Kyle Busch drove his #18 NOS Energy hot-rod to his third consecutive win in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Axalta 200 at Phoenix International Speedway in Phoenix, Arizona. He led 175 of the 200 laps and collected his 79th victory in 314 appearances in the racing series. Once again, the Joe Gibbs Racing team of Kyle Busch, Erik Jones and Daniel Suarez swept the top three finishing spots adding to the team’s dominating season over fellow Xfinity Series competitors.
Erik Jones guided his car to the pole position for the start of the race, but relinquished the lead within five laps to teammate Kyle Busch. Only Ty Dillon in the #3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet (11 laps) and Brad Keselowski in his #22 Discount Tire Ford (9 laps) would see the front for the duration of the race. Kyle Busch’s biggest challengers were his teammates and they pushed his #18 Toyota Camry to the brink before it crossed the finish line out in front.
“It’s just a knack for this place, I guess,” Kyle Busch said. “We’ve been off a little bit on the (Sprint) Cup side for years, but this year we seem to be a lot better, and last year we improved a lot. But the Xfinity program has always been good. We didn’t sit on the pole, but our teammates did. They were obviously really fast, and they made me run hard all day long. I mean, there was nothing left in this car. It’s all used up. Instead of having to go back to the shop and freshen her up a little bit, they’re going to have to rebuild it.”
The Axalta 200 in Phoenix was a relatively clean race that had only three cautions for 16 laps. The contest took approximately one hour and 45 minutes to finish as the cars efficiently worked their way around the 1.0 mile tri-oval. Kyle Busch passed Brad Keselowski with 14 laps to go as Keselowski had to come to the pits for fuel and, from then, on it was business as usual for the Joe Gibbs Racing phenom.
Justin Allgaier in his #7 BRANDT Chevrolet finished a distant fourth, 14 seconds back of the race winner. The #88 Taxslayer Chevrolet driven by Chase Elliot and owned by Dale Earnhardt Racing finished the afternoon in 5th and didn’t have enough under the hood to challenge the three front runners from the beginning. Elliot is staying optimistic after Saturday’s race.
“What it’s going to take to go get a victory is just putting together a complete weekend and just a lot of execution,” he said. “The guys you’re racing against have gotten better over the past year for sure. We know that and we’re definitely up to the task to try and get better and one-up them.”
Results for The Axalta 200 at Phoenix International Speedway:
| POS | DRIVER | TRK | MFG | START | STATUS | LAPS | LED | SPEED | TIME | BEHIND | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | #18 Kyle Busch | Toyota | 3 |  |
200 | 175 | 126.756 | 28.401 | Leader | |||
| 2 | #20 Erik Jones | Toyota | 1 | |
200 | 5 | 128.265 | 28.067 | 2.285 | |||
| 3 | #19 Daniel Suarez | Toyota | 2 | |
200 | 0 | 128.498 | 28.016 | 9.959 | |||
| 4 | #7 Justin Allgaier | Chevrolet | 10 | |
200 | 0 | 129.153 | 27.874 | 14.078 | |||
| 5 | #88 Chase Elliott | Chevrolet | 5 | |
200 | 0 | 128.393 | 28.039 | 14.854 | |||
| 6 | #3 Ty Dillon | Chevrolet | 4 | |
200 | 11 | 127.864 | 28.155 | 19.354 | |||
| 7 | #2 Austin Dillon | Chevrolet | 6 | |
