I know one thing for sure about the new Chase format. The drivers that are in contention will do anything and everything they can to move into the final round. That means they don’t care what happens to the other drivers who are in the same position as they are. It also means that this week’s race at Phoenix is going to be filled with dicey moves, and a lot of controversy.
So far, none of the Chase drivers has won a race in the Eliminator round, so there will be at least three drivers who get to move to the championship based on points, and right now all eight of the drivers can make it one points after the next race. This should be one of the most exciting races ever run in Phoenix.
QUICKEN LOANS RACE FOR HEROES 500
Phoenix International Raceway is a one-mile D-shaped oval that is fairly flat in the turns. It was reconfigured in 2010 to its current look. It is also the only oval NASCAR track that measures it race length in kilometers. The only other two races measured in kilometers are the road-course races in Sonoma and Watkins Glen.
So the race is 500-km, which equates to 312-miles and 312 laps. This makes it a fairly short race, but don’t let the length fool you. A driver can find themselves lapped in no time at all and it is difficult to get those laps back in this short race. That means a driver better have a great handling car right from the get go or they will be in trouble.
Kevin Harvick: Kevin has won five races at Phoenix in his career and is my pick to win this race and propel himself into the championship race. Kevin has won three of the last four races here and also finished runner-up the race before those four. They still need to be flawless in the pits and make the right calls all through the race to be in contention at the end.
Brad Keselowski: Brad has yet to win a race at Phoenix, but he has finished in the top six in four of his last five starts here. I think another top five finish should be enough to qualify Brad for the final race of the season, and a shot at his second Sprint Cup championship.
Jeff Gordon: It took Jeff seventeen tries to get his first ever win at this track and then he won twice. This team has been so good all season and now they have to fight to move to the final race with a chance to win their fifth championship. An altercation on the track late in the race at Texas has put this team into a position where they can ill afford to make any mistakes.
Denny Hamlin: Denny has won one race here during his career, but he has finished in the top five in eight of his eighteen starts. This is the type of track that this team excels at and I think they will come with a car that is capable of running up front all day. Points are going to be at a premium for all drivers still in the Chase, because only one of these drivers can make the final race with a win.
Carl Edwards: Carl has won two races at this track in his career and has finished in the top ten in twelve of his twenty starts here. This team hasn’t looked good in any of the races since the Chase started, but they always make a comeback at the end and keep themselves in contention. Carl can get a top five finish here and qualify for the championship race and surprise a lot of people in his last season at Roush/Fenway Racing.
Ryan Newman: Ryan has one win at Phoenix and has finished in the top ten here in seven of his last nine starts. This team in another team that not many people thought could win the championship in their first season together, but they have impressed during the Chase and have been improving every week. They need another great run to move to the final round.
Matt Kenseth: Matt got his lone win here twelve years ago and hasn’t run consistently well here over the past six seasons. This team is going to have to figure a way to set up their car from the start of the race, or they are going to find themselves eliminated from this years Chase.
Jimmie Johnson: Even though Jimmie isn’t in the Chase any longer, this team is still going to try to win these last two races and we have seen them go on runs like that before. Jimmie is right behind Kevin Harvick in number of wins with four at this track, and he has also finished in the top five in an astounding fourteen of his twenty-two starts here.
Dale Earnhardt.: This team was also eliminated from the Chase in the second round, but they won the first race of the Eliminator round and have three straight top five finishes at Phoenix. Dale won the races here in 2003 and 2004, so he knows how to get the job done and I think he has gotten better here with a little advice from teammate, Jimmie Johnson.
Joey Logano: Joey has five top ten finishes in eleven starts at Phoenix and two in a row. This team has proved that they are better at every track this year than they have been in the past and is looking for redemption after losing some points last week after a late race altercation where he blew a tire. They need a top ten finish to make the championship race in my opinion.
YAHOO! FANTASY NASCAR PICKS FOR PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
Yahoo Driver Group A
- Kevin Harvick
- Jimmie Johnson
Yahoo Driver Group B
- Denny Hamlin
- Brad Keselowski
- Carl Edwards
- Ryan Newman
Yahoo Driver Group C
- Justin Allgaier
- Danica Patrick
MY TOP-5 OVERALL AT PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
- Kevin Harvick
- Jimmie Johnson
- Brad Keselowski
- Jeff Gordon
- Denny Hamlin
Dark Horse: Greg Biffle
Stay Away From: Brian Vickers