NASCAR Sprint Cup Series - Full Race - Good Sam 500

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>> Ladies and gentlemen, at this time we ask that you please rise and remove your hats as the Luke air force base honor guard presents sour colors..

Please remain standing as Phoenix raceway chaplain Ken bowers offers our invocation. >> Father, among the many things we're grateful for today our bought null Arizona weather safe racing, the military and service people who protect us..

Father, we learned the pattern from caring about one another from you. We're told do care for others as you showed the example to care for us. There's never, ever been a time in history for us to practice being kind and we pray that even in the competition of NASCAR there will be friendly competition and consideration. These things we pray in your name and everyone said amen..

>> Here to perform our national anthem please welcome actor and Hollywood records recording artist, Jordan fisher. O say, can you see by the dawn's early light what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?.

Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight.

O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?.

And the rockets' red glare the bombs bursting in air.

Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.

Oh, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave.

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? the brave >>> Always a stirring rendition here in Phoenix. Fourth race of the year. Will we see a fourth different winner? >> Chris: Time to look at today's sunoco fueling victory..

Denny Hamlin won the season opener, the daytona 500..

He has had a win in Phoenix. Jimmie Johnson the following week. Fifth win in Atlanta. Four-time winner here in the desert. Then Brad keselowski won last week in Las Vegas..

His best Phoenix finish has been third. We welcome you back live counting you down to the start of the race. Michael Waltrip, Chris myers. Here's the hall of fame coach Joe Gibbs with Denny Hamlin..

>> Mike: He said, I've heard the talk about it and I'm not going to buy that. He said, I'm going to win today in Phoenix. He came back from a knee surgery and he won here..

Look for Hamlin and Brad keselowski. Remember last week in Vegas they were slow in practice and won the race. >> Chris: For Carl Edwards who has won here twice before you see starting on the front row for Kyle Busch, he's due. >> Mike: Remember how they tip towed into 2006..

This team is ready as is Truex. That's my favorite..

I think he gets the job done. >> Chris: Crew chief, Truex finished 11th or better in all three races this season. Kurt Busch also has been outstanding starting in the top 10..

Let's head down to the command. >> And now for the most famous words in motorsports, please welcome your grand marshal, chief operating officer for good Sam, mark buggas. >> Phoenix, are you ready to go racing? [ Cheers and applause ] >>> Phoenix, are you ready to start this race? >> Boy, I hope so. You had an extra night's sleep last night, most people..

From all the employees of good Sam and camping world that makes this possible, drivers, start your engines!.

>> Chris: Great sounds. We've already had the closest finish ever. And last week..

The guys that will call the race, Jeff Gordon, Darrell Waltrip, Mike joy. Mike, are you ready for a little drama in the desert?.

>> Mike: Ready for a lot of excitement, that's to be sure..

Kevin Harvick is the cactus king. Frankly, he puts a thorn in the side of everyone here who tries to beat them. He brakes differently into the corner, his car rotates differently. How does he do that when these cars are all so similar?.

>> Jeff: Mike, I spoke to Kevin about that. He said this racetrack suits his style the way he brakes, modulates the brakes. He gets back to the throttle earlier and harder than anyone in the field. >> Mike: That gets him off the field and into victory lane more than everyone. Darrell, each make has won each of the three races..

Have we seen anything that makes Ford, Chevy, Toyota more likely than others to go to victory lane?.

>> Darrell: Mike, have to think about what junior Johnson told me. That car don't have any idea where it is. Kurt Busch has this race figured out. He starts on the pole. You have to adapt to this unique racetrack. Every turn is different. You run up on the apron, on the track. Kurt Busch can figure this place out and give Kevin Harvick a run for his money. >> Mike: Darrell says advantage today to Chevrolet. Getting ready to race 500 kilometers in the beautiful Arizona desert on fox. >>> Ready to race in the desert. >> Everything you want in a NASCAR race. >> Racing on pins and needles. >> This is a hard hit. >> Keeps you on the edge of your seat. >> Mike: Fox NASCAR coverage in the beautiful Arizona desert..

We're at Phoenix international raceway on a sun kissed day..

Nice and cool..

Little breeze..

Full sun..

Beautiful day..

Let's have a look at the Geico starting grid for today's Geico 500 kilometer starting grid. Kyle Busch has his third Phoenix pole. Carl Edwards two-time winner. All Joe Gibbs row including position three with Denny Hamlin..

Kurt Busch fastest in two of the three practices this weekend..

Jimmie Johnson crashed after his qualifying lap put him fifth on the grid. Matt Kenseth won in 2002. Kyle Larson has his best start. Cole suspended so Todd barrier is on the top of the box..

Jamie Mack, runner up in this race last year and Ryan Blaney makes his Phoenix sprint cup debut tarl Darrell let's talk to Kurt Busch. Kurt Busch, D.W., do you got a copy, my friend. >> Hey, D.W., I got yeah. How's it going up there? >> Darrell: Going really well. Teammate Kevin Harvick owns this joint but everybody I'm talking about is picking you to throw this thing..

Can you get the job done today, buddy? >> Thanks for the extra pressure. I think we can get it done. I have Tony Gibson and everybody else at shr behind me..

Pretty cars, time to seal the dmonster energy and Haas automation..

>> Darrell: Do you like this track? >> It is one of my favorites. Came here to watch guys like Terry Labonte and Davey Allison..

I hope it goes back old school slip sliding around..

>> Darrell: I love old school. Good luck..

>> 10-4..

Thanks for checking in. >> Mike: Kurt Busch will start fourth. Here's Matt Yocum..

>> Matt: Brad keselowski, his best finish is third..

He comes to Las Vegas, they can go back to aggressive style..

Brad, turn two, money corner looking for forward bite..

The interesting section in turn three and four..

He spent a lot of time working below the yellow line..

He.

Expects it to widen out. Jamie little?.

>> Jamie: Kasey kahne has had an interesting weekend after an engine malfunction on Friday. He will start in the back. The good news is his teammate Jimmie Johnson is starting back there with him. Crew chief Keith Rodden said the plan is to stick together with the 48 work strategy and get to the front..

They were happy with the speed in the 5 car in happy hour yesterday. They hope it shows today. Vince Welch?.

>> Vince: After a horrifying accident in qualifying, Jimmie Johnson had to go to the back of the field..

Albeit his backup is extremely fast. I asked him how in such a short race do you get from the back to the front. He was very succinct in his answer. Jimmie said, drive like hell. Larry?.

>> Larry: It's been a short race. 500 kilometers, 312 laps. If you make a mistake today, you cannot recover from it..

Here's your race analysis. Pit road speed, 45 miles per hour. The fuel window, 75 to 85 laps. To the rear of the field, Kasey kahne for an engine change..

Michael Annett and Jimmie Johnson backup cars. Kane and Johnson, they will be fun watching them come from the rear. >> Mike: We have seen drivers having a bit of difficulty with the latency in the digital dash when it comes to pit road speed. Some of the distances are very, very short. Last year there were only two speeding penalties the entire race..

Look at that pit road, it stretches from turn four all the way around to turn number one on this beautiful day at a very unique racetrack. >> Jeff: First thing I see is that track temperature is up to 110 degrees. I think that's the warmest temp we've seen all weekend long..

>> Darrell: Just like last week, I think the track will throw everyone a curve. >> Mike: Jimmie Johnson crashed on the final lap after he posted his turn. Went straight up into the wall after the steering wheel came off..

>> Jeff: I know Jimmie Johnson doesn't like to go to the back..

It will be interesting to watch. He has a fast race car and great race team. Him and Kasey kahne coming from the back will be a lot of fun..

>> Mike: Kasey kahne and his engine issue. It confused the computer, blowing it up. Michael Annett had a crash. Wasn't sure what happened. His car went straight into the turn one wall in practice..

How about that view from the top of monument hill?.

They call it rattle snake hill here among the race fans..

They're all arrayed with their canopies to get shade from the Arizona sun. Kyle Busch, the pole sitter, has elected for the outside pole..

>> Darrellwe'll see how it works out for him. Fast, furious, quick. Coming to the green!.

Green flag in the air. Boogity, boogity, boogity, let's go racing, boys, and Danica..

..

>> Mike: Kyle Busch started on the outside. Dropped to the inside in front of teammate Carl Edwards..

Gibbs toy yet tats, 1, 2, 31, 2, 4. >> Jeff: Kyle Busch got a good jump and 2kr07d down in front of Carl Edwards. >> Darrell: I think it worked best for both drivers, both cars..

>> Mike: This battle right behind the six leaders, seventh place inside Joey Logano, outside is the number 20 of Matt Kenseth. >> Jeff: Kenseth not giving it up. Got to his quarter panel. Logano didn't quite clear him. Matt's going to race him hard on the outside. Any time these guys are racing one another it will be intense and exciting. They don't want to give one another an inch. >> Darrell: No, no, no, no give and take. >> Darrell: I think Matt is making it extra hard on Joey..

>> Mike: Here comes martin Truex passing Kyle Larson at the exit of turn number four and Truex moves up into the top five. >> Jeff: We saw martin Truex Jr. Carrying a lot of speed. I expect him to come to the front. >> Darrell: Back to Logano and the 20 car's little battle there, Mike. Three wide back there -- >> Darrell: Whoa. That's big right there. >> Mike: Brad tried the inside on the front stretch..

Keselowski did in the number two. Everybody on fresh tires trying to get what they can get..

>> Jeff: Jeff Gordon is on the outside on fresh tires..

>> Darrell: He loves getting that car down on the apron..

>> Mike: This time in turn two the dues got caught up on the outside up in some of the track where the rubber wasn't laid down and dropped a spot..

Now got to battle Ryan Newman. >> Darrell: I think that second lane is a little more used than I thought it would be. They've all moved up a little wee bit. >> Jeff: When you see them start out like this, side by side, it opens up a lot faster than the other competitors would think it would..

>> Mike: Jimmie Johnson up 11 spots from 38th where he took the green flag. Johnson 27th..

Kasey kahne 31st..

>> Jimmie Johnson's job is to get whatever he can get..

>> Jeff: You have to do it in a hurry. You have to be deliberate. You don't have as much time as you have on a lot of other racetracks that we go to. >> Sixth place, Joey Logano moving to the inside exiting 4 and taking the line away from Kyle Larson in turn number one. Textbook bad..

>> Jeff: Looks like Matt Kenseth -- didn't quite complete the pass. You saw him come across the apron. All the way down on Ron. Great shot from the bumper camera. >> Darrell: It's clogged up. Go by the apron..

Pass them going into three. >> Mike: There is no out of bounds here at Phoenix..

That really comes into play in the dogleg off turn number two..

Let's go back to lap one. Show you that run from Matt Kenseth's car. >> Jeff: Already, sparks flying off that car. Look at that..

Wow!.

That's that transition from the dogleg. When they're that low on air pressure and the cars are that low, they're going to spark and hit like that..

>> Darrell: Like "Star wars." >> Mike: Clintxer makes an early trip to pit road..

Kyle Busch your leader. >> Mike: Gibbs Toyotas, 1, 2, 3. Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch up to third..

Martin Truex fifth..

Kyle's jumped out to a lead of 1.7 seconds on Carl Edwards..

The fastest car on the track right now last lap 27 flat, Dale Earnhardt Jr. He's picked up 13 positions from where he started..

Here's Vince with our nationwide Dale Jr. Performance report..

>> Vince: Well, he could not have started any better for Dale Earnhardt Jr. And this 88 team..

They were hoping for a longer green run to start so he could make up spots before the tires wore out and certainly before they got to the first pit stop and it has played out perfectly..

They didn't want to use the car up too soon and junior has gained a lot of positions as you noted, Mike, and he has still got speed in that car..

It's been minor adjustments coming into the day for the 88 and they look like they've paid off for crew chief Greg Ives. >> Darrell: Vince, another car that's starting to make moves, the 22 car of Joey Logano went around the 78 of martin Truex Jr. >> Jeff: D.W..

I think the secret here is rolling the middle and cutting..

The front tires cutting through the center of both corners, but ee spepgsly down here in three and four..

That's what I saw Joey Logano do when he got by martin Truex Jr..

He was able to turn in the middle. >> Mike: A driver in trouble is Brad keselowski. He had a big moment..

They've been diving outside and inside and this one last ago when he was inside Jamie Mcmurray, car slips up, Paul Menard takes advantage..

>> Darrell: It's almost like that outside car, Mcmurray, sucked the 2 car around. Little loser when somebody is on your outside. >> Jeff: I'm wondering if they have his car too free..

You see him searching other lanes to find some grip..

>> Mike: Meanwhile, the cactus ding has been methodical..

He started 18th and picked up the spots. >> Matt: You get the 18th choice to pick your pit stall..

Harvick is deep inside turn one. He could not see his pit board sign, his spot jerks Tim Fedewa couldn't help him. It's on his crew chief's shoulders to call him into his pit box. >> Mike: 21st and 22nd, Hendricks teammates. Jimmie Johnson just ahead, Ryan Newman just behind..

So Johnson from 38th1st. >> Little steady getting started through three and four..

A little snug until the right opened but down below that I'm able to pull free. >> Jeff: I think I heard him say it's a little skaty..

You heard him in that picture, he got pretty loose up off of turn four. It might be a little bit tight in the center but it's definitely a little loose on the exits..

>> Darrell: He's closing up on a good group of cars..

Brad keselowski, just went around Biffle. He's not in bad shape, Jeff, I just don't see where it's supposed to be. >> Jeff: Don't get me wrong, he's making passes but they'll have to make a few adjustments when he gets up in the top five, top six position. >> Darrell: Yeah, he's had a little harder time every time he gets by them. >> Mike: Jimmie Johnson has come halfway through the field after starting in the back of the field in a backup car. Jamie?.

