The green flag is in the air – where the engines roar, the rivalry begins, and we shift into high gear for another week of racing action.

Welcome to this week’s recap!

The change in scenery from the winding road course to the high speeds of Texas made no difference for Tyler Reddick. On a beautiful, sun-drenched March day in the Lone Star State, Reddick made NASCAR history as the first driver ever to sweep the opening three races of the season. He put on a masterclass, successfully fending off a charging SVG to snap the road course specialist’s win streak.

At a track famous for high-speed drama and technical maneuvers, we saw 14 lead changes among 9 drivers and surprisingly clean racing with only three short cautions. Here is how our teams shook out:

Reddick’s Lone Star Reign: Making History in Texas!

Andy: I really needed a HUGE bounce-back race at the home track of Lone Star Racin’. Even though Windy City Racin’ lost by a “mere” 31 points, it was much better than the 130 we lost by at Atlanta. Finishing with four drivers—Bell, Larson, Elliott, and Blaney—in the top 10 sure did help. Unfortunately, Alex Bowman had to get out of the car due to illness (later diagnosed as vertigo), so that hurt as the #48 was laps down by the finish. 🤒🩹Chris Buescher was also caught up in a late wreck that left him in 24th.

Leesl: I was riding high heading back to the home of Lone Star Racin’ and it sure felt good.🤠 🤘 Again, Reddick came out on top, which is an amazing accomplishment. We had three drivers—Reddick, SVG, and Hamlin—finish in the top 10 and all five in the top 15; it was another solid day. My team has been very consistent all year and has four drivers in the top 10 YTD, which gives me confidence every race. Andy knows it could have been much better for me if not for Ross Chastain’s team forgetting to properly secure his left rear tire, which led to a wreck and a 35th-place finish. Let’s go to Phoenix and show them again how it’s done! 🌵

Desert Heat: Who Takes the Checkered Flag in Phoenix?

Andy: We head to the desert for another different kind of track. Phoenix is a 1-mile, low-banking asphalt oval famous for its unique “dogleg” layout on the backstretch, which forces exciting, wide, and unpredictable racing. The track is a challenge because of two distinct differences:

• The Banked Turns: Turns 1 and 2 feature lower banking, while turns 3 and 4 are steeper, challenging drivers with varied cornering speeds.
• The Dogleg: The flat backstretch allows drivers to cut the corner and go five-wide on restarts!

It also has beautiful scenery with the mountains in the background, not to mention the great weather this time of year. Maybe the scenery can distract Lone Star Racin’ so I can gain ground. 🏜️ ☀️

Leesl: Lone Star Racin’ will not be affected by the track configuration, the beautiful mountain scenery, or anything else. We are focused on winning our 4th in a row and extending our lead. I don’t get too high after just three races, as one bad race can change a lot, but I do feel good about my team at this track.

Andy: I start with a backup driver as Alex Bowman is out with vertigo, so Anthony Alfredo—the Hendrick simulator specialist—is stepping into the #48. Hopefully, his experience with the Phoenix sim helps us (and no, I’m still not looking for any sympathy)! Having said that, I do have three drivers who excel here. Blaney, Bell, and Larson are consistently good at Phoenix, but I need others like Elliott and Buescher to step up to help Windy City Racin’ win the day.

Look out for Bell to dominate! He is looking for a rare ‘Desert Hat Trick’ this weekend. He has won the spring race at Phoenix two years in a row (2024 and 2025). If he pulls it off again, he’ll be the first driver since Kevin Harvick to truly own this spring date.

Leesl: Lone Star Racin’ is not offering any sympathy for your team—this is competition, remember? While you do have a few drivers who excel at Phoenix, so do I, starting with Byron, Hamlin, and Briscoe. My team can excel at any track, so this week is no different. Don’t forget Chastain and Logano also have a good history in the desert. I expect a tight race, but also another win!

Keep your eyes on Logano! He just went out and grabbed the pole position for Sunday’s race! It’s a huge weekend for Team Penske’s 60th anniversary, as they swept the poles for both the NASCAR and IndyCar races in Phoenix. Joey looks fast enough to grab his 5th career win at this track, and starting out front is a massive advantage in the desert heat.

Chase for the Cup: Our 2026 Standings!

Team	Owner	Points	Status
Lone Star Racin’	Leesl	718	Leader 📈
Windy City Racin’	Andy	531	Chasing 📉

Our Rosters:

• Leesl’s Lone Star Racin’ – These boots are meant for racing!
  • Hamlin, Logano, Reddick (Win! 🏆), Byron, Briscoe, Wallace, SVG, Chastain.
• Andy’s Windy City Racin’ – From second city to first place!
  • Elliott, Larson, Blaney, Bell, Bowman, Buescher, Keselowski, Zilisch.

The Victory Lane Verdict 🏁

Andy: Only losing by 31 points last week gives me real hope heading to the desert. They were much better at COTA than Atlanta, so maybe we can start to stack good weeks together and lower the deficit. I am betting on Larson and Blaney to run up top all day and lead the team to a win! 🎲🏆

Leesl: Gaining another 31 points on you last week at “home” pushed my lead to 187! No resting this week, but I do expect another winner from my team. I don’t see another Reddick win, but I feel this is Denny Hamlin’s week. He has a good history here and is in need of a win. 🔒🏁

Join the Crew!

Who’s in your Victory Lane? We want to hear your Phoenix picks! Will the dogleg create chaos, or will a veteran like Hamlin or Larson tame the desert? Tell us your top three in the comments below! 👇