The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series moves to Phoenix International Raceway for the 35th race of the season, The Quicken Loans Race For Heroes 500. Brian Brown took a look at past performances, season trends, and spoke with NASCAR contacts to predict how the field should finish on Sunday.
When: Sunday, November 9; 3:15 p.m./et.
Weather: Sunny with a high around 84; wind out of the ESE at 9 mph. There is a ZERO percent change of precipitation on Sunday.
The Track: Phoenix International Raceway
PIRis a relatively flat (11 and nine degree banking in the corners) one mile oval. Drivers that tend to run fast at Richmond and New Hampshire are smart picks.
Key to Race: Which Hendrick Driver will win?
Hendrick Motorsports has dominatedPIRthe past few years. We anticipate all drivers from the Big H Stable will be fast, but don’t forget about Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch. All eight remaining drivers (Logano, Harvick, Ryan Newman, Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, and Brad Keselowski) in the Eliminator Round are within 18-points of each other. Look for more exciting NASCAR playoff action and a few punches could be thrown when the dust settles.
Qualifying Procedures:
44 cars will qualify for 43 spots.
Fantasy Cheat Sheet:
Top 5
No. 4 Kevin Harvick: Harvick has led over 648 laps in the past 17 races atPIRincluding a win this spring. He is our top option.
No. 2 Brad Keselowski: “Rocky” Keselowski has seven top 20 finishes in nine career starts at PIR. He should finish inside the top five this weekend…unless someone takes him out.
No. 48 Jimmie Johnson: Johnson has 18 top 10 finishes in 23 career starts at PIR including four wins in the last 14 races at the track. He, once again, is an obvious choice to take the checkers.
No. 22 Joey Logano: Logano cracked the top 11 in six of his last nine starts at PIR. He is a good pick this weekend.
No. 11 Denny Hamlin: Hamlin has been very successful atPIRduring his career including three top three finishes in the last five races. Another top five finish is expected.
6 to 10
No. 99 Carl Edwards: Edwards has two wins in the last seven races at Phoenix. He is a good pick.
No. 31 Ryan Newman: Newman was awesome in seven of the past nine Phoenix races. He should bring a similar setup Sunday.
No. 20 Matt Kenseth: Kenseth has finished inside the top six in five of the last 17 races
at PIR. He will once again bring a fast car.
No. 24 Jeff Gordon: Gordon won the 2011 spring race and has 22 top 10 finishes in 31 career starts atPIR. We look for Mr. Golden Gloves to be very strong again this weekend.
No. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Junior finished second at Phoenix earlier this season. He is a fine choice.
11 to 20
No. 18 Kyle Busch: Rowdy has been one of the top drivers the past seven years at Phoenix. We look for him to have a big impact on Sunday’s race.
No. 5 Kasey Kahne: Kahne won the November 2011 race at Phoenix and finished second last fall. He should have plenty of speed this visit to the desert.
No. 15 Clint Bowyer: Bowyer ran a great races at Phoenix the past two springs. He could nail-down another top 10 finish with a little luck.
No. 14 Tony Stewart: Smoke is one of the top drivers at PIR the last nine years. He will just miss the top 10 this visit to the desert.
No. 41 Kurt Busch: Busch usually brings a very fast sled to PIR. He is a worth using in most leagues.
No. 16 Greg Biffle: Biffle has led 389 laps in the past 19 races atPIR. He should have the No. 16 ride inside the top 15.
No. 42 Kyle Larson: Larson finished 20th earlier this year at PIR. He should be just a bit faster this visit.
No. 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: Stenhouse Jr. was great at Phoenix in the Nationwide Series and drove a decent race earlier this year. He should bring the No. 17 another top 20.
No. 3 Austin Dillon: Dillion was very average at PIR earlier this year. There are better choices.
No. 43 Aric Almirola: Almirola cracked the top 20 in the past five races at Phoenix. We like him this weekend.
21 to 30
No. 78 Martin Truex Jr.: Truex Jr. has finished in the top 22 in 14 of his 17 career starts atPIR. Another top 25 finish is expected.
No. 27 Paul Menard: Menard has cracked the top 30 in all but one of his 15 career starts atPIR. We like him to continue the streak.
No. 13 Casey Mears: Mears had a great run at Phoenix this spring. He is a nice sleeper pick this weekend.
No. 9 Marcos Ambrose: Ambrose has cracked the top 22 in all but two of his 12 career starts atPIR. He is a solid value option.
No. 1 Jamie McMurray: PIRhas been a tough place for Jamie Mac to get around for much of his career. This isn’t the weekend to take a chance on him.
No. 55 Brian Vickers: Vickers has averaged a 24th place finish at PIR during his career. He will take the checkers around the same position as is his average.
No. 47 A.J. Allmendinger: Allmendinger should finish around the same spot he did this spring.
No. 33 Ty Dillon: Dillon is back in the Double-3s this weekend. He is worth using in deep leagues.
No. 10 Danica Patrick: Patrick was terrible at Phoenix the past three races. She isn’t worth using again this weekend.
No. 51 Justin Allgaier: The Riverton Rocket wasn’t terrible at Phoenix this spring. He isn’t a bad sleeper pick.
Field Fillers:
No. 26 Cole Whitt
No. 34 David Ragan
No. 38 David Gilliland
No. 36 Reed Sorenson
No. 95 Michael McDowell
No. 7 Michael Annett
No. 23 Alex Bowman
No. 83 J.J. Yeley
No. 32 Joey Gase
No. 98 Josh Wise
No. 37 Mike Bliss
No. 40 Landon Cassill
No. 66 Mike Wallace
No. 75 Clay Rogers
My Yahoo! Fantasy NASCAR Team for this Week:
B. Ryan Newman
B. Denny Hamlin
