NASCAR at Phoenix, Pre-Race News & Notes [VIDEOS]

CampingWorld.com 500

NASCAR races in the Valley of the Sun this weekend. Kurt Busch back in car, Iowa Drivers at Phoenix, TV times, and more.

NO SLOWING HARVICK:
Kevin Harvick continues his hot streak of being 'Freaky Fast' by grabbing the pole for the CampingWorld.com 500 at the Phoneix International Raceway. It was the Stewart-Haas Racing driver's first Coors Light Pole Award of the season and the 15th of his career. As far as his racing results, Harvick is riding a streak of six straight top-two finishes dating back to Texas last year – there will likely be one following Sunday’s race at Phoenix (2:30 PM-CST on FOX). The No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing driver has won the last three events at PIR and holds the all-time track record with six victories.

How historic is Harvick’s run of top twos? The last driver to finish second or better in six consecutive races was Jeff Gordon. He accomplished the feat in 1996.

KURT IS BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN:
Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kurt Busch was back in the driver's seat. He qualified eighth in his first event back from a three-race suspension. Busch said that he has heard a lot of support from those in the Garage since his return.

IOWA DRIVERS PHOENIX:
Michael Annett will start 31st in the No. 46 HScott Motorsports Chevrolet. Landon Cassill will start 33nd in the No. 40 Hillman Smith Motorsports Chevrolet. Brett Moffitt will start 38th in the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford.

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TURNING POINT FOR GORDON?:
After winning the Coors Light Pole Award for the Daytona 500, Jeff Gordon has been unable to catch a break. The No. 24 Chevrolet driver wrecked in the first two races and after winning the pole again at Las Vegas, had to race in a backup car and start from the tail end of the field following a collision with Danica Patrick during practice. Sitting 30th in points, Gordon can turn his season around quickly with a win and the subsequent Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup berth that would come with it.

Phoenix International Raceway might be the spot where Gordon finds Victory Lane in Sunday’s CampingWorld.com 500. The 43-year-old driver has posted two wins, 12 top fives and three Coors Light Pole Awards at the one-mile track and finished runner-up in last season’s fall race there.

APPROACHING MILESTONES:
Three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series mainstays are currently approaching or will soon reach milestones. Kasey Kahne will make his 400th consecutive career NSCS start this weekend at Phoenix. He ranks 21st on the consecutive starts list. In his 399 previous starts, he has posted 17 wins (including a 2011 victory at Phoenix), 83 top fives, 147 top 10s, 26 poles and an average finish of 17.3.

Furthermore, Kahne’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson will make his 475th NSCS start (41st all time) and Richard Childress Racing driver Ryan Newman will attempt to post the 100th top-five finish of his career.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series – Raceday Info