FYI WIRZ: NASCAR's Top 3 Finishers Talk Sprint Cup Desert Win at Phoenix

Comparing comments by NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers before and after a race can often reveal much about strategy and reality.

The NSCS Subway Fresh Fit 500 on Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Ariz., was no wreck-fest like the Daytona 500, but PIR is a 1.0-mile track and Daytona is 2.5-mile track. Both tracks have been recently resurfaced, but PIR was only completed late last year and has had little time to age.

The 312 lap race was more about gas mileage than any effects of crashing.
Common thought indicates that it takes four or five races before the strongest teams emerge, but early results may be predictive.

The top three finishers in Sunday’s race, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick and Greg Biffle had comments before the green flag and after the checkered flag.

Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Toyota) Finished first. (Started 13th)

Before the green flag:

“During testing, I was very worried about how the race was going to be,” Hamlin said. “I think the time we got on it and the rubber that laid down -- it raced better than expected. It will still be two to three years before we see really good side-by-side racing, but they had to make changes.”

After the checkered flag:

“If you would have asked me at the beginning of the day, I would have said I’d take a top-15 finish,” Hamlin said. “Just an amazing job by this FedEx Office team. Just kept working on it. Every time we worked on it, it got better.

“Huge momentum. We’ve never been in this position this early in the season. We’ve always struggled. We’ve always taken our time – five or six races in – before we hit our stride. This is particularly not my type of race track – new pavement.

“We knew we were going to have a rebound year and I told everyone we were. You got to prove it. You got to go out and win these races. A great step in the right direction for our race team.”

Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Chevrolet) Finished second. (Started eighth)

Before the green flag:

“They did a great job prepping for the race,” Harvick said. “With the shorter tracks, the grip is greater but it’s a different environment than what you experience on the mile-and-a-half tracks.

“They spent a lot time laying the track out, taking their strength and weaknesses and thinking about the fans as to what they can see from their seats. It all played out really well and I hope to have another good race this weekend.”

After the checkered flag:

I was really nervous coming here about how we were going to run,” Harvick said. “You cut the fuel mileage that close, you’re figuring it right. So I’m proud of all my guys. When they come to a place like this where we struggled so much, and then race for a win, is hopefully what sets the tone for the year.”

Greg Biffle (No. 16 Ford) Finished third. (Started seventh)

Before the green flag:

“I am ready to get on the track in Phoenix and I think the fans are going to love our 3Mwraps.com paint scheme,” Biffle said. “After Phoenix I get to spend a little time at the sand dunes on my way to Vegas, which is always fun.”

After the checkered flag:

“It started out really loose and then we would go dead right,” Biffle said. “We got the balance much better toward the end of that race and got some track position. The guys did a great job with the 3M Ford Fusion. I wish I wouldn’t have tried to save so much gas. I probably would have caught the 29, but you just never know how much gas you’ve got.”

FYI WIRZ is the select presentation of topics by Dwight Drum at Racetake.com. Unless otherwise noted, quotes and information were obtained from official release materials provided by NASCAR and team representatives. Photo credit: Dwight Drum at Racetake.com