In the above photo, Kevin Harvick celebrates his fourth Cup win in succession at Phoenix, capturing all four checkered flags between the 2013 and 2015 seasons. He's the only driver to complete such a feat at the track.
After a chaotic race that saw Jeff Gordon intentionally take out title contender Clint Bowyer, leading to a brawl in the garage area, the November, 2012 Phoenix race was not done throwing out 'wow moments. As Kevin Harvick raced out of the final corner, he slid in Danica Patrick's oil and barely held onto his car and the race win. Several others behind him weren't as lucky, resulting in a multi-car crash that involved eventual 2012 champion Brad Keselowski.
Although he has yet to 'officially' retire, Matt Kenseth scored an emotional win last November in his penultimate race with Joe Gibbs Racing, passing Chase Elliott with less than ten laps to go. The race will also be remembered for the continuation of the Elliott/Hamlin feud with Elliott putting Hamlin in the wall late in the going, ending his championship hopes.
The first Cup win in the storied, but all to brief career of owner-driver Alan Kulwicki came in NASCAR's first race at Phoenix in 1988. It's also where he debuted his signature 'Polish victory lap.' He would go on to win the 1992 NASCAR Cup Series championship in an incredible upset before passing away in a tragic plane crash just five months later.
The closest finish in the history of the track came in 2016 when Kevin Harvick traded paint with Carl Edwards and edged him at the line by a mere 0.010.
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