Here is a look at the odds to win the Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500. Five drivers have won consecutive Cup races at Phoenix, but Harvick’s the only one to do it twice (2006 and 2014).
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Odds this low had been reserved Jeff Gordon on road courses from 1998-2001, or Lewis Hamilton in Formula 1. They’re just not seen in today’s era of NASCAR, when there are more competitive cars than ever before. Four straight is insane.
Three days before the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series finishes its Eliminator Round of the Chase, the K&N Pro Series West will determine its 2015 champion at Phoenix global Raceway among four drivers who are within 12 points of one another. Handling different race set-ups and rules packages while racing for two different organizations, Harvick loves this track, or at least he knows it better than anyone. The Bakersfield, Calif. native has been racing on it at all stages of his career.
He’ll drive the No. 20 Toyota Camry in the Xfinity Series race on Saturday, and he’ll replace suspended driver Matt Kenseth for the second consecutive week in the Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday.
Here’s a look at Harvick’s string of victories at Phoenix. Or will someone else win it all? The two are teammates at Stewart-Haas Racing, and that means Busch will have full access to the information and resources Harvick has used to crush the field in the last couple seasons. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has done nothing special at the track and is the only other driver 20/1 or better. It would be a massive upset for Harvick not to be racing for his second straight Sprint Cup title at Homestead next week.
Formula One didn’t race in the US from 2008-2011. Busch finished second at Richmond as well.
Busch is second in the standings, 2 points out of first and 11 points ahead of fourth.
His name may not be hanging above the gate on race day Sunday, but thanks to a recent run of smashing success, the 1-mile track may as well be Kevin Harvick ‘s house. He figures to be Harvick’s toughest competition this week.
– Regardless of the finish of any other driver…
“Let’s be honest. The 4 auto (Harvick) is going to be tough to beat at Phoenix”, said Chad Knaus, crew chief of last week’s victor, Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. He was intentionally knocked out of the first Eliminator Round race at Martinsville by Matt Kenseth, who was nine laps down and retaliating for Logano bumping him out of the lead at Kansas. He’s using that same chassis this week, which should give the team and his backers a few confidence. Busch is now 28 points behind the cutoff line, which means he’ll most likely have to win at Phoenix in order to advance. Of the two, it’s Kesleowksi with the better average finishing position at Phoenix.
F1 race in Texas is in jeopardy • Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s office said it is cutting almost $6 million in funding for the United States Grand Prix, raising questions about the race’s future just four years after Formula One put what many saw as a permanent footprint on American soil. That makes a big difference on the balance of the auto, how much downforce it makes and how much tape you can run on the front. Jones is coming off a dominating win last Friday at Texas that opened up his lead in the Truck Series point standings.
A year ago: Erik Jones won after a power outage ended the race with 24 laps left. Yes, his cars have been fast, but rarely has there been an easy week besides his Dover victory.
Micah Roberts is a former Las Vegas sports book director who has been setting NASCAR odds since 1994.
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