x
Breaking News
More () »

NASCAR heads to championship weekend in Arizona

Ryan Blaney's win in Martinsville put him into the Championship 4 in the Cup Series with Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell and William Byron.

PHOENIX — The fields are set for NASCAR's championship weekend in Arizona.

Ryan Blaney's win in Martinsville put him into the Championship 4 in the Cup Series with Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell and William Byron. 

Justin Allgaier's win in Martinsville also put him in the Championship 4 in the Xfinity Series with Sam Mayer, John Hunter Nemechek and Cole Custer. And Carson Hocevar will battle regular season champion Corey Heim, Grant Enfinger and Ben Rhodes for the truck series title. 

Here are the details:

NASCAR CUP SERIES

NASCAR Cup Series Championship

Site: Avondale, Arizona.

Schedule: Friday, practice, 8:05 p.m.; Saturday, qualifying, 4:35 p.m.; Sunday, race, 3 p.m. (NBC).

Track: Phoenix Raceway.

Race distance: 312 laps, 312 miles.

Last year: Joey Logano won from the pole position.

Last race: Ryan Blaney led 145 laps at Martinsville and won for the third time this season, and second time in the playoffs, to clinch a Championship 4 berth.

Fast facts: Blaney joined 2021 series champion Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell as drivers who won their way into the Championship 4 while William Byron, the series leader with six victories this season, got in on points. The highest finisher among those four will be the champion. 

Regular season champion Martin Truex Jr. and Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin, Chris Buescher and Tyler Reddick were eliminated from title contention. 

Chevrolet clinched its 42nd manufacturer championship when the race began at Martinsville, giving Chevy its fifth sweep of the manufacturer title in the Cup, Xfinity and truck series.

Next race: Feb. 4, Los Angeles (non-points race); Feb. 15, Daytona Beach, Florida.

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES

NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship

Site: Avondale, Arizona.

Schedule: Friday, practice, 7:05 p.m.; Saturday, qualifying, 3:30 p.m., and race, 7 p.m. (USA).

Track: Phoenix Raceway.

Race distance: 200 laps, 200 miles.

Last year: Ty Gibbs won from the pole position.

Last race: Justin Allgaier beat Sheldon Creed in a door-to-door overtime battle at Martinsville to earn his sixth attempt at an Xfinity Series championship.

Fast facts: Allgaier joins Sam Mayer, who won his way in, and John Hunter Nemechek and Cole Custer in the Championship 4. The top finisher at Phoenix among those four will be a first-time champion.

Creed needed a victory to advance but finished second by 0.032 seconds. He was eliminated along with Austin Hill, Sammy Smith, who led 147 of the 256 laps, and Chandler Smith.

Next race: Feb 17, Daytona Beach, Florida.

NASCAR TRUCK SERIES

Craftsman 150

Site: Avondale, Arizona.

Schedule: Thursday, practice, 8 p.m.; Friday, qualifying, 6:05 p.m., and race, 10 p.m. (FS1).

Track: Phoenix Raceway.

Race distance: 150 laps, 150 miles.

Last year: Zane Smith won from the pole position.

Last race: Carson Hocevar earned his fourth career victory — all this season — and first NASCAR Truck Series Championship appearance with a victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Fast facts: Hocevar joins regular-season champion Corey Heim, Grant Enfinger and 2021 series champion Ben Rhodes in the Championship 4.

Defending series champion Zane Smith was disqualified after finishing second at Homestead-Miami for using an unapproved windshield support. 

Hocevar leads all drivers with four victories this season. Heim, Enfinger and Christian Eckes all won three times.

Next race: Feb. 16, Daytona Beach, Florida.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

12Sports

   

Before You Leave, Check This Out