Phoenix Racing (NASCAR team): Difference between revisions

{{refimprovemore citations needed|date=NovemberMay 20192022}}

| Logologo = NASCAR_Phoenix_Racing_logo.png

| Series = [[SprintARCA CupMenards Series East]] (former)<br>[[NationwideLate Series]]Model|Super (former)<br>[[Late Model]] racess

| Manufacturer = [[ChevroletToyota]] <br>[[Ford]]<br>[[Dodge]]<br>[[OldsmobileChevrolet]]

| Opened = [[1990 in NASCAR|1990]], 2020

| Closed = [[2013 in NASCAR|2013]]

| Debut = '''Sprint Cup Series''':<br>[[1990 Peak AntiFreeze 500]] ([[Dover International Speedway|Dover]]) <br> '''Nationwide Series''':<br>[[1989 NASCAR Busch Series|1989]] [[All Pro 300]] ([[Charlotte Motor Speedway|Charlotte]]) <br> '''Craftsman Truck Series''':<br> [[2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series|2004]] [[Cheerios Betty Crocker 200|Kroger 200]] ([[Richmond Raceway|Richmond]])<br>'''ARCA Menards Series East''':<br>[[2022 ARCA Menards Series East|2022]] [[Pensacola 200]] ([[Five Flags Speedway|5 Flags]])

Phoenix Racing began racing in the Cup Series in [[1990 NASCAR Winston Cup Series|1990]], when it fielded the No. 51 [[Valspar|Plasti-Kote]] [[Chevrolet Lumina ]] for [[Jeff Purvis]]. In four races, Purvis failed to finish a race, his best finishing being a 31st at [[North Wilkesboro Speedway]]. Phoenix attempted to run a full schedule in [[1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series|1991]], but soon cut back to a part-time schedule, completing six races in total. Due to a lack of funding, the team only ran two races in [[1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Series|1992]], with Finch's company [[Phoenix Construction]] of [[Panama City, Florida]], serving as sponsor. In [[1993 NASCAR Winston Cup Series|1993]], the team ran all of the restrictor plate races on the schedule, except for the [[Daytona 500]], for which they failed to qualify. For [[1994 NASCAR Winston Cup Series|1994]], they picked up sponsorship from [[Country Time]] and had planned to run a limited schedule with [[Neil Bonnett]] driving. Bonnett was killed in a practice crash at Daytona before the [[1994 Daytona 500]], and Purvis was brought back to drive the car. In six races, his best finish was 21st. Phoenix changed its number to 44 in [[1995 NASCAR Winston Cup Series|1995]], and ran six more races with Purvis and [[Jackaroo Sauce]], only finishing one race. [[MCA Records]] became the new sponsor for [[1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series|1996]], and the team had two top-ten qualification starts, but could not finish higher than twelfth.

After staying out of Cup for several years, Finch purchased a number of [[Ford Taurus]]es from [[Bill Elliott Racing]], and ran all of the [[2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Series|2001]] schedule's restrictor plate races with Purvis driving the No. 51, only finishing one race. In [[2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series|2002]], the team picked up funding from [[Miccosukee|Miccosukee Gaming]] and switched to the No. 09. Driver Geoffrey Bodine had a third-place finish in the Daytona 500, and later had a 2nd-place qualification at the [[Pepsi 400]]. [[Mike Wallace (racing driver)|Mike Wallace]] ran a limited schedule for Phoenix in [[2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series|2003]], and had two top-ten finishes. [[Scott Pruett]] and [[Buckshot Jones]] also ran one race deals for the team that season, during which they switched to [[Dodge]].

The team began [[2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series|2004]] with [[Johnny Benson, Jr.]], who had also signed to drive the #1 car full-time for Phoenix in the Busch Series for 2002, scheduled to run at least a minimum of seven races, mostly at the longer speedways where the team was stronger. The team would attempt most of the schedule with Benson sharing the ride with [[Joe Ruttman]], who had not raced full-time in the Cup Series since the early 1990s.

