Thursday, February 27, 2014

K&N West (#knwest) Statistical Advance: Phoenix

Analyzing The Talking Stick Resort 75


DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West opens its 61st season at Phoenix International Raceway on Thursday, Feb. 27 with the Talking Stick Resort 75. Below is a statistical look at the recent performance of the series and selected drivers at Phoenix, as well as some other statistical trends:


Phoenix Race Setup

  • Just three past Phoenix winners – Gray Gaulding, David Mayhew and Greg Pursley – are on the Talking Stick Resort 75 entry list. Pursley leads active drivers with three wins and is tied for second with Richard Petty all-time at the Arizona track.
  • Gaulding and Cole Custer will renew a rivalry established last November at PIR when Gaulding passed Custer for the win after a final-lap nudge
  • Eleven Sunoco Rookie of the Year contenders are entered into the event with James Bickford and Nick Drake aiming to make their K&N Pro Series West debuts.


NASCAR K&N Pro Series West At Phoenix

  • The Talking Stick Resort 75 will be the 33rd stand-alone series race at Phoenix International Raceway. In addition, the series visited PIR for nine combination races with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series from 1988 to 1996.
  • The Talking Stick Resort 75 will be telecast on a delayed basis by FOX Sports 1 on Friday, March 7 at 1 p.m. ET.
  • Ken Schrader’s four victories heads the list for most series wins at Phoenix (2001, 2003, 2004 and 2006). With three wins each, two drivers are tied for second on that list – Richard Petty (1978, 1980 and 1981) and Greg Pursley (2010, 2011 and 2013). Two-time winner Scott Lynch (2003, 2004) is the only other driver with multiple series victories at PIR.
  • Pursley is tied with Mike Duncan for the most pole awards at PIR, with four each. Richard Petty won three poles at Phoenix. Others with more than one pole at PIR include Neil Bonnett and Scott Lynch, with two each.
  • Pursley has the most top-five finishes in series action at Phoenix, with seven.
  • Bill Schmitt holds the mark for the most top-10 finishes in the series at PIR, placing 10th or better in 12 of his 13 starts there followed by Austin Cameron with nine.
  • Richard Petty holds the mark for leading the most laps (361) in series competition at Phoenix.
  • Of drivers who have competed in four or more races at Phoenix, Neil Bonnett had the best average finish of 2.2 – making five starts between 1977 and 1982.
  • Each of the last seven PIR races have ended at their advertised distance while six of the previous seven were extended for green-white-checkered finishes.
  • With 21 starts, Brett Thompson has competed in the most NASCAR K&N Pro Series West stand-alone events at Phoenix. Jack Sellers has the most PIR starts overall – racing in 18 stand-alone events and five combination races.
  • Among manufacturers, Chevrolet has the most wins in series action at PIR with 15 wins.
  • Eight of the 32 series races at Phoenix were won by the pole winner, including this race a season ago. Three race winners started outside the top 10. Rich Woodland Jr. started the furthest back and won, coming from 21st on the grid in 1998.

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