A championship race is normally something to look forward to all season. The NASCAR season starts with its biggest spectacle, the Daytona 500, but from there the hunt is on for the championship trophy.
This season, though, there’s been so much to focus on along the way. It’s had both the closest finish in NASCAR history and the third-closest in the same year. It’s had points-racing in the rain. It’s had the first race at Iowa. It’s had fuel mileage and tire wear. It’s a lot for the championship finale to live up to.
Four drivers will be hoping that their championship celebration adds to that list of iconic moments when all is said and done for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway at 3 pm ET on NBC, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Phoenix is certainly a track that can put on a show, with a dogleg frontstretch that allows drivers to fan out, especially on restarts.
“It’s hard and so much can happen that is out of your control,” Josh Berry described the restarts. “The biggest thing for me is to study those restarts and see which moves are good and which aren’t. Not every restart is going to be perfect, especially if you’re in the pack, but it’s just important to have the right mentality about making those moves and also keeping your car clean, especially early in the race.”
Of note, don’t expect the racing to look much different than other short tracks so far this season. Teams will be running the same tire they ran at Iowa and New Hampshire, which was also the prime tire at Richmond; that keeps things more predictable for the championship. Teams will also get a 50-minute practice on Friday before qualifying on Saturday (airing on USA Network, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Ryan Blaney
Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney is the defending series champion. Last season, he finished second in this race at Phoenix, but the championship goes to the highest-finishing championship contender and so Blaney earned it. It was the first time in the ten-year history of this winner-take-all Playoff format that the champion earned the trophy despite not winning the final race.
Blaney not only comes off the momentum of a championship last year, but he comes off the momentum of a win last week at Martinsville. Blaney demonstrated just how badly he wanted a chance to defend his championship with some aggressive moves on Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson, but he also proved that he’s not the type of racer to just spin another for the win. Blaney has a temper, but he knows how to control it and put on a methodical drive through the field.
Blaney was the highest-finishing driver last time the Cup Series visited Phoenix Raceway, earlier this season in the spring. As a Penske organization, expect the No. 12 team to be fast at this racetrack – the team has won every championship with the new Next Gen car in the two years since it was introduced.
Joey Logano
Joey Logano has a chance to join truly elite company. He’s already a two-time champion of the sport, but getting a third would make him the only full-time driver with so many.
Logano and his whole No. 22 team embrace racing with their backs to the wall, and always seem to run much better in the Playoffs as a result. Logano might not have performed well in the regular season, only winning once and picking up just four top-five finishes, but he’s turned things around in the Playoffs by adding two more wins to his total.
That team is not afraid to get aggressive and win, whatever it takes to do so. But, while he has made plenty of competitors upset with how he races them, he’s not the sort of driver to just run through everyone all race. Instead, he’s a master of the long game and strategically picks his moments to push hard without burning out. It’s that unique skillset that has made him a master of the superspeedways, and has helped him when the pressure’s highest in the championship race.
Phoenix demands a balance of aggression and control, and Logano’s built a career on walking that fine line. And, don’t forget, he’s part of the only team that has figured out how to win a championship in the Next Gen era. Team Penske has two of the four championship contenders and has a strong shot to extend that record.
Tyler Reddick
Since he’s entered the NASCAR scene, Tyler Reddick has been known for two things: raw speed and tenacity. He won his first NASCAR-sanctioned race in the K&N Pro Series East after getting together with the championship leader. In the Xfinity Series, he picked up two championships himself, running the high line inches from the wall at Homestead-Miami Speedway, which used to host the finale.
Reddick is unfiltered and unafraid, making him the perfect driver to race for Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin at 23XI Racing – a team that’s also a bit of a maverick and which is currently locked into litigation with NASCAR.
Reddick won the regular season championship after showing up to just about racetrack with race winning speed. Though he’s struggled during the Playoffs, he was able to lock himself into the championship round thanks to a mighty run through the final corner at Homestead-Miami and he comes into the final round with three wins and twelve top-five finishes so far this season. He’ll be hoping to add to both those totals at Phoenix too.
