Subway Fresh Fit 500 Preview
By Micah Roberts
VegasInsider.com
Now that we have the Daytona 500 out of the way we can get to seeing what this news Gen-6 car can do on tracks with no restrictions. NASCAR, in their attempt to erase the type of restrictor-plate racing we've seen over the last few years may have went too far with the version of racing produced over the last two weeks of Daytona speed weeks. I never like to call any race boring, but Sunday's race wasn't exactly the most thrilling product NASCAR has given its fans.
No one could pass on Sunday, but all that changes at the 1-mile flat track at Phoenix this week, a sharp contrast from Daytona's 2.5-mile beast. All indications are that the Gen-6 car will be racier than ever in the 32 races other than Daytona or Talladega. In order for drivers to be successful at Phoenix, it takes the perfect mix of driver skill, horsepower and a perfectly balanced car to handle the flat turns.
Over the years, a few drivers have found an edge for themselves that make them tough to beat at Phoenix. The driver at the top of the list could be looking at winning the first two races of the season.
Jimmie Johnson, who probably did the least amount of anything during Daytona speed weeks, made it count most when it mattered in the Daytona 500. That's what champions do. At Phoenix, no one has been better than Johnson who has compiled a 6.7 average finish over his career. He had his worst career finish at Phoenix last fall -- 32nd, but has won four times. At one juncture he went 10 straight races at Phoenix with a Top-5 finish.
Johnson winning the Daytona 500 might have a few drivers saying, "Here we go again." When the COT (Car of Tomorrow) -- the 5th Generation car -- was introduced in 2007, Hendrick Motorsports drivers dominated right out the gate. Between Johnson, Jeff Gordon and then Hendrick driver Kyle Busch, they piled up all the wins. They had the advantage in the new car due to extensive testing that all the other teams took almost a year to catch up to. Johnson would win the second of five straight NASCAR Cup Championships, in part because of the head start his team had with the new car.
Now we get to see if the massive Hendrick piggy bank can reproduce the same type of success with the Gen-6 car. Daytona is already in the bag, but that really isn't the true test. That will be known this week at Phoenix and the following week in Las Vegas. The 32 races away from Daytona and Talladega will be the true measure of who has the edge and who will be hoisting the championship trophy at the end of the season.
Chances are, Jimmie Johnson will be that guy again. The LVH Super Book dropped his odds to 7/2 following his Daytona win, a track that he had struggled at since last winning there in 2006. The thinking is that if Johnson can tackle his toughest tracks with success like he did Sunday, the Hendrick advantage in the Gen-6 car might propel him to his sixth title.
If you had to pick one team that might be able to go toe-to-toe with the Hendrick spending budget in testing, it might be the Joe Gibbs cars. Things started slow with the COT for Roush Racing and Richard Childress Racing, but the Gibbs crew adapted well when the COT ran the full season in 2008. It was Kyle Busch's best season to date with eight wins.
Denny Hamlin has always been good at Phoenix, and the flat tracks like New Hampshire and Richmond. Hamlin won the spring Phoenix race last season and finished runner-up in the fall. Ironically, it was Kevin Harvick who won in the fall and finished runner-up in the spring. Hamlin has a 10.3 average finish at Phoenix over his career.
Other drivers we should expect to run well also come from the Hendrick stables. Kasey Kahne won in the fall of 2011 and ran well last season. Jeff Gordon is a two time winner at Phoenix -- both coming in the COT and Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a two-time winner himself -- winning back-to-back years in 2003-04.
Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle would look to be the top Roush candidates. Edwards wrecked five cars at Daytona between January testing, practice and race competition. When interviewed following his final wreck, he said he couldn’t wait to get to Phoenix and win. He won in 2010 at Phoenix and has been one of the better drivers the last three years during practices. Biffle has finished runner-up twice at Phoenix and last season finished seventh or better in both races.
