Tech Section: Short-Track Aerodynamics & Mechanical Grip
The Zero Carbon Bioethanol 150 Powered by POET utilizes NASCAR's standard short-track/low-banked 1-mile aerodynamic spoiler package combined with POET bioethanol E15 performance fuel. Why? On Phoenix's flat 8°–11° banking, aerodynamic downforce plays a supporting role compared to low-speed mechanical front-end turn-in and throttle modulation. So What? Crew chiefs must prioritize mechanical grip over aero-balance, tuning lower tire pressures and stiffer sway bars to prevent center-corner chatter and chatter-induced front splitter skidding.
Phoenix's low 8°–9° banking in Turns 1–2 forces drivers to modify their braking markers significantly compared to high-banked 1.5-mile ovals like Charlotte (24°). Why? The transition off the wide backstretch dogleg apron into Turn 3 creates extreme vertical shock-absorber loading on the left-front suspension. So What? If a team sets its front ride height too low to seal the underbody aero, the left-front splitter will bottom out violently on the apron transition, causing instantaneous front tire lockup and severe brake rotor glazing.
Goodyear is supplying 15-inch Eagle Speedway/Short Track Radials (Left-Side Code D-6142 / Right-Side Code D-6116). Why? Phoenix's abrasive asphalt and extended braking zones into Turn 1 place massive friction stress on the right-front tire shoulder. So What? Teams running long 45-lap green-flag stage runs will experience heavy thermal tread fall-off, making late-race 2-tire right-side pit stop strategy a critical tactical weapon during late caution windows.
TRICON Garage Loop: Telemetry is shared across Kaden Honeycutt (#11), William Sawalich (#5), Tanner Gray (#15), Giovanni Ruggiero (#17), and Brent Crews (#1). Why? TRICON is dialing in precise brake-bias bias mapping for the flat apron transition. So What? This multi-truck telemetry loop gives points leader Kaden Honeycutt real-time data to optimize corner entry speed without overheating his front brake calipers.
ThorSport Racing Loop: Shared telemetry between Chandler Smith (#38), Ty Majeski (#88), Jake Garcia (#98), Ben Rhodes (#99), and Cole Butcher (#13). Why? ThorSport is analyzing rear-damper extension coming off Turn 4. So What? Maximizing throttle traction on exit allows Chandler Smith to defend his Chase margin against rival Ford contender Layne Riggs.
Note: The following mechanical parameters, technical specs, and historical data are preserved from previous version control updates (v2/v3) and represent the complete cumulative technical baseline for Race 22:
- Goodyear Inflation Specs: Minimum recommended inflation pressures are set at Left Front (LF) 14 psi, Right Front (RF) 28 psi, Left Rear (LR) 14 psi, and Right Rear (RR) 26 psi. Why? Low left-side pressures widen the contact patch on flat surfaces. So What? Running below 14 psi on the LF risks bead unseating during violent dogleg apron impacts.
- Tire Circumferences & Allotment: Left-side tire circumference measures 2,218 mm (87.3 in.); Right-side tire circumference measures 2,244 mm (88.3 in.). Allocation stands at 5 total dry-weather sets (1 practice set, 1 qualifying transfer set, 3 new race sets) plus 3 wet-weather sets.
- Tire Provenance: This specific D-6142/D-6116 Goodyear combination was raced four times previously in 2026 (North Wilkesboro, Indianapolis Raceway Park, Richmond, New Hampshire) and served as the 2025 Phoenix finale setup.
- Fuel Specification: Powered by POET Zero Carbon Bioethanol E15. Why? Standardized high-octane biofuel formulation. So What? Delivers consistent combustion telemetry across all Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, and RAM powerplants.
- Track Geometry Metrics: 1.0-mile asphalt tri-oval featuring 8°–9° banking in Turns 1–2, 10°–11° banking in Turns 3–4, and a 10°–11° backstretch dogleg apron.