After Benson ran the Daytona 500, Phoenix came to Rockingham with their focus being on their Busch effort for the weekend. This was evident on the entry they filled out for the 09, where the team listed Ruttman as the driver but forgot to include Miccosukee as the sponsor. Finch did not even bring a proper crew to the race, with the intent being that they would run the Cup car for a few laps before pulling off and collecting the last place prize. Due to withdrawals from several teams, the potential field was reduced to 43 cars and this meant that every car that entered was assured of making the field.

For that weekend’s Cup race, the [[2004 Subway 400|Subway 400]] Ruttman ran one qualifying lap and was significantly off the pace, settling for a 40th place starting spot. To further complicate things, the crew Finch had assembled for the weekend was not in their pit box when the race began and once NASCAR discovered this, they ordered Phoenix to park the 09 for the remainder of the race. Ruttman collected $54,196 for a last-place finish.<ref>{{cite web|last=Fryer|first=Jenna|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/story?id=1743378|title=NASCAR calls Ruttman run 'a sham'|publisher=[[ESPN]]|date=February 24, 2004|accessdateaccess-date=January 25, 2014}}</ref> The team later said they would be "legitimate racing" after the incident, although Ruttman pulled out of each race he ran early citing some mechanical issue. Benson was eventually let go from his contract altogether and Ruttman’s involvement was scaled back significantly although he would return toward the end of the season and would eventually make seven starts for the team. [[Bobby Hamilton, Jr.]] drove six races for the team starting at Charlotte, and Mike Wallace would return and record the team’s first top ten since 2002 at Richmond. [[Tony Raines]] would drive one race at Dover before retiring early, while [[Scott Pruett]] would make the race at Indianapolis but pulled out due in part to injuries received in a practice crash. [[Johnny Sauter]] would join the team for the last

few races after losing his ride at [[Richard Childress Racing]], crashing out late in the running at Phoenix.

Beginning in [[2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series|2006]], Phoenix abbreviated the 09's schedule even further, switching back and forth between Dodge and [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]. Mike Wallace ran just three races and failed to finish higher than seventeenth. Mayfield ran the season-ending [[Ford 400]], but did not finish due to an oil leak. Wallace had a fourth-place finish in the [[2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series|2007]] [[Daytona 500]], but the team did not qualify for another race until the final two races of the year, when Sterling Marlin drove. For [[2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series|2008]], Marlin ran 10–12 races for Phoenix.

Former [[Earnhardt Ganassi Racing]] driver [[Aric Almirola]] was hired to drive for the team in 2010. The team's competitiveness was put into question when it lost its longtime sponsor [[Miccosukee]] at the beginning of the season. Almirola failed to qualify three of the first seven events, including the Daytona 500, and [[start and park]]ed in its four starts due to lack of funds. Almirola left the team after the race at Phoenix to focus on his Truck Series efforts,<ref name=Bleacher-Finch-Almirola-2010>{{cite web|last1=Fan|first1=Horn|title=Aric Almirola's Sole Focus Is Now Camping World Truck Series|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/378554-aric-almirola-his-sole-focus-now-is-on-the-camping-world-truck-series|website=[[Bleacher Report]]|publisher=[[Bleacher Report]]|accessdateaccess-date=November 26, 2014|date=April 14, 2010}}</ref> and was replaced by Mike Bliss and a handful of other drivers, including ([[Xfinity Series]] driver) [[Landon Cassill]], (Former [[F1]] driver) [[Jan Magnussen]], and ([[2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series]] champion) [[Bobby Labonte]]. Phoenix Racing returned in 2011 despite rumors that Finch had been trying to sell the team. [[Bill Elliott]] drove the first 4 races before [[Landon Cassill]] took over the ride with sponsorship from [[Security Benefit]]. In June 2011, prior to the Kansas race, the team changed the car number to No. 51, which Phoenix Racing originally used when it first competed in the then-Winston Cup Series. He would later have a best career finish of 9th at Michigan.