Phoenix Raceway is a track that demands precision to match with aggression. While that might require Reddick to modify the approach that earned him a win at Talladega earlier this season for instance, he certainly can do it. Winning the Xfinity Series championship two years in a row at Homestead certainly proves that.
William Byron
William Byron enters the championship race with the joint-best record of any of the championship contenders over the regular season, with three wins and twelve top-fives (tied with Reddick). However, he’s excelled in the Playoffs, picking up more top fives late in the season than Reddick.
He’s becoming familiar with the championship four, after making it for the first time in his dominant season last year. However, he ended up a disappointing third as he was unable to reign in Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson ahead of him that time. He’s hoping to do two better this year and end up the Playoff driver in front during the closing laps.
He’s still the youngest of the championship contenders, and he races like it. He has raw speed and has pulled off impressive qualifying performances when he’s been able to show it earlier this season. Byron has proved before that he has the composure and maturity to excel in big moments, too – particularly by winning the Daytona 500 this year. Now he’ll need to show it in the next biggest moment.
Phoenix Raceway is Byron’s chance to graduate from young driver to bona fide champion of the sport. It would be particularly special to get that result while driving the No. 24 that Jeff Gordon drove to four championships himself.
A few goodbyes
It’s not just the championship contenders to watch, though. In NASCAR, every team can compete in every race, and that includes the Playoffs. There are 40 entries (watch for Derek Kraus in the No. 16, JJ Yeley in the No. 44, Jeb Burton in the No. 50, Chad Finchum in the No. 66, and Jimmie Johnson in the No. 84).
Look out for the No. 19, which will piloted by Martin Truex Jr for the last time in his final full-time season. Truex is definitely the strong-silent type, so don’t necessarily expect an outpouring of emotion. But Truex has most certainly left an indelible mark on the sport and he will missed throughout the garage area.
Truex had a whirlwind career, moving through multiple teams before finally finding a home at Furniture Row where he won a championship and then at Joe Gibbs Racing for even more success to close out his career. Truex isn’t the type to give a long sentimental answer, but he acknowledged that achieving the success he always knew he was capable of meant a lot.
“I always dreamed I could. Always thought I could,” Truex said. “But you know, in this sport and in life in general, that’s all just talk. So, it’s been fun to get it done a few times and be able to accomplish what we have during my career.”
Also, watch for a farewell tour for Stewart-Haas Racing. Since the team was founded when racer Tony Stewart joined forces with Gene Haas’ team in 2009, it’s secured two championships and 70 wins in the Cup Series. The team can’t get another championship in its final race, but any of the four SHR drivers (Josh Berry, Noah Gragson, Chase Briscoe, and Ryan Blaney) could add to the win column in what would surely be a bittersweet win.
Chase Briscoe, who drives the No. 14 made famous by his boss and childhood hero Tony Stewart, has been wracked with emotions since the news broke.
“May feels like it was just the other day, honestly, when we found out the news. So it’s crazy that we’re at the very end, right? To know that it’s all coming to an end is definitely bittersweet,” Briscoe said.
“It’s going to be a tough weekend at Phoenix for a lot of different people and for a lot of different reasons. Hopefully, we can go out on top. That would be the coolest thing, if you could win the final race. And for me, just this whole season’s been really cool, just to obviously get a win in the final season for SHR and to get the 14 car at least where it’s competitive in its final season. That was something that was really important to me. I can’t believe it’s coming to an end. It’s definitely a sad ending to it all, and it’s definitely going to be a tough weekend,” he concluded.
Finally, two championships have already wrapped up even before the race at Phoenix. Carson Hocevar has won the rookie of the year title (assuming he finishes the season ‘in good standing’) and Chevrolet has won the manufacturer championship for a series-leading 43rd time.
Game on in the Xfinity Series
It’s game on in the Xfinity Series, where a champion will be crowned in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race at 7:30 p.m. ET on The CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. It’s Austin Hill, A.J. Allmendinger, Justin Allgaier, and Cole Custer who are the four drivers with a shot at the title.
