Phoenix Racing
Encyclopedia
Phoenix Racing is a NASCAR
team owned by James Finch
. It currently fields the #51 Chevrolet Impala
in the Sprint Cup Series driven by Landon Cassill
and the #1 Chevrolet Impala in the Nationwide Series driven by Landon Cassill
and Jamie McMurray
.
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, 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, with Finch's company Phoenix Construction of Panama City, FL serving as sponsor. In 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, they picked up sponsorship from Country Time
and had planned to run a limited schedule with Neil Bonnett
driving. Bonnett died before the season started however, 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, and ran six more races with Purvis and Jackaroo Sauce, only finishing one race. MCA Records
became the new sponsor for 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 schedule's restrictor plate races with Purvis driving the #51, only finishing one race. In 2002, the team picked up funding from Miccosukee
and switched to the #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
ran a limited schedule for Phoenix in 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 with Joe Ruttman
and Johnny Benson
sharing the ride. Ruttman would later become infamous for a "start and park" at Rockingham, where he appeared at the race without a pit crew, was parked after one lap, and collected $54,000 for a last-place finish. The team later said they would be "legitimate racing" after the incident. Bobby Hamilton, Jr.
then drove for six races during the middle of the season, before Wallace and Johnny Sauter
returned to run the tail part of the season. Pruett and Tony Raines
, also ran in one-off attempts in the car. Sauter drove ten races in the #09 in 2005, and had a ninth-place finish at Phoenix International Raceway
. Late in the season, Bobby Hamilton
and Reed Sorenson
drove the 09 at Martinsville and Homestead, respectively.
Beginning in 2006, Phoenix abbreviated the 09's schedule even further, switching back and forth between Dodge and Ford. Mike Wallace ran just three races and failed to finish higher than seventeenth. Jeremy 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 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
, Marlin ran 10–12 races for Phoenix.
Phoenix Racing announced for 2009 that they would be running two different makes of cars for the upcoming Sprint Cup season. The #09 was shared by Marlin, Phoenix's Nationwide Series driver Mike Bliss
, and Brad Keselowski
. The team fielded Dodges for the majority of the season, except for when Keselowski and Fellows drove for the team, they fielded Chevrolets. After 19 years in the Cup Series Phoenix Racing finally won its first race, taking the Aaron's 499
with Keselowski behind the wheel. Keselowski avoided a last lap wreck caused by Carl Edwards
and drove to the finish to lead his only lap of the day and win the race.
Aric Almirola
was hired to drive for the team in 2010. Phoenix lost its Miccosukee sponsorship at the beginning of the 2010 season; its struggles continued as Almirola failed to qualify three of the first seven events, including the Daytona 500. Almirola left the team after Phoenix and was replaced by Mike Bliss and a handful of other drivers, including Landon Cassill
, Jan Magnussen
, and Bobby Labonte
.
Phoenix Racing returned in 2011 despite rumors that Finch had been trying to sell the team. Bill Elliott
drove the first 3 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 #51, which Phoenix Racing originally used when it first competed in the then-Winston Cup Series.
driven by Jeff Purvis at Charlotte
. They ran four races together the following season in the #15 car, but had three engine failures. The next season, Phoenix and Purvis ran four consecutive races in the #14/#23 Seal-Tech Buick, with a best finish of seventeenth. After a seventh-place finish at Talladega in 1992, the team ran as the #28 Havoline
Ford for three races, and then changed to the #4 Kodak Funsaver Camera Chevrolet in 1993. Purvis won his first pole at Talladega in 1994 as the #51 Country Time car, then switched back to the #4 Kodak car the next year, where he had three top-ten finishes.
Phoenix Racing made its first full-time season in 1996, despite the #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, and had a top-ten finish, but was replaced by 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, 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 Bechtel/Gibbs Racing
at the end of the year, taking the #4 with him. Phoenix Racing switched to the #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 USA
and a seventh-place finish in points in 2000. P. J. Jones was named driver of the #1 for 2001, bringing Yellow Freight sponsorship. After four races, he was replaced by 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, with Spencer driving 23 races and winning twice, and Ruttman and Martin Truex, Jr. running one race apiece. In 2003, they formed a partnership with Chip Ganassi Racing
and fielded the #1 full-time for two Ganassi drivers, Jamie McMurray and David Stremme
. McMurray had two wins while Stremme made 16 starts, had two top-fives and won Rookie of the Year honors.
