Ruoff Mortgage 500

The Ruoff Mortgage 500 is a NASCAR Cup Series stock car race held annually at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona. The 312-lap race is one of four NASCAR Cup races measured in kilometers rather than miles or laps (joining the fall Phoenix race and both road course races). The 500 kilometer (310 mi) race currently starts at 3:30 p.m. local time and ends just as night falls.

History
In 2005, as part of the NASCAR racing realignment, Phoenix was given a second date for a new race sponsored by the Restoration Company. As this company was already sponsoring another race, the Subway 500 (currently called Xfinity 500 at Martinsville), the name given to this race was Subway Fresh 500 to avoid confusion. In 2007, the company added the word "Fit" to the sponsorship in order to promote one of its dishes the "Fresh Fit".

From 2014, the company Subway ceasing its sponsorship, the event is respectively renamed according to the new sponsors, The Profit on CNBC 500 in 2014, CampingWorld.com 500 in 2015, Good Sam 500 in 2016, Camping World 500 in 2017, TicketGuardian in 2018, FanShield in 2020 and Instacart in 2021.

With an adaptation of the start times introduced in 2010 (the possible times, 1:00 pm, 3:00 pm, and 7:30 pm local time, are brought forward by 45 minutes), the officials of the circuit fear that the new departure time do not place the majority of the race during the day rather than during the night as it was until then. . At this time of year in Phoenix, sunset is approximately 7:00 pm MST local. For this reason, the race is lengthened and has 600 km so that most of the race always takes place at night as planned.

However, in 2011, the race is moved and takes place on the second week of the calendar, in February. The organizers therefore decide that the race will again include 312 laps (500 km) as initially planned. This will take place for the first time on Sunday entirely during the day.

As of the 2015 season, the Phoenix race moved from the second week of the calendar to the fourth, the one occupied by the Food City Dirt Race, which was. The second week was taken up by the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 race which was previously held in the eighth week.

Past winners

 * 2013, 2016–17 and 2020: Races extended due to NASCAR overtime.

Notable moments

 * 2007: Jeff Gordon wins for the first time at Phoenix from the pole (the first winner from the pole at Phoenix), scoring his 76th Cup Series win (tying Dale Earnhardt). After the race, Gordon celebrated with a black flag with the #3 of Earnhardt emblazoned on it.
 * 2011: Jeff Gordon snaps a 66-race winless streak (longest of his career) and ties Cale Yarborough with his 83rd career win.
 * 2013: Carl Edwards wins in a Subway-sponsored car in the Subway-sponsored race and snaps a 70-race winless streak.
 * 2020 Chase Elliott becomes the second-youngest NASCAR Cup Series Champion at 24 years, and 11 months.