>> Jamie: The last couple of weeks this car hasn't had a lot of fire on speed. Looks fast early on..

He gets better as the run goes on. That was the focus coming here. Right away they wanted to unload faster and that's exactly what they did. He wants to be faster, make his moves early. Right now he said he's a little loose off of turn four..

>> Mike: Car looks good. He's closing on Denny Hamlin in front of him. He's been making some good moves. >> Mike: Cull Busch has let every one of the 25 laps so far in the desert. >> You're watching fox NASCAR. >> Chris: NASCAR sprint cup racing is brought to you by bud light..

Raise one right now..

And by kfc's new Nashville hot chicken. It's spicy, smokey and crispy. >> Mike: 31 laps complete. Kyle Busch leading..

Lap times have generally fallen off a full second from when we started this race. Carl Edwards second..

Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano are the front five..

11 of the last 18 laps Dale Earnhardt Jr. Has been the fastest car on the racetrack. Other cars making moves in the field. Michael?.

>> Mike: I've been watching Jamie Mcmurray in the 1 car back in the 16th position but he's been able to get up in a higher line. Here you see Ricky stenhouse saw him coming and moved up in Jamie's line. He's found a groove that has given him a lot of momentum off the turn. Guys, we saw that yesterday in the XFINITY race..

They started playing with the higher line. Talked to Joey Logano. He was excited about how the tires were laying down rubber up high..

>> Mike: Let's have a look at how this track has developed through the first 33 laps using our kfc heat map for temperature changes. Looking at the groove and the heat generated by these race cars..

Watch the low groove at lap 5 as it starts to rubber in..

You see that getting lighter indicating heat in the racetrack..

Let's show you lap 15. Much brighter, much more defined in that low groove..

>> Jeff: As it gets hotter the rubber starts to react differently. What's happening is we're starting to see drivers search around the racetrack and maybe find a little cooler spot, an area that doesn't have as much rubber on it and find a little bit grip..

That's what we were hoping for this Goodyear tire..

Right here with Dale Earnhardt Jr. And Austin Dillon --.

>> Darrell: Plus, the buildup in the tires. That gives the crew chiefs something to work with..

>> Mike: As much as Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hated his car the last two days, they have found something..

>> Jeff: It's unbelievable. We saw him getting frustrated. Boy, he's not happy..

>> Darrell: Oh, no, he got in the back of Austin and moved him up the hill a little bit..

That was close, guys. Really close..

>>..

>> Jeff: That was a, hey, I'm really fast here, let me go on through. >> Mike: Earnhardt completes the pass for seventh..

Here's a different look at it. >> Darrell: The 3 car is being held up by Buescher..

>> Jeff: Wow, look at that. They went all the way up the racetrack. >> Darrell: He closed on him a lot quicker than he thought he was going to. >> Vince: You made the comment that they were not happy with the car. Dale Jr. Said they changed just about everything on the 88..

They got to the point where they were tweaking on it for this morning and it had drivability. He was looking for more stability on entry. I'll tell Ya, they found it. >> Mike: It certainly has long run speed. >> Darrell: I'd say you're right, too. >> Jeff: Sometimes not just making those changes. Greg Ives did a great job with the engineers and talking with Dale Jr., but sometimes the race pace and when rubber is on the racetrack, we saw how hot the track surface is. Sometimes it comes to your driving ability. It is working to Dale jr.'s ability now. >> Mike: He LED last November and at the end LED one lap..

>> Darrell: Haven't seen too many people get down on the apron..

>> Mike: He LED one green flag lap and the race ended under caution. >> Jeff: Denny Hamlin said, no, no, I'm not going to let you have it that easy. He used the lap car for the pick. Here's Joey Logano making another run. >> Mike: Cole Whitt, that may decide which way he's going to go. >> Darrell: Mike, nobody gives Joey Logano a break..

I don't know if you've noticed that or not. Everybody races him pretty darn hard. >> Mike: How about his teammate, Brad keselowski. >> Only been able to gain one spot. He and Kevin Harvick have tied for the most top ten finishes..

Right now he is battling a very I will-handling race car..

>> Centered here in three and four. >> Put the track bar back up? >> I can if you warrant me to. >> Yeah, for the center turns, put it back up..

I mean, it will help your entry. >> Got it..

>> Jeff: So what he's talking about, he's loose in, loose off..

He has to way out his options. Sounds to me like the center not turning is holding him back the most and he'll get the track bar up to help him. >> Darrell: You've used the track bar adjuster and how much does it move? >> Jeff: You have to hold it down the whole straightaway to get it to move. >> Mike: Up front, Kyle Busch in heavy traffic. Half the field has gone a lap down. He's trying to pull the Casey Mears a lap down..

>> Jamie: Most drivers don't cue their radio to say anything but his car. He said his car started good, is good, and he has the drive off. Kyle burr has said..

>> Mike: 43 laps complete. Kyle Busch has LED them from Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano. >> Mike: 49 laps complete. Austin Dillon..

A breakout season..

9th, 11th, and 5th..

Sprint, better for less. 50 laps complete..

Busch, Edwards, Busch, Hamlin and now Earnhardt into the top five..

>> Darrell: Mike, you know how you have a good race car?.

Like Austin Dillon, you start up front and you stay up front..

You don't get a good qualifying lap in and fall back through the field. Start up there, stay up there, that means you have a really good car. Got a problem in three and four. >> Mike: Car up towards the wall. Is that Newman?.

Ryan Newman has brought the caution out. >> Pit road..

Pit road..

>> Mike: Something dragging hard on most of the right side..

>> Larry: This is what always concerns me about this long of a green flag run. You build so much brake heat. When we run over 50 laps especially with a car not driving well and drivers using a lot more brake, you cook the beat of the tire. I would not be a bit surprised if that's not what happened to Ryan Newman in the 31. >> Mike: Trevor Bayne will get the free pass. >> Jeff: I think Larry's absolutely right on that especially on the first run. Whether it's excessive tire wear or brake wear and heat build up. >> Darrell: I think when I saw the car go by, Jeff, it looked like brake heat and it cooked the bead..

That's what Larry was saying and he's exactly right..

>> Mike: Heavy damage to Newman's Chevrolet. They have come to pit road. See if they can fix it here. >> Jeff: Almost comes from the impact up here from the camera angle. >> Darrell: Jeff heard the tire blow out and he jumped over..

>> Mike: Pit road is open. Vince?.

>> Vince: Denny Hamlin has the first pit stall. Going to be an air pressure adjustment and four tires..

As for Carl Edwards, upper right hand portion of the screen, free in and off. Air pressure, wedge and four. Matt?.

>> Matt: Kurt Busch comes to a stop. He has two openings for his exit. His biggest issue, it was maintaining free on exit..

Tony Gibson will fix it with a wedge adjustment. >> Jamie: Kyle Busch in the first pit box. Right sides only..

>> Mike: Here's the race off pit roads. Kyle Busch all by himself. >> Jeff: Took two tires. >> Mike: Here's the crowd. >> Jeff: Kyle Busch only took two, is that right?.

Wow..

>> Mike: Austin Dillon's team goes to work. First caution flag of the day. >> Chris: NASCAR sprint cup racing on fox is sponsored by nationwide. Nationwide is on your side. >> Mike: First caution of the day. Cleanup complete from Ryan Newman. They are still repairing his car on pit road and we're going to hold one lap while they send a wrecker to bring that car back to the garage area..

We had everybody make pit stops. Larry..

>> Larry: Let's watch Denny Hamlin here. Watch this tire..

It's going to go outside their pit box. Even though the crew member got control of it, that is deemed as an uncontrolled tire. This is the pro system. This is what NASCAR is looking at from the pit road officiating trailer. You can see the tire all the way outside their pit box right there..

What this will mean, Denny Hamlin will have to start at the tail end of the longest line which is not good at this size of the racetrack. >> Darrell: You know what I say about this, You picked a fine time to leave me, loose wheel.

>> Jeff: It looked like they pushed that off. >> Mike: Kyle Busch took two tires. We weren't the only ones to wonder why. >> Why did we do that? >> Guys, I thought the track position would be more aggressive..

Didn't want to give it up. >> We'll be fine. >> Darrell: Man. >> Mike: You'll be fine. Putting a lot of pressure on the old champ, I'll tell Ya that..

>> Mike: Watch when the right front comes off his car..

>> Jeff: That is a tremendous amount of brake dust that's built up in that inner inside of the wheel..

That tells you how hard these drivers are on the brakes..

>> Mike: Look how much time they had to change left..

That's the first car out, Carl Edwards. They had plenty of time to take four tires Jeff Jeff what I don't quite understand. It's easy to call it from up here. You're in the number one pit stall, leading the race, you have the ability to look back and see what the others are doing. Even if you take four tires and others take two, you're still going to have great track position..

>> Darrell: Let's put that in the crew chief's eyes..

He thinks having track position is more important than four tires..

If I'm a driver I'm thinking four tires would be the thing right now. >> Jeff: In the past with the other tires Goodyear has had here with the other arrow package, that was a very popular move that we saw win races for other drivers and teams. >> Mike: We'll get one to go this next time by..

They have removed Ryan Newman's car. Let's take a look at Ford performance track facts..

It was a great day here in the desert when Alan Kulwicki won the first Phoenix race here in his thunder bird and did something unique. He said, if I ever win a race I want to do something everybody remembers me for. He did that backwards victory lap that he dubbed the Polish victory lap so he could see the fans, wave to them, wave to him. That was memorable..

Ford went on to win the first 11 of 15 races. >> Darrell: You knew Alan just like I did. He always marched to the beat of a different drum..

That was one of those times that he did something that was totally Alan Kulwicki. >> Mike: Wonderful. >> Jeff: Paying tribute to the fans. When you win a race, it's all about the interaction with the fans..

I love that energy that comes from it. I think that's fantastic. >> Darrell: I like the old school. Take the checkered flag and wave at everybody. That's the way I'd do it. >> Mike: Matt, what happened to Ryan Newman? >> Matt: We talked a lot at it when we are come to Phoenix..

They were trying to use duct work to cool the tire..

Ryan Newman melted a bead on the 31. >> Mike: Getting ready for the restart. Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards will be on the front row..

Larry, what melts those beads? >> Larry: Well, Mike, you're creating so much brake heat..

I think a car not driving so well creates more heat..

We were told with this arrow package that teams were using 15 to 20% more brake than what we were using before. Ill handling car, more brakes. The weak link is the bead of that car. >> Mike: Coming to the restart zone lengthened twice as long as it was when we were here last year..

Kyle Busch on the outside gets the jump. >> Darrell: He's going to need it with those two tires..

He better get a big jump. >> Jeff: Dale Jr. Really aggressive on the outside of Carl Edwards going to take over second place here. >> Darrell: That 88 is going somewhere. He's going for the lead, baby. Whew, little tight into turn three. Teammates, all three of 'em. Whew..

Settle down, Rick, it'll be all right. >> Mike: Picking up from the Saturday race, no one has LED today but Kyle Busch. 60 circuits he's been out front for every one of them and Earnhardt may have something to say about that..

Look at this knot of cars right behind the front three..

>> Darrell: Did we mention that the 4 car has eased his way into the picture? >> Mike: Four cars under a blanket. >> Jeff: Look at them all the way down under the apron..

Four cars going to give a bump to Joey Logano, get him loose and get up underneath him. >> Mike: How low can you go? >> Darrell: When you have a car like that one and know the track like he does, he doesn't have to be in a hurry. He's taking his methodical time. I like the way he gets around this track. Unbelievable..

>> Jeff: He makes it look easy and it's certainly not..

Kyle Busch making it look pretty easy out in front with the two tires. I think we'll see how long this run goes. Over time is when those two tires will start to give way..

>> Darrell: I think you're right, Jeff. We're seeing things that track position out weighs those four tierts. That remains to be seen as well. If you want to get back in the pack if you can help it..

>> Jeff: When your driver is Kyle Busch, you can be more aggressive with these types of calls..

>> Darrell: True. >> Mike: I'm wondering if this is a test for strategy options later in the race. Can't hurt him -- take two now, you lose the lead, so what?.

>> Darrell: I think you're right. Try it now, if it works, you've got it in your pocket for later. >> Mike: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Up to second place..

So it's toyota/chevrolet now. >> Vince: Junior took four tires. The back tires showed some stress maybe an indication of how hard he drove it. No cords but showed a little bit of stress. Junior said, I don't know what we could fix so let's don't make any changes. >> Darrell: Good news for the crew chief. Happy with the car..

>> Mike: If you saw how mad Dale jury was when he climbed out of that car after failing to advance on qualifying on Friday, you might not have wanted to have been too close to him today..

They have turned that around. >> Jeff: That's driven him today to go get after it..

He's aggressive out there right now. >> Darrell: He definitely unhooked his steering wheel and threw it on the dash. >> Mike: Toyotas, Carl Edwards and Dale jr.'s fastest laps, he and Kevin Harvick ran their fastest laps at lap 64. >> Darrell: Cue the jaws theme because he's coming..

>> Mike: 14th place. >> Jeff: See the 5 of Kasey kahne going around the outside of Brad keselowski there. >> Mike: Jamie? >> Jamie: What a good run and a good weekend. Kasey kahne, remember, their car was nowhere in the ball pavg two weeks ago in Atlanta. Then last week he got a little better. First top ten in a year. Yesterday morning in the first practice to focus on their race they had great speed. They were happy with what they had. Even experimented a little bit and went back to what they know..

The speed is good..

Kasey started in the back. 15th..

He was a little bit loose in the first run. >> Mike: Back to the front. Who can take the lead from Kyle Busch and when?.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Holds station half a second back..

>> Mike: Kyle Busch has LED 73 laps so far in Phoenix..

Dale Earnhardt Jr..

