Following Christopher Bell's win at Circuit of The Americas — his second straight win — the NASCAR Cup Series stays out west for the second of three races on the west coast swing for the running of the Shriners Children's 500 at Phoenix Raceway. It will be the first time the series has raced at the one-mile track in Arizona since Joey Logano won his third championship back in November.
This weekend will represent a fresh start for most drivers following a pair of drafting-style tracks and a road course to open the season. However, it will also mark the return of the Goodyear option tire, which was used for the first time in a points-paying race at Richmond Raceway last summer. The goal behind the tire is to give the drivers better grip, but wear out faster than the primary tire, which should present more passing and better overall race.
Through three races, only current points-leader William Byron (Daytona 500) and Bell (Atlanta, COTA) have found victory lane. With the wild-card races to open the season out of the way and a more traditional schedule on tap with a one-mile track (Phoenix), 1.5-mile intermediates (Las Vegas, Homestead) and half-mile Martinsville Speedway up next in the month of March, the cream should start to rise to the top as the meat of the Cup Series schedule unfolds.
As the NASCAR Cup Series makes its annual springtime venture to Phoenix, which is once again the site of Championship Weekend in November, drivers and teams will be looking to fine tune their setups and be as prepared as possible in hopes of being in championship contention when they return to the one-mile venue to cap the season.
Heading into Phoenix, these three drivers are in search of a rebound performance. Currently, all three are in the middle of the standings or worse through three races, leaving plenty to be desired.
Kyle Larson, No. 5 (Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)
Aside from a third-place finish at Atlanta, finishes of 20th (Daytona 500) and 32nd (COTA) have the 2021 Cup Series champion sitting at 16th in the standings as things currently stand. To make matters worse, Larson will be without two of his crew members (jackman Brandon Johnson and front tire changer Blaine Anderson) due to his right front wheel coming off during Sunday's race at COTA.
Although Larson has just one win at Phoenix (2021 championship race), his 395 laps led and an average finish of 11.0 show how consistent he has been at the track in his career. Since his tenure with Hendrick Motorsports began in 2021, he has six top 10 finishes in eight starts. Don't expect the struggles to continue for Larson this weekend.
Daniel Suarez, No. 99 (Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet)
With a best finish of 13th (Daytona 500) and two finishes outside the top 30 to kick off the season, 2025 has not been kind to the two-time Cup Series winner. COTA appeared to be a strong points day for Suarez until he hit a curb and spun in front of teammate Connor Zilisch, resulting in both making contact and retiring from the race. Due to the inconsistency, Suarez is 29th in points and looking for stability entering Phoenix.
In the six races at Phoenix in the Next Gen car, Suarez only has two top 10 finishes with a best finish of ninth (March, 2022). While four of those six races have ended in the top 15, the winning speed has not been there for Suarez in the desert. Considering the early-season struggles, a solid top 10 or top 15 with no mistakes could be just what Suarez needs.
Ty Gibbs, No. 54 (Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)
Aside from a 16th in the Daytona 500, two consecutive finishes of 30th or worse have Gibbs in a similar situation to Suarez. In the 2024 COTA race, Gibbs placed third and scored 37 points, which made his 34th-place result and three-point day on Sunday surprising. Of the three drivers on this list, Gibbs is mired the deepest in the points standings at 36th.
In four starts at Phoenix Raceway, Gibbs has a best finish of third (March, 2024), but three finishes of 20th or worse. The third-year driver and grandson of team owner Joe Gibbs has the talent to succeed in the Cup Series. After an inconsistent sophomore campaign and a slow start to 2025, Gibbs is in need of a quick turnaround and some productive runs going forward.