FOX NASCAR at Phoenix International Raceway Quotes and Programming Schedule

NASCAR 03/09/2016

Heading into this weekend’s race at Phoenix International Raceway, Matt Kenseth looks to shake the monkey off of his back and grab his first win of the season, while Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota battle to see which manufacturer becomes the first to win multiple races in 2016.

FOX Sports offers a NASCAR doubleheader this weekend from Phoenix International Raceway, with more than 18 hours of programming, including FOX’s live NASCAR XFINITY SERIES race coverage on Saturday, March 12 (2:30 PM ET), and culminating with live NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES race coverage on FOX on Sunday, March 6 (3:30 PM ET). Pre-race coverage begins on FOX NASCAR SUNDAY (3:00 PM ET).

On Sunday, Mike Joy leads the FOX NASCAR booth from Phoenix with analysis from NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip, four-time champ Jeff Gordon and former crew chief Larry McReynolds. Jamie Little, Vince Welch and Matt Yocum cover pit road. Chris Myers hosts the network’s coverage alongside analyst Michael Waltrip.

FOX has live coverage of Saturday’s NASCAR XFINITY SERIES race (2:30 PM ET), preceded by pre-race coverage on NASCAR RACEDAY-XFINITY (2:00 PM ET). Adam Alexander calls the race alongside Michael Waltrip and driver analyst Joey Logano in his FOX NASCAR booth debut. Logano is one of six NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES drivers announced as part of a rotation in the FOX and FS1 booth for FOX Sports’ coverage of the 2016 NASCAR XFINITY SERIES season. Also scheduled as guest analysts are 2014 champion Kevin Harvick, 2012 champ Brad Keselowski, Clint Bowyer, Carl Edwards and Danica Patrick. Reporting from the XFINITY Series pits at Las Vegas are Chris Neville, Little and Vince Welch.

Below are quotes from FOX NASCAR’s McReynolds, Darrell Waltrip and Jeff Hammond on the week’s headlines and the race ahead, as well as the full FOX NASCAR programming schedule from Phoenix International Raceway:

On the physical challenges of driving a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car with the new aerodynamics package:
“I loved Brad Keselowski in Victory Lane at Las Vegas. He was spent. He used himself up. Effort equals results. I love that.”
–Darrell Waltrip
On the benefits of Todd Berrier filling in for suspended No. 78 Furniture Row Racing crew chief Cole Pearn for Phoenix:
“It’s a big plus. What better person than one who has worked with Martin Truex Jr. before and understands the routine. Furniture Row Racing basically is a satellite team for Joe Gibbs Racing now, so it’s a great call to plug Todd in there.”
–Jeff Hammond (on NASCAR RACE HUB on FS1)

On various problems that have thwarted strong finishes for Matt Kenseth in the season’s first three races:
“Matt Kenseth and Jason Ratcliff have a problem everyone would love to have — they have a fast car. He was within one mile of winning the Daytona 500. He was penalized at Atlanta and was caught up in an accident at Las Vegas. But he has had a car that could have won every race. They know this, too, will pass. That’s the great thing about the Chase format. All you have to do is find Victory Lane somewhere in the first 26 races.”
–Larry McReynolds

On the new lower-downforce aerodynamics package’s performance at Las Vegas:
“If a team was able to adjust on its car at Las Vegas to make it handle better, the driver could catch and pass the car in front of him. I expect more passing as teams tweak on this rules package and become more accustomed to it.”
–Larry McReynolds

On which team has adjusted best to the new, lower-downforce rules package:
“The Nos. 48 and 88 finished 1-2 at Atlanta. Hendrick Motorsports was fast again at Las Vegas They have figured this new aerodynamics package out. Joe Gibbs Racing is really close, but Hendrick Motorsports is at the top of the list. Team Penske struggled a bit at Atlanta but got it figured it out by Las Vegas. They’ve got to be happy about that. They’re continuing to make gains, although Ford has a new nose this year that they’ve also had to get used to.”
–Jeff Hammond (on NASCAR RACE HUB on FS1)

On Wednesday and Thursday’s Goodyear tire test at Charlotte Motor Speedway:
“Anytime you are chosen to take part in a tire test, you take advantage of it. All these teams are chomping at the bit to gather information and transfer it back to the car.”
–Jeff Hammond

NASCAR ON FOX, FS1 & FS2 AT PHOENIX PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE

*All times live/Eastern unless otherwise indicated & subject to change

Friday, March 11

NASCAR XFINITY Series practice (11:30 AM-12:30 PM) (FS1)

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice (12:30-2:00 PM) (FS1)

NASCAR XFINITY Series practice (3:00-4:30 PM) (FS1)

NASCAR XFINITY Series final practice (5:30-6:30 PM) (FS2)

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying (6:30-8:00 PM) (FS2)

Saturday, March 12

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice (10:30 AM-11:30 AM) (FS1)

NASCAR XFINITY Series qualifying (11:30 AM-1:00 PM) (FS1)

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series final practice (1:00-2:00 PM) (FS1)