Phoenix International Raceway

“DOLLAR GENERAL 200”




AVONDALE, ARIZONA- Phoenix International Raceway was the location of this week’s race. The Nationwide Series went to the desert and raced their second race of the season. If you watched the race last weekend at Daytona, you saw Michael Annett (43) get involved in an accident with 5 laps left, that sent him to the Halifax Hospital. It was stated later in the week that he would be out indefinitely due to a broken sternum. He required surgery and will be out at least two months, as they believe at this point. That race ended under a second bad accident at the checkered flag. There were over two dozen injuries in the grandstand area. The twelve drivers in that accident all walked away without injuries.

Jeremy Clements was also suspended indefinitely for a racial slur he made in an interview. This broke the “Code of Conduct” rules the drivers must abide by. In this race, Jimmie Johnson will be driving for Dale Jr. in the number 5 car. Sam Hornish Jr.(12) left Daytona with the points lead last week.

Joe Gibbs Racing was the best team in qualifying, as Kyle Busch (54) and Brian Vickers (20) will start on the front row for the race. Matt Kenseth (18) will start third in his car for Gibbs Racing. Kevin Harvick (33) will also be racing. Brad Keselowski (22) is another Cup driver in the field.

Opening Ceremonies began with Ken Bowers providing the Invocation. Keelra Lyn Ford sang the “National Anthem”. The Grand Marshal was Marc Dacascos. The In-race reporter was Sam Hornish Jr. (12).

On lap 3, the caution flag flew for Johanna Long (70), Alex Bowman (99), Jamie Dick (55), Travis Patrana (60) and Sam Hornish Jr. (12) all getting involved in spins. Most of the cars bounced off the outside wall, then they hit the inside wall as well. This incident started with the cars around the fifteenth spot. Hornish Jr. was also penalized for going into his pit box before pit road was open.

On lap 38, Brad Keselowski (22) tagged Dexter Stacey (92) and spun him out. Jimmie Johnson (5) bounced off the backend of Austin Dillon (3) without damage. During the pit stop, Busch overshot his pit box and was caught speeding on entry. He fell from first to twenty-third on the re-start.

On lap 50, Nelson Piquet Jr. (30) ran into the back of Joe Nemechek (87) sending him backwards into the outside wall. While trying to get his car straightened out, Piquet Jr. ran into the side of Mike Wallace (61) as well.

On lap 96, Kevin Harvick (33) had a front right tire blow out. The car shot up and into the outside wall and ended his day of racing. Harvick was running in the sixth spot when the incident happened.

On lap 108, Sam Hornish Jr. (12) spun out. He did not hit anything, but Trevor Bayne (6) slapped the wall trying to get past Hornish Jr. without hitting him.

Parker Kligerman (77) hit the wall pretty hard on lap 136, but the caution did not come out for him. He went two laps down while trying to get some repairs done. Both the front right and rear right of the car slapped the wall. There should have been a caution thrown, because debris did come off the car.

On lap 151, Kyle Larsen barely touched the wall, with the rear right corner. NASCAR threw a caution. Kligerman’s car hit hard without any caution, then Larsen barely even touched the wall and they throw one. There is no consistency when they don’t throw the caution on one, but they will on another.

One of the drivers to watch today has been the driver Kyle Larsen (32) he has driven a very good race. This is only his second race of his career in the series and he has run around Jimmie Johnson all day long.

On lap 175, Trevor Bayne (6) and Brian Vickers (20) got together with Mike Harmon (74). Vickers ended up with the most damage and he was penalized for entering pit road too soon as well.

The race was able to run to the checkered flag after that caution on lap 175. Kyle Busch finally won in his own car after a full season without a win. He had to have Joe Gibbs help to get back in victory lane.

The rest of the top ten were: Brad Keselowski (22), Justin Allgaier (31), Trevor Bayne (6), Elliott Sadler (11), Austin Dillon (3), Sam Hornish Jr. (12), Matt Kenseth (18), Aric Almirola (43) and Brian Scott (2).

Jimmie Johnson (5) and Kyle Larsen (32) raced one another right to the end, finishing twelfth and thirteenth respectfully.

The next Nationwide Series race will be held at Las Vegas at 4 pm EST. on ESPN2.