Official Entry List & Metric Qualifying Order (Full 36-Truck Field)
| Qual Pos | No. | Driver | Team / Organization | Mfg | Crew Chief | Sponsor | Metric Score | Chase Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23 | Jackson Lee | Team Reaume | Ford | Josh Reaume | Browning Chapman | 58.700 | Non-Chase |
| 2 | 22 | Clayton Green | Team Reaume | Ford | Kevin Johnson | The Turner Company | 35.400 | Non-Chase |
| 3 | 42 | Tyler Reif | Niece Motorsports | Chevy | Landon Polinski | DQS Solutions & Staffing | 31.000 | Non-Chase |
| 4 | 20 | Toni Breidinger | McAnally-Hilgemann Racing | Chevy | Dewey Townsend IV | Celsius | 30.400 | Non-Chase |
| 5 | 52 | Stewart Friesen | Halmar Friesen Racing | Toyota | Dustin Dunn | Halmar International | 29.900 | Non-Chase |
| 6 | 33 | Frankie Muniz | Team Reaume | Ford | Pedro Lopez | Team Reaume | 27.900 | Non-Chase |
| 7 | 76 | Ben Maier | Freedom Racing Enterprises | Chevy | Ryan London | Top Liner | 26.400 | Non-Chase |
| 8 | 81 | Kris Wright | McAnally-Hilgemann Racing | Chevy | Darren Fraley | iHeartRadio | 26.200 | Non-Chase |
| 9 | 4 | Donovan Strauss | Niece Motorsports | Chevy | Mike Shiplett | Nightclubs Suck | 25.400 | Non-Chase |
| 10 | 2 | Monty Tipton | Team Reaume | Ford | Todd Myers | Bare Bones | 25.300 | Non-Chase |
| 11 | 98 | Jake Garcia | ThorSport Racing | Ford | Josh Hankish | Quanta / Curb Records | 25.100 | Non-Chase |
| 12 | 62 | Leland Honeyman Jr. | Halmar Friesen Racing | Toyota | Jimmy Villeneuve | DPR Construction | 24.900 | Non-Chase |
| 13 | 13 | Cole Butcher | ThorSport Racing | Ford | Rich Lushes | ThorSport Racing | 20.700 | Non-Chase |
| 14 | 25 | Conor Daly | Kaulig Racing | RAM | Dan Stillman | Ram | 19.400 | Non-Chase |
| 15 | 15 | Tanner Gray | TRICON Garage | Toyota | Jeff Hensley | Homes For Our Troops | 19.300 | Non-Chase |
| 16 | 14 | Mini Tyrrell | Kaulig Racing | RAM | Chad Kendrick | Ram | 18.900 | Non-Chase |
| 17 | 10 | Corey LaJoie | Kaulig Racing | RAM | Alex Yontz | Mopar | 18.100 | Non-Chase |
| 18 | 26 | Dawson Sutton | Rackley W.A.R | Chevy | Willie Allen | Rackley Roofing | 17.600 | Non-Chase |
| 19 | 12 | Brenden Queen | Kaulig Racing | RAM | Eddie Pardue Jr. | Cummins | 15.400 | Non-Chase |
| 20 | 16 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | RAM | Mike Hillman Jr. | Ram | 12.700 | Non-Chase |
| 21 | 44 | Andres Perez De Lara | Niece Motorsports | Chevy | Wally Rogers | Freeway Insurance | 12.200 | Non-Chase |
| 22 | 5 | William Sawalich | TRICON Garage | Toyota | Seth Smith | Soundgear | 6.400 | Non-Chase |
| 23 | 7 | Connor Mosack | Spire Motorsports | Chevy | Brian Pattie | Friends of Jaclyn Foundation | 25.800 | Chase (Owner) |
| 24 | 77 | Tristan McKee | Spire Motorsports | Chevy | Chad Walter | Tecovas | 23.500 | Chase (Owner) |
| 25 | 17 | Giovanni Ruggiero | TRICON Garage | Toyota | Jeff Stankiewicz | JBL | 19.700 | Chase (Driver) |
| 26 | 99 | Ben Rhodes | ThorSport Racing | Ford | Cale Gale | TSPORT | 19.200 | Chase (Driver) |
| 27 | 1 | Brent Crews | TRICON Garage | Toyota | Jerame Donley | Mobil 1 | 16.100 | Chase (Owner) |
| 28 | 9 | Grant Enfinger | CR7 Motorsports | Chevy | Derek Smith | Grant County Mulch | 12.600 | Chase (Driver) |
| 29 | 18 | Tyler Ankrum | McAnally-Hilgemann Racing | Chevy | Mark Hillman | LIUNA | 11.400 | Chase (Driver) |
| 30 | 88 | Ty Majeski | ThorSport Racing | Ford | Joe Shear Jr. | Black Label Bacon / Menards | 10.100 | Chase (Driver) |
| 31 | 45 | Landen Lewis | Niece Motorsports | Chevy | Phil Gould | Sparco / J.F. Electric | 7.900 | Chase (Owner) |
| 32 | 19 | Daniel Hemric | McAnally-Hilgemann Racing | Chevy | Kevin Bellicourt | McAnally-Hilgemann Racing | 7.500 | Chase (Driver) |
| 33 | 38 | Chandler Smith | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | Jon Leonard | QuickTie | 4.400 | Chase (Driver) |
| 34 | 91 | Christian Eckes | McAnally-Hilgemann Racing | Chevy | David Elenz | Columbia Bank | 2.600 | Chase (Driver) |
| 35 | 11 | Kaden Honeycutt | TRICON Garage | Toyota | Scott Zipadelli | Safelite | 2.400 | Chase (Driver) |
| 36 | 34 | Layne Riggs | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | Dylan Cappello | Love's Travel Stops | 1.300 | Chase (Driver) |
*Qualifying order set by NASCAR metric score from Charlotte race results. Lower metric scores qualify later in the session, receiving optimal track rubber conditions.
