This week NASCAR travels to Phoenix for the TicketGuardian 500 at the one-mile ISM Raceway, a short track with low banks and high speeds.
Great brakes are necessary to prevail at this track and be there at the end. This is a track where mistakes will cost drivers greatly and should avoid doing something stupid during the re-starts.
This will be the last race with the track in its current configuration as they’re going to move the start/finish line off of turn two towards the dogleg, which will make things very different in this track when the drivers return here in November for the Can-Am 500.
Kevin Harvick is the talk of NASCAR after back-to-back wins in Atlanta and Las Vegas but winning three straight races in NASCAR is extremely hard to do, despite that if there’s someone that can accomplish that this week is Harvick, who’s won eight times in Phoenix. Even if he doesn’t win, look for him to have a good race and stay involved until the very end.
Among the favorites to win this week is Kyle Busch, who’s been consistent and raced smartly but failed to win so far this season. Last week he was bested only by Harvick so he has an additional motivation to win this week.
Denny Hamlin is another strong candidate to win at ISM Raceway this week as he and his team have been so good at this type of speedy, flat and short racetrack (remember he won at New Hampshire last year). If he avoids any crashes and manages to get in one piece until the last lap he could have a very good race and finish strong in Phoenix.
Chase Elliott is also another driver that could have a strong performance this week. It’s worth pointing out that the last time that he raced on this track during the 2017 Can-Am 500, back in November of last year, he came in second.
