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Everything To Know about the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race
With a quartet of worthy contenders, NASCAR’s top flight is preparing for a scorching postseason finale in the desert
In what’s become an all-too familiar phenomenon, Martinsville’s penultimate postseason race in the NASCAR Cup Series met the already electric energy level head-on, between Ryan Blaney’s repeat win, Christopher Bell’s disqualifying wall ride, and multiple penalties for alleged race manipulation, it cranked the lever to the red line… and then some. Before we get to the ensuing Championship 4 bout in Phoenix – and it is shaping up to be an all-out slugfest from truly the best on NASCAR’s most elite circuit – here’s a quick look at how Martinsville’s dramatic conclusion got us here. Strap in; it’s going to be a bumpy ride.
First, after Ryan Blaney scooted inside to pass race leader Chase Elliott, who had previously passed his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson, Team Penske’s wheelman surged through the remaining 15 laps to capture a repeat victory on the half-mile track and punch his ticket to the Championship 4 race in Phoenix – just like he did last year. That said, as impressive a walk-off performance as that was, Blaney’s gutsy driving was overshadowed by what was happening behind him.
As Blaney was inching closer to a thrilling repeat win, all eyes were on Christopher Bell and William Byron, who were vying for the final Championship 4 spot. As Byron fell to sixth, Austin Dillon and Ross Chastain saddled up two-wide behind him in what their teams’ radio chatter suggested to be a coordinated effort to block competitors from passing Byron who, like them, drives under the Chevrolet umbrella. Similarly, with only one point separating Byron from Bell, who was sitting in 18th at the time, Bell passed Bubba Wallace – whose radio communications suggested his 23XI Racing helping fellow Toyota driver Bell from Joe Gibbs Racing – on the final lap to seemingly punch his ticket to the finale in Arizona, but he used the wall. Despite taking nearly 25 minutes to deliberate the obvious, the league declared that Bell’s wall ride on Turn 3, like Chastain’s “Hail Melon” from two years ago, violated NASCAR’s safety guidelines. The costly penalty dropped Bell four spots down to 22nd, giving Byron the green light to advance to the Championship 4 alongside Blaney, Tyler Reddick and Joey Logano.
RELATED: Where to Watch the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs
As for the alleged infractions, NASCAR sent a stark message by dishing out heavy punitive measures Tuesday night. The league’s investigation uncovered violations in sections 4.4.B&D: NASCAR Member Conduct of the Rule Book, which include race manipulation and actions detrimental to stock car racing. In addition to a $100,000 fine, Wallace (23XI Racing), Chastain (Trackhouse Racing) and Dillon (Richard Childress Racing) were each docked 50 driver points while their team owners each received a $100,000 fine and a 50-point deduction in owner points. Crew chiefs, spotters and team executives from each outfit have all been suspended for this weekend’s season finale as well.
While the wild and turbulent ride of the 2024 Cup season hasn’t been the prettiest at times, no matter what, all roads have led to this. Still, it’s not over yet, so here’s a look at everything you need to know about the upcoming Championship 4 race in Phoenix, Arizona.
Where is the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race being held?
Located in Avondale, Arizona, the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Championship will take place at Phoenix Raceway, which held its first race in 1964 with Davey MacDonald capturing the checkered flag. The first NASCAR race was held in Phoenix in 1988, with Alan Kulwicki taking home top honors. While Blaney seeks to maintain his reign and hoist the Bill France Cup for the second consecutive year, it was actually Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain who shook things up and won last year’s finale on the one-mile long oval in the desert. Though Kevin Harvick holds the NASCAR record for most wins on the track with nine, Joey Logano has a chance to earn his fourth win, which would make him the sole leader among active drivers (he and Kyle Busch currently sit at three wins apiece.)
When is the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race?
As the final race of the season, the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Championship will take place Sunday, November 10th, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. ET. Prior to the highly anticipated Cup Series finale on Sunday, Phoenix Raceway will host the Xfinity Series Championship on Saturday at 7:30 p.m ET.
Where to Watch
You can watch all the full-throttle action from the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Championship race at Phoenix Raceway live on NBC. Friday’s 6:00 p.m. ET practice session will be available to stream on the NBC Sports App while Saturday’s 5:00 p.m. ET qualifying heat will be broadcast on USA Network in addition to being available on the NBC Sports app. NBC's Countdown to Green pre-race show begins at 2:00 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Key Storylines
Following Ryan Blaney’s walk-off win at Martinsville and William Byron slotting in through the final transfer spot, here are the key storylines for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship finale at Phoenix Raceway.
Ryan Blaney
After the disappointment of watching a potential win at Homestead-Miami slip out of his grasp and into the welcoming arms of Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney got out of his head and into the cockpit of his Ford Mustang, clearly focused on reminding the world why he’s the reigning 2023 Cup Series champion. Finishing nearly 2.6 seconds ahead of Chase Elliott to notch his third victory of the season, Blaney’s hard-fought and strategically won battle in Martinsville gives him all the necessary momentum to be the first back-to-back Cup Series champion in more than a decade. As tired as he looked after this weekend, the question is whether he has enough in the tank for one last dance.
Joey Logano
While he’s the resident OG among the talented group of contenders, his journey to Phoenix was anything but normal. He was initially cut in the Round of 12, but a post-race inspection of Alex Bowman’s vehicle after the Bank of America 400 revealed it failed the league’s weight restrictions. Bowman’s DQ allowed Sliced Bread to limp into the Round of 8 where he cruised to a surprise victory in Las Vegas. His up-and-down season resulted in three wins but also the highest average finish among the four contenders at 17.57. Still, where there’s a will, there’s a way, and a two-time Cup Series champion like Logano, with three career wins in Phoenix to his name, has all the moxie he needs to add another trophy to his collection.
William Byron
Christopher Bell’s clear misfire in his Martinsville wall ride may have some thinking that William Byron lucked out on his path to Phoenix, but the driver of Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 24 Chevy Camaro is every bit deserving of a duel in the desert as anyone else. With 20 top-10 finishes to go along with his three wins on the year, he’s been nothing short of consistent, and his win at Phoenix Raceway during the 2023 United Rental Work United 500 make him a viable threat to do it again, but this time, on the sport’s biggest stage.
Tyler Reddick
After being crowned the 2024 regular season winner in NASCAR’s top flight, Tyler Reddick is out to double it up in his debut Championship 4 appearance in Phoenix. Despite heading to Arizona with the most laps led (597) out of the final four contenders, Michael Jordan’s standout driver at 23XI Racing had a bit of a challenging start to the postseason. Still, his clutch win at Homestead-Miami, rocketing past Blaney in the process, showed that he has the grit needed to hoist the Bill France Cup now and for years to come.
Playoff Standings
After Ryan Blaney’s late-race boost on Lap 486 that powered him to a repeat victory at Martinsville, here is the final breakdown of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs standings before the Championship 4 race at Phoenix Raceway.
- Ryan Blaney – Ford – Team Penske
- Joey Logano – Ford – Team Penske
- Tyler Reddick – Toyota – 23XI Racing
- William Byron – Chevrolet – Hendrick Motorsports