Johnny Benson was named full-time driver in 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
. Johnny Sauter was named the permanent driver of the #1 in 2005, winning at Milwaukee and finishing twelfth in points after Boris Said
took his place at the Mexico race. Sauter left for Haas CNC Racing
and Jason Keller
was hired to drive. After eight races, Keller was fired and Mike Wallace took over for most of the season, garnering two top-five finishes, with Scott Pruett
and development driver Cale Gale
filling in. For 2007, J. J. Yeley
was named the new driver of the #1, but struggled and only had one top-ten finish and missed six races, with Benson, Marlin and Max Papis filling for most of those races.
In 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 #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
, 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 Buescher parted ways with Phoenix Racing, Ryan Newman
will drive at Dover.
Landon Cassill drove the 1 car to an impressive 3rd place finish at Daytona in 2011. Jamie McMurray
will return to the team at Talladega.
drove the #51 at Daytona and Talladega, with Tracfone sponsoring; his best finish was 19th. LaJoie drove late in the season at Homestead, when P.J. Jones drove the 1. In 2005, they began fielding the #09 for three races, with Boris Said, Wallace, and Eric McClure
driving. They began fielding the second car full-time in 2007, when Wallace drove the #7 GEICO
Chevrolet. Despite failing to finish in the top-ten, he finished 11th in points. In 2008
, the team switched to the #4, and leased its owners points to Jay Robinson Racing
. Robinson ran the #4 car on a full-time basis, although Phoenix did field the #4 for Landon Cassill
at Mexico City.
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
team owned by James Finch
James Finch
James Finch is a Panama City, Florida-born businessman. He is the owner of Phoenix Construction, a construction company that specializes in airport construction, and the Phoenix Racing team in NASCAR. They field the #1 Chevrolet driven by Landon Cassill and Jamie McMurray in the Nationwide Series...
. It currently fields the #51 Chevrolet Impala
Chevrolet Impala
The Chevrolet Impala is a full-size automobile built by the Chevrolet division of General Motors introduced for the 1958 model year. Deriving its name from the southern African antelope, Chevrolet's most expensive passenger model through 1965 had become the best-selling automobile in the United...
in the Sprint Cup Series driven by Landon Cassill
Landon Cassill
Landon Douglas Cassill is a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series. He is a test driver for Hendrick Motorsports. He currently drives the #51 Chevrolet Impala for Phoenix Racing in the Sprint Cup Series....
and the #1 Chevrolet Impala in the Nationwide Series driven by Landon Cassill
Landon Cassill
Landon Douglas Cassill is a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series. He is a test driver for Hendrick Motorsports. He currently drives the #51 Chevrolet Impala for Phoenix Racing in the Sprint Cup Series....
and Jamie McMurray
Jamie McMurray
James Christopher "Jamie" McMurray is a professional American race car driver. McMurray is best known for winning the 2002 UAW-GM Quality 500 as a substitute driver in his second Winston Cup start, and is one of three drivers to win both the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 in the same year...
.
Sprint Cup
Phoenix Racing began racing in the Cup Series in 1990, when it fielded the #51 Plasti-KoteValspar
The Valspar Corporation is an international manufacturer of paint and coatings based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the fifth largest paint and coating corporation in the world. The 200+ year old Valspar was founded in 1806 as a paint dealership in Boston, Massachusetts...
