The NASCAR Xfinity Series continues on Saturday, March 12, with the United Rentals 200 at Phoenix Raceway (4:30 p.m. ET, FS1). Kaulig Racing will have an opportunity to continue its hot streak as it pursues its fourth consecutive Pole Award.
Daniel Hemric, the defending Xfinity Series champion, kicked off the year by posting the fastest qualifying time at Daytona International Speedway on February 19. One of his teammates, AJ Allmendinger, then won the Pole Award at both Auto Club Speedway on February 26 and Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 5.
The Kaulig Racing cars have showcased impressive speed during practice and qualifying sessions in the first three weeks. Now they will have an opportunity to try to make it four straight at Phoenix Raceway, a track where Hemric has a previous win.
“Phoenix is a racetrack we know we need to make improvements on at Kaulig Racing on the Xfinity side,” Allmendinger said in a press release from Kaulig Racing. “I’m very optimistic with the positive start we’ve had to this season and the speed of our cars. That makes me look forward to going to Phoenix and continuing to make ourselves better.”
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Allmendinger Will Pull Double-Duty at Phoenix
GettyAJ Allmendinger (right) celebrates capturing the Pole Award at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Allmendinger will pursue his first win of the 2022 season at Phoenix Raceway on March 12, but it will not be his only start of the weekend. He will also take over the No. 16 for his first Cup Series start of the year.
Kaulig Racing has Justin Haley as the full-time driver of the No. 31 Chevrolet, but the team is using a driver-by-committee approach with the No. 16. Hemric, Noah Gragson, and Allmendinger will all make starts during the 2022 season, but the Dinger will make his points-paying debut at Phoenix Raceway after Hemric made the first three starts and posted a top-10 finish at Auto Club Speedway.
Allmendinger, who has 376 career Cup Series starts with two wins, has taken on the one-mile Nevada track 19 times since 2008 with four different teams. This run includes back-to-back top-10 finishes in 2011 while driving for Richard Petty Motorsports. His most recent Cup Series start in Phoenix, which took place in 2018, was a 12th-place finish for JTG Daugherty Racing.
Allmendinger has completed every Cup Series race at Phoenix in which he has competed, and now he will have a chance to continue this streak when he hits start No. 20. He will just represent a different Cup Series team while doing so.
Hemric’s Last Trip to Phoenix Was a Special Occasion
Like Allmendinger, Hemric has made several starts at Phoenix Raceway in his career. He has competed in eight Xfinity Series races at the one-mile track and posted five top-five finishes. Hemric also finally achieved a major career goal in his previous start.
Hemric suited up for the Xfinity Series championship race at Phoenix on November 6. He entered the weekend winless in his career, but he snapped that streak with contact and a pass of Austin Cindric on the final turn. Hemric won his first career race and his first championship, and he celebrated by doing a backflip off of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Supra.
“Phoenix is a special place for me, for many reasons, and has been the place where some of my more dramatic career moments have occurred,” Hemric said in the release from Kaulig Racing. “Last year, I had to race my way into the Championship 4 race and was able to end the season on the highest note possible. I’ve always been comfortable there on track, so I’m looking forward to going back.
“Obviously, the car has to be able to maneuver and do certain things really well, but raw speed is probably the most important element there. That’s something we are working hard on at Kaulig racing to move the needle in the right direction. Hopefully, we can take that into race trim and give them a fight.”
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Will Kaulig Racing Continue Its Hot Streak at Phoenix?