Haas Factory Team

Phoenix Raceway

NASCAR Cup Series Notes

Race Information

●  Event:  Freeway Insurance 500 (Round 33 of 36)

●  Date/Time:  Sunday, October 18 | 3 p.m. ET/Noon PT

●  TV/Radio:  USA | Motor Racing Network | SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (channel 90)

●  Location:  Phoenix Raceway, Avondale, Arizona

●  Layout:  1-mile dogleg oval

●  Laps/Miles:  312 laps/312 miles (Stages: 60-125-127)

●  Track Activity:

Saturday, October 17

Practice

4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT

TruTV | MRN | SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (channel 90)

Qualifying

5:35 p.m. ET/2:35 p.m. PT

TruTV | MRN | SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (channel 90)

Notes of Interest

● Just four races remain on the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series calendar, and Cole Custer and Haas Factory Team will make their final trip out West this weekend when they visit Phoenix Raceway.

● Phoenix Raceway is a one-mile dogleg oval, and its asymmetrical design makes it a unique venue on the NASCAR schedule. Unlike conventional ovals, Phoenix features variable banking that forces teams to balance speed and handling in their setups. Turns 1 and 2 are banked at approximately 9 degrees, while Turns 3 and 4 sit at 11 degrees. The dogleg frontstretch drops to just 3 degrees of banking, and the main backstretch sits at roughly 9 degrees. 

● Pit road adds another strategic layer that can make or break a race. Lap times are short, typically 26 to 28 seconds during green-flag racing, while the pit entry and exit are relatively long. As a result, a green-flag pit stop can cost more than a full lap, depending on when it occurs. 

● Alan Kulwicki won the first NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway on November 6, 1988. Of note, the first seven races at the Arizona oval were all won by drivers who went on to be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame: Bill Elliott (2015) won in 1989, Dale Earnhardt (2010) in 1990, Davey Allison (2019) in 1991 and ’92, Mark Martin (2017) in 1993 and Terry Labonte (2016) in 1994.

● At the inaugural Anduril 250 Race the Base NASCAR Cup Series Street Race, Cole Custer and Texas A&M University debuted a livery honoring President George H.W. Bush, whose decades-long relationship with the university and shared commitment to service have left an enduring legacy. Texas A&M recently announced the production of a diecast car to celebrate the race, and you can get yours here. A portion of the proceeds will go to the President George H. W. Bush Memorial Scholarship. 

By the Numbers

● Sunday will mark Custer’s 10th start at Phoenix Raceway, where he has a top-10 and four top-20 finishes.

● In his 32 Cup starts this season, the California native has completed 8,303 of a possible 8,662 laps, resulting in an impressive 95.9% lap completion percentage.

● In 10 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts at Phoenix, Custer has one win, four top-5 and eight top-10 finishes. He’s also started from the pole twice and has led 208 laps.

● NASCAR Cup Series teams will use known Goodyear Racing Eagles at Phoenix Raceway, using the same tire codes from the last time they visited the dogleg-oval. The series last used this left-side tire during the March visit to Arizona; this is the only track where this left-side tire is used. The right-side tire was most recently used at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in August. Each team receives 11 sets of tires for the race weekend (eight new race sets, one qualifying set transferred to the race and two sets for practice).

No. 41 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Driver and Crew Chief 

Driver: Cole Custer

Hometown: Ladera Ranch, California

Crew Chief: Aaron Kramer

Hometown: Wellsville, New York