Chevrolet Lumina
Chevrolet Lumina
The North American Chevrolet Lumina sedan , coupe and minivan were first introduced in 1989 for the 1990 model year as a new range of vehicles from the Chevrolet brand of General Motors to replace the Chevrolet Camaro, Chevrolet Celebrity sedan, and the Monte Carlo coupe. The Lumina was an answer...
for Jeff Purvis
Jeff Purvis
Jeff Purvis is a former race car driver in NASCAR's Nationwide Series. He is a 15-year veteran with four wins and 25 top-five finishes. Purvis is still recovering from a massive brain injury suffered in 2002. He races "Late Model Crates" at Golden Isles Speedway.- Winston Cup Series Career :Purvis...
. In four races, Purvis failed to finish a race, his best finishing being a 31st at North Wilkesboro Speedway
North Wilkesboro Speedway
North Wilkesboro Speedway was a short track that held races in NASCAR's top three series from NASCAR's inception in 1949 until its closure in 1996...
. Phoenix attempted to run a full schedule in 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, with Finch's company Phoenix Construction of Panama City, FL serving as sponsor. In 1993, the team ran all of the restrictor plate races on the schedule, except for the Daytona 500
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
, for which they failed to qualify. For 1994, they picked up sponsorship from Country Time
Country Time
Country Time is the name of a brand of lemonade drinks. It is a non-carbonated lemon-flavored drink mix and soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines. The powdered mix is produced by Kraft Foods...
and had planned to run a limited schedule with Neil Bonnett
Neil Bonnett
Lawrence Neil Bonnett was a NASCAR driver who compiled 18 victories and 20 poles over his 18-year career. The Alabama native currently ranks 35th in all-time NASCAR Cup victories. He appeared in the 1983 film Stroker Ace and the 1990 film Days of Thunder...
driving. Bonnett died before the season started however, 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, and ran six more races with Purvis and Jackaroo Sauce, only finishing one race. MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
became the new sponsor for 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
Ford Taurus
The Ford Taurus is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States. Originally introduced in the 1986 model year, it has remained in near-continuous production for more than two decades, making it the fourth oldest nameplate that is currently sold in the North American...
es from Bill Elliott Racing
Bill Elliott Racing
Bill Elliott Racing is a former NASCAR Winston Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series team. It was owned and operated by 1988 NASCAR champion Bill Elliott from 1995 until 2000, when it was sold to Evernham Motorsports.- Winston Cup :...
, and ran all of the 2001 schedule's restrictor plate races with Purvis driving the #51, only finishing one race. In 2002, the team picked up funding from Miccosukee
Miccosukee
The Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida are a federally recognized Native American tribe in the U.S. state of Florida. They were part of the Seminole nation until the mid-20th century, when they organized as an independent tribe, receiving federal recognition in 1962...
and switched to the #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
Mike Wallace (NASCAR)
Mike Wallace is a NASCAR race car driver born in Fenton, Missouri. He currently drives the #01 Chevrolet for JD Motorsports in the Nationwide Series. He is a younger brother to Rusty Wallace, older brother to Kenny Wallace, and uncle to Steve Wallace...
ran a limited schedule for Phoenix in 2003, and had two top-ten finishes. Scott Pruett
Scott Pruett
Scott Donald Pruett is an American race car driver who has competed in NASCAR, Champ Car, IMSA, Trans-Am and Grand-Am. He and his wife Judy have three children, and are children's book authors....
and Buckshot Jones
Buckshot Jones
Roy "Buckshot" Jones , is an auto racing driver who has competed in NASCAR and sprint cars. He most recently ran in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series....
also ran one race deals for the team that season, during which they switched to Dodge
Dodge
Dodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....
. The team began 2004 with Joe Ruttman
Joe Ruttman
Joe Ruttman , is an American former racecar driver. He currently lives in Franklin, Tenn. He actively competed in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and Camping World Truck Series and is a 13 time winner in the Truck Series, the seventh most wins by any driver in the Truck...
and Johnny Benson
Johnny Benson
Jonathan Benson, Jr. is an American NASCAR driver and the son of former Michigan modified driver John Benson, Sr...
sharing the ride. Ruttman would later become infamous for a "start and park" at Rockingham, where he appeared at the race without a pit crew, was parked after one lap, and collected $54,000 for a last-place finish. The team later said they would be "legitimate racing" after the incident. Bobby Hamilton, Jr.