Drivers & Teams Intelligence: Exhaustive Roster Breakdown
Kaden Honeycutt (#11 TRICON Garage Toyota): Enters Phoenix as the Chase points leader (2,251 pts) with crew chief Scott Zipadelli. Why? Honeycutt holds a 17-point cushion over Layne Riggs following a strong P3 finish at Charlotte. So What? Starting 35th in qualifying order allows TRICON to tune his front brake bias after watching early runners, protecting his championship lead.
Layne Riggs (#34 Front Row Motorsports Ford): Crew chief Dylan Cappello leads the #34 team entering 2nd in points (2,234 pts). Why? Riggs dominated Charlotte to win the Ecosave 200, closing the points gap dramatically. So What? Riggs qualifies last (36th) in the metric order; executing a clean single-lap run will give him front-row starting grid position to control stage points.
Chandler Smith (#38 Front Row Motorsports Ford): Guided by Jon Leonard, Smith sits 3rd in Chase standings (2,174 pts, -77). Why? Smith possesses an elite track record at Phoenix Raceway. So What? His short-track chassis setup focuses on drive-off traction out of Turn 4, giving him the capability to win outright and secure a championship finale berth.
Christian Eckes (#91 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet): Crew chief David Elenz brings Eckes to Phoenix 4th in points (2,163 pts, -88). Why? Eckes finished runner-up at Charlotte and previously won at Phoenix. So What? His team is leveraging MHR's multi-truck data loop to optimize right-front tire shoulder wear during long green-flag runs.
Daniel Hemric (#19 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet): Managed by Kevin Bellicourt, Hemric sits 5th in points (2,142 pts, -109). Why? Consistent points accumulation at Charlotte kept him in contention. So What? Hemric needs to capture Stage 1 and Stage 2 points to close the 33-point gap to the cutoff line.
Giovanni Ruggiero (#17 TRICON Garage Toyota): Led by Jeff Stankiewicz, Ruggiero aims to recover from a tail-end Charlotte finish. Why? Mechanical issues hampered his Charlotte qualifying. So What? Qualifying 25th in metric order gives him clean track space to re-establish short-track speed.
Ty Majeski (#88 ThorSport Racing Ford): Paired with veteran crew chief Joe Shear Jr., Majeski enters seeking a short-track rebound. Why? ThorSport struggled with center-corner turn at Charlotte. So What? Shear tuned a stiffer right-front sway bar package for Phoenix to eliminate mid-corner push.
Grant Enfinger (#9 CR7 Motorsports Chevrolet): Crew chief Derek Smith brings the #9 team as a top-12 Chase contender. Why? Enfinger excels on low-banked short tracks. So What? A strong qualifying effort will allow him to disrupt the top-4 Chase regulars.
Ben Rhodes (#99 ThorSport Racing Ford) & Tyler Ankrum (#18 McAnally-Hilgemann Chevrolet): Led by crew chiefs Cale Gale and Mark Hillman respectively. Why? Both drivers are battling in the lower half of the Round of 8 Chase grid. So What? Both teams are exploring aggressive 2-tire pit strategies during late stage cautions to steal track position.