200 | 0 | 128.338 | 28.051 | 21.068 | |||
| 8 | #1 Elliott Sadler | Chevrolet | 16 | |
200 | 0 | 126.033 | 28.564 | 22.499 | |||
| 9 | #22 Brad Keselowski | Ford | 7 | |
200 | 9 | 126.090 | 28.551 | 23.979 | |||
| 10 | #48 Brennan Poole | Chevrolet | 17 | |
200 | 0 | 122.391 | 29.414 | 28.221 | |||
| 11 | #33 Brandon Jones | Chevrolet | 8 | |
200 | 0 | 120.834 | 29.793 | 28.496 | |||
| 12 | #6 Darrell Wallace Jr. | Ford | 9 | |
199 | 0 | 127.087 | 28.327 | 1 lap | |||
| 13 | #62 Brendan Gaughan | Chevrolet | 11 | |
199 | 0 | 128.242 | 28.072 | 1 lap | |||
| 14 | #16 Ryan Reed | Ford | 13 | |
199 | 0 | 127.673 | 28.197 | 1 lap | |||
| 15 | #42 Justin Marks | Chevrolet | 14 | |
199 | 0 | 127.750 | 28.180 | 1 lap | |||
| 16 | #11 Blake Koch | Chevrolet | 12 | |
199 | 0 | 127.110 | 28.322 | 1 lap | |||
| 17 | #43 Jeb Burton | Ford | 15 | |
199 | 0 | 125.984 | 28.575 | 1 lap | |||
| 18 | #28 Dakoda Armstrong | Toyota | 26 | |
198 | 0 | 127.465 | 28.243 | 2 laps | |||
| 19 | #93 Dylan Lupton | Chevrolet | 28 | |
198 | 0 | 126.183 | 28.530 | 2 laps | |||
| 20 | #14 J.J. Yeley | Toyota | 23 | |
198 | 0 | 124.987 | 28.803 | 2 laps | |||
| 21 | #1 Ryan Preece | Chevrolet | 24 | |
197 | 0 | 126.738 | 28.405 | 3 laps | |||
| 22 | #44 David Starr | Toyota | 22 | |
197 | 0 | 126.015 | 28.568 | 3 laps | |||
| 23 | #21 Spencer Gallagher | Chevrolet | 18 | |
196 | 0 | 118.021 | 30.503 | 4 laps | |||
| 24 | #4 Ross Chastain | Chevrolet | 19 | |
196 | 0 | 125.777 | 28.622 | 4 laps | |||
| 25 | #7 Ray Black Jr. | Chevrolet | 25 | |
196 | 0 | 124.206 | 28.984 | 4 laps | |||
| 26 | #24 T.J. Bell | Toyota | 27 | |
196 | 0 | 125.654 | 28.650 | 4 laps | |||
| 27 | #39 Ryan Sieg | Chevrolet | 21 | |
195 | 0 | 124.189 | 28.988 | 5 laps | |||
| 28 | #51 Jeremy Clements | Chevrolet | 20 | |
195 | 0 | 124.412 | 28.936 | 5 laps | |||
| 29 | #78 B.J. McLeod | Ford | 35 | |
194 | 0 | 123.618 | 29.122 | 6 laps | |||
| 30 | #97 Harrison Rhodes | Chevrolet | 38 | |
194 | 0 | 123.453 | 29.161 | 6 laps | |||
| 31 | #0 Garrett Smithley | Chevrolet | 34 | |
194 | 0 | 123.529 | 29.143 | 6 laps | |||
| 32 | #25 Timmy Hill | Chevrolet | 31 | |
193 | 0 | 120.749 | 29.814 | 7 laps | |||
| 33 | #52 Joey Gase | Chevrolet | 36 | |
191 | 0 | 121.155 | 29.714 | 9 laps | |||
| 34 | #70 Derrike Cope | Chevrolet | 37 | |
191 | 0 | 119.363 | 30.160 | 9 laps | |||
| 35 | #90 Mario Gosselin | Chevrolet | 32 | |
190 | 0 | 124.451 | 28.927 | 10 laps | |||
| 36 | #13 D.J. Kennington | Dodge | 33 | |
190 | 0 | 120.712 | 29.823 | 10 laps | |||
| 37 | #15 Todd Peck | Chevrolet | 40 | |
188 | 0 | 112.740 | 31.932 | 12 laps | |||
| 38 | #74 Mike Harmon | Dodge | 39 | |
182 | 0 | 112.370 | 32.037 | 18 laps | |||
| 39 | #89 Morgan Shepherd | Chevrolet | 30 |  |
11 | 0 | 44.087 | 81.657 | 189 laps | |||
| 40 | #10 Jeff Green | Toyota | 29 |  |
5 | 0 | 55.668 | 64.669 | 195 laps |
2016 Xfinty Series Points Standings:
|
RK
|
DRIVERS
|
PTS
|
BACK
|
+/-
|
STARTS
|
WINS
|
TOP 5
|
TOP 10
|
TOP 20
|
DNF
|
LAPS
|
LAPS LED
|
EARNINGS
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
 DANIELSUAREZ#19 |
144
|
–
|
0
|
4
|
0
|
2
|
4
|
4
|
0
|
683
|
0
|
$0
|
| 2 |
ELLIOTTSADLER#1 |
136
|
-8
|
0
|
4
|
0
|
1
|
4
|
4
|
0
|
683
|
4
|
$0
|
| 3 |
 TYDILLON#3 |
135
|
-9
|
0
|
4
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
4
|
0
|
683
|
13
|
$0
|
| 4 |
 JUSTINALLGAIER#7 |
132