Bobby Hamilton, Jr.
Charles Robert Hamilton, Jr. is a NASCAR driver and owner, and current track promoter. He is currently a free agent...
then drove for six races during the middle of the season, before Wallace and Johnny Sauter
Johnny Sauter
Johnathan Joseph Sauter is a NASCAR driver from Wisconsin. Sauter is the son of former NASCAR driver Jim Sauter, and the brother of NASCAR drivers Tim Sauter and Jay Sauter...
returned to run the tail part of the season. Pruett and Tony Raines
Tony Raines
Floyd Anthony Raines is an American race car driver. He is a former National Touring Series champion in the now defunct American Speed Association and 1999 Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Nationwide Series...
, also ran in one-off attempts in the car. Sauter drove ten races in the #09 in 2005, and had a ninth-place finish at Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway, also known as PIR, is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. The track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the Indycar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series...
. Late in the season, Bobby Hamilton
Bobby Hamilton
Charles Robert Hamilton, Sr. was a driver and owner in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series circuit and the winner of the 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship. Hamilton owned Bobby Hamilton Racing, which fielded three entries in each NCWTS event...
and Reed Sorenson
Reed Sorenson
Bradley Reed Sorenson is an American NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #82 MacDonald Motorsports Dodge Charger in the Nationwide Series...
drove the 09 at Martinsville and Homestead, respectively.
Beginning in 2006, Phoenix abbreviated the 09's schedule even further, switching back and forth between Dodge and Ford. Mike Wallace ran just three races and failed to finish higher than seventeenth. Jeremy Mayfield ran the season-ending Ford 400
Ford 400
The Ford 400 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup stock car race held at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida.The race is relatively new on the NASCAR circuit, first being run in 1999. Since 2002, the Ford 400 has been part of the Ford Championship Weekend, the last week of the NASCAR season. Starting...
, but did not finish due to an oil leak. Wallace had a fourth place finish in the 2007 Daytona 500
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
, but the team did not qualify for another race until the final two races of the year, when Sterling Marlin drove. For 2008
2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
The 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season began on February 9, 2008 at Daytona International Speedway with the Budweiser Shootout, followed by pole qualifying on Sunday, February 10, 2008 for the 50th Daytona 500 on February 17...
, Marlin ran 10–12 races for Phoenix.
Mike Bliss
Michael Bliss is a NASCAR driver who has run in all three major series. He currently drives the #19 Chevrolet Impala for TriStar Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He began racing at age 10...
, and Brad Keselowski
Brad Keselowski
Bradley Robert Keselowski is an American auto racing driver currently competing in the #2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger in the Sprint Cup Series and the #22 Discount Tire Company/Ruby Tuesday Dodge Challenger in the Nationwide Series for Penske Racing...
. The team fielded Dodges for the majority of the season, except for when Keselowski and Fellows drove for the team, they fielded Chevrolets. After 19 years in the Cup Series Phoenix Racing finally won its first race, taking the Aaron's 499
Aaron's 499
The Aaron's 499 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car auto race held at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama. The race has always been held in late April or early May. The Aaron's 499 is also one of four races currently run with restrictor plates, the others being the AMP Energy 500,...
with Keselowski behind the wheel. Keselowski avoided a last lap wreck caused by Carl Edwards
Carl Edwards
Carl Michael Edwards, II is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #99 Fastenal/Aflac Ford Fusion in the Sprint Cup Series and the #60 Ford in the Nationwide Series for Roush Fenway Racing...
and drove to the finish to lead his only lap of the day and win the race.
Aric Almirola
Aric Almirola
Aric A. Almirola is a Cuban-American stock car driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He currently drives the #88 Unilever/Grand Touring Vodka Chevrolet Impala for JR Motorsports. Almirola attended the University of Central Florida working on a degree in mechanical engineering before leaving to...
was hired to drive for the team in 2010. Phoenix lost its Miccosukee sponsorship at the beginning of the 2010 season; its struggles continued as Almirola failed to qualify three of the first seven events, including the Daytona 500. Almirola left the team after Phoenix and was replaced by Mike Bliss and a handful of other drivers, including Landon Cassill
Landon Cassill
Landon Douglas Cassill is a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series. He is a test driver for Hendrick Motorsports. He currently drives the #51 Chevrolet Impala for Phoenix Racing in the Sprint Cup Series....