Has caught him and now out of turn number four for 74 laps Earnhardt can't complete the deal so 20 laps into this run taking only two tires has not hurt Kyle Busch. >> Jeff: Not too bad. I think as we run we're going to see it play a bigger role and impact. What Kyle Busch did there is so smart, such a great race car driver. He moved up, gave Dale Jr. The inside..

He's going to search around on the outside and see if he can't create something out there as well as make Dale Earnhardt Jr. Use his tires up a bit more. I think Dale Jr..

Has the spot now..

>> Darrell: Yeah. You're not going to hold the four tires back. Two is a good call..

>> Mike: For the first time today we have a new leader..

Dale Earnhardt jr.'s Chevrolet which came off the restart in third place. Now Carl Edwards to second. Now Matt Kenseth among the Gibbs cars trying to move up..

Matt, he seems mired in eighth place. What's up?.

>> Matt: Mike, a concern in the 20. Shades of Las Vegas..

After the first pit stop, just like last week, Kenseth complaining about a vibration. It's maintaining a certain level but it has not gotten worse and has not gotten better. They're just holding station. Also, a similar situation on the 43 of almirola. >> Mike: Aric almirola in 10th second among the Fords in the race to Joey Logano in seventh. There's Aric for Richard petty. >> Jeff: As long as that vibration doesn't get worse they'll be fine. It could just be a wheel weight, it could be something out of balance. But you'll know..

If he -- if he's got a major vibration that continues to get worse, he'll be hitting pit road soon..

>> Darrell: That's the thing about the lug nut rule that they made. You don't have to get them tight if you don't want torks but you're not going to be able to stay out there long if your wheels are loose..

It polices itself..

>> Jeff: It does police itself. >> Mike: Here's last week's winner Brad keselowski coming back to the front passing Kyle Larson. This is for 13th place. So after the first lead change of the day, 78 of 312 laps in the book. How about a NASCAR fox crank it up. >> 57 and the 3 started making gains from the rear here..

>>>..

>> Mike: 82 laps complete. Here comes Kevin Harvick. >> Darrell: Kevin Harvick has been .2 of a lap quicker than others. Here he goes by Kyle Busch for third place. >> Jeff: The thing I really noticed about crank it up right there is how hard they're braking into turn one. You heard it with a couple different drivers, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Austin Dillon. When they let off the gas, they are hard on the brakes and really trying to slow that car down..

I think that's why we're seeing so much brake dust..

>> Mike: Even though Kyle Busch is being passed for fourth..

I don't think two tires is a bad call. >> Jeff: Not at all. >> Darrell: Not if you haven't taken two the last time..

>> Mike: Correct. >> Darrell: You have to get four on this thing. I don't think it's a bad experiment. >> Jeff: No..

>> Mike: Aric almirola, Jimmie Johnson closing in for the top ten spot on almirola's Ford. Here's a graph of Johnson's day so far. Backup car, started in the back of the field. Passed 18 cars in the first 20 laps and now is going for tenth..

>> Jeff: They had a little bit of a bobble on the last pit stop. Lost a few positions in sequence. Now he's making those positions back up on the racetrack..

>> Darrell: Drivers running the top three spots have won the last seven races here. Must know something about this joinint. >> Mike: LED by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Who wt to victory lane here last november. >> Chris: NASCAR sprint racing on fox presented by sprints and by Geico. 15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance..

>> Mike: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Continues to lead. He's been out front the last 17 laps. You're riding with Austin Dillon and just ahead Jimmie Johnson just made the pass on Dillon for ninth place. Here's for 11th..

Chase Elliott trying to get by Aric almirola as they battle..

>> Jamie: Chase Elliott is doing a nice job. This is the first time in a cup car..

Crew chief Alan Gustafson, what are the big differences here?.

He said the main thing is getting chase comfortable with the tools he has inside that race car. Most notably the track bar adjuster. Chase is not comfortable using it yet. Every time he talks about the car today Alan is reminding him, use your track bar adjuster. >> Darrell: Another thing I heard him talking about, Jamie, was the horsepower and how you have to gently get in the throttle with a cup car rather than an XFINITY car where you nailed it all the time. Have to be more gentle with the throttle with the more powerful cup cars. >> Darrell: Aric almirola has been in the top ten..

>> Matt: Just like he did on the beginning, building on the top side. He's trying to hold off keselowski in the deuce..

His car way too free getting back in the gas. >> Mike: Kasey kahne, the 5 part of that battle as they work the lapped car, Michael Annett in a backup car..

>> Mike: Little wiggle by keselowski off the corner..

>> Jeff: This is one of those tracks that's really difficult to pass because everybody runs the yellow line. You'll lose the grip. Kasey kahne, side was on two. When you see two cars get bottled up. The 5 car came in to take advantage of it. >> Darrell: I think the 5 car stalled out. He was moving up through the feel. After the last caution he stalled out about 14th, 15th..

>> Mike: Sixth place, Joey Logano. Martin Truex..

>> Darrell: I've been watching that 22 car of Joey Logano..

He's been using that apron more and more and more particularly on exit. Gets down low when he exits off of four. >> Mike: Second place, Carl Edwards running where he was..

Let's drop back to third next to Kevin Harvick. >> Back here..

Two or four for the rest of the day it's going to be the gap behind us. If we have a big gap, I'm going to take four. >> Copy that..

10-4..

>> Darrell: No gap right now. Here's Harvick..

>> Jeff: What they're talking about. When they come on pit road, if there's a gap between them and the car behind them, they'll make that call and do four cars versus two tires because they won't lose as much track >> Mike: Matt?.

>> Matt: Kevin Harvick, he has dialed in this He went up and down on the track bar trying to improve it on the first run. Biggest complaint, trying to get back in the throttle..

After the wedge adjustment back on lap 53, Harvick reported the er wither now. >> Let's drop back to Kyle Busch. Currently fourth..

Remember, he just changed two tires. >> He was in traffic. That was bad timing there. >> The back of my car a little bit. Entry..

And exit..

>> If you think the four tires is going to be enough to fix it, let's do that. >> Darrell: What I like, no panic. Okay..

We made the two tire call, we're going to live with it..

Here's what we want to do if we're going to go to four..

I like that composure that Kyle Busch has. >> Jeff: I like the composure this 4 car has right now..

He is coming..

He is working over Carl Edwards. >> Mike: Carl 4e8d him off last time. >> Jeff: He's not going to hold him off this time..

>> Darrell: You're not going to hold that 4 car off very long..

>> Jeff: When he says he's happy with the adjustments in his race car, watch out. >> Mike: Eleventh place. >> Darrell: He is happy Harvick. >> Jeff: He is right now. >> Mike: So the cactus king begins his pursuit from 3 1/2 seconds back. NASCAR's most popular driver for the lead. >> Chris: NASCAR sprint cup racing is sponsored by Coca-Cola..

Taste the feeling..

>> Mike: The reason we discuss history is because it often repeats itself. Ryan Newman hit the turn three wall hard bringing out the caution..

Paul Menard, 53 laps into this run has done the same thing..

He says he thinks something broke. >> Jeff: Happened pretty early getting down in there..

That is in the braking zone. Hopefully -- I mean, it looks so similar to what we saw with Ryan Newman in the 31. >> Darrell: I'm almost certain it's a right front bead..

>> Mike: Those are teammates. Both cars out of Richard Childress racing. There's Richard..

>> Jamie: Paul Menard said something broke. I don't think it was a tire. We think we may have taken O you the a brake You see him wave to the crowd. They'll take that car out. He cannot drive it at this point. They'll figure out exactly what it was. >> Mike: That three car team has Austin Dillon on track..

Kevin Harvick, second to Dale Earnhardt Jr. This race started with three Toyotas on point. Currently two Chevrolets in the lead. Wondering if anybody will take that two-tire gamble..

That actually worked out pretty well for Kyle Busch..

>> Jeff: Did it? I think he would have had the lead if he had taken four..

That's just my opinion. >> Darrell: Fourth isn't bad. Has a great race car. They take four here, he could still come off pit road first..

>> Vince: Well, the 19 of Carl Edwards will be the first twoun hit pit road. Carl's a little bit free in. Boy, hearing a lot of that. He liked the adjustment that Dave Rogers gave him last time..

That was air pressure. Junior, too tight in the center. He's afraid to adjust on the center. He doesn't want to hurt the entry and exit. Four tires..

>> Matt: Childress called an audible. Fedewa calling Harvick into the box. He said the car took off better on that run. Needs to take off better in three and four. >> Jamie: Kyle Busch took right sides only Hoping the four tire stop will put him back to the form he was in. Number one pit box..

Tight on pit road..

>> Mike: Carl..

No, we're showing Kyle Busch over Carl with that four-tire change. Here's how close it was. >> Jeff: Whoa!.

>> Darrell: I still have Carl. The computer has Kyle. >> Jeff: I agree. Carl..

>> Darrell: Looked like Carl to me. is sponsored by Ford. We go further so you can. >> Mike: 110 laps complete under caution. Carl Edwards did beat Kyle Busch to the end of pit road..

The video evidence trumped what we had from our scoring computer which is unofficial. Let's compare..

Kyle Busch to Dale Earnhardt Jr. On that pit stop..

An edge there in drive time. >> Darrell: That pit spot number one may account for that..

>> Jeff: He can accelerate into that pit stop. >> Larry: Guys can adjust their driving style. They have a couple of things they can do inside the car..

We've heard about the adjustable track bar. Let's talk about brake bias. You see that knob right there. There it is right there on the side of the seat..

These cars have two complete different master cylinders, front and rear. What they can do, they can crank more front brake in it or they can crank some rear braking. There's the brake bias bar right there. If the car is too tight, they can crank some rear brake into T. Jeff, they have another option what they can do. >> Jeff: Yeah, they can go left to right, shut down one individual wheel these days. >> Mike: Sun baked crowd here at Phoenix as they get the green flag. Let's see if Edwards is able to clear Kyle Busch down in one and cut across as Busch did earlier..

No..

Chance..

>> Jeff: Just goes to show you what a great restarter Kyle Busch is. When he was on the outside he just blew right by Carl..

They obviously didn't have the same plan. >> Darrell: I think they had a deal. All deals are off..

All bets are off..

>> Mike: Just about everybody's picked to win this race is in that top seven on the restart..

>> Darrell: His car doesn't always start off fast but you watch him. They slow down, he speeds up. Look at him going down into the dogleg back there..

>> Jeff: Wow..

>> Darrell: Matt Kenseth all the way back down there back to the Jamie Mcmurray car. >> Mike: Almost went into the infield. >> Jeff: I think Truex saw him coming and went to block him..

He didn't want him to get the run. They went all the way down to the flat there on the back straightaway. >> Mike: On these restarts it's all take and no give..

>> Darrell: Too tempting not to give. You think it may damage my car. You can make up..

Look at Denny Hamlin. Look at how many cars he's going to get by making that move..

Then you've got to make it stick, but you can sure get by a bunch of guys heading off into that corner if you cut that corner. >> Mike: Let's show you on the first lap from the restart..

The yellow car is Matt Kenseth. Down to the inside..

>> Jeff: You can see, he's going to get a run..

Looks like the 78 gets bottled up behind the 2..

They get close and they both -- look it. >> Jeff: You can see where martin Truex didn't want to see Kenseth getting underneath him and getting by there. >> Outside..

Still there..

>> Darrell: Here you go. Watch this bumper cam. >> Jeff: Saw the 78 getting a little loose. >> Three wide..

Still three wide..

Three wide..

>> Darrell: That's pretty cool there. >> Two wide..

Two wide..

>> Jeff: Then we saw Jimmie Johnson a whole nother lane..

Three wide going into turn three is hairy. It is so flat the cars are really loose over >> Darrell: When you come back on the track it makes your car get squirrely, too. >> Mike: Tenth place battle. We sat down with Aric almirola, Richard petty, Brian Scott the other evening. This is a team that's building. They added a couple more engineers. They're up to 140 employees. They know they're not one of the big three teams but they are making steady gains. To listen to Aric almirola, he is just itching to get to the front..

>> Darrell: Smithfield is there to help them and it's really paying off. >> Jeff: We've heard how engineering has become so prevalent and it's starting to take a dominance in motorsports around the world. Even in NASCAR and that's one area they really stepped up their game and put a lot of influence into engineering and it's paying off. >> Mike: Back up to fourth place and get Dale Jr..

For nationwide performance update. >> One thing I want you to be aware of is the 4 when he got to second place, he was two to three seconds behind you but he moved up in three and four and gained the last couple of laps there, you ran like high 70s, low 80s, he ran a couple of mid 60s. >> Mike: That's the car in front of Earnhardt, Kevin Harvick..

>> Darrell: He never comes off the bottom. Right now he's searching. He was up high and you see him a little higher than Normal in three and four. That's not Normal for him. >> Mike: Back straightaway, Jamie Mcmurray and A.J..

Allmendinger battling Ricky stenhouse. They had contact last time by off turn number Sfile now..

Here's one lap ago..

>> Darrell: Jamie Mcmurray gets up and pushes, pushes, pushes..

Yikes..

That can cut that left rear tire down easily. >> Jeff: Very easily. Jamie is trying to make it difficult. He crowds him and squeezes him. Allmendinger was coming up off the corner. He had to drift wide. He made some contact. >> Darrell: Jeff, I think they've helped that situation a little bit by cutting the tire down by moving the splitter back. You can make a little bit more contact without cutting that guy's left rear tire down. >> Mike: Kasey kahne, Ryan Blaney fight for 17th place..

There are 24 cars on the lead lap and by half a second, Carl Edwards is the third driver to lead this race today. >> Chris: Ariel coverage provided by Goodyear. Goodyear, official tire of NASCAR. 129 laps complete..

183 to go..

Toyota's 1, 2..

Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch. Kevin Harvick another second back in third. In the number 4 Chevrolet. Top two finish in seven of the last eight Phoenix races including five wins for Harvick. The sprint LTE plus network delivers faster download speeds than other national carriers. >> Matt: Mike, the balance has shifted once again for Kevin Harvick in the number 4. Made a slight air pressure change, about a quarter of a pound..

The balance has definitely gone. Got a slow car on the racetrack. They're talking about putting that air pressure back in on the next stop. They also had a hiccup on that stop. They lost time on the left rear. No power on the 13 of Casey Mears. >> Mike: A few laps ago he was slow and he got back up to speed. This time on turn two the car will slow again. He becomes the second driver to have trouble during a green flag run other than bringing out the caution as the two cars did for melted beads on tires..

Clint bowyer had a loose wheel. Made an unscheduled stop. Now here comes Casey Mears. >> Darrell: Jimmie Johnson still trying to come..

He's still moving forward. Running sixth trying to get around Kurt Busch here and he does..

>> Jeff: We're getting to that point in this run where we're starting to see cars drift up the racetrack, drivers searching for different lanes..

Starting to see dropoff as well in these Goodyear tires..

>> Mike: Vince? >> Vince: Chad Knaus has been sick all week. I have to believe the way the 48 is running, he's feeling better about things. Jimmie started 38th as we noted. He's all the way up to sixth. They want a little bit more turn. If I can turn a little bit better, Chad made an adjustment on the last stop to help him. >> Jamie: Kasey kahne has been dealing with an issue inside his car. The air hose that connects to his helmet was catching on his seat. Now he told the team it's still there. He disconnected it..

It's bobbling around and actually hitting his helmet..

Jeff, what exactly is going on and what's going to happen now that he's disconnected that?.

>> Jeff: This is where fitness comes into play, Jamie..

If you don't have that air in there, not only is it not filtering out some of the fumes and things that are going -- that are coming inside the car, but that's a cooling system there that really helps these drivers stay cool inside the car..

We're out here in the dry desert. It gets very, very hot especially on the long green flag runs..

>> Darrell: Drivers hate distractions. Anything that starts flopping around, moving around, particularly that air hose, you hate that distractions..

>> Jeff: That would become so big, that was his option..

Let me just disconnect it. It will bother me more hitting and snagging back there than it is if I pull it off. >> Mike: Only 74 degrees ambient temperature but it is a bright, full sunshine right in through the windshield of those cars. >> Darrell: It's a dry heat. >> Jeff: It's not that hot. I think that's why he chose to do that. I think he's in really good shape as well. I think he'll be fine, but inside those race cars is a lot hotter than 74, 75 degrees. >> Darrell: You don't think that's doing very much until you unplug it. >> Jeff: Yeah..

>> Darrell: It's like, whoa. >> Jeff: No getting it back. >> Darrell: No. >> Mike: Landon cassill, making what we think is an unscheduled pit stop and goes a third lap down..

137 complete, 175 to go. Kasey kahne, Kyle Larson, a couple of ex-open wheelers here battling, this time it's for 15th place..

Kahne moving on and here comes Ryan Blaney from 17th..

>> Jeff: Seeing some great runs out of this rookie, Ryan Blaney this year. >> Mike: This is only the second time since 2008 that the wood brothers have raced at It's the first time they've raced on this configuration..

Here's.

A look at the rookies in the race. Jeff Jeff chase Elliott is another really solid run..

We saw a great run like this last week in Las Vegas..

Unfortunately ended when Matt Kenseth almost lost control of his car and chase plowed into the back of him and ended his day. Here's another solid run by that 24 car of chase Elliott..

>> Mike: Martin Truex Jr. Is back in 12th place. We expected him to contend for the win today. >> Matt: Mike, he lost four spots on pit road. He was trying to pull the left front tire off..

He was hung up in the fenders. When you look at execution and challenging times, really showcased it. Cole pearn out for suspension. Todd barrier in in the interim. Engineers are in..

They took over more leadership. Trying to keep normalcy in the team. But today it is Todd barrier calling the race for martin Truex and they've had a great race up until that last stop. Jeff Gordon, when you look back to 2007, you lost your crew chief, Steve Letarte, for six Letarte, he's kind of like patience with the driver and the team really helps because during that stretch you never finished worst than ninth..

>> Jeff: I think that Cole pearn not being here, there are advantages that can really come along from that and it can really build the team and put more responsibility on some of them so when Cole comes back it might even be a better team than they were before. >> Mike: 142 laps complete. Carl Edwards out in front >> Mike: 148 laps complete in Phoenix. Here's how the Coca-Cola family of drivers is fairing..

Joey Logano..

If you're worried about Austin Dillon. He's currently 9th..

We spoke to slugger Labbe. He said they're running a different degree of camber than the two different Childress cars that melted a bead. >> Darrell: Camber will make a car turn better. Get on the edge of that tire. Guess what happens, you throw a little brake heat in that much camber and you'll fail a >> Jamie: They've been doing a nice job with the 3 team..

Not just for finishing 5th but with the radio communication..

We heard Austin fired up about a botched pit call..

He got a speeding penalty. The team told me after the race Austin apologized. They're a tight knit group. They moved forward and they feel they're stronger because of it..

They've been in the top ten since the start of the race..

>> Darrell: Those guys, the Jackman or one of the crew members actually live with him. They're a tight little group of guys. A driver's going to lose his cool every now and then, right, Jeff? >> Jeff: Yeah, it does happen. >> Mike: Sixth place battle and it's a three some, Kurt bush, Joey Logano and chase Elliott. >> Jeff: Really good watching Joey Logano and chase Elliott searching around the racetrack. Look at chase Elliott going up to the high line, searching for something up there. Clean air, turns down to the bottom. This time he stays up high. Look at him get the run on Joey Logano. >> Darrell: What I like about chase, I mentioned this last week, he drives like his dad. He's a patient guy..

>> Mike: Larry, if we don't have any further tire issues, chase Elliott making the pass on Logano, when do we expect stops? >> Larry: It should start at lap 185. Right now you can make this chase on two more stops..

I'm not going to hold my breath over the next five to ten laps because that's ghafg 50 lap run again since the last restart. >> Mike: Carl Edwards out front by .3 of a second, Vince..

>> Vince: Here's one of the advantages of having an outstanding teammate like Kyle Busch. The 19 of Carl Edwards went happy with how they were rolling their car. They leaned heavy on Kyle Busch's data and notes and made significant changes to the 19 car before the race. I'd say it's paid off as Carl Edwards is closing in on 50 laps LED..

>> Mike: Our fox NASCAR mid race report on the way as Carl Edwards leads Kyle Busch and Kevin harvick..

Is brought to you by Cialis. And by Chevrolet, find new roads. >> Mike: And we're glad you're watching fox NASCAR..

Carl Edwards the leader halfway. Defending champ Kyle Busch started on the pole, LED the first 74 laps. Two-tire strategy didn't pay off in the long haul..

Back up in the top two. Started 26th, worked his way all the way up to take the lead on lap 75. He's in the top five. He said on the radio moments ago, everything is good..

He's asking for a little peace and quiet. That's how comfortable he is. Jeff, who are you keeping an eye on? >> Jeff: You can never count out Kevin Harvick, Chris, here in Phoenix. As this race goes on they're going to make one more tweak on an adjustment and a pit stop..

Don't count them out. I still think they're going to win this race. >> Mike: A loud explosion and Ricky stenhouse into the wall in turn one. >> Darrell: We heard a tire go down and he's in the wall..

We're right at that point. We've been going about 50, 55 laps. We've seen the other two tire problems. We have one here..

>> Mike: That big boom likely a right front And maybe terminal damage for stenhouse car as we go to the third caution flag of the day..

>> Larry: You know, Carl Edwards has been fast all weekend..

He's got what it takes to win the race. He has a good driving race car and fast pit This stop here you may make only one more stop after coming to pit road. Adjustments better count. >> Mike: Jimmie Johnson is currently running fourth..

Lap time under the green flag. He had the fastest lap under the track. Jimmie Johnson doesn't have that far to go now..

Look for him to get into victory lane. >> Darrell: Seven straight top fives by Kyle That's a career best. I like the 18..

>> Jamie: I'm like Kevin with the 24. Chase Elliott..

Jeff Gordon was driving last year. He's made adjustments inside the car. He's up to sixth right now. Don't count the 24 out. >> Mike: If Kurt Busch finishes top ten it will tie his career consecutive top tens. He doesn't want a top ten. He wants a win..

Pit road is open..

>> Vince: The 19 of Carl Edwards says I'm a little bit free..

That's what I need here so don't touch it. There's not going to be any changes. Four tires and fuel..

How about Jimmie Johnson in the 48? He says if I adjust too much in the car I lose the back end..

No changes, air pressure and four tires, Matt? >> Matt: Kevin Harvick's car went away on that run..

Biggest issue down in turns one and two. Just cannot get back in the gas when he needs to to get great exits. >> Jamie: You saw the 18 of Kyle Busch had to reverse..

He went over his pit box just a bit. He said he gets too loose on the long run. Overall not too bad..

Air pressure was already made. Four tire stop and a costly mistake on pit road for Kyle Busch..

>> Mike: Wow..

Comes out deep in the field. >> Darrell: Wow. >> Mike: Here is Kyle Busch towards the tail end of the lead lap coming out. Ricky stenhouse in the number 17 Roush Fenway Ford up into the wall hard in turn number one that put us under the third caution of the day..

Hey, track bar's broken. She keeps jumpin' out of gear. Whadya wanna do?.

Sponsored by Toyota..

Let's go places..

And by sprint..

Proud sponsor of the NASCAR sprint cup series. Live here in Phoenix. Jimmie Johnson, driver of the 48 who's been a four-time winner in Phoenix all the way up to third..

He started in the rear because of what happened in qualifying, which he took responsibility for..

But this is how his day has gone so far. As long as you're trending upward, he's yet to lead..

We've only had three leaders and three cautions. Back during qualifying a hard hit in the wall from Jimmie Johnson and at first he didn't want to talk about it but later admitted, hey, I got out of the car, the steering wheel, it wasn't quite back properly. >> Mike: That can happen, Chris. During qualifying you have that car right on the edge..

Look at that impact into the outside wall. >> Chris: He was okay. Steering wheel, all the other drivers reacting carefully the rest of the weekend. Just to make sure..

It's something you take for granted. >> Mike: I picked him to win this race yesterday because this car is fast. He's going to be set for the rest of the race. >> Chris: If somebody is going to dethrown Let's rejoin them..

>> Mike: Edwards, Harvick, Johnson, Logano, Johnson, Busch..

Way in the back is Kyle Busch 16th. When he came into his pit stall he ran over an air hose and had to back up to get off of it..

They had a very slow stop as a result. He'll have to come from 16th. >> Jeff: Don't look now. Kevin Harvick is about to take the lead of this race..

>> Darrell: Oh, yeah. This is Harvick time. About halfway of every race. He gets out front and then it's catch me if you can..

>> Jeff: If he gets out in front, it will be really tough..

We're going to find out how good Carl Edwards is and how good Kyle Busch is from where he's coming from..

>> Mike: Just past halfway in half of the last eight Phoenix races the eventual winner did not lead until after halfway. Harvick took the lead for the first time today. >> Darrell: Classic Harvick, Mike. They work on their car, get their car good. When it really gets time to go, they go. >> Jeff: I'm really surprised that Carl Edwards didn't take the outside lane there, but I guess he took the outside on one of the other restarts and Kyle actually got by him on the inside..

Maybe that was his decision making there. >> Mike: Ricky stenhouse is okay after that hard hit down in turn one. The car dragged back -- he drove it back to the garage area where it's surrounded by mechanics. We have not gone 55 green flag laps today in a row without a big tire failure. >> Darrell: Tell you what, they're all wadded up back here..

Chase Elliott in the 24, Jimmie Johnson from the outside..

>> Mike: Chase doing a nice job. >> Jeff: You think that rookie is getting some good lessons there racing side by side with a six-time champion, Jimmie Johnson? I know he's having a lot of fun. >> Darrell: Dale Jr. There kind of watching the two of them seeing where they're going to go. Three Hendrick cars pretty racy. >> Mike: Fifth, sixth and seventh. Martin Truex just behind them. Then keselowski and almirola the top ten. >> Darrell: Pretty good recovery for the 2 car..

He hadn't been all that close to the front. Now he's up there running in -- what place is he?.

Ninth place..

That's a good recovery for him. >> Mike: Chevy, Toyota, Ford. Harvick, Edwards, Logano and Kurt Busch. Those four have some distance on the field. >> Jeff: Talked about a recovery there, D.W. We showed the 2 car of Brad keselowski in ninth position..

He's been hovering back there in 15th. So they're obviously making some good adjustments, having some good pit stops. Keeping him in the top ten right now. >> Mike: Kyle Busch has gained just two positions since the restart..

>> Just great..

Fantastic..

It's [ bleep ] Passes another car out here all day..

>> Just get what we can do here. Already happened..

Done..

We're moving on..

>> Jeff: I think we're going to see him pass some race cars..

His car is so good..

I understand his frustration. That certainly was not what he wanted to see happen..

It is very, very difficult to pass here. >> Darrell: I just think you need positive energy..

We heard it last week with Austin Dillon. Got fired up but it made him better. He drove harder..

I think we need to see the same thing with Kyle Busch..

>> Jeff: This is classic Kyle Busch. We see him and hear him say things, all frustrated on the radio but it never seems to hold him back from moving forward and recovering. >> Mike: So let's show you what happened on that pit stop that caused them to come out 16th..

Kyle slides it in..

Oh..

Over the line..

Over the hose..

Backing it up..

>> Jeff: What I find odd there. Now he's too close..

He got too close to the wall. Can't get the car jacked up on the left side. That was a bigger problem. D.W., he thought he slid over the line and he was going to go to reverse but it was in first gear and he lunged back forward. Then he was over the line and had to back >> Darrell: I totally agree with you. Can't be mad at the pit crew there. That's all on the driver. That's a driver error. That cost him..

