March 12, 2021
Jesse Love (right), a 16-year-old who competes in the ARCA series, takes all of his classes and lives in North Carolina with his uncle so he can focus on racing instead of in California with his immediate family. (Photo by Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
PHOENIX – Many young children grow up with dreams of flying around speedways in the pristinely painted stock cars of NASCAR’s highest level, the Cup Series.
It is rare to end up in the Cup Series but many drivers try anyway by cutting their teeth in lower-level racing circuits.
At Phoenix Raceway today, a group of young drivers with Cup aspirations will take part in the ARCA Menards Series General Tire 150.
The big story at Phoenix Raceway one year ago was the remarkable recovery of veteran driver Ryan Newman, who strolled around the infield sipping a soft drink just weeks after a horrific crash in the Daytona 500 had everyone fearing the worst. It was an entertaining race on a beautiful Sunday afternoon with Joey Logano holding off Kevin Harvick for his second win of the season. Kyle Larson finished fourth, continuing his rise with Chip Ganassi Racing.
Weekend Preview: Phoenix Raceway sanantoniopost.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from sanantoniopost.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
NASCAR s Most Memorable Moments at Phoenix Raceway
Built for open-wheel, Phoenix has become one of NASCAR s most iconic venues Mar 12, 2021
Phoenix Raceway opened in 1964 but wouldn’t host a Cup Series race until 1988.
Prior to that, it was a desert showcase for open-wheel competition that included USAC Midgets, Sprint Cars and IndyCars. The track owes its oblong shape to wrapping itself around the nearby Estrella Mountains.
The NASCAR West Series contested a series of races starting in 1975, and that paved the way for the premier division to become a mainstay in the Valley of the Sun.
Alan Kulwicki won the first ever Cup race at Phoenix (1988) and introduced fans to the Polish Victory Lap, a clockwise cool down lap that allowed the driver to wave to the fans in celebration. Kevin Harvick has become its most successful competitor with nine wins over the past 19 seasons.
Phoenix Raceway welcomes new beer sponsor this weekend as season gets started bizjournals.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from bizjournals.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.