, Jan Magnussen
Jan Magnussen
Jan Magnussen is a racing driver from Denmark and a GM factory driver. He has competed in several of the most prestigious events in motor sport including CART, NASCAR, the FIA Formula One World Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.- Lower series racing :Magnussen dominated the 1994 British...
, and Bobby Labonte
Bobby Labonte
Robert Alan "Bobby" Labonte is an American race car driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He currently drives the #47 Kroger/Clorox/Kimberly-Clark/Kingsford/Reese Towpower Hitches Toyota Camry for JTG Daugherty Racing. He currently resides in Trinity, North Carolina. He is married to his wife...
.
Phoenix Racing returned in 2011 despite rumors that Finch had been trying to sell the team. Bill Elliott
Bill Elliott
William Clyde "Bill" Elliott , also known as Awesome Bill from Dawsonville or Million Dollar Bill, is a part-time driver and former champion of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Elliott was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America on August 15, 2007. He won the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup...
drove the first 3 races before Landon Cassill
Landon Cassill
Landon Douglas Cassill is a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series. He is a test driver for Hendrick Motorsports. He currently drives the #51 Chevrolet Impala for Phoenix Racing in the Sprint Cup Series....
took over the ride with sponsorship from Security Benefit. In June 2011, prior to the Kansas race, the team changed the car number to #51, which Phoenix Racing originally used when it first competed in the then-Winston Cup Series.
Car #1 history
Phoenix made its debut in 1989 with the #49 BuickBuick
Buick is a premium brand of General Motors . Buick models are sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, and Israel, with China being its largest market. Buick holds the distinction as the oldest active American make...
driven by Jeff Purvis at Charlotte
Lowe's Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...
. They ran four races together the following season in the #15 car, but had three engine failures. The next season, Phoenix and Purvis ran four consecutive races in the #14/#23 Seal-Tech Buick, with a best finish of seventeenth. After a seventh-place finish at Talladega in 1992, the team ran as the #28 Havoline
Havoline
Havoline is a motor oil brand of Texaco, a former major oil company based in the United States that is now merged with the Chevron Corporation.-History:First introduced 1904, the Havoline brand was named by Havemeyer Oil Company of New York....
Ford for three races, and then changed to the #4 Kodak Funsaver Camera Chevrolet in 1993. Purvis won his first pole at Talladega in 1994 as the #51 Country Time car, then switched back to the #4 Kodak car the next year, where he had three top-ten finishes.
Phoenix Racing made its first full-time season in 1996, despite the #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, and had a top-ten finish, but was replaced by 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
South Boston Speedway
South Boston Speedway or "SoBo" is a short track located just outside South Boston, Virginia, U.S.A.. SoBo is located approximately sixty miles east of another area familiar to most NASCAR fans, Martinsville. It is owned by Mattco, Inc, the Mattioli family trust that owns Pocono Raceway, with...
. Sterling Marlin, Ernie Irvan
Ernie Irvan
Virgil Earnest Irvan, more commonly known as Ernie Irvan is a former race driver in NASCAR. He is best remembered for his comeback after a serious head injury at Michigan International Speedway which earned him numerous awards and respect from his fellow drivers...
, and Ron Fellows
Ron Fellows
Ron Fellows is an accomplished Canadian SCCA Trans-Am, IMSA, and American Le Mans Series driver, and a NASCAR Road course ringer.-Early career:...
filled in for Shaw when he could not run. Kevin Lepage
Kevin Lepage
Kevin Lepage is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #52 car, for Jimmy Means Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Lepage is the only NASCAR driver from Vermont to qualify for the Daytona 500.-Early career:...
then drove two races near the end of the season, before Purvis returned to drive the last race of the year. In 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
Dennis Setzer
Dennis Setzer is a NASCAR driver. He has driven in all three of NASCAR's top series. He currently splits time between the #23, #49, and #70 cars, all for Jay Robinson Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series...