|
-12
|
1
|
4
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
4
|
0
|
683
|
15
|
$0
|
| 5 |
BRANDONJONES#33 |
129
|
-15
|
-1
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
4
|
0
|
683
|
0
|
$0
|
| 6 |
 ERIKJONES#20 |
126
|
-18
|
1
|
4
|
0
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
0
|
678
|
5
|
$0
|
| 7 |
 BRENDANGAUGHAN#62 |
119
|
-25
|
-1
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
4
|
0
|
681
|
9
|
$0
|
| 8 |
RYANREED#16 |
106
|
-38
|
0
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
4
|
0
|
678
|
0
|
$0
|
| 9 |
BRENNANPOOLE#48 |
102
|
-42
|
2
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
0
|
679
|
0
|
$0
|
| 10 |
DARRELLWALLACE JR.#6 |
96
|
-48
|
4
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
616
|
1
|
$0
|
| 11 |
 JEBBURTON#43 |
96
|
-48
|
-1
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
0
|
677
|
1
|
$0
|
| 12 |
BLAKEKOCH#11 |
93
|
-51
|
1
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
0
|
671
|
0
|
$0
|
| 13 |
DAKODAARMSTRONG#28 |
89
|
-55
|
2
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
672
|
0
|
$0
|
| 14 |
RYANSIEG#39 |
87
|
-57
|
-5
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
674
|
0
|
$0
|
| 15 |
JEREMYCLEMENTS#51 |
84
|
-60
|
-3
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
672
|
0
|
$0
|
| 16 |
ROSSCHASTAIN#4 |
74
|
-70
|
0
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
663
|
0
|
$0
|
| 17 |
RYANPREECE#1 |
63
|
-81
|
1
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
558
|
0
|
$0
|
| 18 |
 J.J.YELEY#14 |
63
|
-81
|
2
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
555
|
0
|
$0
|
| 19 |
DAVIDSTARR#44 |
62
|
-82
|
0
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
517
|
0
|
$0
|
| 20 |
 B.J.MCLEOD#78 |
58
|
-86
|
-3
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
660
|
0
|
$0
|
| 21 |
RAYBLACK JR.#7 |
48
|
-96
|
2
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
615
|
0
|
$0
|
| 22 |
GARRETTSMITHLEY#0 |
44
|
-100
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
547
|
0
|
$0
|
| 23 |
COREYLAJOIE#24 |
40
|
-104
|
-2
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
355
|
0
|
$0
|
| 24 |
 JOEYGASE#52 |
39
|
-105
|
0
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
621
|
0
|
$0
|
| 25 |
MARIOGOSSELIN#90 |
34
|
-110
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
536
|
0
|
$0
|
| 26 |
 JUSTINMARKS#42 |
33
|
-111
|
12
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
334
|
0
|
$0
|
| 27 |
HARRISONRHODES#97 |
26
|
-118
|
3
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
417
|
0
|
$0
|
| 28 |
CHRISCOCKRUM#25 |
25
|
-119
|
-2
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
269
|
0
|
$0
|
| 29 |
MIKEHARMON#74 |
24
|
-120
|
-2
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
515
|
0
|
$0
|
| 30 |
DYLANLUPTON#93 |
22
|
-122
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
198
|
0
|
$0
|
|
| 31 |
DERRIKECOPE#70 |
21
|
-123
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
347
|
0
|
$0
|
| 32 |
CODYWARE#15 |
16
|
-128
|
-4
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
278
|
0
|
$0
|
| 33 |
ANTHONYKUMPEN#146 |
15
|
-129
|
-4
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
118
|
0
|
$0
|
| 34 |
T.J.BELL#24 |
15
|
-129
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
196
|
0
|
$0
|
|
| 35 |
