Kyle Busch won the NASCAR XFINITY Series 12th Annual Axalta Faster. Tougher. Brighter. 200

Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 NOS Energy Drink Toyota, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR XFINITY Series Axalta Faster. Tougher. Brighter. 200 at Phoenix International Raceway on March 12, 2016 in Avondale, Arizona.

Starting from 3rd place Car 18 Kyle Busch NOS Energy Drink Toyota won the 12th Annual Axalta Faster. Tougher. Brighter. 200, his 79th win in 314 NASCAR XFINITY Series races. This is Busch’s 3rd win & 3rd Top 10 finish in 2016 & this is his 9th win & 16th Top 10 finish in 20 races at Phoenix International Raceway. 2nd Place Car 20 Erik Jones Reser’s Fine Foods Toyota, started from pole posted his 4th Top 10 finish in 4 races at Phoenix International Raceway. It is Jones’ 3rd Top 10 finish in 2016 & was the highest finishing rookie. 3rd Place Car 19 Daniel Suarez Juniper Networks Toyota, started from 2nd place posted his 2nd Top 10 finish in 3 races at Phoenix International Raceway.

Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 NOS Energy Drink Toyota, celebrates with the checkered flag after winning the NASCAR XFINITY Series Axalta Faster. Tougher. Brighter. 200 at Phoenix International Raceway on March 12, 2016 in Avondale, Arizona.

4th Place Car 7 Justin Allgaier BRANDT Chevrolet, started from 10th place followed by 5th place Car 88 Chase Elliott TaxSlayer.com Chevrolet, started from 5th place. 6th Place Car 3 Ty Dillon Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet, started from 4th place followed by 7th place Car 2 Austin Dillon Ruud Chevrolet, started from 6th place. 8th Place Car 1 Elliott Sadler OneMain Chevrolet, started from 16th place followed by 9th place Car 22 Brad Keselowski Discount Tire Ford, started from 7th place. Lastly in the Top 10 was Car 48 Brennan Poole # DC Solar Chevrolet, in 10th place, started from 17th place. Daniel Suarez leads the point standings by 8 points over Elliott Sadler.

Erik Jones, driver of the #20 Reser’s Fine Foods Toyota, and Daniel Suarez, driver of the #19 Juniper Networks Toyota, lead the field to the green flag at the start of the NASCAR XFINITY Series Axalta Faster. Tougher. Brighter. 200 at Phoenix International Raceway on March 12, 2016 in Avondale, Arizona.

The race had 3 Cautions for 16 Laps: 1st Caution on lap 2 for Car 44 David Starr Zachry Toyota, Car 07 Ray Black Jr. Scuba Life Chevrolet crash in Turn 4. 2nd Caution on lap 59 for Car 51 Jeremy Clements RepairableVehicles.com Chevrolet crash in Turn 3. 3rd Caution on lap 97 for Car 14 JJ Yeley Toyota crash in Turn 2.

Erik Jones, driver of the #20 Reser’s Fine Foods Toyota, and Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 NOS Energy Drink Toyota, lead a pack of cars during the NASCAR XFINITY Series Axalta Faster. Tougher. Brighter. 200 at Phoenix International Raceway on March 12, 2016 in Avondale, Arizona.

The race had 5 Lead Changes among 4 drivers: Lap Leaders: E. Jones # 1-5; K. Busch(i) 6-97; T. Dillon 98-108; K. Busch(i) 109-177; B. Keselowski(i) 178-186; K. Busch(i) 187-200. Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): K. Busch(i) 3 times for 175 laps; T. Dillon 1 time for 11 laps; B. Keselowski(i) 1 time for 9 laps; E. Jones # 1 time for 5 laps.

Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 NOS Energy Drink Toyota, pits during the NASCAR XFINITY Series Axalta Faster. Tougher. Brighter. 200 at Phoenix International Raceway on March 12, 2016 in Avondale, Arizona.

Top 10 in Points: D. Suárez – 144; E. Sadler – 136; T. Dillon – 135; J. Allgaier – 132; B. Jones # – 129; E. Jones # – 126; B.Gaughan – 119; R. Reed – 106; B. Poole # – 102; D. Wallace Jr. – 96.

Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 NOS Energy Drink Toyota, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR XFINITY Series Axalta Faster. Tougher. Brighter. 200 at Phoenix International Raceway on March 12, 2016 in Avondale, Arizona.

“It’s just a knack for this place, I guess,” Busch said. “We’ve been off a little bit on the (Sprint) Cup side for years, but this year we seem to be a lot better, and last year we improved a lot. But the XFINITY program has always been good.”

In fact, it was good for the entire Joe Gibbs Racing organization, which started 1-2-3, with pole winner Erik Jones and Daniel Suárez leading Busch in qualifying, and finished 1-2-3, with Jones and Suárez trailing Busch to the finish line by 2.285 and 9.980 seconds, respectively.

Busch, Suárez and Jones also ran 1-2-3 in that order a week earlier at Las Vegas, a further indication of just how much JGR has gapped the competition.

It was asked that now the NASCAR XFINITY Series drivers are now in the chase format for the championship, should Sprint Cup drivers be allowed to race in the series? If you win you are in the Chase otherwise it is based on the points.