Top-5 Finish Prediction
1) #11 Denny Hamlin (8/1)
2) #48 Jimmie Johnson (6/1)
3) #18 Kyle Busch (10/1)
4) #5 Kasey Kahne (10/1)
5) #29 Kevin Harvick (10/1)
Danica-Fever
Danica Patrick's eighth-place finish at Daytona may give reason to believe that she is ready for the big leagues, but the reality is that she didn't really have to do anything at Daytona. She just went along for the ride and stayed out of trouble. She never had to make a move and basically played follow the leader. We have seen her have some success in past plate races, but Phoenix will be different. She is going to have to race, make decisions, and battle, and I'm not so sure she's ready for that yet. One thing going for her is that she does have a great car. The Stewart-Haas team is a spin-off of Hendrick Motorsports and should have some of their advantages.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Odds – Denny Hamlin The Favorite at Phoenix
By: Micah Roberts
Sportingnews.com
Now we really get to see how NASCAR’s new Gen-6 cars perform.
In Sunday's Daytona 500, we saw a traffic jam and not a lot of passing. It should be a much different story this week at Phoenix.
The LVH SuperBook has installed Denny Hamlin as the 5-to-1 favorite to win the Subway Fresh Fit 500, followed by Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch at 6-to-1. Hamlin won the Phoenix race last spring and finished runner-up in the fall. Johnson has a 6.7 average finish at Phoenix over his career, and at one point had 10 straight top-five finishes on the track, including four wins.
When we saw the fifth generation car – better known as the Car of Tomorrow – debut on a limited schedule in 2007, the Hendrick Motorsports was way ahead of the game due to extensive testing and deep pockets. Between Johnson, Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon, the organization dominated races with the new car. We may not see history repeat itself, but it’s fair to assume Hendrick has an early edge this year.
Joe Gibbs is not too far behind, and everyone else is further back. In 2007, Roush Racing and Richard Childress Racing drivers were kind of left behind.
So when looking at Kevin Harvick, who won the Phoenix race last fall and finished runner-up in the spring, consider his history with new cars before becoming too enamored with him at 12-to-1. In 2006, the season before the COT’s debut, Harvick swept Phoenix. He didn't win there again until last season. This is a good track for him, but there is uncertainty around the RCR cars. It’s also a little unsettling for bettors knowing he's in a lame-duck situation.
When the COT went full time during the 2008 season, it was Kyle Busch, in his first season with Gibbs, who dominated the most. Busch won eight races that season, a career year.
We'll get a much better idea about how these cars will run during practices on Friday and Saturday. Be sure to check back Saturday for our practice notes and top-10 driver list for Phoenix.
ODDS TO WIN SUBWAY FRESH FIT 500
DENNY HAMLIN 5-1
JIMMIE JOHNSON 6-1
KYLE BUSCH 6-1
BRAD KESELOWSKI 8-1
KASEY KAHNE 8-1
MATT KENSETH 12-1
TONY STEWART 12-1
JEFF GORDON 12-1
KEVIN HARVICK 12-1
DALE EARNHARDT JR 15-1
CLINT BOWYER 18-1
GREG BIFFLE 20-1
CARL EDWARDS 20-1
MARTIN TRUEX JR 20-1
MARK MARTIN 25-1
RYAN NEWMAN 30-1
JOEY LOGANO 35-1
RICKY STENHOUSE JR 50-1
KURT BUSCH 60-1
PAUL MENARD 100-1
MARCOS AMBROSE 100-1
JUAN MONTOYA 100-1
JAMIE McMURRAY 100-1
ARIC ALMIROLA 100-1
JEFF BURTON 100-1
DANICA PATRICK 300-1
BOBBY LABONTE 1000-1
FIELD 100-1
Subway Fresh 500 Preview
By Covers.com
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to the desert for the second race of the new season, the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. The 1-mile oval track is a far cry from the restrictor-plate racing at Daytona, so drivers with success in the season opener may not carry that over at Avondale.
Odds on favorite: Jimmie Johnson (+600)
Johnson is coming off a victory at Daytona last weekend and is no stranger to Phoenix International Raceway. The No. 48 car owns an average finish of 6.68 – tops among active drivers – and has visited Victory Lane four times in 19 career starts at Phoenix. Johnson has placed among the Top 5 in 11 of his last 13 races there but finished a disappointing 32nd in the AdvoCare 500 last November.
