this weekend for the 33rd points race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season.
• Phoenix is the site of seven of Jack Roush’s Cup wins all-time, and 17 wins across NASCAR’s three series.

6 Team Info:
Driver: Brad Keselowski
Crew Chief: Mike Skarbowski
Partner: BuildSubmarines.com

17 Team Info:
Driver: Chris Buescher
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Partner: Body Guard by Fastenal

60 Team Info:
Driver: Ryan Preece
Crew Chief: Derrick Finley
Partner: Fry’s / Cottonelle

Keselowski at Phoenix
Starts: 34
Wins: —
Top-10s: 15
Poles: 2 (2014, 2021)

• Keselowski returns to Phoenix Raceway where in this race last season he nearly pulled off the victory, leading 6 laps and finishing 2nd – one of three 2nd place Phoenix finishes.
• Keselowski makes his 35th Cup start in Phoenix this weekend where he has 15 top-10s with an average finish of 13.9.
• He’s led 290 laps in 16 different Phoenix races and has ten top-5 finishes.
• Still seeking his first Phoenix win although his last 11 wins have come on 11 different tracks.
• Keselowski has two poles (2014, 2021) with an average starting position of 15.3. He has started inside the top-10 nine times at Phoenix throughout his career, including three on the front row.
• He is a two-time Xfinity Series winner in Phoenix including winning the 2018 race in the No. 22 entry, and in 2014 for Team Penske. Overall, he has 21 NXS starts with fifteen top-10s. He also made two Truck Series starts in 2005 and 2008 with a best finish of sixth in his own No. 19 truck for BKR.

Buescher at Phoenix
Starts: 21
Wins: —
Top-10s: 5
Poles: —

“For a large part of my career, I wanted to burn Phoenix down to the ground,” said Buescher during his media availability at COTA earlier this season. “We are in a better headspace now because we have been good there. Fixes a lot of things as a race car driver when you go to a track and your more competitive.” – He has three top-5’s there, all in the past three seasons.

• Buescher makes his 22nd Cup start in Phoenix this weekend where he has four top-10 finishes in his last six starts.
• Buescher has an average starting position of 22nd.
• Buescher also made four Xfinity Series starts in Phoenix for Jack Roush with a best finish of 12th (2014).

Preece at Phoenix
Starts: 14
Wins: —
Top-10s: 1
Poles: —

• Preece is set to make his 15th Cup start in Phoenix this weekend.
• His best Phoenix finish was 9th in last season’s finale.
• Has led 38 laps at Phoenix.
• Preece has an average starting position of 24th, including a P12 effort in the 2023 season finale.
• 10 Top 10 finishes this season – 3 Top 10 finishes in 6 Chase races
• 10 Top 10 finishes this season – 8 Top 10 finishes last 15 races

RFK Historically at Phoenix
Cup Wins: 7 (Mark Martin, 1993; Jeff Burton, 2000, 2001; Matt Kenseth, 2002; Kurt Busch, 2005; Carl Edwards, 2010, 2013)

• Hooked on Phoenix: RFK has 318 combined starts at Phoenix, totaling 17 wins, 80 top-five and 142 top-10 finishes. RFK Fords have nine poles and have led 4,094 laps led at the 1-mile track.
• Winning in the Desert: RFK has won at Phoenix in all three of NASCAR’s major divisions, with the organization’s first win coming in the fall of 1993 with NASCAR Hall of Famer and former driver Mark Martin in the NCS. RFK won the second-ever NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Phoenix in 2000 and former driver Greg Biffle claimed the organization’s 100th overall NASCAR Xfinity Series win at Phoenix in 2009.
• Former driver Carl Edwards also won at the track that fall to give RFK the season sweep. All in all, six drivers have won NASCAR races for RFK at Phoenix (Martin, Biffle, Edwards, Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth and Joe Ruttman). In addition, Edwards swept Phoenix in the fall of 2010, winning both the NXS and NCS events.
• Xfinity Success: Phoenix was one of the strongest tracks for RFK’s Xfinity program. In 93 starts, the organization won eight times, earned 27 top-5s, 53 top-10s and has led 1,406 laps. RFK most recently went to victory lane with Edwards in Nov. 2010. Its eight wins rank most of any track on the circuit behind only Charlotte (12), Darlington (15), Richmond (9) and Rockingham (10).

