This is my NASCAR Heat 5 Xfinity setup for Phoenix Raceway. Every value below is read from the garage screen, so you can copy it line by line.
The target with this setup is a lap in the mid 26s. Phoenix is flat and short, so the lap is won on the brakes and on the exits, not on the straights.
The setup at a glance
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Left front camber | +3.2 deg |
| Right front camber | -2.5 deg |
| Front swaybar | 1.435 in |
| Wheel lock | 12 deg |
| Wedge | 49.5% |
| Rear end ratio | 4.00 |
| Grille tape | 55% |
| Brake bias | 85% |
Those eight numbers do most of the work. The full sheet is below.
Full setup sheet
Tyres
| Tyre | Pressure |
|---|---|
| Left front | 14.75 psi |
| Right front | 34.00 psi |
| Left rear | 14.00 psi |
| Right rear | 34.00 psi |
Springs
| Spring | Rate |
|---|---|
| Front left | 1,200 lbs/in |
| Front right | 1,200 lbs/in |
| Rear left | 450 lbs/in |
| Rear right | 600 lbs/in |
Shocks
| Shock | Bump | Rebound |
|---|---|---|
| Front left | 6 clicks | 3 clicks |
| Front right | 3 clicks | 3 clicks |
| Rear left | 4 clicks | 8 clicks |
| Rear right | 8 clicks | 5 clicks |
Weight and ride height
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Left weight | 54.2% |
| Front weight | 50.3% |
| Wedge | 49.5% |
| Front ride height | 4.000 in |
| Rear ride height | 4.000 in |
Misc
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Left front camber | +3.2 deg |
| Right front camber | -2.5 deg |
| Front swaybar | 1.435 in |
| Rear swaybar | None |
| Left track bar | 9.75 in |
| Right track bar | 10.00 in |
| Brake bias | 85% |
| Grille tape | 55% |
| Wheel lock | 12 deg |
| Steering offset | 0.125 |
Gears
| Gear | Ratio |
|---|---|
| 1st | 2.70 |
| 2nd | 1.80 |
| 3rd | 1.35 |
| Rear end ratio | 4.00 |
4th gear is covered on my screenshot and I will not guess it. Leave it at the value the game gives you.
An older version of this page said "around 1.400" for the front swaybar. The screen says 1.435, and the screen wins.
Why the camber is set this way
You only turn left, so the load goes onto the right side tyres.
The right front runs -2.5. That is less than on the fast ovals, because Phoenix has little banking and the corners are slow. The tyre does not need as much lean to stay flat.
The left front runs +3.2. Positive camber on the inside wheel helps the first part of the turn-in, which is where this track is hardest.
Why the swaybar is soft and the lock is high
A front swaybar of 1.435 is on the soft side. A softer bar lets the front roll and bite on entry, and it keeps the rear quiet while the car turns. At a slow, flat track that is what you want.
Too much oversteer here is the worst thing you can have. If the rear moves every lap, you lose confidence and you start lifting early. Phoenix punishes that more than any setup change can give back.
12 degrees of wheel lock is a lot more than the 6 to 8 I use on the big ovals. The corners are tighter, and the dogleg asks for a real steering input. With low lock you run out of front wheel before you run out of grip.
Why the rear end ratio is 4.00
Phoenix is a short track with low average speed, so you need acceleration off the corners more than top speed. A 4.00 rear end gives you that with the 2.70, 1.80 and 1.35 gears.
I would not go shorter. With a short rear end and four gears, the engine works harder for every lap, and on a long run that costs more than it gives.
The track
Phoenix Raceway is a 1 mile oval in Avondale, Arizona, by NASCAR's measurement. It is not a plain oval. It has a dogleg, a kink in the frontstretch between turn 4 and turn 1, first built for the road course that used parts of the oval.
The numbers that matter for the setup, from the track's Wikipedia page:
| Part of the track | Banking |
|---|---|
| Turns 1 and 2 | 9 degrees |
| Turns 3 and 4 | 11 degrees |
| Frontstretch | 9 degrees |
| Backstretch | 3 degrees |
So the two ends are not the same. Turns 1 and 2 are flatter than 3 and 4. I set the car up for turns 1 and 2, because that is where it slides most, and live with a little more grip than I need in 3 and 4.
The real track is still on the calendar in 2026. It hosted the championship races of the Cup and Xfinity series from 2020 to 2025. For scale, the Xfinity race lap record on Wikipedia is 27.234 seconds, set by Justin Allgaier in 2018. A mid 26 in the game is a fast lap.
How I drive it
- Brake in a straight line into turn 1 and turn 3, then release the brake as you turn in. Do not carry brake deep into the corner with 85% on the front.
- Turn 1 is the corner to get right. It is the flattest part of the track, and a slow exit from turn 2 costs you the whole backstretch.
- Take the dogleg on the throttle in a smooth line. Do not attack the apron.
- On a restart, the inside of the dogleg is the short way to turn 1, but the car still has to stop. Do not go in deeper than you can brake.
How to tune it for your driving
Change one thing at a time and run five laps before you judge it. The directions below are standard stock car logic, so check each one on track.
| Problem | First change |
|---|---|
| Rear steps out on corner exit | Raise the wedge a little |
| Car will not turn in the middle of the corner | Lower the wedge a little, or soften the front swaybar one step |
| Rear locks or the car snaps on the brakes | Move the brake bias forward a step |
| Car will not stop and pushes on entry | Move the brake bias back a step |
| Car feels slow off the corner | Raise the rear end ratio a little |
With the servers closed since 1 August 2025, this setup is for career mode, quick races and split-screen. Set the AI first with my NASCAR Heat 5 AI settings, then judge the setup against them.
More NASCAR Heat 5 setups
- Every Xfinity track is in my NASCAR Heat 5 Xfinity setups hub.
- Other short tracks in the Xfinity car: Martinsville, New Hampshire and Iowa.
- For the Cup car, start with my NASCAR Heat 5 Cup setups database.
- Wheel not right yet? Start with my NASCAR Heat 5 FFB settings.
FAQ
What is the best camber for Phoenix in NASCAR Heat 5?
I run +3.2 degrees on the left front and -2.5 degrees on the right front in the Xfinity car.
What lap time should I expect with this setup?
The target is the mid 26s. If you are slower, look at your exit from turn 1 and turn 2 first.
What wheel lock should I use at Phoenix?
12 degrees. The corners are tight and the dogleg needs a real steering input, so the low lock I use on the big ovals does not work here.
What rear end ratio works at Phoenix?
4.00, with gears of 2.70, 1.80 and 1.35 for 1st to 3rd.
Why is the brake bias so high?
Phoenix is a track where you brake hard into turns 1 and 3. 85% on the front keeps the rear stable under braking. If the front locks, move it back a step.