Live dog: Kevin Harvick (+1,500)
Harvick is the most recent winner at Avondale, taking the checkered flag at the AdvoCare 500 last November. He boasts an average finish of 12.9 at Phoenix, with three wins and 10 Top-10 showings in 20 career starts. During Speedweek at Daytona, Harvick won both the Sprint Unlimited and Budweiser Duel 1 but finished 42nd in the Daytona 500 after getting into a wreck.
Long shot: Kurt Busch (+6,000)
Busch is no stranger to the desert heat, growing up in Las Vegas and cutting his teeth in the Southwest racing circuits. He’s one of the most consistent drivers at Phoenix, completing 99.7 percent of laps (6299 of 6317) in his 20 Sprint Cup races at PIR. The elder Busch brother also has a win (2005 Subway Fresh 500) at Phoenix and ranks third among active drivers in most laps led with 750. Chevrolet has dominated this race over the past few seasons, winning six of the last eight Subway Fresh Fit 500 events.
Key Stat:
Between 2003 and 2009, three drivers – Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kevin Harvick – won eight of 12 Phoenix races. Eight different drivers have graced Victory Lane since the opening race of the 2009 season.
Notable quotable:
"This weekend will be one of the most difficult and challenging ever. Our new Chevy SS has significantly more downforce than last year's car. With the new Gen-6 car, the new rules, a new tire compound and new inspection process, we don't really have anything that we can base this weekend off of.” - Alan Gustafson, crew chief for Jeff Gordon.
Driver Handicaps: Phoenix
By: Jeff Wackerlin
Racingone.com
This weekend, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Phoenix International Raceway for Sunday's Subway Fresh Fit 500. To help you make your fantasy racing picks, MotorRacingNetwork.com brings you our weekly analysis to help steer you toward Sunday's 312-lap event.
Who's HOT at Phoenix
• Jimmie Johnson leads all drivers in wins (4), laps led (931) and average finish (6.7).
• Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick each have posted one win and a 1.5 average finish in their last two starts.
• Kyle Busch has posted a 4.5 average finish and has led 289 laps in his last two starts.
• Kasey Kahne has two top fives in the last three races, including a win.
• Mark Martin has posted six top 10s, including one win, in his last eight starts.
• Jeff Gordon has posted an average finish of 3.7 in the last three spring races, including a win in 2011.
• Ryan Newman, the 2010 spring winner, has finished in the top five in five of his last six starts.
Who to Keep an Eye on at Phoenix
• Greg Biffle (7.7), Brad Keselowski (9.7) and Carl Edwards (10.0) each rank in the top five in finishing average in the three races run on the current Phoenix track configuration.
• Tony Stewart is second in laps led (169) on the current Phoenix track configuration.
• Paul Menard, Kurt Busch and Jamie McMurray were among the drivers that participated in the Goodyear Tire test last October.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. didn't have much success with the Gen-5 car at Phoenix, but says the current car has similar characteristics to the Gen-4, a car he won with at PIR twice.
• Danica Patrick finished 17th at Phoenix last fall, her best non-restrictor plate finish in 11 Cup starts.
• Joey Logano, who will make his first track start with Penske Racing, has finished 11th or better in four of his last six races at Phoenix.
• Matt Kenseth, who finished in the top 10 in both races in 2010, will make his first track start with Joe Gibbs Racing.
• Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who will make his first Cup start at Phoenix, has finished in the top 10 in all six of his Nationwide starts at PIR.
• Matt Kenseth, has been fast in off-season testing with the Gen-6 car, and will make his Phoenix debut with Joe Gibbs Racing. His crew chief, Jason Ratcliff, helped lead Joey Logano to a top-10 finish in this event last year.
• Jeff Burton, who has finished fourth and 13th, respectively, in the last two fall races was running in the top 10 in this event last year until engine problems in the closing laps.
• AJ Allmendinger, who will drive the No. 51 for Phoenix Racing, has finished in the top 10 in two of his last three starts at Phoenix.
MotorRacingNetwork.com Staff Picks
Jeff Wackerlin: Kyle Busch
Pete Pistone: Kevin Harvick
Tony Rizzuti: Jimmie Johnson
John Singler: Denny Hamlin
Driver Notes - Ordered by Current Standings
(All stats/notes are in regards to Phoenix unless noted)
Jimmie Johnson: Four-time winner; Finished fourth in this event last year for 12th top five in 19 starts; 16.7 average finish and 55 laps led in the three races on the current track configuration.