, and an additional four races during which he was suspended for rough driving. Nathan Buttke and Matt Hutter
Matt Hutter
Matt Hutter is a retired American stock car driver. He has raced in the NASCAR Busch Series and Craftsman Truck SeriesHutter made his NASCAR debut in 1998, driving the #36 Stanley Tools Pontiac Grand Prix for Team 34 in 15 races. His best finish was a ninth at Talladega Superspeedway, but he was...
took his place for those races.
Purvis and Lance Snacks departed for Bechtel/Gibbs Racing
Joe Gibbs Racing
Joe Gibbs Racing is a group of NASCAR racing teams owned and operated by former Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs, who first started racing on the NASCAR circuit in 1991, and J. D. Gibbs, his son...
at the end of the year, taking the #4 with him. Phoenix Racing switched to the #1 and hired Randy LaJoie
Randy LaJoie
Randall LaJoie was a driver in the NASCAR Busch Series , where he is a two-time champion. Presently, he does not have a full-time ride. He is the father of racers Casey and Corey LaJoie.-Early racing career:LaJoie started racing go-karts when he was 12 years old...
to drive. They did not have major sponsorship of start the season, and signed a one-race deal with Jani-King
Jani-King
Jani-King is the world's largest commercial cleaning franchise company reporting more than 12,000 franchisees serving tens of thousands of customers worldwide....
before winning the season-opening NAPA Auto Parts 300. Bob Evans Restaurants
Bob Evans Restaurants
Bob Evans Farms, Inc. is a food service, processing, and retail company based in Columbus, Ohio. The company is named after its founder, Bob Evans . It operates two family dining restaurant chains in the United States, Bob Evans Restaurants and Mimi's Cafe...
then became the sponsor, and LaJoie finished tenth in points. He followed that up with a victory at USA
Nashville Speedway
There are two oval race tracks near Nashville, Tennessee sometimes referred to as Nashville Speedway:*Nashville Speedway USA, a small track formerly visited opened in 1904*Nashville Superspeedway, a modern concrete oval opened in 2001...
and a seventh-place finish in points in 2000. P. J. Jones was named driver of the #1 for 2001, bringing Yellow Freight sponsorship. After four races, he was replaced by Jimmy Spencer
Jimmy Spencer
Jimmy Spencer is a current television commentator, and a former NASCAR driver. He formerly hosted the NASCAR inspired talk show, “What’s the Deal?”, on SPEED. He is the former co-host, with John Roberts and Kenny Wallace, of the SPEED's pre-race and post-race NASCAR shows NASCAR RaceDay and...
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, with Spencer driving 23 races and winning twice, and Ruttman and Martin Truex, Jr. running one race apiece. In 2003, they formed a partnership with Chip Ganassi Racing
Chip Ganassi Racing
Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is an automotive racing organization with teams competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. They have won 4 Champ Car, 3 Indy Racing League and 1 Grand-Am championships...
and fielded the #1 full-time for two Ganassi drivers, Jamie McMurray and David Stremme
David Stremme
David Andrew Stremme is an American stock car driver. He is most notable as the 2003 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year, winning the award while running a part time for several different teams. He currently drives the #30 Chevrolet Impala for Inception Motorsports.-Early life:Stremme was...
. McMurray had two wins while Stremme made 16 starts, had two top-fives and won Rookie of the Year honors.
Johnny Benson was named full-time driver in 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
Nazareth Speedway
Nazareth Speedway was an auto racing track in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania which operated from 1910 to 2004. The track is often associated with local drivers Mario and Michael Andretti. It was associated with Frankie Schneider in its earlier dirt track history....
. Buckshot Jones drove the next two races with the return of Yellow Transportation to the team, followed by Tony Raines
Tony Raines
Floyd Anthony Raines is an American race car driver. He is a former National Touring Series champion in the now defunct American Speed Association and 1999 Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Nationwide Series...