Note: In post-race inspection, Jones’ No. 20 was cited for rear toe outside of tolerance when measured by the laser inspection station. NASCAR will address possible sanctions at next week’s competition meeting.

NASCAR XFINITY Series Race Number 4
Unofficial Race Results for the 12Th Annual Axalta Faster. Tougher. Brighter. 200 –

Saturday, March 12, 2016 Phoenix International Raceway – Avondale, AZ – 1 Mile Paved
Total Race Length – 200 Laps – 200 Miles

Finish Start Car Driver Team Laps Status
1. 3. Car 18 Kyle Busch(i) NOS Energy Drink Toyota 200 Running
2. 1. Car 20 Erik Jones # Reser’s Fine Foods Toyota 200 Running
3. 2. Car 19 Daniel Suarez Juniper Networks Toyota 200 Running
4. 10. Car 7 Justin Allgaier BRANDT Chevrolet 200 Running
5. 5. Car 88 Chase Elliott(i) TaxSlayer.com Chevrolet 200 Running
6. 4. Car 3 Ty Dillon Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet 200 Running
7. 6. Car 2 Austin Dillon(i) Ruud Chevrolet 200 Running
8. 16. Car 1 Elliott Sadler OneMain Chevrolet 200 Running
9. 7. Car 22 Brad Keselowski(i) Discount Tire Ford 200 Running
10. 17. Car 48 Brennan Poole # DC Solar Chevrolet 200 Running
11. 8. Car 33 Brandon Jones # E-Z-GO Chevrolet 200 Running
12. 9. Car 6 Darrell Wallace Jr. Cheez-It Ford 199 Running
13. 11. Car 62 Brendan Gaughan South Point Chevrolet 199 Running
14. 13. Car 16 Ryan Reed Lilly Diabetes/American Diabetes Association Ford 199 Running
15. 14. Car 42 Justin Marks Katerra Chevrolet 199 Running
16. 12. Car 11 Blake Koch LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevrolet 199 Running
17. 15. Car 43 Jeb Burton J. Streicher Ford 199 Running
18. 26. Car 28 Dakoda Armstrong JGL Racing Toyota 198 Running
19. 28. Car 93 Dylan Lupton RSS Racing Chevrolet 198 Running
20. 23. Car 14 JJ Yeley Toyota 198 Running
21. 24. Car 01 Ryan Preece # teamjdmotorsports.com Chevrolet 197 Running
22. 22. Car 44 David Starr Zachry Toyota 197 Running
23. 18. Car 21 Spencer Gallagher(i) Kingman Chevrolet/Allegiant Chevrolet 196 Running
24. 19. Car 4 Ross Chastain teamjdmotorsports.com Chevrolet 196 Running
25. 25. Car 07 Ray Black Jr. # Scuba Life Chevrolet 196 Running
26. 27. Car 24 TJ Bell Jr. Apex Contracting and Restoration Toyota 196 Running
27. 21. Car 39 Ryan Sieg RSS Racing Chevrolet 195 Running
28. 20. Car 51 Jeremy Clements RepairableVehicles.com Chevrolet 195 Running
29. 35. Car 78 BJ McLeod # X-TREME PH Sports Water Ford 194 Running
30. 38. Car 97 Harrison Rhodes Vroom Brands Chevrolet 194 Running
31. 34. Car 0 Garrett Smithley # teamjdmotorsports.com Chevrolet 194 Running
32. 31. Car 25 Timmy Hill(i) Wrap Nation Chevrolet 193 Running
33. 36. Car 52 Joey Gase Donate Life Arizona Chevrolet 191 Running
34. 37. Car 70 Derrike Cope E-Hydrate/Ashurst Honey Chevrolet 191 Running
35. 32. Car 90 Mario Gosselin BuckedUp Apparel/CrashClaimsR.Us Chevrolet 190 Running
36. 33. Car 13 DJ Kennington Northern Provincial Pipelines Dodge 190 Running
37. 40. Car 15 Todd Peck Ford 188 Running
38. 39. Car 74 Mike Harmon Dodge 182 Running
39. 30. Car 89 Morgan Shepherd Chevrolet 11 Overheating
40. 29. Car 10 Jeff Green Tri-Star Motorsports Toyota 5 Vibration

Race Comments: Prior to the start of the race, the following cars dropped to the rear of the field: Nos. 28 and 78 (unapproved adjustment); No. 15 (backup car and driver change). Failed to Qualify: (2) 40 Josh Reaume, 99 Todd Peck. Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 45 Mins, 11 Secs. Average Speed: 114.087 MPH. Margin of Victory: 2.285 Seconds. Caution Flags: 3 for 16 laps. Lead Changes: 5 among 4 drivers.

Coors Light Pole Award: Erik Jones, #20 136.789 mph. Mahle Clevite Engine Builder of the Race: Joe Gibbs Racing Engines – Mark Cronquist, #18. Mobil 1 Driver of the Race: Kyle Busch, #18. Sunoco Rookie of the Race: Erik Jones, #20.
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series

Next Race: Mar. 19, 2016 – Auto Club Speedway

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