>> Jeff: When he said oh, great, he said the things he said on the radio. I think he was saying it towards himself. >> Mike: Battle for 12th with Austin Dillon. Now, whose call is it whether you come into the box on the outside of the box or in closer to the wall?.

>> Jeff: Yeah, they put a mark. Usually they line it up with the driver's view so it's the left front corner of the car and your job is to get in there and get on that mark..

It appeared to me he was trying to accelerate in that zone, that box. He accelerated a little bit too much. He overshot that mark. He's trying to race his teammate off pit road and that's what was on his mind. He came in a little bit too hot. You can see that mark there that they taped. >> Mike: Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch have won almost the same number of races. Very different in laps LED. Kevin Harvick about to become the fifth active driver with 9,000 career laps LED, and as we said in pre-race, no, there is no asterisk with that 9,000..

>> Larry: Hey, Mike, Kevin Harvick in the two plus years he has been with Kevin Harvick racing, he has LED more laps than he has the entire 13 years at Richard Childress racing. >> Jeff: The one thing I'm seeing different about Kevin Harvick and the 4 team. We've seen him when he's out front, dominate, pull away..

We've seen him back behind other cars just feel good..

Get to them and pass them at will. We're not seeing that today. Carl Edwards is right on his heels. We've already seen how fast Kyle Busch was in front of them..

It's not like he has the dominant car performance. He has to work for this one. >> Darrell: He said this one earlier in the week..

I have to work hard for this one. Some guys have caught up to us. We've tried to make changes and improvements but guys have obviously caught up with us. >> Mike: Matt Kenseth and Kasey kahne battle for 14th..

This is happening 8 1/2 seconds behind the leader..

>> Darrell: Just not sure when I look at Harvick and Carl Edwards chasing him, Kevin is so smart..

I'm just not sure how much he just pushes the car just enough to keep that gap between he and Carl Edwards..

No need to drive any harder than he has to >> Mike: Watching this battle, Jeff, it's so hard to pass on the inside here. >> Jeff: Incredibly hard. All that driver has to do on the outside is just crowd you a little bit. Keep the momentum up top, it makes it so difficult to be able to complete the pass. >> Matt: Mike, third a year ago was Matt Kenseth here at Phoenix, but they've had an issue with trying to find the proper balance, especially on Saturday at the end. They yard saled the setup. Trying to dial it in. He cannotthe corners. He cannot roll the corners. >> Vince: 21 car for Ryan Blaney, been a battle. Tight center..

Blaney running 16th as you see Hamlin and Edwards giving battle on the screen. The 21 team missing Mike Smith today, one of their front mechanics. He tore his biceps at Las Vegas last week handing a second gas can over the wall. He hasn't missed a cup race with the 21 car since he started with the wood brothers 26 years ago..

The team thinking about andretti Mike Smith today..

I know he's watching. >> Mike: Thanks, Vince. Long-time veteran with the wood brothers. Everybody with the wood brothers, there aren't any new hires there..

That is a long, long established race team. In fact, it's NASCAR's old ets sprint cup team..

>> Jeff: We've been talking about brake and brake dust..

Watch from the bumper cam from Matt Kenseth behind Kasey kahne in the 5 car. Down into the braking Doan. Keep it on the left front tire. The 5 car as he goes through the brakes, you're going to see a big puff of smoke. Now that could be a little bit of tire smoke. That might not be brake dust there. That shows you how aggressive these cars and drivers are as they go into those braking Zones..

>> Mike: After pit stops there is so much brake dust that each team has a designated pit crew member that goes out on to pit road with a leaf blower to get rid of it. >> Jeff: I don't know if I've seen this much We talk about it at martinsville all the time. They're using a lot more brake because he's carrying so much speed into the corners. >> Darrell: Might have another dust storm this week..

>> Mike: The cactus king Kevin Harvick leads Carl Edwards by .4 of a second. >> Mike: Kevin Harvick has LED 25 laps out of the 9,000 in his career as he's out in front by .3 in Phoenix. Sprint LTE network delivers faster download speeds than other national carriers. 194 laps complete..

Carl Edwards, Joey Logano's Ford in third. Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, chase Elliott in sixth, Dale Earnhardt Jr. In seventh..

Truex, Kyle Busch, keselowski are the top ten..

With 118 laps to go..

>> Darrell: You know what makes this track fun, Mike, it is so different. It's almost like a road course. Every lap you're challenging yourself. Can I get into one a little harder? Can I get back in the gas quicker? Do I drive up there, do I drive down there? So many options..

It makes it fun for a driver. >> Jeff: I love, D.W., how you see them on the apron, up high..

Every time Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick make a lap they're in different positions on the racetrack trying unique, different things..

It's awesome..

>> Mike: Let's go back to seventh place and We're going to take an inside ride with the number 88 sponsored by nationwide and here's some audio we recorded a little bit ago. >> Feels like my air pressure on the left side went way up..

Just don't roll the centers anymore. We'll work on it..

>> I know..

I know..

Just giving you information. I'm not telling Ya -- I don't know what's happening to the air. I'm just telling Ya information. >> Well, okay..

>> Jeff: Every driver communicates different. >> Jeff: You can certainly hear -- that to me is Dale Earnhardt Jr. Knowing how good they were at the start of this race and how he envisioned them having a shot at winning this race and it's slipping away from them slightly right now..

They want to figure out what can they do to get it back..

That's also changing conditions of the racetrack as the rubber lays down. >> Darrell: A driver in that situation, Jeff, would rather say, look, we made a little adjustment, we'll put them back..

Rather than say, we'll work on it. >> Mike: Aric almirola being chased by Matt Kenseth..

One thing that petty group talked about Friday night was family..

People come here to work at this shop. They might be able to be paid more elsewhere, have other opportunities, but they have long-time employees because when they come into rpm, they're treated like family. That kind of resonated. >> Jeff: I'm sure D.W. Can speak on this more than anybody because he's raced against the pettys for so long. I don't think there's any other organization out there that family comes into play is more important than Richard petty motorsports. >> Darrell: When I drove for junior Johnson, it elevated my performance. You're talking about driving for Richard petty, you want to go out and prove for him you made a good choice and I want to do something special for you..

>> Larry: Guys, we talk about the tire pressure. The tires have a spring rate. They control spring rate. What Dale Earnhardt Jr. Was telling Greg Ives is it feels like my air pressure has changed too much in the left side because they really want to let the left side pressures down..

The more you open up the differential between the left side and the right side in air pressure, it helps the car to rotate and turn. That's the reason we see after a pit stop it looks like the left side tires are almost flat..

>> Mike: Kyle Busch here looking at eighth place..

Remember, Busch restarted 16th and now moves to 8th..

Let's move to his older brother Kurt just ahead of Jimmie Johnson. They are four seconds back of the leader. Matt..

>> Matt: Too tight in the center, the complaint of the 41..

Kurt was one of six drivers holding court with Jimmie Johnson in driver intros as Johnson talked about his steering wheel coming off. You can see the black marks. He had them mark that so that way any crew member can visually look in the car and know the steering wheel is locked into place. >> Jeff: I almost guarantee you that you're going to see the 48 team do that from now on..

What they do, their interior guy will be sort of the backup plan..

All right, did you get your steering wheel on?.

Let me visually look at it. >> Darrell: I think what makes it a big deal this weekend, if that happened to a number of drivers over there, it would go unnoticed. Just didn't get his wheel on good but it was Jimmie Johnson..

Jimmie Johnson, the six-time champion who is pretty much flawless in everything he does. That's what made it such a big deal. >> Jeff: Absolutely. Everybody in the garage area is watching now and more concerned and going to make sure that this doesn't happen to their driver. Speaking of Jimmie Johnson, you know, he didn't have a great restart because he was in the inside lane..

He's starting to make up those spots now. >> Mike: Kevin Harvick leading but Carl Edwards in second has never been worse than third in any green flag run today. >> Mike: 210 laps complete in Phoenix. It's Chevy truck month. Get to your Chevy dealer. Take home the 2016 Chevy Silverado. Chevrolet, find new roads. >> Darrell: Well done, young man. Well done..

>> Mike: The cactus king, Kevin Harvick, has stretched his lead..

You know some of those zuaro cacti are 150 to 200 years old?.

>> Darrell: Really. >> Mike: They grow very slowly. You only find them roughly between Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona..

Nowhere else in the world. >> Jeff: D.W., here's what I want to know. Did he have to look that up or did he already know it?.

>> Darrell: He knows that stuff. He has more trivia than anyone I know and some of it is actually useful. >> Mike: Gee, thanks. Love you guys..

100 laps to go in the Arizona desert. >> Larry: You know, we always talk about Joe Gibbs racing when they come to pit road. This is the advanced auto parts pit performance of Carl Edwards..

Look at his three stops there. We know he's taken four tires. Every stop has gotten faster. On that first stop they made an adjustment. It was 12.2..

The second stop was 11.8 and the third and final stop a while ago was 11.5. We know at least one more trip to pit road. >> Mike: Larry, that explains why Edwards under the green flag has been no worse than third all day..

He's LED 59 laps..

I'm getting nervous..

In one more lap we're going to enter the no zone..

We have not gone more than 55 laps today without someone spoiling a tire bead and crashing so we're getting into that zone right now. >> Jamie: Mike, any time we come to Phoenix, everybody gauges their speed against the 4 Joey Logano in his 22 is no different. In fact, yesterday in his final practice he went out on his kicker run behind the 4 car and watched them and learned. They felt like they were in the ballpark. Now that they're in third, they're stalled out..

4 1/2 seconds out..

Joey Logano on the radio, I don't know what I can do to go faster. >> Mike: He's the leading Ford in the race in third..

4 1/2 seconds back..

>> Darrell: I don't know what he can do either but he better figure it out. >> Jeff: Unfortunately, I've been in that position many times when Kevin Harvick is leading Phoenix..

You think, boy, our car is pretty good. The balance isn't bad. I don't know what more we can do. Kevin Harvick keeps marching away. >> Darrell: He's pulling away. His lap times are a teeny bit better than >> Mike: Traffic will be a factor now for the race leaders and Edwards gains a good bit of ground..

That's the number 30 there. Up high, Josh wise the black car as our leader closes in on Matt Dibenedetto, the lead car, with 95 to go..

Is sponsored by credit one bank. The official credit card of NASCAR. And next week NASCAR goes west to Fontana starting with the XFINITY race. It's the treat my clock Saturday on FS1. Sunday, sprint cup racing the auto club 400 on fox..

Brad keselowski trying to defend his title from last year..

Next weekend on Fox Sports go. Race summary..

Four leaders, five lead changes, three cautions, three out of the race. Paul Menard, Ryan Newman. Throw Ricky stenhouse Jr. In the mix as well..

The Busch brothers battling each other in the seventh and eighth spot just moments ago with Kevin Harvick your leader. He qualified 18th, Michael. He had to pay the price on pit selection. He's deep in a curve. Can that be a challenge here in the remaining laps of the race?.

>> Mike: Yeah..

Coming to pit road one more time. What I love about Harvick, the way he eases into the corner..

Brakes are an issue..

Harvick shouldn't have that problem because of his driving style. Look how he cuts the corner off. He goes lower and takes the shorter route than most..

Everybody watches him do it. Nobody knows how he does it. >> Chris: Let's rejoin Darrell, Jeff and Michael. >> Mike: Thanks, Chris. 87 laps to go..

Trouble for Brad keselowski. Look at all the sparks. >> No caution..

Inside, inside..

Try to get down if you can. Get down if you can..

>> Darrell: He was running in tenth place. That looks like we've got another one of those failures..

>> Jeff: This time it's in the right rear which is very odd..

>> Darrell: Yeah, the right rear is down on that car..

>> Mike: The caution will be for debris from Brad keselowski..

>> Jeff: Look at it shred going into the tri-oval. Great job saving the car right there. This could have been, you know -- your day could be done right there. I can't believe he kept it going in a straight >> Larry: Hey, Jeff, he's been complaining about that car not turning. Wondering if he was cranking more and more rear brake into it..

>> Mike: We had gone just about 60 laps. 61 laps under green when a tire problem, again this time for Brad keselowski puts us under caution..

>> Darrell: Another thing he was lucky about, didn't tear the rear quarter panel off of it..

Did a bit of damage but not ripping it off. >> Jeff: Some damage which is going to play a role in performance. >> Mike: Right down on the rim because they don't run inner liners. >> Jeff: The shorter tracks don't run inner liners..

Mainly the bigger, faster tracks. Certainly plenty of damage to that quarter panel behind the right rear tire. The teams rely on that so much for side force, the way the air pushes against that panel and it allows the car to have performance and get the grip that it needs to go in and through the corners..

That's going to affect it in a big way. >> Mike: Keselowski goes one lap down. That's bringing out the caution in Phoenix. >> Mike: 85 laps to go. Vince..

>> Vince: You cannot hurt my entry and exit. Sis adjustment and four tires. >> Matt: Kevin Harvick tight in the 4 car. The last three runs that's the complaint. Rodney Childress is going to fix this. Chassis adjustment already completed on the 4..

They cannot make it on fuel from here. Jamie..

>> Jamie: Joey Logano better on that run. Didn't know how to go faster. Air pressure adjustment and four tires. >> Mike: Wow, that was close. >> Jeff: Kevin Harvick was behind the 19. Pretty solid stop for the 4 car. He cut that corner off a little bit and I'm curious to see if he was speeding at all. He inched ahead of him and just cleared the 19..

Maybe not..

No, I guess the 19 did get him. I thought the 4 got him at the line. >> Darrell: Carl has had a nose out in front a couple of times today. >> Jeff: This pit crew, if Carl Edwards wins this race, the pit crew is going to get a lot of the credit..