, Casey Mears
Casey Mears
Casey James Mears is the driver of the #13 GEICO Toyota for Germain Racing in the Sprint Cup Series. He is a former winner of the Coca-Cola 600....
, Bobby Hamilton, Sterling Marlin, Reed Sorenson, and Regan Smith
Regan Smith
Regan Smith is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #78 Furniture Row Chevrolet Impala for Furniture Row Racing.-Beginnings:...
. Johnny Sauter was named the permanent driver of the #1 in 2005, winning at Milwaukee and finishing twelfth in points after Boris Said
Boris Said
Boris Said is an American race car driver from Carlsbad, California but considers his hometown to be Stamford, Connecticut. His father, Bob Said, was a Formula One race driver and US Olympic bobsled driver in 1968 and 1972. He drove the #26 Ford Fusion for Latitude 43 Motorsports in the NASCAR...
took his place at the Mexico race. Sauter left for Haas CNC Racing
Haas CNC Racing
Stewart-Haas Racing, formerly known as Haas CNC Racing, is a NASCAR racing team based in Kannapolis, North Carolina, which runs Chevrolet Impalas. The team is owned by Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, and runs the #14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet Impala driven by Stewart and the #39 United States...
and Jason Keller
Jason Keller
For the American writer, see Jason Keller Jason Keller is a NASCAR racing driver who currently drives the #44 Chevrolet for Tri-Star Motorsports in the Nationwide Series. A mainstay in the Busch/Nationwide Series since his debut in 1991...
was hired to drive. After eight races, Keller was fired and Mike Wallace took over for most of the season, garnering two top-five finishes, with Scott Pruett
Scott Pruett
Scott Donald Pruett is an American race car driver who has competed in NASCAR, Champ Car, IMSA, Trans-Am and Grand-Am. He and his wife Judy have three children, and are children's book authors....
and development driver Cale Gale
Cale Gale
Cale Gale is an American NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #33 Rheem Chevrolet Silverado for Eddie Sharp Racing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.-Karting:...
filling in. For 2007, J. J. Yeley
J. J. Yeley
Christopher Beltram Hernandez Yeley is a NASCAR driver. Nicknamed "J. J." , he is currently a competitor in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, driving for Front Row Motorsports.-Open wheel:Yeley initially made a mark for himself in the world of auto racing when he took the Hoosier state by...
was named the new driver of the #1, but struggled and only had one top-ten finish and missed six races, with Benson, Marlin and Max Papis filling for most of those races.
In 2008
2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series
The 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series began on February 16, 2008, at Daytona International Speedway with the Camping World 300, and ended on November 15, 2008, at Homestead-Miami Speedway with the Ford 300. This was the first season in which NASCAR's second-tier series was known as the Nationwide...
, 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 #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
Mike Bliss
Michael Bliss is a NASCAR driver who has run in all three major series. He currently drives the #19 Chevrolet Impala for TriStar Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He began racing at age 10...
scored his second career Nationwide win and eleventh win for the team at Lowe's Motor Speedway
Lowe's Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...
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
Pit stop
In motorsports, a pit stop is where a racing vehicle stops in the pits during a race for refuelling, new tires, repairs, mechanical adjustments, a driver change, or any combination of the above...
Marc Reno. Ryan Newman
Ryan Newman
Ryan Joseph Newman is a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He drives the #39 United States Army/Tornados/Haas Automation Chevrolet Impala for Stewart Haas Racing under crew chief Tony Gibson. Newman graduated from Purdue University in 2001 with a B.S. in vehicle structure engineering...
, Reed Sorenson
Reed Sorenson
Bradley Reed Sorenson is an American NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #82 MacDonald Motorsports Dodge Charger in the Nationwide Series...
, Max Papis
Max Papis
Massimiliano "Max" Papis is a racing driver who has competed in several top-level motorsports events such as Le Mans 24 Hours, Formula One and Champ Car. He has three Champ Car victories. He is the son-in-law of Emerson Fittipaldi. His son's godfather is fellow Italian Alex Zanardi...
