NASCAR Phoenix Preview

After a longer than expected stay at Daytona Speedway, Sprint Cup teams are heading across the country for this Sunday’s race at Phoenix International Raceway.  No rain in the forecast for Phoenix this weekend – just sunshine.

It's been a busy week for Daytona 500 winner Matt Kenseth, with all kinds of media obligations all over the country.  He hasn’t had much rest, but he says he’ll be ready. 

It was three years ago that Kenseth won the 500 and followed that up with a win in Southern California a week later.  Can he do the same thing at Phoenix?  He has one victory in 19 starts there.  That single win came in 2002.

Kasey Kahne was the winner in the fall race at Phoenix three and a half months ago. Kahne was driving a Toyota then, but he’s now the behind the wheel of the No. 5 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. With Kahne, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt, Junior,

Hendrick Motorsports is just one win away from No.200. Petty Enterprises is the only team so far that has more than 200 wins in NASCAR’s top series.

Jimmie Johnson’s crew chief Chad Knaus has been suspended for six weeks and fined $100,000 for illegal equipment found during an inspection of the number 48 before the Daytona 500.  They’ve also been fined 25 driver and 25 owner points.

NASCAR has decided not to penalize Brad Keselowski for tweeting during Monday night's race.  He posted pictures, answered questions and kept fans informed on Twitter during that red flag stoppage that lasted more than two hours while crews put out that roaring fire in turn 3.    Keselowski gained around 140-thousand followers on Twitter during the race.  NASCAR says they actually encouragee drivers to use social media during races as long as it doesn't risk their safety or the safety of others.