The fourth race weekend of the year kicked off in Phoenix a week ago. While the trucks had a break, the Xfinity and Cup Series teams hit the mile oval for the first “traditional” events of the season.
Phoenix serves as not only the first regular track time of the season, but also as a practice run for the finale weekend in November. The true grind of the season has now begun for all three of NASCAR’s top series’.
Xfinity Series | Call811.com Every Dig. Every Time. 200
Ryan Sieg (#39 RSS Racing Ford): Owner-driver Sieg had an eventful but successful weekend at the Avondale track. Having damaged the splitter on his car over some raised concrete in the garage, the team and several members from other Ford backed teams scrambled to the backup car ready.
The now plain black #39 Ford seems to have been an equally strong car, as Sieg easily moved from the back of the field to finish a strong 4th. This was definitely a landmark weekend for the family-run team, who showed what they are capable of.
Parker Retzlaff (#4 Alpha Prime Racing Chevrolet): Retzlaff has had a rough start to the season with his new #4 Alpha Prime team. Scoring finishes outside the top twenty in the first two races, and having a DNQ in COTA left the team and driver with something to prove.
Phoenix was that redemption, as Retzlaff and crew chief Joe Williams showed what the team can do. Qualifying 26th, Retzlaff had a smooth race and brought the #4 Chevrolet home in 11th.
Kyle Sieg (#28 RSS Racing Ford): Not to be outrun completely by his brother, Kyle Sieg also had a strong run in Phoenix. Wheeling the teams #28 entry this season, Sieg started his Ford in 32nd, and finished the race in 18th. Considering that most of the weekends focus was on the primary #39 entry, Kyle Sieg’s top twenty run also deserves some recognition.
Cup Series | Shriner’s Children’s 500
Josh Berry (#21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford): Berry and the #21 Wood Bros. team had a true coming out party in Phoenix. Four races into this season, Berry had his strongest showing yet with his new team. Berry not only qualified 4th in his Ford, but also finished where he started in fourth.
Not only did Berry start and finish a race for the Wood Brothers in the top five for the first time since 2021, but it was also the Wood’s first ever top five in Phoenix.
Zane Smith (#38 Front Row Motorsports Ford): Having just been searching for a ride a matter of months ago, former Front Row driver Smith returned to the team for 2025. The decision to bring back Smith has paid off this season, with Phoenix resulting in a ninth place finish. This finish also comes on the back of an 11th place finish in Atlanta.
Since Smith reunited with the FRM team, they could bare watching as the season soldiers on, as team and driver on are on pace to have a career year.
Ryan Preece (#60 RFK Racing Ford): Yet another new addition to the Ford camp this season, Preece and his #60 team showed some big flashes of potential in Phoenix. Utilizing strategy and the newer softer tire option early in the event, Preece rocketed through the field in the opening stages, and led 34 laps.
While Preece did fade towards the end and would finish 15th, we got a glimpse of why the new third RFK team was built around Preece. If Phoenix is any indication of the potential, a career season could be on the horizon.