For 2012, Cassill was replaced by 2004 Cup Champion [[Kurt Busch]], who had been released from the No. 22 car at [[Team Penske|Penske Racing]] due to on-track incidents and off-track temperament, including a profanity-laced tirade directed at [[ESPN]] reporter [[Jerry Punch]].<ref name=USA2Day-KuBusch-Suspended-2012/> The team ran most of the season unsponsored, with HendrickCars.com, [[Monster Energy]], and [[TAG Heuer]] coming on for single races. At [[Talladega Superspeedway|Talladega]] in May, Busch ran a "ME" scheme from the movie ''[[Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby|Talladega Nights]]'' that [[Will Ferrell]]'s character (a similarly controversial star driver) ran in a comeback at the track in one of the film's final scene.<ref name=SB-KuBusch-RickyBobby-2012>{{cite web|last1=Gluck|first1=Jeff|title=NASCAR At Talladega: How Kurt Busch Got Ricky Bobby's Paint Scheme On His Car|url=https://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2012/5/4/2998962/kurt-busch-nascar-talladega-nights-car-ricky-bobby-2012|website=[[SB Nation]]|publisher=[[SB Nation]]|accessdateaccess-date=November 26, 2014|date=May 4, 2012}}</ref> Busch's best finish with the team was an impressive 3rd-place finish at [[Sonoma Raceway]] after racing for the lead with [[Clint Bowyer]] with under ten laps to go.<ref name=SB-KuBusch-Sonoma-2012>{{cite web|last1=Bianchi|first1=Jordan|title=NASCAR Sonoma Results: Kurt Busch Finishes Third After Gutsy Effort|url=https://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2012/6/24/3115112/nascar-sonoma-results-2012-kurt-busch|website=[[SB Nation]]|publisher=[[SB Nation]]|accessdateaccess-date=November 26, 2014|date=June 24, 2012}}</ref> Outside of that high point, Busch was involved in many accidents trying to get the most out of his equipment.<ref name=USA2Day-Finch-Sponsors-2013/> He was also suspended for the June race at [[Pocono Raceway|Pocono]] after expletives aimed at a reporter after a [[Nationwide Series]] race at Dover.<ref name=USA2Day-KuBusch-Suspended-2012>{{cite web|last1=Leistikow|first1=Chad|title=Kurt Busch suspended for Pocono race after tirade|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/motor/nascar/story/2012-06-04/Kurt-Busch-suspended-for-Pocono-race/55383326/1|work=USA Today|accessdateaccess-date=November 26, 2014|date=June 5, 2012}}</ref> [[David Reutimann]] replaced Busch in that race, and Busch was welcomed back following a vote by team members.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Smith|first1=Marty|title=Phoenix team voted to keep Busch|url=http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/cup/story/_/id/8060234/nascar-why-kurt-busch-got-stay-phoenix-racing|publisher=[[ESPN]]|accessdateaccess-date=December 17, 2014|location=Brooklyn, Michigan|date=June 17, 2012}}</ref> Busch would leave the team following the fall Talladega race for [[Furniture Row Racing]], and was supposed to be replaced by [[Regan Smith (racing driver)|Regan Smith]] (the former driver with Furniture Row) until [[Dale Earnhardt, Jr.]] suffered a concussion in the aftermath of the Talladega race and Smith was needed as a sub for the Charlotte and Kansas races in the Chase. [[A. J. Allmendinger]], coincidentally also released from Penske, in the No. 22 car, due to a failed substance test, drove the No. 51 for those two races, with Smith returning later in the year.<ref name=SB-Allmendinger-Phoenix-2012>{{cite web|last1=Bianchi|first1=Jordan|title=AJ Allmendinger to return this weekend in Phoenix Racing's No. 51 car|url=https://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2012/10/11/3488626/aj-allmendinger-return-nascar-2012-charlotte|website=[[SB Nation]]|publisher=[[SB Nation]]|accessdateaccess-date=November 26, 2014|date=October 11, 2012}}</ref>

[[File:Regan Smith, 2013 STP Gas Booster 500.jpg|thumb|left|[[Regan Smith (racing driver)|Regan Smith]] in 2013.]]

