The 2016 Can-Am 500 was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held on November 13, 2016, at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Arizona.

Phoenix International Raceway – also known as PIR – is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona.

The motorsport track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually.

The raceway was originally constructed with a 2.5 mi (4.0 km) road course that ran both inside and outside of the main tri-oval.

Lights were installed around the track in 2004 following the addition of a second annual NASCAR race weekend.

[11] Martin Truex Jr. went to a backup car after wrecking his primary in the closing second of the session.

[12] Alex Bowman scored the pole for the race with a time of 25.619 and a speed of 140.521 mph (226.147 km/h).

We have had such fast racecars we haven’t had an ounce of luck, but to get a pole here means a lot.”[14] Martin Truex Jr. was the fastest in the second practice session with a time of 26.573 and a speed of 135.476 mph (218.027 km/h).

[15] Kyle Busch was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 26.401 and a speed of 136.358 mph (219.447 km/h).

[16] Alex Bowman led the field to the green flag at 2:48 p.m. Kyle Larson brought out the first caution of the race on the first lap after he got loose and spun out in turn 4.

Trying to get on pit road, Ryan Newman locked up his brakes, spun out and slammed into the rear-end of Larson's car, bringing out the second caution on lap 82.

In 15 years that has never been a concern, and I was always told that the last thing NASCAR wanted to do would be to penalize the leader, and as you pull off onto the apron, you accelerate to the commitment line.

The majority of the tracks we go to, you naturally just gradually pull ahead of the pace car coming to pit lane.

Bowman demonstrated his car was the fastest in the run to the finish as he worked his way through the top-five to take second with under 20 to go.

The dynamic of the race changed when Michael McDowell suffered a tire blowout, slammed the wall in turn 3 and brought out the eighth caution with two laps remaining, forcing overtime.

[22] This put him at an awkward angle going into the turn and resulted in him inadvertently "punting" Kenseth out of the groove and into the wall, bringing out the ninth caution.

We've got to go to Homestead and do the same thing.”[30] Harvick, who failed to make the Championship 4 for the first time with a fourth-place finish, said he "just started way too far off on Friday.

Rick Allen, two–time Phoenix winner Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte had the call in the booth for the race.

Dave Burns, Mike Massaro, Marty Snider and Kelli Stavast handled pit road on the television side.