Since 1988, the NASCAR Cup Series has traveled to the Valley of the Sun to take on the Phoenix Raceway. The track’s long history has seen many winners from greats such as Dale Earnhardt, Rusty Wallace, and Davey Allison. But some drivers have taken to the track better than others. In recent years, it has been the playground of the Penske Fords. In the past, Stewart-Haas and Hendrick Motorsports reigned supreme. So, as NASCAR gears up to return to the track for the 2025 season, we here at the Daily Downforce thought it would be a cool idea to look at some of the stars who shone brightest at the 1-mile trioval in its various configurations. With no further ado, here are the winningest drivers in the Phoenix Raceway track history.
A pleasant surprise on this list (at least for me) is none other than Dale Earnhardt Jr. I remembered 2 wins (of course, his last win was in 2015 and one in the mid-2000s), but during his DEI days, Phoenix was one of Dale Jr.’s strongest tracks. In fact, unbeknownst to me, he won back-to-back on the track in 2003 and 2004. Back then, the track had but one date on the schedule. As mentioned previously, the track is also the site of Junebug’s final NASCAR Cup Series victory, which came in a rain-shortened event in 2015. Additionally, in 30 starts, Junior won 3 times, scored 9 top-5s, and 15 top-10s.
And though we’re mainly focusing on Cup stats for this list, in his only Xfinity Series start at the track in 1999, he started 5th and finished 2nd.
One, and perhaps the only, statistic Dale Jr. and Kyle Busch are tied in is wins at Phoenix Raceway at 3 apiece. His first win at the track came during his rookie season in 2005, picking up where Dale Jr. left off. However, he’d have to wait more than a decade to score his second and third victories, which he did back-to-back in the fall of 2018 and the spring of 2019. His final stats at Phoenix are 3 wins, 12 top-5s, and 26 top-10s over 39 starts. Save for an 8th place finish in his first race at the track since joining RCR, his time there in the number 8 Chevy has been underwhelming. However, with the speed he’s shown in the last few races to start the 2025 season, he’s looking to turn things around heading into Round 4 of the season.
Since we brought it up for Junebug, Busch has also had considerable success in the lower series at the track. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, he’s won there 11 times in 25 starts. Meanwhile, in the trucks, he’s won twice.
We have another tie for 3rd and 2nd place on this list when it comes to Phoenix wins. First is Joey Logano at 4. His first victory came in 2016 after starting the race in 4th. He went on to win again in 2020 and again in 2022. Note how all of those wins came in even-numbered years…and, of course, his most recent win at the track came in 2024, where he won his third NASCAR title, the most of all active drivers. Considering Team Penske’s recent dominance at the track, look for him and his teammate Ryan Blaney to add to their win totals at this track. It stands within reason that Logano could move into second all-time as soon as this weekend.
He was also strong on the Xfinity side of things. His last two Xfinity Series starts at the track saw him end in victory lane. Moreover, his worst Xfinity Series finish at Phoenix is 10th…in 9 starts.
Tied at 4 Phoenix wins is none other than ole 7-time himself, Jimmie Johnson. Unlike Logano, all of Johnson’s wins at the track came within a 5-year span. He won three in a row, including the 2007 fall race, and he followed that up by sweeping the races at the track in 2008. His final win at the track came in the fall of 2009. Despite struggling for most of his 2020 swan song season, Johnson managed a 5th-place finish in his final race at the track. However, he came back in his own number 84 Toyota in 2024 and finished the race in 26th. His career stats at Phoenix are this: 4 wins, 16 top 5s, and 21 top 10s over 36 races.
His Xfinity stats aren’t so impressive, so we won’t even go there.
The undisputed king of Phoenix Raceway is, of course, Kevin Harvick. At 9 wins, he, by far and away, holds the record for most victories by any driver. He started his dominance fairly early by sweeping the races in 2006. He would also sweep the races in 2014 on his way to his only NASCAR Cup Series Championship. He also won 1 race apiece in 2012, 2013, and 2016. His final win at the track came in 2018. Out of 42 starts, he scored 9 victories, 19 top 5s, and a staggering 31 top 10s. He has led a total of 1,663 laps at the track.
His dominance didn’t stop with just the Cup Series. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, he made 23 starts and scored 1 victory. However, in the Truck Series, 4 races in a total of 10 starts. At this point in time, with most of the drivers on this list being older or retired, it is unlikely that Harvick’s record will be surpassed anytime soon.
Tell us, race fans: what are some of your fondest memories of races at Phoenix Raceway? How did your driver fare at the track in their NASCAR career? Who do you think might earn a spot on this list before their career is said and done? Let us know your thoughts! And be sure to keep it here at DailyDownforce.com all weekend long for the latest in the world of NASCAR!
