Championship race moves to Phoenix

Dale Jarrett, Bobby Labonte and Mark Martin are battling it out for the Winston Cup honours, as the drivers move onto this weekend's round at the Phoenix International Raceway.

While the attention focusing on the front runners, Kyle Petty, who lies 29th in this year's championship, believes the final three races of the season are also important to the teams at the back of the grid.

'If nothing else, this is the time of year when you are really taking stock of what you've done and what you haven't done,' said Petty.

'If it's been a down year, these last three races are your last chance to make it a good year again.

Races in Homestead and Atlanta will follow this Sunday's shootout.

NASCAR driver John Andretti said about this Sunday's race: 'Phoenix International Speedway is definitely something to contend with, more so than a lot of people give it credit for.

'It seems people just forget, that is until the first practice of the weekend. Then everyone kind of, in unison, says, 'Oh yeah, that's right'.'