RFK Phoenix Wins

1993 Martin Cup

1997-2 Ruttman Truck

2000 Burton Cup

2000 Burton NXS

2001 Biffle Truck

2001 Burton Cup

2001 Biffle NXS

2002 Kenseth Cup

2005-1 Busch Cup

2005-2 Edwards NXS

2006-2 Kenseth NXS

2008-2 Edwards NXS

2009-1 Biffle NXS

2009-2 Edwards NXS

2010-2 Edwards Cup

2010-2 Edwards NXS

2013-1 Edwards Cup

Last Time Out & Where They Stand
Charlotte: A loose wheel following a pitstop could’ve completely derailed Chris Buescher’s race but instead, determination and the assistance of Ryan Preece’s pit crew helped Buescher lead the way for Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing in Charlotte. During pitstops between stages one and two a wheel was not completely tightened. Realizing this as he headed back to the track, his team quickly communicated the issue, and Buescher was able to back the car into his teammate’s pit stall where the 60 team remedied the issue. Buescher then stormed from the rear of the field to score a tenth place finish. Preece matched the level of determination, grappling through handling issues to score a 15th place finish. Brad Keselowski sustained unavoidable damage in Stage One, when a car directly in front of him slapped the wall and spun. Despite front splitter damage, Keselowski fought hard for a 29th place finish.

Points Standings: Buescher: 15th, Preece: 16th, Keselowski: 18th

Phoenix Raceway
Sunday, Oct. 18
1-Mile Dog-Legged Oval
3 p.m. ET
Location: Avondale, Arizona
TV: Fox
Event: NASCAR Cup Series (Race 33 of 36)
RADIO: SiriusXM

5 KYLE LARSON
Age: 34 (July 31, 1992)
Hometown: Elk Grove, California
Last Race: 6th (Charlotte)
Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels
Standings: 1st

 No. 5 Valvoline Chevrolet  

• Last weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Kyle Larson continued his impressive NASCAR Cup Series Chase run with a sixth-place finish. Larson extended his points lead to 49, giving him his largest lead of The Chase so far.
• Larson’s average finish of 2.83 through the first six races of The Chase is the best for any driver through the first six races of any postseason since the format was introduced in 2004.
• Larson is riding the season’s longest active top-10 streak at six races and has also recorded six top-five finishes in the last seven races. His six consecutive top-six results are tied for the longest such streak of his career.
• In nine starts at Phoenix Raceway during the Next Gen era, Larson has the third-best average finish at 8.56. Entering this weekend, he owns the longest active top-10 streak in the desert with four.
• According to Racing Insights, the No. 5 pit crew ranks second in the Cup Series.  

9 CHASE ELLIOTT
Age: 30 (Nov. 28, 1995)
Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia
Last Race: 12th (Charlotte)
Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson
Standings: T-11th

No. 9 Kelley Blue Book 100th Anniversary Chevrolet  

• This weekend, Chase Elliott heads to Phoenix Raceway where he won in 2020 to secure his first NASCAR Cup Series title.
• Elliott is currently tied for 11th in The Chase standings, 185 points behind the leader.
• Of the four tracks remaining in The Chase, the 30-year-old has won on three of them. In addition to his victory at Phoenix, he has two wins at Talladega Superspeedway (2019 and 2022) and two wins at Martinsville Speedway (2020 and 2026).
• According to Racing Insights, the No. 9 pit crew ranks fifth in the series this season.  