Dale Earnhardt Jr: Last of eight top 10s in 21 starts came in this event in 2011 (10th); Two-time winner, in 2003 and 2004; 19.7 average finish and no laps led in the three races on the current track configuration; Will return in the same chassis (No. 721) that he finished 21st with at Phoenix last fall.
Mark Martin: Has finished in the top 10 in his two starts with Michael Waltrip Racing; Two-time winner, the last coming with Hendrick Motorsports in this event in 2009; Seventh-best average finish (11.7) in the three races on the current track configuration.
Brad Keselowski: Coming off two consecutive top 10s; Fourth-best average finish (9.7) in the three races on the current track configuration; Participated in the Goodyear Tire test last October; Will debut a new chassis in the Subway Fresh Fit 500.
Ryan Newman: Winner of this event in 2010; Coming off eighth top five with a fifth-place finish last fall; Sixth-best average finish (10.3) in the three races on the current track configuration; Will return in the same chassis that he finished eighth and 11th with at Richmond and Martinsville, respectively, last season.
Greg Biffle: Finished third in this event last year for fifth top five in 18 starts; 5.0 average finish in last two starts; Third-best average finish (7.7) in the three races on the current track configuration; Will debut a new chassis in the Subway Fresh Fit 500.
Danica Patrick: Finished 17th in her first Sprint Cup track start last fall; Will also debut a new chassis this weekend.
Michael McDowell: Will skip Phoenix as the Phil Parsons Racing team is still building and preparing Gen-6 Fords, with plans to return next week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
JJ Yeley: Best finish in nine starts came in the 2007 fall race, 14th while racing for Joe Gibbs Racing; 27.0 average finish and one lap led in two starts on the current track configuration.
Clint Bowyer: 29.0 average finish in two starts with Michael Waltrip Racing; Last of five top 10s came in the 2011 fall race with Richard Childress Racing; 22.7 average finish and no laps led in the three races on the current track configuration; Will run the same chassis he finished ninth with at Dover International Speedway last fall.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr: Making first Cup Series track start; Finished in the top 10 in all six of his Nationwide starts; Will debut a new chassis in the Subway Fresh Fit 500.
Aric Almirola: 20.2 average finish in four starts; Best finish came in this event last year, 12th; Will also debut a new chassis this weekend.
Denny Hamlin: Defending race winner; 1.5 average finish in last two starts; Leads all drivers with a 5.0 average finish in the three races on the current track configuration; Participated in the Goodyear Tire test last October.
Bobby Labonte: Last top 10 came in this event in 2007, eighth place; 17.3 average finish in the three races on the current track configuration.
David Reutimann: Last of three top 10s (seventh) in 11 starts came in the 2011 fall race while driving for Michael Waltrip Racing; 27.7 average finish in the three races on the current track configuration.
Dave Blaney: Last of two top 10s in 20 starts came in 2002; 25.3 average finish in the three races on the current track configuration.
Marcos Ambrose: Recorded only top 10 (eighth) in the 2011 fall race; 19.3 average finish in the three races on the current track configuration; Will debut a new chassis in the Subway Fresh Fit 500.
Joey Logano: Last of three top 10s came in this event last year, 10th place; 16.0 average finish in the three races on the current track configuration; Will debut a new chassis this weekend.
Jeff Gordon: Last of two wins in 28 starts came in this event in 2011; 23.3 average finish and one lap led in the three races on the current track configuration.
Paul Menard: Coming off second top 10 (ninth) in 12 starts; 16.3 average finish in the three races on the current track configuration; Participated in the Goodyear Tire test last October.
Notables Outside the Top 20
Kurt Busch: Coming off 11th top 10 in 20 starts; Winner of this event in 2005 with Roush Racing; 15.0 average finish and 59 laps led in the three races on the current track configuration; Participated in the Goodyear Tire test last October.