For 2013, the team returned full-time, fielding a number of different drivers. The team signed Guy Roofing, a company from the team's hometown of [[Spartanburg, South Carolina]], as the sponsor for the [[Daytona 500]] and two other early season races.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Cushnan|first1=David|title=Nascar's Phoenix Racing nails Daytona 500 sponsorship|url=http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/nascars_phoenix_racing_nails_daytona_500_sponsorship|website=[[SportsPro]]|publisher=[[SportsPro]]|accessdateaccess-date=November 26, 2014|date=January 9, 2013}}</ref> Regan Smith drove the car in the 500 to a strong seventh-place finish, and would run five other races that season with a best finish of sixth. Allmendinger ran 9 races, including running the retro [[Country Time]] scheme Phoenix had run in the past, with three top 15 finishes all in his first four starts.<ref name=USA2Day-Finch-Sponsors-2013/> [[Austin Dillon]] ran four races, and [[Ryan Truex]] made his series debut at [[Bristol Motor Speedway|Bristol]] in the fall. [[Bobby Labonte]], [[Owen Kelly]], [[Mike Bliss]], [[Jacques Villeneuve]], and [[Brendan Gaughan]] would all make single starts for the team in 2013.

In spite of early success (the team was ranked 9th in owners points after the fifth race of the season) and a more affordable car model in the Gen 6 Chevy SS, lack of long-term funding continued to plague the team.<ref name=USA2Day-Finch-Sponsors-2013>{{cite web|last1=Ryan|first1=Nate|title=James Finch's Phoenix Racing just hanging on in NASCAR|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2013/04/04/james-finch-phoenix-racing-aj-allmendinger-regan-smith/2046995/|work=USA Today|accessdateaccess-date=November 26, 2014|date=April 4, 2013}}</ref> Citing this recurring lack of stable sponsorship, Finch announced in May 2013 that he would close operations after the 2013 Brickyard 400.<ref>{{cite web|last=Shoot|first=Jason|url=http://www.newsherald.com/sports/finch-s-phoenix-racing-to-wrap-up-nascar-operations-july-28-1.138577?tc=cr|title=Finch's Phoenix Racing to wrap up NASCAR operations July 28|work=[[The News Herald (Panama City)|News Herald]]|date=May 6, 2013|accessdateaccess-date=May 8, 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509192922/http://www.newsherald.com/sports/finch-s-phoenix-racing-to-wrap-up-nascar-operations-july-28-1.138577?tc=cr|archivedatearchive-date=May 9, 2013}}</ref> In late June, Finch announced that he was selling his team. The team found a buyer July 17 and Finch stopped sponsoring the team after Indianapolis. He would continue to own the team through Labor Day weekend, providing assistance in the transition to new ownership. It was announced on August 28 that Harry Scott, Jr. of [[Turner Scott Motorsports]] had bought the team.<ref name=USA2Day-Allgaier-Phoenix-2013>{{cite web|last1=Gluck|first1=Jeff|title=Justin Allgaier gets Cup ride after Harry Scott buys team|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2013/08/28/justin-allgaier-harry-scott-phoenix-racing-51-chicagoland-2013/2719393/|work=USA Today|accessdateaccess-date=November 26, 2014|date=August 28, 2013}}</ref><ref name=SN-Scott-Phoenix-13>{{cite web|last1=Pockrass|first1=Bob|url=http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/story/2013-08-29/phoenix-racing-new-owner-harry-scott-turner-scott-motorsports-owner-sprint-cup|title=New Phoenix Racing owner Harry Scott now ready for Sprint Cup racing|website=[[Sporting News]]|accessdateaccess-date=November 3, 2014|date=August 29, 2013|archive-date=September 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924124619/http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/story/2013-08-29/phoenix-racing-new-owner-harry-scott-turner-scott-motorsports-owner-sprint-cup|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Finch's last race as owner was the Labor Day race at [[Atlanta Motor Speedway|Atlanta]], where Mike Bliss drove the No. 51 Phoenix Construction Chevrolet to a 33rd-place finish, running six laps down at the checkered flag.<ref>{{cite web|title=2013 Federated Auto Parts 400 results|url=http://www.racing-reference.info/race/2013_Federated_Auto_Parts_400/W|website=[[Racing Reference]]|publisher=[[RacingNASCAR Reference]]Digital Media, LLC|accessdateaccess-date=December 5, 2014|date=August 29, 2013}}</ref>