If there’s one theme between that group of drivers, it’s experience. 30-year-old Austin Hill has spent years in the Xfinity and Truck Series, 42-year-old AJ Allmendinger competes in both Xfinity and the Cup Series, 38-year-old Justin Allgaier is the elder statesman of the series with 14 full-time seasons under his belt, and 26-year-old Cole Custer has also raced in the Cup Series and will be returning there next year.
This year’s Xfinity Series had a stacked field, with more talent and more funding throughout than many previous years. But the cream rises to the top, and the series’ powerhouse teams (Richard Childress Racing, Kaulig Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing, and JR Motorsports) are all represented, respectively.
Austin Hill has proven master of the superspeedways this year, winning the season-opener at Daytona and sweeping the races at home track Atlanta Motor Speedway. But he proved his versatility with a recent win at mile-and-a-half Homestead-Miami Speedway in the Playoffs. It’s his first time in the Championship 4.
AJ Allmendinger is making his second appearance in the Championship 4 after scoring his first win of the season at Las Vegas in the previous round of the Playoffs to lock his way in. He’s looking to lead Kaulig Racing to its first Xfinity Series championship in the organization’s history.
Justin Allgaier is looking for his first championship despite making the Playoffs every year the Xfinity Series has offered it (nine). He’s also made it to the Championship 4 seven of those times, meaning he’s certainly familiar with his surroundings. Allgaier just needs that one next step.
Cole Custer is the defending series champion and is looking for one more. He’s also finished runner-up twice in the Xfinity Series championship. Custer is driving for Stewart-Haas Racing for its very last race in the Xfinity Series before the team folds ahead of next year. A final championship would be bittersweet.
“There’s always a boost of confidence coming into Phoenix as a champion, but I’m also the reigning champion who’s trying to go back-to-back with the same team. That hasn’t been done in years and it’s one for the history books if I can make it happen,” Custer explained.
“It still feels like a dream even though I’ve been the champion all year. With all that said, it’s still a new season and we’ve got three other competitors vying for this title. Anything can happen, and you have to make sure you’re prepared for whatever comes your way. We just have to finish the best of the four drivers.
“We’re always working to be better, no matter what. That’s been our goal the past two years. I’m confident in my team, though. I think we’ve got a good shot this weekend to be the champions once again. It would make this bittersweet weekend end on the highest note possible.”
Xfinity Series drivers will get a practice session on Friday at 5 pm ET. They will get to qualify on Saturday at 4 pm ET ahead of the race. Both sessions will air on USA Network and the NBC Sports App.
Time to settle a battle of Truck Series titans
Fridays NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway at 8 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will settle a battle between titans of the series. Grant Enfinger, Christian Eckes, Ty Majeski, and Corey Heim have a shot at the title, but it’s been a battle between Heim and Eckes all season.
Majeski and Enfinger both have two wins, while Eckes has four and Heim has a huge six. Eckes managed to win the regular season championship out from Heim despite a lower win total because Eckes was more consistency, but the championship is determined in one race which could play to Heim’s strengths.
Don’t sleep on Enfinger or Majeski, though. This format means that each of the four drivers has an equal shot to win the championship, and all they have to do is finish ahead of the others. Enfinger has gotten hot at the right time, late in the season, earning his new team CR7 Racing their first two wins in a row in the first two races of the previous Playoff round. Majeski and crewchief Joe Shear have been steadily in contention every week and were able to get into the Championship 4 on points.
Anything can happen in the Truck Series finale, as the series proved last year.
Truck Series drivers will get a practice session on Thursday at 8 pm ET. They will get to qualify on Friday at 4 pm ET ahead of the race. Both sessions will air on USA Network and the NBC Sports App.
- Tyler Reddick Just Wasn’t Fast Enough at Phoenix - November 10, 2024
- William Byron Just Needed ‘A Little Bit More’ for a First Championship - November 10, 2024
- Can this NASCAR season get any crazier in the final race at Phoenix? - November 7, 2024