NASCAR News: Ryan Blaney out duels Bell to win in Phoenix

Team Penske #12 Ford driver Ryan Blaney (pictured) continued his Phoenix Raceway dominance with his second straight NASCAR Cup win in the Arizona desert. His win ended Tyler Reddick’s NASCAR Cup streak at three.

Christopher brought his #20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota home in second place, 0.399s behind Blaney.

Kyle Larson was third in the #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy, 2.175s behind Blaney.

The top-5 was rounded out by the Joe Gibbs Toyotas of Ty Gibbs and Denny Hamlin.

RYAN BLANEY GOES BACK-TO-BACK IN PHOENIX! pic.twitter.com/wjGj1PQ6W2

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) March 8, 2026

Bell entered the final stage as the driver to beat, fending off challenges from Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney on multiple restarts. The No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota continued to control the pace through a caution-filled stretch of the race, building a lead of more than two seconds with just over 30 laps remaining.

The complexion of the race changed with a series of late cautions. Contact between AJ Allmendinger and Logano on Lap 254 triggered a multi-car crash that collected Austin Dillon, Daniel Suárez, Chase Elliott, Josh Berry and Shane van Gisbergen, bunching the field for another restart. Bell maintained the lead when the race went green again, but another caution followed when Dillon’s right-rear tire went down in Turn 2 on Lap 287.

The late yellow set up a dramatic sprint to the finish. Ty Gibbs surged to the lead from the outside lane on the restart with 18 laps remaining, but a crash on the backstretch moments later involving John Hunter Nemechek, Ty Dillon, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Zane Smith forced another caution.

On the ensuing restart with 11 laps to go, Gibbs again cleared the field to lead, but Blaney quickly moved into position behind him. The Team Penske driver stalked the No. 54 Toyota before making his move with nine laps remaining, diving underneath Gibbs entering Turn 1 and completing the pass on the backstretch.

Blaney gradually pulled away over the closing laps while Bell reclaimed second place and trimmed the margin, but the No. 20 Toyota ran out of time as the No. 12 Ford secured the victory. Bell finished second, 0.399 seconds behind, while Kyle Larson completed the podium in third.

A strong Phoenix Raceway outing for Joey Logano was cut short with 58 laps to go as the polesitter was spun after contact with AJ Allmendinger before entering Turn 1 in Sunday’s Straight Talk Wireless 500.

The No. 22 Team Penske Ford driver spun up the track into Turn 1 and collected Wood Brothers Racing’s Josh Berry, Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suárez and Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott.

Logano led 73 laps on the day after earning the Busch Light Pole Award Saturday afternoon. However, the final stage was full of attrition for the three-time Cup Series titleholder as he and Ross Chastain sparked a multicar pileup earlier in the final stage at the 1-mile Arizona oval.

Suárez, Logano and Berry all took their vehicles to the garage, ending their respective days. Elliott remained on track.

First win as a dad for Young Ryan @Blaney. 🥹 pic.twitter.com/UXhjeLHbST

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) March 8, 2026

Ryan Blaney

Ryan Blaney, nothing about today was easy for you, back to the front multiple times. 49 passes. The restarts were not your friend. How did you overcome all that to end up right here?

RYAN BLANEY: No, I mean, just perseverance. I mean, everybody on the 12 group persevered all day. We had a couple mistakes that we learned from, got better, had to come from the back a couple times.

Obviously the 20 was the best car. Jonathan made a great call to take two. We were able to get the lead. Hold them off.

I don’t know how many more laps I could have held them off. We were able to do that. Really proud of everybody at Team Penske. We swept the weekend, Newgarden winning yesterday, us winning today. Can’t wait to see Roger. Appreciate Dent Wizard, Ford, Ford Racing for what they do, Menards, Wabash, Discount Tire, BODYARMOR, Advance Auto Parts, DEX Imaging. Everything that these people put into our program is cool. It’s cool to win, especially after a day like that. Can’t say enough about the 12 guys for keeping their head down and doing what they do and Jonathan again for making a good call at the end.

I heard throughout the Penske organization, there was a lot of pressure to get the sweep. Roger wanted that sweep so bad. On top of all that, your first win as a dad. What does this moment mean?

RYAN BLANEY: Yeah, I mean, it’s awesome. Unbelievable. Honestly when I crossed the start/finish line, I thought of Charley and Gianna. I wish they were here. They’re watching.

It’s different. Obviously winning feels great, but going home to my family, my wife, my son, it’s even better. That’s just cherry on top. Looking forward to getting home. Thank you, everybody who came out this weekend. Awesome weekend, guys. Hope to do it again soon. Thank you.

Straight Talk Wireless NASCAR Cup Race Results