Since joining RCR in 2014, Newman has made the playoffs a couple of times (2014, '15), with his '14 effort culminating in a narrow championship miss, finishing second to Kevin Harvick in the standings.
Kevin Harvick scored the victory in the Valley of the Sun, but just by the slimmest of margins. It took until past halfway through the Good Sam 500 to take over the lead for the first time, but the driver of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet survived a beating and banging drag race to the finish line coming out of turn 4 with Carl Edwards to secure the victory.
Kevin Harvick topped the chart for the final NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice. The driver of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet was the fastest in the final practice session at Phoenix International Raceway with a time of 26.409 and a speed of 136.317 mph followed by teammate Kurt Busch who was second in his No. 41 Chevrolet with a speed of 136.173 mph.
Kurt Busch topped the chart in the second Sprint Cup Series practice. The driver of the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet was the fastest in the second practice session with a time of 26.194 and a speed of 137.436 mph.
Kyle Busch will lead the field to the green flag on Sunday in the Valley of the Sun. The driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota scored the pole for the Good Sam 500 with a time of 26.014 and a speed of 138.387 mph. This is the 18th career pole and third at Phoenix International Raceway for the reigning Sprint Cup Series champion.
In 1988, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series ran its first race at the one-mile oval. Alan Kulwicki scored his first career victory that day. Since then, the deed to the track has practically belonged to one Kevin Michael Harvick.