Carl Edwards: Winner of the 2010 fall race; Fifth-best average finish (10.0) in the three races on the current track configuration; Participated in the Goodyear Tire test last October; Will return in the same chassis that Matt Kenseth piloted last season at Phoenix, when he posted finishes of 13th and 14th.
Kyle Busch: Has finished eighth or better in four of his last six starts; Won the 2005 fall race with Hendrick Motorsports; Leads all drivers with 289 laps led in the three races on the current track configuration.
Kasey Kahne: 19.0 average finish in two starts with Hendrick Motorsports; One win and a 13.0 average finish in the three races on the current track configuration.
Juan Pablo Montoya: 16.1 average finish in 12 starts; 12.7 average finish in the three races on the current track configuration.
Tony Stewart: Last of 11 top 10s (third) in 22 starts came in the 2011 fall race; Second among all drivers in laps led (169) in the three races on the current track configuration; Participated in the Goodyear Tire test last October.
Kevin Harvick: Coming off third win in 20 starts; Led 88 laps and finished second in this event last year; Second-best average finish (7.3) in the three races on the current track configuration.
NASCAR visits Phoenix
By Sportsbook.ag
NASCAR Subway Fresh Fit 500 Preview
With the Daytona 500 now completed, the NASCAR circuit shifts west to Phoenix for Sunday's Subway Fresh Fit 500. Denny Hamlin is the defending champion of this race, edging out runner-up Kevin Harvick. And in the most recent race on this track, last November’s AdvoCare 500, these two drivers also finished first and second with Harvick taking the checkered flag and Hamlin as the runner-up.
Phoenix International Raceway is a one-mile, tri-oval track completed in 1964. It was built with bankings measuring 11° on turns 1 and 2, a 9-degree banking on the 1,551-foot (0.29 miles) backstretch and a near-flat 3° frontstretch measuring 1,179 feet (0.22 miles).
Drivers to Watch
Kevin Harvick (15/1) - These odds are extremely favorable for a driver who finished first and second in his two races at this track last year. The No. 29 car always competes well on one-mile tracks, and since 2006, Harvick has three wins and eight top-7 finishes in 14 starts at Phoenix.
Ryan Newman (30/1) - Not only did Newman finish fifth at Daytona to start his 2013 season, but he's always raced well at Phoenix in his career. In 21 starts at this track, he's grabbed the pole four times, and has posted eight top-5 finishes. This includes five top-5's in his past six starts, winning the 2010 Subway Fresh Fit 600, and then placing 2nd, 5th, 5th, 21st and 5th in five Phoenix races since then. What's more impressive about this run is that his average start in these six races was 15.7, as he started no better than 6th in any of these races.
Greg Biffle (15/1) - Like Newman, Biffle also began his season with a bang, starting 5th and finishing 6th in the Daytona 500. Although he's never won at Phoenix, he's been awfully close with two career runner-ups (2005 and 2007) and four top-7 finishes in his past eight starts at Phoenix. He placed 3rd in the 2012 Subway Fresh Fit 500, and came in 7th place in the AdvoCare 500 last November.
Jimmie Johnson (6/1) - After taking home the checkered flag in Daytona last week, Johnson's odds are understandably very low. He's also been a beast in Phoenix over the years, finishing outside the top-10 just four times in 19 starts at this track. All four of his Phoenix wins have come since 2007, and in the past six spring starts in the desert, he has finished 4th, 1st, 4th, 3rd, 3rd and 4th.
Kurt Busch (60/1) - As longshots go, there's no doubt that Busch provides the best bang for your buck. His average finish at Phoenix is a strong 13.2, which includes 11 top-10's, four top-5’s and a victory in 2005. With six top-10’s in his past nine starts at this track, this long-odds bet is certainly justified. Busch's average starting position in his past nine starts at Phoenix has been 8.2. - See more at: http://www.vegasinsider.com/by-the-book/story.cfm/story/1378833#sthash.AZNRjtVo.dpuf
NASCAR Sprint Cup Odds, Driver Notes and Chassis Selections for Phoenix
By: The Linemakers
Sportingnews.com
LAS VEGAS -- Here's a look at some of the top statistical performers at Phoenix International Raceway using NASCAR's Loop ratings, along with odds for the Subway Fresh Fit 500 posted by the LVH SuperBook and chassis information from team press releases.