24 WILLIAM BYRON
Age: 28 (Nov. 29, 1997)
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
Last Race: 39th (Charlotte)
Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle
Standings: 13th

 No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet

• William Byron is 13th in the NASCAR Cup Series Chase standings with four races remaining.
• In the Next Gen era at Phoenix Raceway, Byron has run the most laps in the top five (1,963) and the top 10 (2,510) of any driver. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native has the sixth-best average finish (10.67) in that span and has also led the third-most laps (326).
• Byron has one win (March 2023), three top-five finishes and 10 top 10s at Phoenix. He has finished seventh or better in six of the last eight races there.
• This weekend, Byron will climb behind the wheel of a No. 24 Axalta throwback paint scheme paying tribute to the first Axalta-branded Chevrolet that was run by Jeff Gordon in 2013. The throwback will close an unforgettable chapter with the brand before they prepare for the next step for the 2027 season.  

48 ALEX BOWMAN
Age: 33 (April 25, 1993)
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Last Race: 38th (Charlotte)
Crew Chief: Blake Harris
Standings: 26th

 
No. 48 Ally Chevrolet  

• Alex Bowman has earned three top-10 finishes in the NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway, two coming in his last six races there. The Tucson, Arizona, native earned his best finish of sixth at the track in 2016.
• Bowman has led 196 laps at his home venue, his second-most among tracks on the Cup Series schedule.  

17 COREY DAY
Age: 20 (November 28, 2005)
Hometown: Clovis, California
Last Race: 1st (Charlotte)
Crew Chief: Adam Wall
Standings: 3rd

•  Corey Day and the No. 17 HendrickCars.com team earned their fourth NASCAR O’Reilly Series win of the season Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway, advancing Day to third in The Chase standings, just seven points behind the leader.
• The 20-year-old driver’s back-to-back wins at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Charlotte mark the first time since 2004 that a Hendrick Motorsports driver has won consecutive NOAPS races. Kyle Busch was the first to accomplish the feat.
• The Clovis, California, native returns to Phoenix Raceway for his third NOAPS start on the 1-mile track, where he has recorded an average starting position of 11.5. He finished ninth at the track this past spring and 14th in the fall of 2025.

Hendrick Motorsports  

 
*Most
**Tied for most

• The NASCAR Cup Series returns to Phoenix Raceway this weekend for the seventh race of The Chase. Hendrick Motorsports is the all-time leader in wins (13), poles (16), top fives (61), top 10s (113) and laps led (3,736) at the 1-mile dog-legged oval.
• Among the 10 tracks in The Chase, Hendrick Motorsports has piled up 136 victories including 21 in the Next Gen era. The organization leads the field in postseason wins (64) and has won at least one race in The Chase/Playoffs in 23 of 24 seasons. That includes multiple victories in each of the last seven years.
• The Hendrick Motorsports engine department enters the weekend with 584 victories across all three national NASCAR touring series including 23 of 29 events in the NASCAR O’Reilly Series this season.
• Hendrick Motorsports remains the Cup Series’ all-time standard bearer in wins (324), poles (259), top-five finishes (1,351), top 10s (2,311), laps led (87,076) and championships (15).  

QUOTABLE
 
Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet, on finding consistency in The Chase: “Consistency wasn’t something we had throughout the regular season, but we’ve been really consistent during The Chase, and I’m proud of everyone’s effort. I think our race cars have gotten a little better, and the pit crew has been solid and consistent all year. Having a slightly faster race car has allowed me to be a bit calmer behind the wheel, which helps with consistency. Cliff [Daniels] and the engineers have also done a really good job with strategy and calling races. The combination of all those factors has been good and has translated into results.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet, on his outlook for the remainder of The Chase: “Catching the leaders, realistically, that’s probably out the window, I think, for us, but we can get a good ways up the road. If we could put together four really good weeks, I think we can get to seventh or sixth, you know, if we knock it out of the park. I think just getting ourselves back inside the top 10 solidly would be a really nice goal to have, and one that I think is extremely attainable for us right now. And also, an opportunity to go win, right? A win in the closing four weeks of the year would probably be a bigger deal than wherever our points position ends up being. So, yeah, just trying to put that together, and be really strong, be improving, and try and end the season on a note that gets us in a good spot going into ’27.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet, on Phoenix Raceway: “Last week’s race was a tough one just knowing how good of a car we had. But it’s part of racing. Phoenix [Raceway] has been tough for us, but we definitely have had some success there and a good notebook from the last three years being in the [Championship 4]. It will be different racing there and it not being the finale, but it will also be nice to really just focus on the race at hand and go for a win.”

