By Mark Armijo | Senior Correspondent
RacinToday.com
AVONDALE, Ariz. – Now that the Daytona 500 That Would Not End is finally in the rear-view mirror, it’s onto Phoenix International Raceway, where seemingly more tranquil racing awaits.
Yeah, right.
Although PIR is a smaller oval with lighter speeds and minus the bumper-to-bumper, white-knuckle pack racing that defined the action a [...]

By Mark Armijo | Senior Correspondent
RacinToday.com
CHANDLER, Ariz. – Father Time has a new name. It’s John Force.
Force, 62, loudly silenced a miserable stretch of eight first-round losses by pouring his infamous Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Funny Car into Victory Lane last week in the season-opening NHRA Full Throttle Winternationals at Pomona, Calif.
Don’t put it [...]

By Mark Armijo | Senior Correspondent
RacinToday.com
That time of year again. Time to huddle in the garage and decide this season’s Driver of the Year.
But for the first time in what seems like a generation, Jimmie Johnson isn’t a candidate.
Maybe that’s good for NASCAR. Maybe not.
One thing is certain. It’s not good for Johnson, whose five-year [...]

AVONDALE, Ariz. – If NASCAR’s driving fraternity shoulders reservations about the unpredictable mess that usually accompanies the nervy Chase for the Sprint Cup stop at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, just wait until Sunday.
Thanks to recent repaving and reconfiguration at Phoenix International Raceway, drivers and crew chiefs really are in the dark entering the Kobalt Tools 500.
Even [...]

AVONDALE, Ariz. – The Goodyear Tire Co. staged a two-day tire test party Monday and Tuesday at newly-repaved and reconfigured Phoenix International Raceway and a handful of NASCAR’s top wheelmen were invited.
The attendees included Sprint Cup series co-leaders Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson, No. 4 Carl Edwards, No. 8 Kurt Busch and No. 10 Tony [...]

By Mark Armijo | Senior Correspondent
RacinToday.com
Avondale, Ariz. – One memorable Daytona 500 finish down and 35 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races to go.
Next stop, Phoenix International Raceway.
But take one final and lasting look, race fans as PIR and its unique backstretch dogleg are about to receive an extreme makeover, a $10 million repaving and reconfiguration [...]

By Mark Armijo | Senior Correspondent
RacinToday.com
Trevor Bayne, say hello to Derrike Cope.
Bayne, 20, motored to an improbable win Sunday in the Daytona 500 in only his second NACAR Sprint Cup Series start, a stunning performance that Cope likely can relate to.
Remember 1990? Remember when Dale Earnhardt suffered a cut tire in Turn 3 while in [...]

Phoenix, Ariz. – Like so much of the country left shivering from yet another cold snap thanks to Old Man Winter, Joey Logano also was greeted by Ice Station Zebra temperatures Wednesday in the desert Southwest.
“Brrrr, I thought I was going to be able to wear just a T-shirt when I got here,” said Logano, [...]

By Mark Armijo | Senior Correspondent
RacinToday.com
Phoenix, Ariz. – Knock, knock.
Who’s there?
Jimmie Johnson.
Who?
Johnson.
Swell.
Johnson emerged from the shadows of the off-season last weekend at Daytona International Speedway, looking as determined as ever when taking part in a three-day test session in preparation for the upcoming Grand-Am Rolex 24.
The Johnson sighting, which continued Wednesday in a Phoenix International [...]

Yes, we know. Jimmie Johnson continues to perform in crunch time just as smoothly as an ex-NBA superstar with the initials MJ used to do for umpteen years for the Chicago Bulls.
All of sport’s greats are like that. Somehow, some way, they always seem to know how to come through when it counts most. Remember [...]