Ruoff Mortgage 500 Preview and Best Bet
NASCAR Cup Series: Ruoff Mortgage 500
Sunday, March 13, 2022 at 3:30 p.m. ET at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona
Race Info
While last weekend's Pennzoil 400 arguably wasn't as chaotic as the slippery WISE Power 400, it was not short of drama.
Alex Bowman ended up collecting a rare win for himself, besting last year's champion, Kyle Larson, in the process.
We'll be sure to discount Bowman as a possible candidate to win this Sunday's race in Phoenix since it is hard and rare for anyone -- let alone Bowman -- to win back-to-back.
For this Sunday's racing event, drivers must complete a total of 312 laps.
As has always been the case this year, there will be three stages for this race.
Stage 1 consists in the first 75 laps. Stage 2 requires 115 more laps. Stage 3 concludes upon completion of the 312thlap.
The entry list for this race has been posted. There have been 36 teams/drivers listed out of a possible 40 spots.
So, barring any unforeseen events, we already know who will participate in this race.
As for the starting lineup, that gets determined by qualifying.
On Saturday, drivers will experience a practice session from 11:30 a.m. to 12:05 p.m. ET.
Thereafter, there will be a single-car, one-lap, two-round qualifier.
Track Info
The Phoenix Raceway is a tri-oval race track located in the vicinity of Phoenix.
Historically, this has been a racetrack where drivers have complained about the difficulty of passing their competitors.
But a different aero package and tire combination has assuaged this concern in recent renditions at this track.
This track is one-mile long. So, in completing 312 laps, drivers will have accumulated 312 miles.
Compared with other tracks on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit, the banking is comparatively low.
The start and finish straightaway is banked at three degrees.
There is, uniquely, a dogleg here that is banked at 10 degrees as is the straightaway from the dogleg to turn 1.
Turns 1 and 2 are banked progressively at 8-9 degrees. The backstretch is banked at three degrees and turns 3 and 4 are banked progressively at 10-11 degrees.
Drivers to Avoid
I recommend avoiding Martin Truex Jr.
He might be tempting to back because he is currently enjoying a high position in the points standings -- he is in second place behind defending champ Kyle Larson.
Moreover, you might want to invest in him given his last two races here.
However, never in his career has he earned more than two straight top-10 finishes at this track.
Truex Jr. is simply not a consistent performer in Phoenix.
Plus, overall, his numbers paint a bleak picture. His average finishing position is 14.97 in Phoenix, which is just over three spots behind his average starting position here.
While Denny Hamlin's history at this track shows stronger consistency and a higher ceiling here, he has been nothing short of awful this season. In 2022, he has yet to finish higher than 2022.
You can select either driver to finish ahead of the other in a head-to-head match-up opportunity posted at Bovada. But I would stay clear of this option.
Driver I Like
For Sunday's race, I like Kevin Harvick.
While his finishing positions haven't been anything like those in his amazing 2020 season, you have to consider where he's been starting.
He is moving up a lot of spots in his races. Plus, he's been trending upwards most recently.
Unlike Las Vegas, Phoenix is historically one of Harvick's favorite racing venues.
Harvick has amassed an absurd total of nine wins and 18th top-five finishes here.
No other driver has a remotely comparable history here.
And yet Harvick is cheap to invest in.
Best Bet: Harvick Top 5 Finish at +240 with Bovada
NASCAR Cup Series: Ruoff Mortgage 500
Sunday, March 13, 2022 at 3:30 p.m. ET at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona
Race Info
While last weekend's Pennzoil 400 arguably wasn't as chaotic as the slippery WISE Power 400, it was not short of drama.
Alex Bowman ended up collecting a rare win for himself, besting last year's champion, Kyle Larson, in the process.
We'll be sure to discount Bowman as a possible candidate to win this Sunday's race in Phoenix since it is hard and rare for anyone -- let alone Bowman -- to win back-to-back.
For this Sunday's racing event, drivers must complete a total of 312 laps.
As has always been the case this year, there will be three stages for this race.
Stage 1 consists in the first 75 laps. Stage 2 requires 115 more laps. Stage 3 concludes upon completion of the 312thlap.
The entry list for this race has been posted. There have been 36 teams/drivers listed out of a possible 40 spots.
So, barring any unforeseen events, we already know who will participate in this race.
As for the starting lineup, that gets determined by qualifying.
On Saturday, drivers will experience a practice session from 11:30 a.m. to 12:05 p.m. ET.
Thereafter, there will be a single-car, one-lap, two-round qualifier.
Track Info
The Phoenix Raceway is a tri-oval race track located in the vicinity of Phoenix.
Historically, this has been a racetrack where drivers have complained about the difficulty of passing their competitors.
But a different aero package and tire combination has assuaged this concern in recent renditions at this track.
This track is one-mile long. So, in completing 312 laps, drivers will have accumulated 312 miles.
Compared with other tracks on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit, the banking is comparatively low.
The start and finish straightaway is banked at three degrees.
There is, uniquely, a dogleg here that is banked at 10 degrees as is the straightaway from the dogleg to turn 1.
Turns 1 and 2 are banked progressively at 8-9 degrees. The backstretch is banked at three degrees and turns 3 and 4 are banked progressively at 10-11 degrees.
Drivers to Avoid
I recommend avoiding Martin Truex Jr.
He might be tempting to back because he is currently enjoying a high position in the points standings -- he is in second place behind defending champ Kyle Larson.
Moreover, you might want to invest in him given his last two races here.
However, never in his career has he earned more than two straight top-10 finishes at this track.
Truex Jr. is simply not a consistent performer in Phoenix.
Plus, overall, his numbers paint a bleak picture. His average finishing position is 14.97 in Phoenix, which is just over three spots behind his average starting position here.
While Denny Hamlin's history at this track shows stronger consistency and a higher ceiling here, he has been nothing short of awful this season. In 2022, he has yet to finish higher than 2022.
You can select either driver to finish ahead of the other in a head-to-head match-up opportunity posted at Bovada. But I would stay clear of this option.
Driver I Like
For Sunday's race, I like Kevin Harvick.
While his finishing positions haven't been anything like those in his amazing 2020 season, you have to consider where he's been starting.
He is moving up a lot of spots in his races. Plus, he's been trending upwards most recently.
Unlike Las Vegas, Phoenix is historically one of Harvick's favorite racing venues.
Harvick has amassed an absurd total of nine wins and 18th top-five finishes here.
No other driver has a remotely comparable history here.
And yet Harvick is cheap to invest in.
Best Bet: Harvick Top 5 Finish at +240 with Bovada
