William Byron doubles the lead in Phoenix

With ten laps to go, Kevin Harvick thought he could hold on to this tenth victory at Phoenix, his favorite track, but that was without counting on that devil William Byron. A final neutralization and a bad strategic choice sealed the hopes of “Happy” Harvick and offered another victory to Hendrick Motorsports.

For this Phoenix round, the Next Gen had a new aerodynamic package with reduced downforce. The main change is a two-inch reduction in the height of the rear spoiler blade, which therefore sees its dimensions halved. At the base level, the exterior walls and three diffuser fins are removed, as are the fins located in the engine compartment. All these changes were validated by the teams during tests carried out in January on this Phoenix track. The drivers generally appreciated these adjustments, which allowed them to have a more playful car.

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From the start of the race, there are ultimately only 2 numbers to remember. The 24 of William Byron which took away the first segment while the second returned to the 5 of Kyle Larson. At the end of the first two sections, the two men shared the laps led with 1/3 for Byron and 2/3 for Larson. After Hendrick's hat-trick in Las Vegas, the dominance of the Chevrolet team began to seriously shake up the paddock. If only 3 rounds have been played, it is not excessive to imagine a new historic season for Hendrick who remains more than ever the team to beat.

Byron and Larson crash the race © NASCAR

The third segment finally saw two drivers join the fight at the front with Kevin Harvick and Christopher Bell slotting in between the Camaros. Since March 43, 2013, Kevin Harvick has always placed in the Top 10 at Phoenix, an incredible statistic for the veteran who has won 9 times on this track. With 44 laps remaining in the race, Harvick took control of the race for the first time thanks to an authoritarian overtake on Larson.

A leaden pall fell on the Stewart clan-Haas when a yellow flag fell 10 laps from the finish while Harvick comfortably led the race with 5 seconds ahead of Larson! All the leading men rushed into the pits, but Harvick was the only man to change 4 tires compared to 2 for his competitors. He restarted in 7th place while Larson and Byron returned to the track in the lead for the last 3 laps.

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Allmendinger, Gibbs and Gragson hit the wall on the restart and caused a neutralization and overtime, but that could not be enough for Kevin Harvick. Byron benefited from a good push from Reddick on the restart and blocked his teammate Larson to race to victory, his second in two weeks, ahead of Ryan Blaney and Tyler Reddick.

However, a shadow hangs over this new victory for Hendrick Motorsports since parts of the team's four cars were seized by NASCAR officials for inspection. These are the engine hood ventilation slots, although they are standardized parts. A decision is expected within the week.

Ranking of the United Rentals Work United 500 in Phoenix:

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