The “West Coast Swing” will continue this weekend when the Cup Series competes at Phoenix Raceway. This is the most important track on the schedule since it is where the 2024 NASCAR Champion will be crowned. This one-mile, D-shaped, flat track is pretty cool to watch as the drivers cut the corner through the dog-leg and slide back onto the track. The 2024 season has produced some good racing and I expect the same in the desert.
PHOENIX SCHEDULE
The Xfinity Series will join the Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway this week. The Truck Series will have the week off.
The Cup Series will have a new aero-package this week. NASCAR decided to give the teams an extended practice session to help dial in their cars in the new aero-package. The teams will have a 50-minute practice session Friday, followed by qualifying on Saturday and the race Sunday. Here is the entire schedule for the week…
RACE RECAP AT PHOENIX 2023
William Byron won the pole for the last race at Phoenix. He led every lap in Stage 1 (92 laps led for the race) and the No. 24 car finished fourth. Christopher Bell was running fourth when he got into the wall and ruined his run for the championship. Ryan Blaney had the best car on the long-runs in the race. The No. 12 car finished second and Blaney won the championship. Ross Chastain was able to beat everyone out of the pits after Stage 2 and that gave the No. 1 car the lead. It was game over as Chastain led 157 laps and went to Victory Lane.
Stage 1 Results: 1. Byron, 2. Harvick, 3. Chastain, 4. Wallace, 5. Larson, 6. Buescher, 7. Truex Jr., 8. E. Jones, 9. Bell, 10. Blaney
Stage 2 Results: 1. Buescher, 2. Chastain, 3. Harvick, 4. Byron, 5. Truex Jr., 6. Blaney, 7. Larson, 8. Wallace, 9. Buescher, 10. E. Jones
* There were only two non-Stage Break cautions in the race. Christopher Bell into wall on lap 110 and Kyle Busch spinning out on lap 276.
Click here for highlights of last year’s race: PHOENIX RACE REWIND
FANTASY PREVIEW FOR PHOENIX
The Cup Series will have a new aero-package this week. The rear diffuser has been changed; the rear spoil will be increased from 2” to 3” and the engine panel stakes will be removed (not sure what that is). All we need to know is that there will be a new car on the track this week.
NASCAR tested the new aero-package at Phoenix Raceway last December. The six drivers who participated in the two-day test include Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, Christopher Bell, Chris Buescher, Erik Jones and Corey LaJoie. These four drivers also had a lot of speed in the last race at Phoenix.
The teams will also have a 50-minute practice session Friday to work with the new aero-package. We will learn a lot from practice this week, since most of the teams will make a 20-lap run. The caution flags have been limited in the races at Phoenix in the Gen-7 car, so we can use the long-run speed chart to build some strong fantasy lineups for Sunday’s race.
FANTASY STATS FOR PHOENIX
There have been four races at Phoenix Raceway using the Gen-7 car. The aero-package will be different this week, but it shouldn’t change the results too much. Phoenix is a unique track with the dog-leg on the front-stretch and its unique corners. Some drivers are just better at this track than others (Just ask Kevin Harvick)
Here are the stats from the four races using the Gen-7 car at Phoenix Raceway (sorted by Driver Rating)…
EARLY WEEK PICKS FOR PHOENIX
ONE & DONE PICK: CHASE BRISCOE
DRIVER GROUP GAME PICKS: WILLIAM BYRON, RYAN BLANEY, JOEY LOGANO, ROSS CHASTAIN, TYLER REDDICK, CHRIS BEUSCHER, CHASE BRISCOE, RYAN PREECE
FANTASY LIVE PICKS: WILLIAM BYRON, KYLE LARSON, RYAN BLANEY, JOEY LOGANO, ROSS CHASTAIN GARAGE: CHRISTOPHER BELL
* I will update these picks this weekend.
Good luck this weekend!
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