Phoenix International Raceway:

Phoenix International Raceway:

History

·         Construction was completed in January 1964. The facility consisted of a one-mile oval and a 2.5-mile road course.

·         Alan Kulwicki won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix on Nov. 6, 1988.

·         The first spring race was held on April 23, 2005 and also the first night race, which was won by Kurt Busch.

·         The track underwent its first repave last year. The construction began in March and concluded in September of 2011.

·         The following changes were made during the construction period (March – Sept., 2011):

o    Widened the frontstretch from 52 to 62 feet

o    Reconfigured pit road with the installation of concrete pit stalls

o    Pushed the dog-leg curve between Turn 2 and Turn 3 out 95 feet

o    Tightened the turn radius of the dog-leg from 800 to 500 feet

o    Implemented variable banking to ensure the immediate use of two racing grooves, including 10-11 degree banking between Turn 1 and Turn 2; 10-11 degree banking in the apex of the dog-leg; and 8-9 degree banking in Turn 4

Notebook

·         There have been 32 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Phoenix International Raceway, one per season from 1988-2004 and two each season since.

·         Geoffrey Bodine won the first pole in 1988 at a speed of 123.203 mph (29.220 sec.).

·         There have been 19 different pole winners, led by Ryan Newman with four.

·         Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon and Carl Edwards are the only drivers to win consecutive poles. Newman won three straight (2002-04), while Gordon won the fall of 2006 and spring of 2007, and Edwards won the fall of 2010 and spring of 2011.

·         There have been 23 different race winners, led by Jimmie Johnson, with four – (’07 fall, ’08 sweep, ’09 fall).

·         The race has been won from the pole four times: Jeff Gordon (spring 2007), Jimmie Johnson (fall 2008), Mark Martin (spring 2009) and Carl Edwards (fall 2010).

·         The race has been won from a top-10 starting position in 17 of 32 events.

·         Denny Hamlin (November, 2005) won his first career pole at Phoenix International Raceway.

·         Ricky Rudd won the 1995 race from the 29th-place starting position, the furthest back a race winner has started.

·         Matt Kenseth won the 2002 race from the 28th-place starting position, the furthest back an active race winner has started.

·         Mark Martin has 20 top-10 finishes, more than any other driver. Martin (9.0 average finish) is one of two active drivers who average a top-10 finish. Jimmie Johnson (5.2) is the other.

·         Two perfect Driver Ratings of 150.0 have been recorded at Phoenix, Kurt Busch in April of 2005 and Kevin Harvick in November of 2006.

·         Five drivers have won consecutive races at Phoenix: Davey Allison (1991,1992); Jeff Burton (2000, 2001); Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2003, 2004); Kevin Harvick (swept 2006); Jimmie Johnson is the only one of the five to win three consecutive races (fall 2007, swept 2008).

·         Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at Phoenix with nine, followed by Roush Fenway Racing with six.

·         Of the seven drivers with multiple wins at Phoenix International Raceway, Mark Martin is the only driver to win in two different manufacturers: Ford (1993) and Chevrolet (2009).

·         Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Texas Motor Speedway winner: Phoenix International Raceway winner: Kyle Busch (11/13/2005 – 20 years, 6 months, 11 days). Oldest NSCS Phoenix International Raceway winner: Mark Martin (4/18/2009 – 50 years, 3 months, 9 days).

·         Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Phoenix International Raceway pole winner: Kyle Busch (4/22/2006 – 20 years, 11 months, 20 days). Oldest NSCS Phoenix International Raceway pole winner: Mark Martin (4/18/2009 – 53 years, 1 months, 24 days).