, Martin Truex, Jr., David Gilliland
David Gilliland
David Gilliland is a NASCAR driver and he currently drives the #34 Taco Bell Ford Fusion for Front Row Motorsports. He is the son of former Cup and West Coast driver Butch Gilliland. He was born in Riverside, California....
, and Landon Cassill
Landon Cassill
Landon Douglas Cassill is a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series. He is a test driver for Hendrick Motorsports. He currently drives the #51 Chevrolet Impala for Phoenix Racing in the Sprint Cup Series....
also took turns sharing the ride following Bliss' release. Rookie James Buescher
James Buescher
James Buescher is a NASCAR driver currently running full-time in its Camping World Truck Series. He drives the No. 31 Wolf Pack Rentals/Exide Chevrolet Silverado for Turner Motorsports in the Truck Series. He also runs part-time for Turner in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, driving the No...
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 Buescher parted ways with Phoenix Racing, Ryan Newman
Ryan Newman
Ryan Joseph Newman is a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He drives the #39 United States Army/Tornados/Haas Automation Chevrolet Impala for Stewart Haas Racing under crew chief Tony Gibson. Newman graduated from Purdue University in 2001 with a B.S. in vehicle structure engineering...
will drive at Dover.
Landon Cassill drove the 1 car to an impressive 3rd place finish at Daytona in 2011. Jamie McMurray
Jamie McMurray
James Christopher "Jamie" McMurray is a professional American race car driver. McMurray is best known for winning the 2002 UAW-GM Quality 500 as a substitute driver in his second Winston Cup start, and is one of three drivers to win both the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 in the same year...
will return to the team at Talladega.
Car #4 history
Phoenix Racing began running two cars in 2000, when Matt HutterMatt Hutter
Matt Hutter is a retired American stock car driver. He has raced in the NASCAR Busch Series and Craftsman Truck SeriesHutter made his NASCAR debut in 1998, driving the #36 Stanley Tools Pontiac Grand Prix for Team 34 in 15 races. His best finish was a ninth at Talladega Superspeedway, but he was...
drove the #51 at Daytona and Talladega, with Tracfone sponsoring; his best finish was 19th. LaJoie drove late in the season at Homestead, when P.J. Jones drove the 1. In 2005, they began fielding the #09 for three races, with Boris Said, Wallace, and Eric McClure
Eric McClure
Eric McClure , is a NASCAR driver. His family owns the Sprint Cup team Morgan-McClure Motorsports. A graduate of Emory and Henry College, he currently drives the #14 Hefty Chevrolet full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for TriStar Motorsports.- Sprint Cup Series Career :McClure has made two...
driving. They began fielding the second car full-time in 2007, when Wallace drove the #7 GEICO
GEICO
The Government Employees Insurance Company is an auto insurance company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway that as of 2007 provided coverage for more than 10 million motor vehicles owned by more than 9 million policy holders. GEICO writes private passenger automobile insurance...
Chevrolet. Despite failing to finish in the top-ten, he finished 11th in points. In 2008
2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series
The 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series began on February 16, 2008, at Daytona International Speedway with the Camping World 300, and ended on November 15, 2008, at Homestead-Miami Speedway with the Ford 300. This was the first season in which NASCAR's second-tier series was known as the Nationwide...
, the team switched to the #4, and leased its owners points to Jay Robinson Racing
Jay Robinson Racing
Jay Robinson Racing is a racing team that competes in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Currently, they field the #28 MAXelence Chevrolet Impala for Derrike Cope. Formed in 1995, they moved to the Nationwide Series in 2000, where they have attempted both full-time and part-time schedules.- Car #28...
. Robinson ran the #4 car on a full-time basis, although Phoenix did field the #4 for Landon Cassill
Landon Cassill
Landon Douglas Cassill is a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series. He is a test driver for Hendrick Motorsports. He currently drives the #51 Chevrolet Impala for Phoenix Racing in the Sprint Cup Series....
at Mexico City.