TRACK – Phoenix Raceway (1-mile oval)
NOAPS RACE – GOVX 200 (200 laps / 200 miles)S
TUNE IN – CW, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90 at 7:30 p.m. (ET)
- Carson Kvapil will make his third career start at Phoenix Raceway this weekend in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
- On tracks measuring 1-2 miles in length, Kvapil has 22 starts, four top-fives and seven top-10s.
- Crew chief Rodney Childers has had success at Phoenix, accumulating a total of five victories in the NASCAR Cup Series.
- After three races in the NOAPS season, Kvapil sits fifth in the series points standings.
- Justin Allgaier is a two-time NOAPS winner in “The Valley of the Sun,” taking the checkered flag in this event in 2017 as well as the fall event in 2019.
- Overall, in 31 career NOAPS starts in Phoenix, Allgaier has amassed 13 top-five and 21 top-10 finishes to accompany the two victories.
- The Illinois native’s 21 top-10s at Phoenix rank the most among all tracks that Allgaier has competed on in the NOAPS.
- In this event last year, Allgaier led for a race-high 130 laps and ran inside the top five throughout the day before taking the checkered flag in the fifth position.
- Sammy Smith heads to Phoenix for the eighth time in his NOAPS career this weekend.
- Smith earned his first career NOAPS career victory at Phoenix in the spring of 2023 after starting 11th and leading 92 of the 200 laps.
- Overall, Smith has tallied one top-five and five top-10s to accompany his 2023 victory at Phoenix.
- According to NASCAR’s Loop Details Statistics, Smith is ranked first for fastest driver late in run and fourth for laps run in top-15 (80.7 percent)
- Pilot will share the TV panel with Updike Distribution Logistics, a Phoenix-based company that offers a full suite of services when it comes to transporting goods and materials.
- William Byron makes his return to JRM for the first of three NASCAR O’Reilly Series starts this weekend in Phoenix.
- The 2017 NASCAR O’Reilly Series Champion has made three career starts in the series at Phoenix, earning one win, two top fives and two top 10s.
- Byron’s lone victory at the one-mile oval came during his championship campaign for JRM in the fall of 2017.
- In 33 career starts in the O’Reilly Series for JRM, Byron has earned a combined total of four wins, 12 top-fives and 22 top-10s, culminating with the championship in 2017.
Carson Kvapil: “Phoenix is unlike any other track we race on and always presents a unique challenge. I know Rodney (Childers, crew chief) and the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops team will unload another fast car which gives me a lot confidence heading into this weekend. I can’t thank Johnny Morris and everyone at Bass Pro Shops enough for their support this season. It wouldn’t be possible without them.”
Justin Allgaier: “Phoenix has always been one of my favorite tracks on the schedule. We’ve had some really great cars here over the years and I know that Andrew (Overstreet, crew chief) and all the guys on this BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet team will give me another one this weekend capable of running up front and fighting for the win. We just need to go out and execute like we know we can and I see no reason why we won’t be where we want to be when the race ends Saturday night.”
Sammy Smith: “Last week’s third-place finish in COTA was just what this No. 8 Pilot team needed after getting caught up in a wreck in Atlanta. We’re hungry to keep it going and I got my first win here at Phoenix, so we’ll be looking to capture that top spot again this weekend for Pilot, TMC and Allstate Peterbilt.”
William Byron: “Phoenix has always been a track I enjoy because it really rewards precision and patience. I’m excited to make my first of three starts with the No. 88 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet and work with Mardy (Lindley, crew chief) and everyone at JR Motorsports. I’ve had a lot of great memories racing with JRM in the past, and it’s special to be back representing HendrickCars.com again. Our goal is to unload with speed, execute cleanly all day, and put ourselves in position to fight for the win.”
JRM Team Updates
- JR Motorsports at Phoenix Raceway: JR Motorsports has competed at Phoenix Raceway a combined 117 times in the NOAPS. In those starts at the 1-mile oval, the organization has recorded four wins, 31 top-five and 61 top-10 finishes. The average finish is 12.9.
- Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Carson Kvapil, Justin Allgaier, Sammy Smith and Rajah Caruth will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports/HMS WB + AB souvenir rig on Saturday, March 7 from 12:30 p.m.-1 p.m. MT.