RCR Race Preview: Phoenix Raceway

Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway... In 143 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Phoenix Raceway, Richard Childress Racing has scored six victories, led by Kevin Harvick with four wins (a sweep of both races in 2006 plus the fall races in 2012 and 2013). Ryan Newman was victorious in the 2017 Spring event. Dale Earnhardt won in 1990 to claim his ninth victory of the season enroute to his fourth of seven Cup Series championships.

Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Phoenix Raceway... RCR has three NASCAR Xfinity Series wins by three different drivers at Phoenix Raceway: Elliott Sadler (2012), Clint Bowyer (2007) and Kevin Harvick (2006). The victory by Sadler ended a 91-race winless streak, while Bowyer led the most laps (120 of 200) on the way to the Winner's Circle. The win by Harvick was one of nine victories he claimed on the way to his second Xfinity Series title with RCR.   

Chasing 100... Richard Childress Racing’s Xfinity Series program currently sits at 99 wins and will become only the third team in series history to reach the 100 win milestone with their next victory. 

Did You Know? Both of Richard Childress Racing's Xfinity Series drivers - Austin Hill and Jesse Love - have led at least one lap in each of the three opening races, and combined to lead 73% of total laps raced in 2025 (257 of 354).

Catch Saturday's Action... The NASCAR Xfinity Series GOVX 200 at Phoenix Raceway will be televised live on Saturday, March 8, beginning at 5:00 p.m. ET on The CW. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Saturday's practice and qualifying sessions will be shown for free on The CW App.

Follow Sunday's Action... The NASCAR Cup Series Shriners Children’s 500 at Phoenix Raceway will be televised live on Sunday, March 9, beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Saturday's practice and qualifying sessions will air live on Prime Video.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Chevrolet at Phoenix Raceway... Austin Dillon has 22 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Phoenix Raceway to his credit, earning two top-10 finishes. The North Carolina native has 11 starts at the one-mile oval in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, with a career-best finish of second in November 2016. Also, Dillon has one top-five and three top-10 results in three starts in the NASCAR Truck Series at Phoenix.

About Bass Pro Shops... Bass Pro Shops is North America's premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father's liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations, and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops united with Cabela’s to create a "best-of-the-best" experience with superior products, dynamic locations, and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America's Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as "one of America's Best Employers." Bass Pro Shops has a long relationship with NASCAR, dating back to 1998. For more information, visit basspro.com.

About Winchester Ammunition... Winchester is the leading small caliber ammunition brand for hunting, recreational shooting, and law enforcement, and the largest supplier to the U.S. military. The legendary Winchester® brand, with its 159-year history, is founded on principles of integrity, hard work, and a strong commitment to its loyal customers. As a division of Olin Corporation, Winchester shares Olin’s purpose to deliver materials and solutions that enhance and protect lives. Learn more about Winchester and the responsible use of its products by visiting Winchester.com or connecting with us on Facebook at Facebook.com/WinchesterOfficial.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:

What are your thoughts on racing at Phoenix Raceway this weekend?

“Phoenix Raceway is a tough track that has seen changes over the years, and I think it’s made the track more challenging, which makes it fun for drivers. Phoenix is one of those places where you hit it or don’t, so we will need to get our Chevrolet dialed in on Saturday. Pit stops are going to be key here. The pit road is tight; getting in and out of the stall clean can put us in a good track position. The restarts are wild, sometimes we will run three, four, and five wide getting into Turn 1. On Sunday, Phoenix Raceway could be a good place for the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Chevrolet team to come out with a top-10."

Kyle Busch and the No. 8 zone Chevrolet at Phoenix Raceway... Sunday’s Shriners Children's 500 will mark Kyle Busch’s 40th career NASCAR Cup Series start at Phoenix Raceway. Busch is a three-time winner at the desert oval, having claimed checkered flags in November 2005, November 2018 and March 2019. Additionally, the Las Vegas native owns 12 top-five and 26 top-10 finishes, has an average starting position of 11.7 and an average finishing position of 11.5. Busch has completed 98.3% (11,971 of 12,177) of laps competed.

All-Time Lap Leader... Busch is the all-time Cup Series lap leader at Phoenix Raceway (1,190).

Did You Know? Busch holds the record for being both the youngest race and pole winner in Cup Series competition at Phoenix Raceway. Busch captured his first Phoenix victory in November 2005 (20 years, 6 months, and 11 days) and won his first pole in March 2006 (20 years, 11 months, and 20 days).

Pole Position... Busch has 34 career Cup Series poles - four of which have come at Phoenix Raceway.

Success Not Limited to the Cup Series... In addition to his premier series success at Phoenix Raceway, the veteran racer also has 11 NASCAR Xfinity Series and two NASCAR Truck Series wins at the Avondale, Arizona track.

