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NASCAR in the Desert: On the Pole in Phoenix, Yoda Is

by Charlie Turner

Thanks for stopping by OnPitRow.com and the Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie blog. The best NASCAR and IndyCar news and opinion, exclusive pictures and video. I'm Charlie Turner. Follow me on Twitter @onpitrow

March 4, 2012 12:12 pm UTC No Comments

Mark Martin found an oasis of youth at a track where he has been consistently strong.

Martin qualified his Michael Waltrip Racing #55 fastest.

He is the all-time leader in top fives, top tens and lead lap finished at Phoenix International Raceway.

Nice though, a win would be, hmmm.

Photo credit: Getty Images for NASCAR

Filed under: Mark Martin, Michael Waltrip Racing, NASCAR, Phoenix International Raceway, Sprint Cup Series

Tagged with: pole qualifying

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NASCAR: PIR Goes Proactive to Promote Side-by-Side Racing

by Charlie Turner

March 2, 2012 11:59 pm UTC No Comments

or maybe this is a prototype for the next IndyCar….

PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY GROOMS TRACK’S SURFACE FOR SUBWAY FRESH FIT 500(tm)

PHOENIX – Phoenix International Raceway has announced the completion of its
pre-event track grooming program in advance of this weekend’s NASCAR Sprint Cup
SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500(tm). Similar to the track preparation last fall, the program
was designed to burnish rubber into the track to enhance the racing groove.
“The goal was to present the best possible racing surface to NASCAR and the drivers
for this weekend’s races,” said Phoenix International Raceway President, Bryan R.
Sperber. “This is a very important race in the NASCAR season and we wanted to make
sure that the track was ready to perform.”
Phoenix International Raceway hired Colorado-based Bandimere Speedway to have a tire
rotator machine work additional rubber into PIR’s upper groove. The program was
conducted Feb. 25-27, one week before this weekend’s big event.

“It’s all about creating a better show for the fans,” said Larry Crispe, executive
vice president of operations for Bandimere Speedway. “We have used this process many
times and it’s a great way to recondition the track and prepare it for highly
competitive racing.”
Last fall, with pre-race input from NASCAR and many of the Series’ top drivers, PIR
groomed the race surface using a different tire dragging device. That effort was
augmented by six professional drivers running more than 3,000 laps on the new
surface prior to the November race weekend. The PIR grooming program was widely
lauded by the drivers during the November NASCAR weekend.
About Phoenix International Raceway

Photo credit: Phoenix International Raceway

Filed under: NASCAR, NASCAR Tech, Phoenix International Raceway

Tagged with: NASCAR press releases, PIR, Subway Fresh Fit 500

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From Bad Start to Devastating: Jimmie Johnson’s Daytona 500

by Charlie Turner

February 29, 2012 3:22 pm UTC No Comments

The NASCAR gods are piling on Jimmie Johnson’s #48 team. The other shoe dropped from the pre-practice violations found on the Lowes Chevrolet.

Johnson, who gained just 2 Sprint Cup championship points at Daytona, will enter the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway, dead last with a minus 23 points. Come on man, he didn’t even win the Cup in 2011!

Here’s the NASCAR press release.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 29, 2012) – NASCAR has issued penalties, suspensions and fines to the No. 48 team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, as a result of rules infractions found on Feb. 17 during opening day inspection for the Daytona 500.

The No. 48 car was found to be in violation of Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4J (any determination by NASCAR officials that race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules detailed in Section 20 of the rule book or has not been approved by NASCAR prior to the event); and 20-2.1E (if in the judgment of NASCAR officials, any part or component of the car not previously approved by NASCAR that has been installed or modified to enhance aerodynamic performance will not be permitted – unapproved car body modifications).

As a result, crew chief Chad Knaus and car chief Ron Malec have been suspended from the next six (6) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship events, suspended from NASCAR until April 18 and placed on NASCAR probation until May 9. Additionally, Knaus has been fined $100,000.

Driver Jimmie Johnson and car owner Jeff Gordon have been penalized with the loss of 25 driver and 25 owner points, respectively.

At least Chad Knaus gets a vacation out of it.

Photo credit: BethAnne Heisler – OnPitRow.com

Filed under: Hendrick Motorsports, Jeff Gordon, jimmie johnson, NASCAR, Phoenix International Raceway, Sprint Cup Series

Tagged with: Chad Knaus, It's Only Cheating if You Get Caught

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At Last NASCAR Victory for the Son of Sam

by Charlie Turner

November 12, 2011 10:07 pm UTC No Comments

Sam Hornish Jr won the 2011 WypAll 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race Saturday at Phoenix International Raceway. Finally triumph for the Penske Racing driver whose first NASCAR start came at the same track in a Nationwide Series race in 2006.

One win in almost six seasons of NASCAR.

But Hornish won 19 races in eight seasons of IndyCar (CART and IRL) including three championships. He won the 2006 Indianapolis 500. He’s a helluva good driver.

Watching Hornish hold off his teammate Brad Keselowski over the last 25 laps, I was on the edge of my seat. I can’t remember wanting a driver to hold on more than I did Saturday. It wasn’t a big race in relative terms and the result had little to do with history making. It didn’t save a career, or validate anything. But it felt good to me.

Congratulations Sam Hornish Jr and Penske Racing. Now go get some more.

Photo credit: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images for NASCAR

Filed under: Brad Kesolowski, Indy Cars, NASCAR, Nationwide Series, Phoenix International Raceway, Sam Hornish Jr

Tagged with: WypAll 200 presented by Kimberly-Clark

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NASCAR Race Day Pictures from the Kobalt Tools 500

by BethAnne, Special To NASCAR commentary and driver pictures, 2012 NASCAR schedule, video, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

I am the field producer/photographer of the syndicated radio show/website ON PIT ROW. When Steve and Charlie ask me to 'jump', I say "Yeah right."

November 20, 2010 10:29 pm UTC No Comments

Photos of NASCAR racers on the track at Phoenix Sunday

On track action from Sunday’s Kobalt Tools 500 at PIR. Congratulations again to Carl Edwards for sweeping the car races. Leave comments if you like what you see, please.