NASCAR News: Championship Weekend at Phoenix Preview

As the sun sets over the Arizona desert this weekend, Phoenix Raceway transforms into the ultimate battleground for NASCAR’s 2025 season finales. For the sixth consecutive year, the 1-mile asphalt oval—nestled in the foothills of the Estrella Mountains—will host the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race on Sunday, November 2, deciding the series crown among four elite contenders.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

But Phoenix isn’t just about the Cup stars; it’s a full slate of high-stakes action, with the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series also crowning their champions on Saturday and Friday, respectively. With $15.7 million in combined purses across the three events, this weekend promises drama, speed, and history under the lights and in the midday heat.

Phoenix Raceway, opened in 1964 and modernized with a $178 million overhaul in 2018, has become synonymous with NASCAR’s playoffs. The track’s dog-leg curve and progressive banking (9-11 degrees) reward precision and strategy, especially in the Next Gen era. Fun fact: NASCAR Hall of Famer Alan Kulwicki claimed the first Cup win here in 1988, debuting his iconic “Polish Victory Lap.” Since 2020, Phoenix has decided the Cup title five times, with winners taking the championship in three of those seasons.

Race Weekend Schedule: Where to Watch

Pack your sunscreen and tune in—here’s the broadcast lineup:

All races feature staged formats: Trucks (Stages: 45/45/60 laps, 150 miles total); Xfinity (45/45/110 laps, 200 miles); Cup (60/125/127 laps, 312 miles).

NASCAR Cup Series: Hendrick vs. Gibbs in a Star-Studded Showdown

The 59th Cup race at Phoenix pits the Championship 4—Chase Briscoe (No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford), Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota), William Byron (No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet), and Kyle Larson (No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)—in a battle where the highest finisher claims the title. It’s the second time two teams (Hendrick and JGR) have multiple cars in the final four, echoing 2021 when Larson triumphed for Hendrick.

Key storylines:
– **Larson, the Lone Prior Champ**: The 2021 winner is the only former champion here but the only one without a playoff win this year—mirroring Kyle Busch’s 2015 and 2019 title runs.
– **Hamlin’s Elder Statesman Bid**: At 44, a win would make him the oldest champ since Bobby Allison in 1983. He boasts the best Phoenix average finish (10.600) and two prior wins (2012, 2019).
– **Byron’s Track Mastery**: Leads Next Gen laps in the top-5 (1,618) and top-10 (1,975) at Phoenix; his March finish was 6th.
– **Briscoe’s Cinderella Run**: First-time finalist with a shock March DNF (35th), but he’s the only one with a spring win here (2022).

Season stats highlight the firepower: All four have 3+ wins (Hamlin leads with 6), combining for 15 of 35 race victories. Phoenix history favors them—each has a win here—but non-playoff drivers have upset playoffs five times since 2004. Expect overtime drama: 10 of 58 Cup races here have gone extra laps.

Who’s Favored to Win at Phoenix?

Denny Hamlin enters as the slight favorite, thanks to his strong Phoenix history (series-best average finish of 10.6) and six wins this season. Hendrick Motorsports’ duo of William Byron and Kyle Larson are close behind, with Chase Briscoe as the underdog after a chaotic March run here (35th).

Source: Caesars Sportsbook opening lines; slight variations on FanDuel (e.g., Larson at +500). Non-contenders like Ryan Blaney sit at +650.

NASCAR Xfinity Series: JR Motorsports Dominance and Rookie Fireworks

The 48th Xfinity race at Phoenix—every year since 1999—crowns the champ via highest finisher among Connor Zilisch (No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet), Justin Allgaier (No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet), Jesse Love (No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet), and Carson Kvapil (No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet). JR Motorsports fields three cars, a series first for the finale, while RCR adds one.

Highlights:
– **Zilisch’s Record-Breaking Rookie Year**: 10 wins (rookie record), 19 top-5s, and 986 laps led; highest-finishing Championship 4 driver in 17 races. His Roval playoff win is the group’s only one.
– **Allgaier’s Veteran Edge**: 14 stage wins and a March 5th at Phoenix; his 28 career victories tie him for 9th all-time.
– **Youth Movement**: At 25 years old, this is the second-youngest Championship 4 ever. Kvapil (5 when Allgaier debuted) and Love (3) are rookies eyeing history as the fourth rookie champ.
– **Last-Lap Thrillers**: The past two Phoenix races ended with final-lap passes; non-playoff drivers won seven of the last 13 playoff races.

Chevrolet has dominated (74% laps led), and JR Motorsports set a record with 17 wins via six drivers. Note: Sam Mayer’s suspension means Ryan Sieg drives the No. 41, marking his 400th start.

Who’s Favored to Win at Phoenix?

Rookie sensation Connor Zilisch is the heavy favorite after a record 10 wins and dominance in 17 of 32 races. Veteran Justin Allgaier (+300) is the value play as the defending champ with a 5th-place March finish here. Jesse Love and Carson Kvapil trail as longer shots in this youth-heavy field.

Source: FanDuel Sportsbook; futures had Allgaier slightly ahead pre-playoffs, but Zilisch’s form shifted the lines.

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Four Warriors for the Title

Kicking off the weekend, the Truck Series Championship Race features Corey Heim (No. 11 Tricon Garage Toyota), Kaden Honeycutt (No. 45 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet), Ty Majeski (No. 98 ThorSport Racing Ford), and Tyler Ankrum (No. 18 Lieber Motorcoach Hattori Racing Enterprises Toyota) vying for glory over 150 laps. Advancing from last week’s elimination at Bristol, these drivers represent a mix of veterans and rising stars in a series known for door-to-door intensity.

While specific storylines are heating up, Heim enters as the points leader with multiple wins this season, Majeski chasing a repeat bid after his 2024 title tease, and Honeycutt and Ankrum hungry for their first championship hardware. Phoenix’s flat oval suits truck handling, and with no prior Truck finales here, anything goes—expect aggressive restarts and fuel-mileage gambles.

This Phoenix tripleheader isn’t just races—it’s legacies forged in the desert dust. Will Hendrick repeat its 2021 dominance? Can Zilisch shatter more records? And who hoists the Truck trophy first? Tune in starting Friday; the champions await.

Who’s Favored to Win at Phoenix?

Corey Heim is the overwhelming favorite at -200 after shattering the single-season win record with 11 victories and a 5.2 average finish. Defending champ Ty Majeski (+400) has Phoenix experience (2024 win), while Kaden Honeycutt and Tyler Ankrum are live underdogs in this unpredictable series.

Source: BetOnline Sportsbook; earlier futures listed Heim at +225 overall, but race-specific lines tightened post-Martinsville.