>> Darrell: They're pretty happy with the >> Jeff: They ought to be. >> Mike: Pretty lengthy stop for Brad keselowski. They severed a brake line. >> Mike: Right on the edge of the fuel window with 83 laps in Phoenix. Don't go away..

We won't either..

>> Chris: Tomorrow, Gotham's greatest hero. Gotham, wrath of the villain. Kevin Harvick ahead of Carl Edwards. The Joe Gibbs cars have the front row. It was the Hendricks Chevrolets who made big moves earlier..

Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kasey kahne making up room..

Denny Hamlin started third in the daytona Missed two on pit road. Working back up to eighth. Taking the lead on lap 75. He started 26th..

Kyle Busch, some problems in the pits. >> Mike: That's always part of the problem, Chris..

When he backs up to the wall. Causing them to fall out of the top 15. >> Chris: Most laps LED. The cactus king rising as Harvick taking the lead moments ago before Brad keselowski, last week's winner, and the winner when we go to Fontana next Sunday bringing out this caution. The fourth caution..

Other than Carl Edwards, the caution who did it help the most?.

>> Mike: Helped Kyle Busch. He went from seventh to the top five. >> Chris: Back to Jeff, Darrell and. >> MI-- Mike..

Jimmie Johnson lost four. Great view from monument hill outside turns three and four..

>> Larry: To think we can go more than 60 laps without a tire issue. I think that's wishful thinking. As far as fuel, with these caution laps, they pitted with 84 to go. I think from a fuel standpoint, most of these teams and drivers can make it. >> Vince: That's certainly the case for the Dave Rogers did tell Carl to save him some fuel..

He said, we're right on our numbers. Everything looks good for the 19 from this point in forward..

>> Make sure you're saving fuel, bud. This could go to the end here. We're real close..

Our tires look great. >> Mike: That's good news for them, but the chances of going 80 laps without someone having a tire problem..

We haven't seen it happen today. >> Matt: Mike, Kevin Harvick was told even before he pitted, as soon as we drop the jack, start saving fuel..

At this juncture they've reworked the numbers and he is one lap shy. If they go into overtime situation, he's definitely in trouble as well as the 22. >> Jamie: They just informed the 22, Joey Logano, we are short on fuel. Didn't get enough in. I just confirmed it..

They said we're quite a few laps short. >> Mike: Brad keselowski five laps down and back on track..

>> Jeff: The last time we were under a restart, Carl Edwards chose to do the inside lane and Kevin Harvick got by him on the outside. Now Carl said, no, I'm going to take the outside lane..

I don't think Carl's car is as good on restarts as the 18 and the 4..

We're going to find out right here. >> Darrell: I like my 4 car on the bottom. >> Mike: Into the restart zone. Edwards accelerates. Harvick is right with him as they cross the start/finish line..

>> Jeff: There he goes. >> Darrell: Yeah 4 is so good on the bottom. I think I would have taken the inside and forced the 4 up..

Too late now..

>> Mike: Front five single file. Denny Hamlin outside of chase Elliott. >> Darrell: The 24 car has done an amazing job, this kid has..

Steady as Ack all day long. >> Mike: Denny Hamlin and Kurt Busch side by side with Austin Dillon. Chase Elliott and his team talking about fuel. >> We're about one lap short. >> You're not going to do anything different You just go and go hard. If it goes green, it looks like it may go, just think about how you'll save some fuel. I'll tell you, you know, within 30 laps or so just to start lifting early. >> Jeff: Alan gust staff son, the crew chief for chase Elliott..

They have plans in place for lift off points, where you start backing off the corner and lifting..

They have a pretty good idea and based on lap times and how much you're lifting off how much fuel you can save. >> Darrell: Get sorted out and you can back >> Jeff: No saving fuel here for Dale Earnhardt Jr., Joey Logano, they're racing hard for this position..

>> Darrell: You have to go hard and establish your position and think about saving fuel. >> Mike: Logano has been able to hold off Earnhardt..

That's going to bring Denny Hamlin right up to them..

Next battle back, ninth place, Austin Dillon outside Jimmie Johnson. >> Darrell: Jimmie Johnson has had a frustrating weekend..

That car qualifying..

Been slow in the pit all day long, Vince. >> Vince: Yeah, Darrell. They lost a spot on the first stop. They had a fueling issue on the most recent Lost four positions..

But the car on track has been really good. That's a good sign..

Jimmie said at the tail end of last year they found some mechanical grip. That has carried over this season. They already have a win. Pretty stout again today. >> Mike: Back up at fourth place. Earnhardt wins the battle with Logano. He passed him on the inside going into turn number three..

Moves to fourth but quite a distance behind Harvick, Edwards and Busch. >> Jeff: See Denny Hamlin diving down on the apron again..

We've seen him do that a lot and be sung ses full..

Sparks flying off the car. >> Darrell: Yeah, he likes cutting the cornerback >> Darrell: The guy that's really, really fast right now, that guy in the 18 car. He's fast..

>> We're back in the game right now. Just like we've done all day. Manage your run..

Got to make some laps here, make it live. >> Mike: Gained three spots that time on pit Put Kyle right back into position to challenge. >> Darrell: See, that's a different Kyle Busch. What happened in the pits, he got back in the field..

He would have over driven the car, maybe gotten himself in a wreck, knocked the fenders off a car and being agrees sieve. Now putting it behind him, puts it on. >> Mike: You talk about the old Kyle Busch. This is Kyle Busch, the sprint cup champion. >> Jeff: When you become a sprint cup champion, you gain a whole other level of confidence in your abilities..

You think about things differently. You now know what you're capable of accomplishing especially when you do it the way Kyle and that team did it through adversity last year. >> Mike: Denny Hamlin right up to the rear bumper of Joey Logano. >> Jeff: Interesting when I see Denny Hamlin right there, here he goes, going to make a move underneath him..

>> Inside..

He's there..

Driver with you..

Only two car lengths of room. >> Jeff: That was just through persistence right there..

He just worked him and worked him and worked him and finally got Joey up off the bottom. Made a big run off of turn two. Denny is not known for driving in deep in the corners..

He usually backs it up. Boy, right there we saw from the bumper cam in the 22 he drove in there deep. >> Darrell: Looks to me like Logano is struggling. Kurt Busch is going to make a move. Logano, looks like he's forcing the outside. See who can make the pass, Kurt, that will be sixth place..

>> Larry: Guys, Joey Logano's crew wanted to make an adjustment. We've been looking at our eagle eye system that shows us the pit stops. What the gas man does here is legal. You can see there..

He has the can engaged. He's trying to put the adjustment for the tire carrier..

The tire carrier is going to make the adjustment. You're going to see he's going to figure it out that the wrench is not there. I can't make the adjustment. They did not get the adjustment they were looking for..

>> Mike: When that fuel can is engaged, you can't do anything but fuel. >> Jeff: Everything has to happen a plit second for that pit stop to go perfectly. Obviously that one did not. >> Darrell: That's how orchestrated it is. That tire carrier thought it would be there but it wasn't..

That's how prepared those guys were. >> Jeff: Boy, they needed that adjustment. Logano was really strong before this and he's faded now..

>> Darrell: He's hurting. >> Mike: Restarted fourth, dropped to eighth and may lose another spot to Jimmie Johnson. >> Jeff: You see Jimmie's going to make that move, dive down to the apron. Joey will fight back as much as he can here, try to hold Jimmie down. >> Mike: As they do that, here comes Austin Dillon..

Run side by side..

They close up..

>> Jeff: That's what you do when track position is so important, passing is at a premium and tough to do, you pounce on that car. When you see that they're having trouble and they're losing positions, you get on them and you just force the issue as much as you can..

>> Mike: Cole Whitt had a lengthy top. Kasey kahne and Jamie Mcmurray, 14th place changes hands..

>> Jeff: We've seen a tremendous amount of passing today..

This has been exciting racing. We've seen when there's falloff in the tires, brake issues which we don't want to see that, melt these beads, but boy have we seen a lot of positions change throughout the race. Tight battle here between Aric almirola and Jamie Mcmurray..

That one for 15th..

You see Jamie slides up to the top, keeps the momentum on the top. Aric goes to the bottom and tries to hook that apron and yellow line. They're wiggling..

>> Mike: If they don't get single file, Ty Dillon will be there with them and then Danica Patrick and Kyle Larson. >> Jeff: You salmirola got there. Tried to loosen him up. >> Darrell: Might have to hit that bumper. >> Matt: Took longer for the Goodyear engineers to dissect what happened to the right rear of Brad keselowski, whether it was debris or melted bead..

It, indeed, was a melted bead on the 2 of keselowski..

>> Jeff: I think that goes right back to what Larry Mcreynolds was talking about. He's having so many issues with handling. I think he's moving all the rear brake back to the back of the car or maybe they're doing something with their right rear caliper to try to keep the car from being free into the entry of the corners. It's building way too much heat up in that right rear..

>> Darrell: A lot of drivers I think like to turn the car off of the right front. Some guys like to turn the car off of the You abuse that right rear a little bit more than you would the right front. I'm not sure what they did there. Obviously he abused that right rear tire. >> Mike: 61 laps to go. Ty Dillon works the inside. Makes the pass on -- doesn't make the pass on Mcmurray..

Got held off..

>> Darrell: Trying. >> Mike: Still trying. Tony Stewart at the racetrack. He went to the doctors this week, got x-rays and said that his back is healing nicely. He can begin rehab..

Still no timetable for Stewart to get back behind the wheel of the 14. Kevin Harvick catching up to Matt Dibenedetto. Last car on the lead lap. First the number 30 of Josh Weiss. Dibenedetto has gotten the free pass twice today but has made the most of it. That group staying on the lead lap. He made his sprint cup debut here last March and has progressed well. There he is..

>> Darrell: Mike, I've asked Jeff a couple of times..

Looks to me as we look at Dibenedetto going around the racetrack trying to stay on the lead lap..

It looks to me like the 4 car just maintains the gap..

He's minding the gap. He doesn't let Carl get too close. Keeps him right where he wants him knowing that he might be able to pull away a little bit later here in this run. >> Mike: Let's see how he's working here. >> Jeff: Looking calm like he always does. >> Darrell: Doesn't look very stressed, I can tell you that..

>> Jeff: He looks like he's got it all under control..

>> Darrell: Relaxed. >> Jeff: You get into a rhythm as a driver after you get a few laps after the caution and after the restart, now you start -- you're watching your mirror but you're just hitting your marks..

You're going in there carrying the right amount of speed in..

We've heard about braking being so important here, especially Kevin Harvick, the way he drives this track..

He just holds that wheel really nice and steady, squeezes into the throttle. Nobody does it better than this guy. No better feeling than thinking to yourself, I've got everybody where I want them. >> Jeff: He's had to earn this one more than he has in the past..

It's not over yet but those restarts have been crucial and he's been getting it done on the restarts..

>> Darrell: Not sure that we've seen all that that 4 car can do..

>> Mike: Here's Carl Edwards trying to close in and race traffic..

>> Chris: Kevin Harvick is your leader. Now Dale Earnhardt Jr. Has moved into third. Behind Carl Edwards..

Kyle Busch fourth, Denny Hamlin fifth. Chase Elliott sixth and Kurt Busch seventh. Let's dig a little deeper in the field. >> Jamie: Last run Joey Logano had a good He came in third..

Our own Larry Mac did a good job showing what happened on the bad pit stop. Not only did they not get it fueled, not even close..

I asked the fuel man what happened. He said he completely missed it. Now Joey Logano has an extremely loose car and he's lost six positions, Matt? >> Matt: Two spots back is Matt Kenseth. Jason Radcliffe said they've seen it all. Trying to put a solid race together and have an entire race from start to finish. Vicious cycle..

It's been a tough weekend for the engineers. We documented Mike Mccardle who had his injuries snowmobiling..

The engineer Scott myers, broken wrist snowboarding >> Vince: Danica Patrick, her crew chief Billy Scott, been fighting tight most of the day. They have gotten it freed up and it's a little bit better..

Started 36th..

She's cut that in half. She's inside the top 20 running 18th. 16th in November..

Backing it up today..

>> Mike: Top rookie in the race right now, chase Elliott has made a nifty move. Got Jimmie Johnson behind him then Kurt Busch, Have a look at this..

>> Jeff: Here's chase working on the 31. Has a nights run and gets to his quarter panel. Now he'll use the 30 car of Josh wise out in front of him as the pick. Kurt can't go anywhere. Behind the 30..

Nice, nice way..

Pick and roll right there. That's a nice way to make a pass. >> Darrell: That's a veteran move right there. >> Jeff: He's driving like a veteran today. >> Mike: Elliott is sixth. Ryan Blaney is 12th..

Brian Scott, 28th..

Chris Buescher, 29th among the rookies. >> Jeff: Here's a veteran. Dale Earnhardt Jr., I don't know what happened on that last run..

You know, we heard his radio communication where he wasn't real happy with the left side air pressure..

Whatever Greg Ives has done, boy, he is coming. He's the fastest car out there on the track >> Vince: Jeff, it's interesting that you said that..

Junior said, I forgot to turn on my brake fans so the brakes were really heated up and he was talking about how that was affecting the handling..

So forgot to do it but they've got them on now and the car is handling much better. >> Darrell: I'll say. Handling good enough that he's going to be challenging for second place really quick. >> Jeff: That's really interesting because the brake fans, especially the fans on these cars today, they're very powerful. They really do cool things down, not just the brakes but those tires. And when the tire isn't cooled down, the air pressure builds up..

He was talking about how he felt like they were really, really stiff and full of air more than Normal and that might have been -- might have been exactly what was going on..

They just got really hot and were too stiff. >> Mike: Quite possibly. In the last few laps we've seen Kurt Busch drop a couple of spots to chase Elliott and to Jimmie Johnson..

