Chastain leads Cup practice at Phoenix

AVONDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 04: Ross Chastain, driver of the #1 Worldwide Express/Advent Health Chevrolet, drives through the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on November 04, 2022 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

NASCAR Cup Series championship contender Ross Chastain was fastest in Friday’s lone practice for Sunday’s NASCAR Championship Race (3 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Chastain’s No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet turned a lap of 133.239 mph to pace the field in the 50-minute session.

Ryan Blaney’s No. 12 Team Penske Ford and Kyle Busch’s No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota were next fastest with Richard Childress Racing’s Tyler Reddick and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick rounding out the top five.

Team Penske’s Joey Logano was second fastest among the four championship eligible drivers, turning in the seventh quickest lap in his No. 22 Ford. Chase Elliott, who won the series championship at Phoenix two years ago, was 10th quickest in the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

Christopher Bell, driver of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, was 20th quickest.