In years past, a driver's chassis history has been one of the key components in handicapping Sprint Cup races. However, with the new Gen-6 template, we'll have to wait and see if past chassis success is still a useful handicapping tool.
The most interesting driver to watch this week will be Kevin Harvick at 12-to-1 odds because he's using the same chassis that won at Phoenix last fall.
PHOENIX-SPECIFIC STATISTICS
Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M / NOVEC Ford)
Odds: 20/1
· Five top fives, seven top 10s
· Average finish of 13.7
· Average Running Position of 14.9, 11th-best
· Driver Rating of 92.4, 10th-best
· 276 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
· 687 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most
· Average Green-Flag Speed of 124.664 mph, 10th-fastest
Biffle's chassis choice: The No. 16 3M Novec Ford Fusion team will bring Primary Chassis RK-844, which will make its debut this weekend at Phoenix. The backup Chassis RK-807 first hit the track in 2012 at Martinsville, earning a 13th-place finish.
Kurt Busch (No. 78 Furniture Row Chevrolet)
Odds: 60/1
· One win, four top fives, 11 top 10s
· Average finish of 13.3
· Average Running Position of 10.4, third-best
· Driver Rating of 99.3, fourth-best
· 279 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.765 mph, seventh-fastest
· 3,521 Laps in the Top 15 (74.1%), seventh-most
Busch's chassis selection was not noted.
Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M's Toyota)
Odds: 6/1
· One win, three top fives, 10 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 13.3
· Average Running Position of 10.9, fifth-best
· Driver Rating of 99.9, third-best
· 245 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.833 mph, fourth-fastest
· 4,217 Laps in the Top 15 (83.2%), second-most
· Series-high 465 Quality Passes
Joe Gibbs Racing does not post chassis information.
Carl Edwards (No. 99 Subway Ford)
Odds: 20/1
· One win, six top fives, 10 top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 12.5
· Average Running Position of 13.3, ninth-best
· Driver Rating of 98.3, eighth-best
· 284 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.826 mph, fifth-fastest
· 3,339 Laps in the Top 15 (65.9%), ninth-most
· 347 Quality Passes, ninth-most
Edwards' chassis choice: The No. 99 Subway team will roll out RK-802 for this weekend's 500. The chassis was last run in Phoenix with Matt Kenseth's No. 17 team. Edwards' team will use RK-790 as the backup, an all-around backup car for the team that was last seen on track in the 2012 spring race in Martinsville.
Jeff Gordon (No. 24 PEPSI MAX Chevrolet)
Odds: 12/1
· Two wins, 10 top fives, 19 top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 11.5
· Average Running Position of 10.6, fourth-best
· Driver Rating of 98.8, sixth-best
· 186 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.694 mph, ninth-fastest
· 4,069 Laps in the Top 15 (80.3%), third-most
· 362 Quality Passes, seventh-most
Gordon did not have chassis information listed this week.
Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota)
Odds: 5/1
· One win, seven top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 10.3
· Average Running Position of 11.1, sixth-best
· Driver Rating of 100.4, second-best
· 235 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.899 mph, second-fastest
· 3,583 Laps in the Top 15 (75.4%), sixth-most
· 365 Quality Passes, sixth-most
Joe Gibbs Racing does not post their chassis information.
Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet)
Odds: 12/1
· Three wins, six top fives, 10 top 10s
· Average finish of 12.9
· Average Running Position of 11.3, seventh-best
· Driver Rating of 98.4, seventh-best
· 233 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
· 656 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.809 mph, sixth-fastest
· 3,719 Laps in the Top 15 (73.4%), fifth-most
· 343 Quality Passes, 10th-most
Harvick's chassis choice: He'll be driving chassis No. 383 from the RCR stable at Phoenix. This is the same car that Harvick drove to Victory Lane at Phoenix last November.
Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)
Odds: 6/1
· Four wins, 12 top fives, 15 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 6.7
· Series-best Average Running Position of 7.1
· Series-best Driver Rating of 115.8
· Series-high 517 Fastest Laps Run
· 649 Green Flag Passes, 13th-most
· Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 125.199 mph
· Series-high 4,452 Laps in the Top 15 (87.9%)
· 456 Quality Passes, second-most
Johnson Chassis choice: Using a new chassis, No. 778. Chassis No. 689 serves as the backup.
Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Husky Toyota)
Odds: 12/1
· One win, five top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 17.7
· Driver Rating of 85.5, 12th-best
· 159 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most
· 685 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.556 mph, 11th-fastest
· 2,900 Laps in the Top 15 (57.2%), 12th-most
· 351 Quality Passes, eighth-most
Joe Gibbs Racing does not post chassis information.
Mark Martin (No. 55 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota)
Odds: 25/1
· Two wins, 12 top fives, 21 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 9.1
· Average Running Position of 11.8, eighth-best
· Driver Rating of 97.8, ninth-best
· 266 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.758 mph, eighth-fastest
· 3,325 Laps in the Top 15 (69.9%), 10th-most
· 335 Quality Passes, 12th-most
Martin Chassis Choice: He'll be driving MWR chassis No. 714, and the backup will be chassis No. 732.
Ryan Newman (No. 39 Quicken Loans Chevrolet)
Odds: 30/1
· One win, eight top fives, eight top 10s; four poles
· Average finish of 18.0
· Average Running Position of 14.5, 10th-best
· Driver Rating of 88.9, 11th-best
· 681 Green Flag Passes, 10th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.526 mph, 13th-fastest
· 3,476 Laps in the Top 15 (68.6%), eighth-most
· 444 Quality Passes, third-most
Newman's chassis choice: He'll be using Chassis No. 39-691, which debuted at Richmond International Speedway last September. There, Newman drove from his 14th-place starting spot to take the lead on lap 300, where he would stay for 13 laps before recording an eighth-place finish. The No. 39 team turned the chassis around and brought it to Martinsville Speedway in October, where Newman rallied from being two laps down and, in the final 120 laps, moved from 28th to finish 11th. With a new Chevrolet SS body for 2013, Chassis No. 39-691 visited the wind tunnel in preparation for its third career start Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway
Tony Stewart (No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Racing Chevrolet)
Odds: 12/1
· One win, eight top fives, 11 top 10s
· Average finish of 12.1
· Average Running Position of 10.2, second-best
· Driver Rating of 99.0, fifth-best
· 212 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
· 690 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.891 mph, third-fastest
· 3,905 Laps in the Top 15 (77.1%), fourth-most
· 423 Quality Passes, fifth-most
Stewart's chassis choice: Chassis No. 14-742 first turned its wheels on a racetrack in 2012 during a test session Sept. 4-5 at the Milwaukee Mile, which prepared it for its debut in the Sept. 23 Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire. There, the car qualified third and led 38 laps before finishing seventh. Chassis No. 14-742 returned to another relatively flat, 1-mile oval when it made its second career start in the penultimate race of the 2012 season at Phoenix. After qualifying ninth, a pit road miscue and a lap-282 spin conspired for a 19th-place finish. With a 2013 Chevrolet SS body honed in the wind tunnel, Chassis No. 14-742 returns to Phoenix for its third career start.
Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56 NAPA Filters Toyota)
Odds: 20/1
· One top five, five top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 17.1
· Average Running Position of 15.9, 13th-best
· Driver Rating of 84.9, 13th-best
· 134 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-most
Truex Jr.'s chassis choice: Will be using MWR chassis No. 731 as his primary car this week. MWR chassis No. 723 will serve as the backup.
Other notable drivers' chassis selections:
Kasey Kahne: Crew chief Kenny Francis and the No. 5 team will unload Hendrick Motorsports' Chassis No. 5-769 for Sunday's event at Phoenix. Kahne has neither tested nor raced this car. Kahne most recently finished fourth at Phoenix in November 2012 and was one of three drivers to spend the entire extended 319-lap event running inside the top 15. He has one win, three top-five finishes and six top-10s in 17 Cup starts at the desert track. He has qualified inside the top 10 during the last four races at the one-mile Avondale, Ariz., oval.