>> Little looser and I have the track bar That helps..

We've got a greased up racetrack and we've got a driver that doesn't know how to drive on greased up racetracks. We'll keep working on it. >> Darrell: Evaluating everything, including the driver..

>> Jeff: Not exactly sure where he was going with that..

Is that he likes it when it has a lot of grip, he can be super aggressive. >> Matt: Mike, I had a long conversation with Tony Gibson about that very topic. Kurt Busch attacks the racetrack. The negative side is 3/4 of a way through the race we have used up a lot of our good in the tires and we have to peddle and get the car back up to the front. He said, he goes to the tire conservation mode, tire management. That's when his productivity comes up. That was the game plan from start to finish. They still have to work on that. >> Darrell: I think an aggressive driver, when the track does grease up like this, you can't be aggressive, you do have to change your style a little bit. >> Mike: The problem is you're eight seconds behind the leader..

If you go into conservation mode, well -- >> Jeff: But I don't know if it's necessarily go into conservation mode. Managing it right from the start, from lap one and then hopefully halfway through a run you've got a little something left where you don't have to be in full conservation mode at that point..

>> Mike: Case in point, Kevin Harvick did not lead at all in the first half of this He's LED 99 laps since halfway. >> Mike: We've got a nice 360 degree camera in Austin Dillon's car. He's running tenth..

Let's have an over the shoulder look here at Phoenix international. From the number 3..

>> Darrell: Boy, he's really smooth in that car, Jeff..

Look at his hands..

Nice and smooth..

>> Mike: Second place, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Has caught Carl Edwards. >> Jeff: He's on a mission right now. >> Darrell: Dale Earnhardt Jr., if he keeps going like he is, he's going to catch Kevin Harvick..

That car is fast right now. >> Jeff: You see it cutting the middle, rolling through there..

A little bit more speed than that 19. Now he needs that lane up off the corner to carry as much speed as he'd like. That's what makes it so difficult to pass You might be able to get side by side with somebody like we see Dale Earnhardt Jr. Get side by side with Carl Edwards, but completing that pass is a whole nother set of circumstances. >> Darrell: I think he has him where he wants him..

Carl will back off earlier and let him go I think Carl knows it. Dale Jr..

In the 88 is quicker than I am right now. Don't need to hold him up. >> Mike: 37 laps to go. It's 1.75 seconds plus lapped traffic separating From race leader Kevin Harvick in the 4. >> Darrell: You can tell the spotter, that 88 is on a mission coming like a freight train. You better keep an eye on him. >> Jeff: Then you're thinking about the right front tire beads that have gone out from them getting too hot..

We talked about fuel management. I mean, there's a lot of interesting scenarios that can still play out in the end of this >> Larry: Guys, remember, they pitted with 84 to go..

Went back racing with 78 to go. I still think from a fuel standpoint we're good but we're about five to six laps away from that 50 lap run from where we first went back racing on that last restart. >> Darrell: You can bet one thing, Larry. You know this and a lot of guys up and down pit road know that..

>> Mike: The danger zone is going to come into play here with a little more than 25 laps to go in this race. >> Jeff: We're not talking about danger in >> Mike: No..

>> Darrell: At the end of the race you push harder..

You know, you just try harder. You've got to..

You're coming to the end of the race and we see Dibenedetto here, trying to hold -- trying to keep Harvick behind him. >> Jeff: He's fighting hard for this position. That's the last car on the lead lap. You know, that means a lot to these drivers staying on the lead lap. An amazing day for that kid. He's done a great job today staying on the lead lap up to this point. Pretty good job..

>> Mike: Shows how hard everybody fights for a top 20 finish..

33 laps to go..

We're going to stay right here to the finish. >> Chris: 29 laps to go. Superior tires face challenging positions on the track and on the road. Goodyear, tire of NASCAR. >> Mike: Kevin Harvick leads Dale Earnhardt By 2.5..

>> Darrell: Something changed, Mike. The 88 was closing on the 4 there of Kevin All of a sudden, I don't know if Kevin Harvick picked it up, I think he did, and the 88 kind of tapered off and hasn't been able to close anymore..

>> Jeff: A lot of times, D.W., when you catch traffic and especially if you have to fight somebody a little bit. Those moments of being behind a car in the disturbed air will tighten the car up a little bit and make you work those tires a little Sometimes you never gain that back. >> Darrell: Harvick is so good at getting under people, getting them up under people. He seems to be able to go wherever he needs to..

>> Larry: Mike, we talked about tires. We talked about fuel. But I've been digging around in my box of trends of the race..

What I did, I looked at the last four spring races here on this new configuration and repave and the last caution flag on the average comes at lap 291, 21 laps to go, which is about six laps from now..

>> Mike: That would be right in the middle of the perfect storm of where we had the tire over heating bead problem today. Four caution flags all for tire issues of cars that were not handling well and cooked the beats and crashed. >> Jeff: If you want to know why, why tows it happen then?.

What's causing it to happen then to that point. >> Debris..

>> Jeff: Grip level starts to go away. You happen to start to use more and more brake to slow the car down getting into the corner. That's when the beads start to overheed. >> Darrell: Where did that voice come from? >> Mike: It was either a driver or a spotter. >> Darrell: I heard debris and I jumped up. >> Mike: Maybe that lap count has something to do with the concern as we're now 60 laps into this run..

>> Darrell: I know there's one guy that doesn't want to see a caution. That's the 4..

Another guy that would love to see one, probably, is the 22..

So two ends of the spectrum here. Don't want one, gotta have one. >> Matt: A few moments ago Rodney Childress told Kevin Harvick, give me a couple of laps of insurance..

A little more conservative trying to save some fuel..

Harvick's last win came at Dover. Three times he has finished second. One of those here last fall to Dale Earnhardt >> Darrell: I can tell you one thing, Mattie, he's not saving anything. He's been in the 27.7s and 8s and 9s when everybody else has been in the 28s. He hasn't saved much lately. Maybe he's trying to get a nice lead where he can back off a little. >> Mike: 23 laps to go. Just about everybody here is holding their breath..

Denny Hamlin splits a pair. >> Darrell: Guy right on hot pursuit of that 11 car, 24 chase Elliott been catching the 11 for a top five run. Nice run again today by chase Elliott. >> Jeff: He's been working on him for several laps..

They weave in and out of lapped traffic. >> Mike: Meanwhile, the gap at the front stays constant, 2.5 seconds. Traffic affects the ebb and flow of Kevin Harvick's lead over Dale Jr. >> Darrell: Harvick's getting in a pretty good spot, Jeff and Mike. Not a lot of traffic ahead of him for the next, I don't know, ten or so laps. He's got a bit of a gap which is a comfort zone for him..

>> Jeff: That was a pretty clean lap for Dale Earnhardt Jr..

He was actually about .10 faster than Kevin >> Darrell: We may see what that lead that Kevin Harvick has..

He may back off and save that little bit of fuel that Rodney Childress is saying we need to save a little bit. He may be doing that now. >> Mike: Dale Earnhardt Jr., chase Elliott, Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin were all quicker than the race leader. A lot of that has to do with the flow of traffic. >> Darrell: I think the 4 may be into that conservative mode..

Got a nice lead..

Nobody's pressuring me. Save a little fuel here. Back off early and be sure I make it to the end..

>> Mike: Now this lap Dale Jr. Was the only driver under 28 seconds for his lap and he gained about .3. >> Jeff: Remember, they're not just trying to look at having enough fuel for the end of the race, they have to be ready in case there's overtime..

>> Mike: The gap is coming down, Vince. He's cut it from 2 1/2 to 2 1/4. >> Vince: No reason for junior to be saving anything..

They've told him he's good on fuel. It's all he's got..

Been pretty good what he's had all day long. >> Jeff: When he didn't realize he didn't have his blowers on..

That was messing up his race car. When he realized that his car has been right on on this run..

>> Jeff: You can see he's working hard. He came off of turn two there, little wiggle. He's trying to get everything out of it he possibly can..

>> Mike: Harvick, max speed, 149 miles per hour into that corner. Earnhardt was quicker. Is driving harder than he has all day long. He's really trying hard. He's driving in the corner a little bit harder. Kevin I believe is on a little bit of a conservation mode at this point..

When he gets up there probably where Kevin can see him pretty good he'll pick it back >> Mike: Two seconds is the margin now. In the last four races here, twice Harvick and junior have combined for a one, two finish. They've each won one of those two. >> Darrell: Such a confidence booster, Mike, Jeff knows this, when the crew chief can fix your car..

Didn't qualify good, didn't practice good, they finally got it right yesterday. They started the race today and he's been moving to the front all day long. >> Jeff: That's going to be a big confidence booster for them, not only for moving forward in the season but when they come back here >> Darrell: Yes. >> Mike: Carl Edwards 4 point be -- 4.3 seconds back..

Kyle Busch in fourth. And Denny Hamlin 6.4 in the back. All three of the Gibbs Toyotas running in formation..

They started one, two, three, they're now running three, four, five. Matt Kenseth just wants to have an uneventful >> Mike: One of the top stories, rookie chase Elliott..

Currently sixth..

Within half a second of Denny Hamlin for fifth place where he's been for quite a while. Jimmie Johnson, what a great rebound from that qualifying crash that left him last on the grid and in his backup car, top ten. Go back up to Kyle Busch and a song we've -- the song sounds the same. >> Jamie: No kidding. Especially after last week. Same deal..

Kyle was on a mission, got up to fourth. Kind of stalled out..

Now he just reported, vibration and chatter in the left front..

I'm not sure which..

>> Darrell: Could be chatter. A lot of rubber build up. A lot of camber in those tires. Sometimes the edges wear off they want to chatter..

>> Jeff: We heard him talk about a vibration in Las Vegas..

Reports were there were very few tight lug nuts on his right front tire. I believe it's the right front tire last week and it was very, very close for them even making it to the end of that race. I wonder if fast pit stops are catching up >> Darrell: Last week that's what happened. Now all of a sudden you feel a vibration. Is it happening again this week? They kind of creep into your mind, particularly at the end of the race. >> Mike: Austin Dillon currently tenth. Younger brother Ty substituting for Tony Stewart, Both still on the lead lap. Well, this is the longest green flag run of 67 laps..

>> Jeff: Don't say it, Mike. >> Mike: I'm stopping right there. >> Davie: --.

>> Darrell: Danica Patrick on the lead lap. >> Jeff: See Ryan Blaney racing with Chris Buescher right there, another rookie. >> Darrell: I think the quality of the cars, the quality of the field is the best I've ever seen..

We don't see a lot of cautions, we don't see a lot of parts failures. These are the best cars we've seen on track for a couple, three years maybe. >> Mike: Kasey kahne, another driver that's rebounded, very strange engine issue in qualifying. It dieseled, confused the ecu and ran it backwards until it blew up..

Joey Logano's got to come in. He surrenders ninth place to make this stop, which comes with just eight laps to go. >> Darrell: Yeah, he's one of those guys that was kind of honing and Dale Jr. Closing..

He's now just 1.6 behind Harvick. >> Jamie: They knew right away they were quite a few laps short..

Seven to go, coming down pit road for right side tires..

Just enough fuel to get them to the end. They're going to try to make that adjustment that they missed last time that was a wedge adjustment..

No, they opted no changes. >> Mike: Dale Jr. Working on Danica Patrick. 1.8 seconds back of the lead. You see the interval, the dynamic interval at the top of the screen, first and second. >> Darrell: She ebs and she flows. >> Mike: Car in the wall, turn four. Kasey kahne..

>> Stay low..

>> Darrell: New trend. Little later this time. >> If you can move it. >> Mike: He was running 14th. >> Here he comes right here. If you can move..

>> Jeff: So hoping the kind of year he's had. Last year was a rough year as well. I was so hoping they were just -- sort of like we talked about with Matt Kenseth. Just got to put a solid finish together. This team needed that momentum. >> Darrell: The right front, she's down. >> Mike: Watch the top of your picture on this replay..

And the number 5 will come into view there. >> Darrell: There she goes. She just turned dead right. That tire goes down, there's nothing you can do..

Quite certain it's another bead that melted and right there on the big load part of the corner it gave out..

>> Mike: So now the question becomes two tires or four?.

>> Larry: Guys, we've got 16 drivers on the lead lap and this is going to carries us very close to either just two to go or overtime. I think if you are at the very front you have to stay out..

If you're one of those guys near the back, there's nothing to lose. In fact, we're seeing it right now. We're seeing a mixed bag of decisions here. >> Jeff: Third place on back came. So that's the last thing you want to see when you're the 4 or the 88. >> Vince: The 19 of Carl Edwards, he said he just doesn't have any feel left in his Right side only for the 19. >> Jamie: Kyle Busch, the call is for right sides..

He wants the car to turn better in the center. Put just enough fuel in to make it through the en..

Let's see what the 18 has. >> Mike: Six laps to go. The advertised distance of 312 laps. Austin Dillon stayed out so he will join Harvick and Earnhardt at the front of the field. Excuse me, four laps to go. Lap 308, four to go..

So -- well, my question is going to be fuel on the three cars that stayed out. >> Vince: Dale Earnhardt Jr. And his crew chief, Greg Ives, junior told Greg, I don't care whatever you decide, I was was the one that made the decision. Let's stay out..

The 19 of Carl Edwards, they were doing the opposite of what the leaders were doing, that's why they came and got fuel. >> Darrell: The leader's the guy, he's a sitting duck..

If he comes, they stay out. >> Mike: Scoreboard says 309. Lights are still on on the Chevrolet safety car so that means we will be going to overtime. >> Jeff: I think as far as fuel is concerned, as soon as that caution came out, all those drivers shut the engine off. You can see Matt Kenseth right here shutting his engine off as well. This is going to get them into a pretty good fuel window..