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet, on heading to Phoenix Raceway: “It’s always fun to get back to my home track [Phoenix Raceway]. We had decent runs last season with our Ally 48 group. We’re continuing to put in work and staying focused on building momentum and putting together strong runs.”

Corey Day, driver of the No. 17 Chevrolet, on heading to Phoenix Raceway: “Phoenix [Raceway] hasn’t been my strongest track in the past, and I’ve struggled there in my last two starts, so I’ve been working on reviewing footage to make sure I’m as prepared as possible. I know my team will bring a fast No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, so the goal is to keep it clean, execute throughout the race and come away with a strong points day.”

Event: Freeway Insurance 500

Date/Time: Sunday, October 18, 2026, 3 p.m. ET

Location: Phoenix Raceway, Avondale, Arizona

Layout: 1-Mile Oval

TV/Radio: USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

As Josh Berry and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team enter the final stretch of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, this weekend’s Freeway Insurance 500 at Phoenix Raceway presents a promising opportunity to build on their recent momentum and contend for another strong finish.

The relatively flat, one-mile oval has been a favorable track for Berry and the Wood Brothers Racing team, who recorded fourth- and seventh-place finishes in their two visits to Phoenix last season. Their success on similar tracks this year provides further reason for optimism, with Berry earning a fourth-place finish at Iowa Speedway, an eighth-place result at Richmond Raceway and a third-place finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

While the team’s most recent visit to Phoenix on March 8 proved challenging, with brake issues hampering the No. 21 Mustang Dark Horse before Berry was collected in an accident, the driver remains confident in the team’s ability to return to form this weekend.

During an appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio earlier this week, Berry pointed to the team’s previous success at Phoenix and its continued strength on shorter tracks as reasons for optimism heading into Sunday’s race.

“It was a bit of a struggle for us in the spring compared to last year,” Berry said. “We had two really good races there last year, and we’ve been super strong at short tracks this year.

“We can look back on those notes and take what we’ve learned at those tracks and apply it to Phoenix. It should be a great race for us.”

Berry and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team have delivered a string of competitive performances over the past two months, positioning themselves to continue pursuing top-five and top-10 finishes as the season winds down. Berry believes that consistency is key to putting the No. 21 team in contention for another trip to Victory Lane.

“Hopefully we can keep knocking out those top-fives and top-10s, and when you consistently put yourselves in those positions, you get the opportunity to go for a win,” he said. “We are in a position where we can certainly go do that.”

With a proven track record at Phoenix and encouraging results on comparable circuits, Berry and the Wood Brothers will look to capitalize on one of their stronger opportunities to contend near the front of the field during the closing weeks of the season.

Practice for the Freeway Insurance 500 is scheduled for Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET, followed by qualifying at 5:35 p.m. ET. Both sessions will be televised on truTV.

Sunday’s 312-mile race is scheduled to take the green flag shortly after 3 p.m. ET, with television coverage on USA Sports.

Stage breaks are scheduled for Laps 60 and 185.

Josh Berry

Age: 35 (Oct. 22, 1990)

Hometown: Hendersonville, Tennessee

Crew Chief: Miles Stanley

IG: @joshberry88

X: @joshberry

About Motorcraft®
Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to under hood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford Dealers and Lincoln Retailers, independent distributors and automotive-parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty* of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com. *See your dealer for limited-warranty details.

About Quick Lane® Tire & Auto Center
Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine maintenance, serving all vehicle makes and models. Quick Lane provides a full menu of automotive services, including tires, oil change and maintenance, brakes, batteries, alternator and electrical system, air conditioning system, cooling system, transmission service, suspension and steering, wheel alignment, belts and hoses, lamps and bulbs and wiper blades plus a thorough vehicle checkup report. Service is performed by expert technicians while you wait at any of nearly 800 locations in the U.S., with evening and weekend hours available and no appointment necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com. *See your dealer for limited-warranty details.