Clint Bowyer: Primary chassis No. 733 ran at both Pocono races in 2012 finishing sixth in June and eighth in August. It also started second and finished ninth at Dover in the fall. The backup chassis (No. 727) raced last season at Fontana, Darlington and both Michigan races.
Brad Keselowski: The No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion team will race chassis PRS-841 at Phoenix, a brand new chassis for 2013. The backup chassis is PRS-834, also a brand new chassis for 2013.
Joey Logano: The No. 22 Pennzoil/Shell Ford team will race chassis PRS-839 at Phoenix, a brand new chassis for 2013. The backup chassis is PRS-836, also a brand new chassis for 2013.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Crew chief Steve Letarte and the No. 88 crew will unload Hendrick Motorsports' Chassis No. 88-721 at Phoenix. Earnhardt most recently raced this chassis to a 21st-place finish at Phoenix in November.
Phoenix Post-Practice Betting Notes
By: Micah Roberts
Sportingnews.com
Mark Martin was fastest in both of Saturday's practice sessions at Phoenix International Raceway, showing that the No. 55 car might be a major contender in Sunday's Subway Fresh Fit 500. Martin was fast in qualifying trim Friday as he won the pole position, but being at the top of the charts in race trim is a much bigger deal when looking to bet a few drivers.
However, a betting concern with Martin might be that he never ran more than 10 consecutive laps in either session. The fuel window is 75 laps and Martin ran only 31 laps in the first practice and seven during happy hour. Martin is awfully fast on the short runs, but on this track it's usually about who is fastest in the final half of a run, and we don't know that part of the equation.
One of the drivers who did get plenty of laps in was Kevin Harvick, who took 47 turns around the relatively flat one-mile track in the first session -- the most -- and 35 during happy hour. In the early session, Harvick ended up with the fifth fastest single lap and the third fastest average among the 12 drivers that ran 10 consecutive laps. Those average speeds and Harvick spending so much time on the track make him very attractive Sunday.
The one question coming into this race with Harvick was how the RCR cars would run at Phoenix in the new Gen-6 car simply because they initially struggled with the COT debut in 2007. Harvick won the fall race last year and is using that same chassis this weekend.
Jimmie Johnson had the best 10-consecutive average and fourth single-lap time in the early session and followed it up with the 14th-fastest lap while running 44 laps in the final practice. There should be no questions surrounding Johnson, a driver that has a track-best 6.7 average finish in 19 career starts that includes four wins in Phoenix. He radioed to his crew that his car got better through the turns the longer it was on the track, which could be bad news for everyone else.
Clint Bowyer stood out as well, but only after making a set-up adjustment in the first session so his car mirrored what teammate Martin was doing. Once his crew made the made the change, Bowyer laid down the third-fastest single lap and ran the second-best 10-consecutive-lap average. He followed that up with the fifth-fastest lap in happy hour.
Surprisingly, Bowyer hasn't fared too well at Phoenix, with zero top-5 finishes there since 2008. It's odd because two of his best tracks have been at Richmond and New Hampshire, places that require similar setups to Phoenix. Bowyer also had a little help to a 28th-place finish last fall when he and Jeff Gordon settled an old score.
Kyle Busch was second fastest in both sessions and ran 55 laps -- second most -- during happy hour. Busch also had the fastest 10-consecutive-lap average in happy hour. Tony Stewart ran the most laps during happy hour and finished with the seventh-fastest lap.
Perhaps the most promising note of the day was seeing Carl Edwards run well in both sessions. It's been 71 races since he last won -- Las Vegas, 2011 -- and he had the worst possible speed weeks imagined at Daytona where he wrecked five of his cars. But he ended up finishing Saturday with the fourth-fastest time during happy hour. Kurt Busch also gets a congratulatory nod for finishing with the sixth-fastest lap during happy hour while using a back-up car.
The top drivers who disappointed the most were Denny Hamlin and Kasey Kahne. Hamlin, who came in as the 5-to-1 favorite, was 12th best and ran only 22 laps in the first session and then changed an engine prior to happy hour and finished 15th. Kahne, who was outstanding in both weekends of practice last year at Phoenix, finished 22nd in the early session and found more speed in happy hour with the eighth-fastest lap. Kahne is using a chassis this week that had never been tested or raced until Friday.