It's amazing how much fuel you can save when that caution comes out and you shut the engine I wouldn't be too concerned about that. What I would be concerned about is Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch in fourth and fifth with newer >> Darrell: Especially Kyle Busch. He's so good on restarts. If you're not on it there and you don't make good time in the first turn, he's going to be all over you..

>> Mike: All right. We listen in on Dale jr.'s team. >> How are you on fuel here? >> We're good to 318, ten laps but we just need to conserve under yellow. Kasey kahne, by the way, his car has been repaired..

He will come back on track although he has lost -- we're showing one lap. >> Darrell: I think they gave one to go, Mike. I think there was some conversation between And Kevin Harvick up there about which side Harvick was going to take on this restart. It appears Harvick wants the outside. >> Jeff: The best thing that happened to Dale Is Austin Dillon stayed out. We all know how aggressive Kyle Busch is on the restarts..

Look for him to take him three wide at this start..

>> Mike: Let's review the overtime rule. Once they take the green flag, as long as the lieder makes it around to the overtime line in the middle of the back straightaway under green, the race will be official. >> Darrell: Just got to watch the overtime >> Mike: Green flag. Harvick, nice restart. Kyle Busch to the bottom. And they're going to make it on turn two. Harvick the leader..

The race will be official at the caution or the checker..

>> Jeff: This is where I've seen Kevin Harvick be so good..

Did you see that launch? Carl Edwards going to give him a run for his money on two tires..

>> It's going to be hard to hold Carl Edwards >> Darrell: If Harvick can hold him off, he's Superman..

>> Jeff: Held him off through one and two. >> Mike: Three wide through turn two. Everybody gets through. Next flag ends the race. There's never been a last lap pass in Phoenix. Here it comes..

>> Darrell: Can he get under him. >> Jeff: Move him up the racetrack. Look at them slam..

>> Darrell: It's going to be. >> Jeff: Whoa..

>> Darrell: Too close to call. >> Jeff: Did you see them hitting one another? >> Darrell: I think Harvick got him by a fraction of an inch..

>> Jeff: I think one hundredth of a second. What a finish..

>> Darrell: I'll tell Ya. Kevin Harvick is Superman. I'll give him that..

>> Jeff: You've got to give Carl Edwards all the credit for making that interesting. >> Darrell: What a finish. >> Jeff: This is them coming through the tri-oval Carl dives it in there. He takes all four to the bottom. >> Darrell: Here we go. >> Jeff: On the quarter panel. >> Darrell: Bang. Harvick's going to bang him back. >> Jeff: Man, they almost wrecked right there. >> Darrell: Aaaahhh. >> Jeff: Only one of the closest finishes in history if I had to guess. >> Darrell: Look at that. That was fantastic..

Boys, pretty amazing finish. Take a bow..

>> Jeff: You earned that one. >> Darrell: You deserve it, buddy. >> Jeff: Great, great job. It is so hard to beat Kevin Harvick, Rodney Childers, everybody at shr. >> Darrell: How he held Carl Edwards off, I do not knobut he did it. >> Mike: Let's ride with Kevin Harvick on his way to the win..

>> Coming to the top again. Watch your bottom now. Inside..

Man, that was a big impact there. >> Inside still. >> Darrell: That's what did it, Jeff. That impact..

>> Jeff: I think Carl Edwards is going to tell you, hey, I could have wrecked him. I could have spun him. That was his way of battling him and doing it as clean as possible. >> Mike: That's as great a finish as you're ever going to see in this sport. >> Vince: A hundredth of a second. Jeff Gordon said, you could have wrecked him. What's going flew your mind when your right fender's on his left. >> I should have wrecked him. Those guys were doing a great job all day. They hung on with the tires. We were faster..

I thought, man, I'll just move him out of the way and get by..

I just didn't move him far enough. He got up the door..

I thought -- I was trying to time it. I think he's going to beat me. I tried to side swipe him before he got there. I needed to be in front of his front tire. Anyway, just fun race. Man, I wish I could have won that thing. Dave Rogers did a great job. I've got to thank Stanley. They're on board..

Hopefully everybody that damaged their stuff can use some Stanley tools. Aris, Comcast, XFINITY, all of our sponsors. I wanted to win that thing but you win some, you lose some..

>> Vince: So close. One hundredth of a second away. >> Mike: Sunoco fueling victories. The cactus king, Kevin Harvick. What did you say you said earlier in the week, going to have to work for this one? >> Darrell: He said they caught up with us, but I don't think he was too worried. >> Jeff: Never over till it's over. >> Darrell: Nice one right there, boys. >> Jeff: Oh, that is a good one. >> Darrell: Burn it down. >> Jeff: He's had a lot of practice doing burnouts at this racetrack with all of those wins..

>> Darrell: That's eight wins, Jeff, eight at this track..

>> Mike: Anyone surprised that's the closest finish in the history of Phoenix international raceway?.

One more look at it..

We'll catch up with Kevin Harvick in victory lane for the 32nd time in his career. >> Chris: Kevin Harvick owns this place. Jamie little is there for the celebration. >> Jamie: Kevin Harvick has won a lot of races at this place, but never this close. One hundredth of a second, Kevin. Closest finish in series history. How did you hold off Carl Edwards? >> Well, I knew he was better through three That was not the car I wanted to see behind me..

Could beat him down there. I tried to protect the bottom in three and I missed the bottom..

With all of the rubber build up on the tires. All in all I knew he was going to be on defense down there..

I got up too high and wasn't able to stay on the bottom like I wanted to. He got into me, like he should have. I knew I needed to get a good run off the corner and I was going to have to get into his door..

It worked out just barely. I want to thank Jimmy John's, die tech, bad boy buggies, outback, everybody at stewart-haas for everything they do. I want to say hi to nook who had a snowmobile accident this weekend. Miss you, buddy..

>> Jamie: Kevin, no matter what they throw at you, closing the gap on you, you come out on top..

What is it about this place that makes you so darn good here?.

>> I just like racing here. I feel like I've been here enough times where I feel like I can move around and find something to make our car work. We struggled to get the balance where we wanted We knew the feel we were looking for. We got close during happy hour. During the race I felt like I was good through one and two..

At times it was good through three and four but it was very edgy. Maybe that's the product of the new package or the tires or whatever it is. I want to say hi to Keelan and dalena at home. See you Wednesday..

>> Jamie: Are you going to put the trophy in the back seat?.

>> We're headed to Vegas tonight. >> Jamie: Kevin Harvick wins for the eighth time in Phoenix..

>> Matt: The last two trips to Phoenix, a first and a second for Dale Earnhardt Jr. Junior, was lane choice the key there on the final restart?.

>> I would have loved to have had the top and get those guys on the bottom and hold them down..

I had the bottom and new tires on the outside of me..

Loose situation..

Finished really good. I don't care about the call. I don't dislike the call to stay out. And we had an awesome car and that's three weeks in a row I've enjoyed the hell out of driving it..

Had a fun day and we ran great, really, really good..

Proud of my guys..

>> Junior second here at Phoenix. >> Not just another ho hum Harvick finish. It was a duel in the desert. Michael Waltrip, four different race teams, this is the first win for stewart-haas this year..

The super teams you expected to get some victories. Put another guy in the chase. >> Mike: Yeah, just think about how close Carl Edwards was to locking himself into this chase..

That's what it's all about. Getting into the chase so you can focus on a championship..

>> Chris: The man of many victories in Phoenix and many nicknames, happy Harvick, Bakersfield backer, closer, cactus king, Kevin Harvick in victory lane..

That's how close it was. Photo finish by the nose of his number 4 Chevrolet. We'll have more from Phoenix in a moment. >> Chris: Second overtime race this year. One one hundredth of a victory for Harvick. >> Mike: Disappointing Tai for Jimmie Johnson. Joey Logano late pit stop for fuel fell back to 18th..

>> Chris: Frustrating day for Kyle Busch as well..

Kasey kahne bringing out the late caution. Frustration continues for him and Brad keselowski who was the winner last week in Las Vegas and won last year's Fontana race where we head next Sunday..

>> Mike: A lot of ugly cautions at the end of the list..

>> Chris: Let's get some final thoughts from Jeff Gordon, Darrell Waltrip and Mike joy. >> Mike: Couple of great finishes this season already..

Only four races in..

Look at what we've had first at daytona. Five feet from the line, martin Truex was the winner..

Denny Hamlin got there first by the same margin as today, one one hundredth of a second. It takes two to have a fantastic finish. Kevin Harvick did what everyone expected he would do, get out front after halfway, lead 139 laps..

Most of all drivers..

Be there at the finish. But Carl Edwards, did anybody see that coming? >> Jeff: Well, when he took two tires and he was in that outside lane the second Robak, I thought if he could get a good restart he could make a run at this. And Kevin told you, he knew he was better in three and four and he showed it. >> Darrell: Yeah, I swear, Kevin Harvick is When we come to this racetrack he is Superman. You know what, winning that race, that last body slam, that gave him just a little momentum to beat him to the line. >> Mike: I love that he and Carl Edwards gave each other everything they could handle but didn't wreck each other. What a fantastic finish. >> Vince: Denny Hamlin, third place. Had to come from deep after that early penalty when the tire got away. That was a good race car. How did you guys see it? >> We had a strong car. A car I thought we could contend with the win..

Prout of the whole fed ex freight team. Our Toyota was fast..

Proud of the effort..

Hate it for Carl at the end. We know how the other end of that goes. But I'll tell Ya, just a great effort. We've come a long way at Phoenix. Jgr has struggled here over the last few years. We've really kind of turned around. Obviously this is the last step towards homestead so you want to get it right. >> Vince: Well done. Denny Hamlin, third place. >> Kyle Busch strong. Leaving Phoenix what's going to describe your day?.

>> I don't know. We had a good car..

It was good enough to lead a bunch of laps early in the race..

As the track continued to rubber in, the runs got longer, we continued to fade a little bit more each time..

Definitely got to work on long run stuff. How you do that, I don't know. You can never make that long of a run. We'll work on things and get it better for here at Phoenix..

Couldn't be happier with the skittles Camry. I screwed us up and got us behind the 8 ball. We were able to rebound and get ourselves back up into position. Barring different positions with the restart having two old tire cars in front of me and having to restart fifth, I think that hurt If I could have had fourth I might have had a shot at it..

Good job for Carl, valiant effort there. You know, overall good day for jgr. >> K.B..

Fourth here today..

>> Kevin Harvick started 1th where passing is a premium..

He talked about his wife and son, Keelan Harvick said he didn't want his dad to leave home. Why don't we let Jeff Gordon go race in his place because he's not doing anything. He's broadcasting a good one. Carl Edwards gave it his best shot. Michael, put us inside the car, the speed, the risks he has to take with almost risking wrecking himself and Harvick. >> When he got to turn three he was probably 160 miles an hour..

That's going to take place in the middle of the corner..

He had to stay so cool and make the intense moves late up off the corner. I was so impressed with Carl. I should have hit him a little bit harder and I would have been the winner. >>> How much for Harvick when he had to win this..

Jeff and Darrell talked about it through the course of the broadcast through at the end to remain calm and in control. >> I agree with my brother, Superman. That is hard to do..

His tires are older..

He had track position. The guy behind him knew he was going to get a bang in the side like that. Yet he was able to hang on and get to the finish line first..

What a great day..

>> Inside on the pre-race show you guys all talked about how Kevin works it, the advantage he has at this track. Bumper level once he has it figured out. Even if the car-this is how it -- even he talked about from practice to qualifying, even in in race, figuring things out. Once they dialed it in they stayed locked in and fought off Carl Edwards. >> I talked about Carl having to be cool making those bumps..

He has to get that gas down, get back to the Two excellent drivers. >> The guy who nailed last year's west coast swing for NASCAR, NASCAR goes west, puts on the victorious sticker. We'll talk about heading to southern California with Kevin Harvick your winner straight ahead. >>> Next week we're rolling out the red carpet as fox Hollywood goes to NASCAR. It all starts with race day at 2:30 eastern on fs2 and continues on fox at 3:00 eastern. >>> We hope you join us then. Remember last year, Kevin Harvick won two of the three NASCAR goes west races with second in the other one..

Well, he gets the win here adding to these incredible numbers at Phoenix. We talked about the nicknames. Tack on another one..

These are the most dominant numbers you'll see from any one driver at a track at any one time..

>> That's unheard of. No one pulls off victories like that. That's amazing..

>> Now we go from a one mile track to California, the auto club speedway, a two mile track. The last three races at the awed tow club speedway have all been settled by a last lap pass so Harvick should feel comfortable. >> We're going to see something that I love, and that's a lot of speed. The spoilers on the back of the car are littler. Less drag..

Long straightaways at California speedway. Well in excess of 200 miles per hour. Last-lap passes are common. >> Let's talk about what we've seen. Two outstanding finishes, the closest in the history of the daytona 500 and as we go to the Fontana race, drivers you expect to have victories..

What are you looking for? >> Just more of the same. You have to be one of the top organizations, especially with the new rules. Any time NASCAR changes the rules the teams that have the most resources are able to get onto it and make the best decisions for the handling of their cars. The best drivers, you'll see more of the same. >> The super teams have more success. Terrific finish..

More terrific programming coming up on Foxx. BOB's burgers..

Simpson's, laugh out loud. Last man on Earth..

Don't forget victory lane over on FS1. Kevin Harvick will have plenty of time to sit and talk with us about how he and his team were able to dominate where his luck wasn't the best for him coming in starting outside the top 15..

Next Sunday the auto club 400 as we've talked about..

3:00 P.M..

Eastern..

Hope you turn that forward. Fs2 with race day..

This has been a Barry Landis production. He'll tell you, just ask him. For Michael Waltrip and our entire gang, congrats to Kevin Harvick in Phoenix. I'm Chris myers..





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