Phoenix made its debut in [[1989 NASCAR Busch Series|1989]] with the No. 49 [[Buick]] driven by Jeff Purvis at [[Lowe's Motor Speedway|Charlotte]]. They ran four races together the following season in the No. 15 car, but had three engine failures. The next season, Phoenix and Purvis ran four consecutive races in the No. 14/23 [[Seal-Tech]] Buick, with a best finish of seventeenth. After a seventh-place finish at Talladega in [[1992 NASCAR Busch Series|1992]], the team ran as the No. 28 [[Havoline]] Ford for three races, and then changed to the No. 4 [[Kodak|Kodak Funsaver Camera]] Chevrolet in [[1993 NASCAR Busch Series|1993]]. Purvis won his first pole at Talladega in [[1994 NASCAR Busch Series|1994]] as the No. 51 Country Time car, then switched back to the No. 4 Kodak car the next year, where he had three top-ten finishes.

Phoenix Racing made its first full-time season in [[1996 NASCAR Busch Series|1996]], despite the No. 4 not having major sponsorship. Purvis won two races and a pole position, finishing seventh in points. Purvis ran the first four races of the [[1997 NASCAR Busch Series|1997]], and had a top-ten finish, but was replaced by [[Tim Steele (racing driver)|Tim Steele]], who brought sponsorship from [[HS Die]]. He had two top-tens, but injuries forced him to exit the ride. He was replaced by multiple drivers, with [[Dale Shaw]] running a majority of the races that season, including a 2nd-place finish at [[South Boston Speedway]]. Sterling Marlin, [[Ernie Irvan]], and [[Ron Fellows]] filled in for Shaw when he could not run. [[Kevin Lepage]] then drove two races near the end of the season, before Purvis returned to drive the last race of the year. In [[1998 NASCAR Busch Series|1998]], Purvis was again named full-time driver, with [[Lance Snacks]] sponsoring. Purvis made 26 starts, missing one race due to injury, during which he was replaced by [[Dennis Setzer]], and an additional four races during which he was suspended for rough driving. [[Nathan Buttke]] and [[Matt Hutter]] took his place for those races.

Purvis and Lance Snacks departed for [[Joe Gibbs Racing|Bechtel/Gibbs Racing]] at the end of the year, taking the No. 4 with him. Phoenix Racing switched to the No. 1 and hired [[Randy LaJoie]] to drive. They did not have major sponsorship of start the season, and signed a one-race deal with [[Jani-King]] before winning the season-opening [[NAPA Auto Parts 300]]. [[Bob Evans Restaurants]] then became the sponsor, and LaJoie finished tenth in points. He followed that up with a victory at [[Nashville Speedway|USA]] and a seventh-place finish in points in [[2000 NASCAR Busch Series|2000]]. [[P. J. Jones]] was named driver of the No. 1 for [[2001 NASCAR Busch Series|2001]], bringing [[Yellow Freight]] sponsorship. After four races, he was replaced by [[Jimmy Spencer (racing driver)|Jimmy Spencer]] who drove in eighteen races for Phoenix, winning three races. Bobby Hamilton, Lepage, and Joe Ruttman filled in for Spencer on occasion.

