Driver Chassis Selections for Phoenix Subway Fresh Fit 500k

Note: Some Team Press Releases do not list chassis'

Compiled by Jeff Wackerlin
MotorRacingNetwork.com

Edwards looking forward to Phoenix return with a brand new car

1. Carl Edwards: Coming off first win in 13 starts after leading 93 laps; Sixth-best average finish (11.9) in the eight races with the COT; 180 total laps led have all come with the COT; Led 87 laps in the 2007 fall race from the pole before an engine failure; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 726) in the Subway Fresh Fit 500.

2. David Gilliland: Has yet to finish in the top 10 in nine starts; 35.0 average finish in two starts with Front Row Motorsports; Finished 38th last November due to brake issues.

3. Bobby Labonte: 18.2 average finish in 24 starts; Last top 10 (eighth) came in 2007 spring race with Petty Enterprises; Will make first track start with JTG-Daugherty Racing.

4. Kurt Busch: Coming off ninth top 10 in 16 starts; His ninth-place finish in November was his fifth top 10 in 10 starts with Penske Racing; Ninth-best average finish (13.5) in the eight races with the COT; Has combined to lead 212 laps in the last five races; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 738) that finished 30th at Charlotte last fall; This car has been completely rebuilt since then.

5. Juan Pablo Montoya: Led 104 laps last April en route to a fifth-place finish; Finish was second consecutive top 10; Finished 16th last November to give him an average finish of 17.0 in eight starts; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 1109) in the Subway Fresh Fit 500.

6. Regan Smith: Has yet to finish in the top 10 in five starts; Equaled best finish, of 23rd, last fall; Has yet to lead a lap; 25.6 average finish in three starts with Furniture Row Racing.

Kyle Busch won at Phoenix in 2005 while driving for HMS

7. Kyle Busch: 11.3 average finish in six starts with Joe Gibbs Racing; Won the 2005 fall race with Hendrick Motorsports; Led 113 laps en route to an eighth-place finish last spring; Fourth-best average finish (10.4) in the eight races with the COT; Will race chassis No. 280 for the third time; This chassis most recently finished 35th at Auto Club after engine problems took him out of the race.

8. Paul Menard: Has yet to finish in the top 10 in eight starts; Best finish (21st) came in a Chevrolet with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. in the 2008 spring race; Will make first track start with Richard Childress Racing; Will pilot a new car (chassis No. 342) in the Subway Fresh Fit 500.

9. Mark Martin: 6.9 average finish in seven starts with the COT; Third in laps led (225) with the COT; Won the 2009 spring race from the pole in first track start with Hendrick Motorsports; Finished eighth last November for fourth consecutive top 10.

10. AJ Allmendinger: Won the pole and finished 15th last April; Finish was second consecutive top 15 driving a Ford; Started second and finished 18th last November to give him an overall average of 19.4 in five starts.

11. Bill Elliott: Will make first track start with Phoenix Racing; Last of four top 10s came in 1993.

12. Tony Stewart: 16.8 average finish in four starts with Stewart-Haas; Best finish with the team came in the 2009 spring race in third; 17th-place finish last November raised his average finish to 12.0 in 18 starts; Posted one win and six top fives in previous 14 starts with Joe Gibbs Racing; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 587) that he most recently finished 24th with at Martinsville.

13. David Ragan: Only top 10 (10th) in eight starts came in the 2008 fall race; Has yet to lead a lap; Will pilot a new car (chassis No. 737) in the Subway Fresh Fit 500.

15. Robby Gordon: 27.9 average finish in 17 starts; Best finish in 10 starts with Robby Gordon Motorsports came in the spring last year in 14th.

16. Clint Bowyer: Scored fourth top 10 (ninth) in 11 starts last year in this event; 13.8 average finish in the eight races with the COT; Will pilot a new chassis (No. 340) in the Subway Fresh Fit 500.

Using 10th place Richmond car

17. Jamie McMurray: Coming off second top 10 in 15 starts; 17.0 average finish in two starts with Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing; 16.2 average finish in the eight races with the COT; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 1008) that he finished 10th with at PIR last fall.

18. Martin Truex Jr.: 16.0 average finish in two starts with Michael Waltrip Racing; Last of four top 10s came in the 2009 fall race when he won the pole and finished fifth with Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing; The 2007 fall race was the only time he's led laps (72).

19. Denny Hamlin: Third-best driver average (9.8) in the eight races with the COT; 12th-place finish last fall put his finishing average to 11.6 in 11 overall starts; Second in laps led with 260; Finished 30th last spring 10 days after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee; Finish ended streak of four consecutive top 10s.

20. Ryan Newman: Winner of last year's spring race; Finished second last fall to give him an average finish of 20.2 in 17 starts; 9.8 average finish in four starts with Stewart-Haas Racing; Will return in the same car that he ran in both Phoenix races last year.

Notable Drivers Outside the Top 20
Joey Logano: Coming off best finish in four starts in third; Finish was second consecutive top 10; 13.8 overall average finish and no laps led.

The No. 24 & No. 88 swapped garages for 2011 season 

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: 17.5 average finish in six starts with Hendrick Motorsports; Has led a combined 150 laps with the team in 2008 and 2009 spring races; Won the events in 2003 and 2004 with Dale Earnhardt, Inc.

Kasey Kahne: Finished 30th last fall in first track start with Team Red Bull; Last of three top 10s came in the 2006 fall race with Evernham Motorsports; Has yet to lead a lap in 13 starts.

Jimmie Johnson: Winner of four of the last seven races; 4.9 average finish leads all drivers; Finished fifth last fall for 11th consecutive top 10; Leads all drivers with a 2.5 average finish and 744 laps led in the eight races with the COT; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 590) that he last finished third with at Richmond.

Jeff Gordon: Finished second and 11th, respectively, in 2010; 17 top 10s in 24 starts; 14.0 average finish and 56 laps led in the eight starts with the COT; Won the 2007 spring race from the pole.

Brad Keselowski: 31.7 average finish in three starts; Best finish, and only inside top 30, came in this event last year in 16th.

David Reutimann: Only top 10s came in the 2009 season; 26th-place finish last fall raised his finishing average to 19.9 in seven starts.

Brian Vickers: Finished 37th in this event last year; 30.3 average finish in six starts with Team Red Bull; Only top 10 (fifth) came with Hendrick Motorsports in 2005.

Matt Kenseth: Finished in the top 10 in both races in 2010; 14.9 average finish in the eight races with the COT; Winner of the 2002 race; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 725) in the Subway Fresh Fit 500.

Greg Biffle: 10.5 average finish in the eight races with the COT; Coming off fourth top five (fourth) in 14 starts; Will pilot a new car (chassis No. 727) in the Subway Fresh Fit 500.

Jeff Burton: 11.0 average finish in 13 starts with Richard Childress Racing; Finished 25th in this event last year after a penalty on pit road; Both finishes in 2010 were first outside the top 15 with RCR; Won the 2000 and 2001 events with Roush Racing; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 323) that he finished 18th with at Kansas last fall.

Marcos Ambrose: 15.2 average finish in five starts; Will make first track start with Richard Petty Motorsports.

Kevin Harvick: Won both Cup races in 2006; 14.4 average finish and 54 laps led in the eight races with the COT; Best finish since season sweep came in the 2007 and 2010 fall race in sixth; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 332) in the Subway Fresh Fit 500.