NASCAR 2018 Race 4: Phoenix TicketGuardian 500 Schedule, Starting Order and Picks

[dara]

Schedule, Times are Eastern Daylight Time

Friday, March 9
12:35-1:25 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series first practice, FS1
2:05-2:55 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series first practice, FS1
4:05-4:55 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series final practice, FS1
5:15 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying, FS1

Saturday, March 10
12:05-15:55 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series second practice, FS1
1:05 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying, FS1
2:30-3:20 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice, FS1
4 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series DC Solar 200, FOX (200 laps, 200 miles)

Sunday, March 11
3:30 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series TicketGuardian 500, FOX (312 laps, 312 miles)

Stage 1: Lap 75
Stage 2: Lap 150

Facts:

Track Specs:
Degree of Banking: Turns 1-2: 11 degrees; Turns 3-4: 9 degrees
Frontstretch: Length: 1,179 feet, Banking: None
Backstretch: Length: 1,551 feet, Banking: None
Pit Road: Length: 1,140
Grandstand seating: 51,000 [was 55,000, 67,000 and 76,812]

Pit Stalls:
Length: 30 feet
Width: 17 feet

Track Records & Stats

2017 March Race Winner: #31-Ryan Newman, 104.271mph, started 22nd
2017 November Winner: #20-Matt Kenseth, 105.534mph, started 7th
Race Record: Tony Stewart, Nov 1999, 118.132mph
Slowest Race Record: Al Kulwicki, 1988, 90.457mph
Oldest Race Winner: Mark Martin, 50 years, 3 months, 9 days, 4/18/2009
Youngest Race Winner: Kyle Busch, 20 years, 5 months, 11 days, 11/13/2005

2017 March Pole Winner: #22-Joey Logano, 137.321mph, finished 31st
2017 November Pole Winner: #21-Ryan Blaney, 137.942mph, finished 17th
Track Qualifying Record: Jimmie Johnson, 11/15/2015, 143.158mph
Oldest Pole Winner: Mark Martin, 54 years, 1 month, 23 days, 3/1/2013
Youngest Pole Winner: Kyle Busch, 20 years, 11 months, 20 days, 4/22/2006

Most Races: Mark Martin & Jeff Gordon, 34; Ryan Newman, 31
Most Wins: Kevin Harvick, 8; Jimmie Johnson, 4
Most Poles: Ryan Newman, 4; Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, 3
Most Top 5s: Jimmie Johnson 15; Kevin Harvick, 14;
Most Top 10s: Jeff Gordon, 24; Mark Martin, 21; Jimmie Johnson, 20

 

[dara]

Starting Order:

1. Martin Truex Jr.
2. Kyle Larson
3. Chase Elliott
4. Alex Bowman
5. Joey Logano
6. Denny Hamlin
7. Kyle Busch
8. Jamie McMurray
9. Erik Jones
10. Kevin Harvick
11. William Byron
12. Ryan Blaney
13. Ryan Newman
14. Paul Menard
15. Daniel Suarez
16. David Ragan
17. Jimmie Johnson
18. Austin Dillon
19. Clint Bowyer
20. AJ Allmendinger
21. Trevor Bayne
22. Aric Almirola
23. Kurt Busch
24. Chris Buescher
25. Brad Keselowski
26. Kasey Kahne
27. Darrell Wallace Jr.
28. Ty Dillon
29. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
30. Matt DiBenedetto
31. Michael McDowell
32. Gray Gaulding
33. Corey LaJoie
34. D.J. Kennington
35. Timmy Hill
36. Ross Chastain
37. Jeffrey Earnhardt


AVONDALE, Ariz. – Defending Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr. finally found the extra speed he needed at ISM Raceway.

Saving his best lap for the final round of knockout qualifying on Friday at the one-mile track in the Sonoran Desert, Truex sped around the circuit in 26.288 seconds (136.945 mph) to win the pole position for Sunday’s TicketGuardian 500 (3:30 ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Truex beat Kyle Larson (136.643 mph) by .058 seconds to earn his first pole of the season, his second at ISM Raceway and the 16th of his career. But Truex hadn’t claimed the top starting spot at ISM since he led the field to the green flag in the fall of 2009. Truex said a strong game plan and a variety of factors contributed to the pole-winning run for the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota.

 

[4me2c]

1)...Kyle Busch
2)...Chase Elliott
3)...Kevin Harvick

 

[Ryu]

1)... Kurt Busch
2)...Chase Elliott
3)...Kyle Larson

looks like you kicking in early this time. 4me2c on fire better luck this time. kof

 

[Ryu]

thank you Dara for all the hard work. kof

 

[4me2c]

looks like you kicking in early this time. 4me2c on fire better luck this time. kof

While watching on Sunday those 3 were gaining on the front runners and if it hadn't been for the Fender Bender that took out 1 + 2 of Me Picks it most definitely would have been a Different Ending...! Remember Larson Made it to #3...!

 

[Ryu]

I know buddy. its long way to go and I'm sure its gonna be a lot of flip flop lol

 

[Marley]

Kevin Harvick *****
Martin Truex Jr
Kyle Larson

 

[Ryu]

welcome back Marley
Kevin Harvick
Ryan Blaney
***Joey Logano***

 

[ranagee]

Kevin Harvick (Favorite)
Martin Truex Jr
Joey Logano

 

[dara]

Martin Truex, Jr
Kyle Larson
Kevin Harvick***

 

[carlosman]

* kyle Larson
Martin Truex, Jr
Kevin Harvick

 

[dishuser]

1. Martin Truex Jr. ***
7. Kyle Busch
10. Kevin Harvick

 

[Capt.Kangaroo]

Kyle Busch***
Kevin Harvick
Chase Elliott

 

[crazed 9.6]

Final Practice underway now.
Harvick seems to be fast fast, could say 'freaky fast'
I am gonna take Harvick to win this and make it 3 in a row
And Kyle B cause he gots flames painted on his M&Ms car this week

Kevin Harvick **
Kyle Busch
Kyle Larson

 

[82harley]

Kyle Busch***
Kevin Harvick
Joey Logano

 

[Orziz]

Harvick *
Logano
Chase Elliot

 

[4me2c]

Final Practice underway now.
Harvick seems to be fast fast, could say 'freaky fast'
I am gonna take Harvick to win this and make it 3 in a row
And Kyle B cause he gots flames painted on his M&Ms car this week

Kevin Harvick **
Kyle Busch
Kyle Larson

Think Kevin may bee a little pizzed after what happened so He may bee just going All Out for Spite...! May Change Me Pics on the 'morrow...!

 

[Ryu]

Final Practice underway now.
Harvick seems to be fast fast, could say 'freaky fast'
I am gonna take Harvick to win this and make it 3 in a row
And Kyle B cause he gots flames painted on his M&Ms car this week

Kevin Harvick **
Kyle Busch
Kyle Larson

you got KKK

 

[crazed 9.6]

you got KKK

That's the K tri-fector