Phoenix dropped to a part-time schedule in [[2002 NASCAR Busch Series|2002]], with Spencer winning twice in 23 races, and Ruttman andwith [[Martin Truex, Jr.]] running one race. Ruttman also ran Talladega in a second car, the No. 51, which was involved in a massive pileup on lap 15 which took out most of the field, including apieceSpencer. In [[2003 NASCAR Busch Series|2003]], they formed a partnership with [[Chip Ganassi Racing]] and fielded the No. 1 full-time for two Ganassi drivers: Cup series driver Jamie McMurray and developmental driver [[David Stremme]]. McMurray had two wins, both at [[Rockingham Speedway|Rockingham]], while Stremme made sixteen starts with two top-fives, earning him Rookie of the Year honors.

[[Johnny Benson]] was named full-time driver in [[2004 NASCAR Busch Series|2004]], with Miccosukee Resorts being named the new sponsor. He won one pole and had four top-tens when he was released after ten starts. McMurray ran three of the next four races, and Purvis returned for one race at [[Nazareth Speedway]]. Buckshot Jones drove the next two races with the return of Yellow Transportation to the team, followed by [[Tony Raines]], [[Casey Mears]], Bobby Hamilton, Sterling Marlin, Reed Sorenson, and [[Regan Smith (racing driver)|Regan Smith]].

In [[2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series|2008]], Sauter returned to the team, but was released after five races. After Sterling Marlin drove one race, Mike Bliss was named the permanent driver of the No. 1 car. Marc Reno, who was born in California and currently resides in Concord, NC, serves as the crew chief and manages the team. He returned to the car after a solid season in 2008 for a full 2009 campaign. On May 23, 2009, [[Mike Bliss]] scored his second career Nationwide win and eleventh win for the team at [[Lowe's Motor Speedway]] by taking advantage of fuel mileage and a race-ending caution near the end of the race because of rain. In August 2009, Bliss was released due to conflicts with crew chief [[Marc Reno]]. [[Ryan Newman (racing driver)|Ryan Newman]], [[Reed Sorenson]], [[Max Papis]], [[Martin Truex, Jr.]], [[David Gilliland]], and [[Landon Cassill]] also took turns sharing the ride following Bliss' release. Rookie [[James Buescher]] was to drive the car full-time in 2010, but Finch put his entire operation up for sale on April 24. On May 12, 2010, BuescherNewman parteddrove waysthe withcar Phoenixat Racing,Dover [[Ryanafter NewmanBuescher (racingparted driver)|Ryanways Newman]]with willthe drive at Doverteam.

Phoenix Racing began running two cars in [[2000 NASCAR Busch Series|2000]], when [[Matt Hutter]] drove the No. 51 at Daytona and Talladega, with [[TracfoneTracFone]] sponsoring; his best finish was 19th. LaJoie drove late in the season at Homestead, when P. J. Jones drove the No. 1. In [[2005 NASCAR Busch Series|2005]], they began fielding the No. 09 for three races, with Boris Said, Wallace, and [[Eric McClure]] driving. They began fielding the second car full-time in [[2007 NASCAR Busch Series|2007]], when Wallace drove the No. 7 [[GEICO]] Chevrolet. Despite failing to finish in the top-ten, he finished 11th in points. In [[2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series|2008]], the team switched to the No. 4, and leased its owners points to [[Jay Robinson Racing]]. Robinson ran the No. 4 car on a full-time basis, although Phoenix did field the No. 4 for [[Landon Cassill]] at Mexico City.

== References ==

== External links ==

* {{Racing-Reference owner|James_Finch|James Finch}}

[[Category:Companies based in South CarolinaFlorida]]