Get to the Points... With his fifth-place effort last Sunday at Circuit of The Americas, Busch enters Phoenix Raceway in the ninth position in the Cup Series driver championship point standings.

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KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:

In the next couple of weeks, you race at Phoenix Raceway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway. When do you get a feel for what the No. 8 team has?

“I would say after Las Vegas would be a good opportunity to assess where you're at, work on your program, figure out what's good, what's not, and try to make it better.”

On the Welcome, N.C. campus, everyone is trying to be one team involved. What do you think of that philosophy about Kaulig Racing and RCR working together better?

“I mean, obviously, that's what it's all about. Four cars will be stronger than two. I appreciate everybody at Kaulig for what they do to help us and vice versa, with us (RCR) helping them. It's a mutual thing and being stronger together. I feel like the first three weeks of the season have really been a benefit of that. We've seen the positive in it so far and I hope it continues.”

Jesse Love and the No. 2 Samsara Chevrolet at Phoenix Raceway... Jesse Love has made two career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Phoenix Raceway, earning two top-six results while piloting the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet. Throughout his career at the Arizona oval, the Menlo Park, California native has completed over 1,000 laps at the one-mile track. Love has one NASCAR Truck Series start at Phoenix, posting a fourth-place result (2023) in just his third series event. In addition, Love has seven starts in ARCA Menards Series competition at the facility, posting a best finish of second (2022) and three top-10 results. 

Points Check... Through three races, Love holds the second position in the Xfinity Series driver championship point standings. The 20-year-old is 13-points behind leader Austin Hill.

About Samsara... Samsara (NYSE: IOT) is the pioneer of the Connected Operations® Cloud, which is a platform that enables organizations that depend on physical operations to harness Internet of Things (IoT) data to develop actionable insights and improve their operations. With tens of thousands of customers across North America and Europe, Samsara is a proud technology partner to the people who keep our global economy running, including the world’s leading organizations across construction, transportation and warehousing, field services, manufacturing, retail, logistics, and the public sector. The company's mission is to increase the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of the operations that power the global economy.

Meet Love... On Saturday, March 8 at 12:20 p.m. local time, Love and his RCR teammate, Hill, are scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Trailer located in the Midway at Phoenix Raceway. Stop by to meet the young gun and purchase new No. 2 gear.

JESSE LOVE QUOTE:

What is the outlook heading into Phoenix Raceway for the first time this season? "We were good enough in the fall last year to win the race. We led laps and had a shot at winning the race before the contact at the end. Danny (Stockman, crew chief) needed to find a little bit more in the car and I needed to find a little bit more behind the wheel. Which I think we both have done since we left Phoenix in November. Phoenix is a place that the No. 2 team needs to keep doing what we have been doing there and we will have a good shot to win."

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation and Logistics Chevrolet at Phoenix Raceway... Austin Hill has six career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Phoenix Raceway, earning a best finish of fourth last spring (2024) while piloting the No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Most recently at the Arizona speedway, the Winston, Georgia native competed in the Championship 4 and posted his fifth consecutive top-10 result at the facility. In addition, Hill has five NASCAR Truck Series starts at Phoenix, notching one pole (2019) and one top-10 result (2021). 

Did You Know? Hill is one of only two drivers who have finished inside the top-10 in each of the last five Xfinity Series races at Phoenix Raceway.

Top of the Standings... Through three races, Hill remains the Xfinity Series driver championship points leader. The 30-year-old holds a 13-point lead over second-place Jesse Love. 

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Meet Hill... On Saturday, March 8 at 12:20 p.m. local time, Hill and his RCR teammate, Love, are scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Trailer located in the Midway at Phoenix Raceway. Stop by to meet the points leader and purchase new No. 21 gear.

AUSTIN HILL QUOTES:

How are you approaching Phoenix Raceway this weekend?

“I'm coming into this weekend with the same mindset as I did last November when we were racing for a championship. I'm approaching it like it's the championship race again and we have to go win. Our No. 21 team knows how hard it is to get back to the Championship 4, but this weekend is our opportunity to make sure we learn everything possible before coming back in the fall."

What more do you need to win the race compared to last year's championship race?

"Last fall, our car was a little free in Stage 1. We needed to be tightened up a bit to have rear grip, but we went too far with the adjustment. To run with the No. 7, who most likely will be the car to beat once again, we need more overall grip without losing the front end. This is an issue that RCR has had collectively at Phoenix the last couple of years. We are normally pretty close - a top-five car - but then once you tighten the balance, it hurts the handling overall. We need to make our adjustment window larger to open up what changes we can make during the race."