MORGANSHEPHERD#89 |
13
|
-131
|
0
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
4
|
107
|
0
|
$0
|
| 36 |
SCOTTLAGASSE JR.#93 |
12
|
-132
|
-4
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
117
|
0
|
$0
|
| 37 |
STANTONBARRETT#15 |
11
|
-133
|
-4
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
182
|
0
|
$0
|
| 38 |
ERICMCCLURE#25 |
11
|
-133
|
-4
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
117
|
0
|
$0
|
| 39 |
JOSHREAUME#40 |
10
|
-134
|
-3
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
100
|
0
|
$0
|
| 40 |
CARLLONG#13 |
9
|
-135
|
-3
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
53
|
0
|
$0
|
| 41 |
TODDPECK#15 |
7
|
-137
|
1
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
203
|
0
|
$0
|
| 42 |
JEFFGREEN#10 |
7
|
-137
|
-2
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
4
|
58
|
0
|
$0
|
| 43 |
BENNYGORDON#14 |
6
|
-138
|
-4
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
103
|
0
|
$0
|
| 44 |
 DEREKWHITE#40 |
5
|
-139
|
-3
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
127
|
0
|
$0
|
| 45 |
D.J.KENNINGTON#13 |
5
|
-139
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
190
|
0
|
$0
|
|
| 46 |
MARTINROY#90 |
3
|
-141
|
-3
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
22
|
0
|
$0
|
| 47 |
BOBBYGERHART#85 |
2
|
-142
|
-3
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
6
|
0
|
$0
|
| 48 |
 KYLEBUSCH#18 |
0
|
-144
|
-3
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
0
|
563
|
493
|
$0
|
| 49 |
 CHASEELLIOTT#88 |
0
|
-144
|
-3
|
3
|
1
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
0
|
520
|
19
|
$0
|
| 50 |
 KYLELARSON#42 |
0
|
-144
|
-3
|
2
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
274
|
0
|
$0
|
| 51 |
 JOEYLOGANO#22 |
0
|
-144
|
-3
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
120
|
40
|
$0
|
| 52 |
 KASEYKAHNE#5 |
0
|
-144
|
-3
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
120
|
30
|
$0
|
| 53 |
 PAULMENARD#2 |
0
|
-144
|
-3
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
163
|
0
|
$0
|
| 54 |
 AUSTINDILLON#2 |
0
|
-144
|
-3
|
3
|
0
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
0
|
520
|
5
|
$0
|
| 55 |
 BRADKESELOWSKI#22 |
0
|
-144
|
-3
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
3
|
0
|
560
|
37
|
$0
|
| 56 |
 ARICALMIROLA#98 |
0
|
-144
|
-3
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
319
|
9
|
$0
|
| 57 |
 KEVINHARVICK#88 |
0
|
-144
|
-3
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
162
|
0
|
$0
|
| 58 |
JOHN WESTOWNLEY#5 |
0
|
-144
|
-3
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
119
|
0
|
$0
|
| 59 |
 JOENEMECHEK#87 |
0
|
-144
|
-3
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
119
|
2
|
$0
|
| 60 |
MATTTIFFT#24 |
0
|
-144
|
-3
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
119
|
0
|
$0
|
| 61 |
 BOBBYLABONTE#18 |
0
|
-144
|
-3
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
118
|
0
|
$0
|
| 62 |
SPENCERGALLAGHER#21 |
0
|
-144
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
196
|
0
|
$0
|
|
| 63 |
TIMMYHILL#25 |
0
|
-144
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
193
|
0
|
$0
|
|
| 64 |
MARKTHOMPSON#13 |
0
|
-144
|
-5
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
$0
|
| 65 |
CHRISFONTAINE#99 |
0
|
-144
|
-5
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
$0
|
