NASCAR has reached its championship weekend across all three national touring series.
Races are set for Friday through Sunday at Phoenix Raceway in Arizona. The forecast calls for sunny skies all weekend, with highs in the 70s for two of the races and near 80 for the NASCAR Cup Series title race on Sunday.
Defending Cup champ Ryan Blaney, Penske teammate and two-time champion Joey Logano, regular-season champion Tyler Reddick and William Byron will battle on the 1-mile strip in the desert.
Blaney raced his way into the championship four with a controversial victory at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday. William Byron finished fifth for Hendrick Motorsports and ultimately became the fourth qualifier when NASCAR officials ruled after a lengthy delay that Christopher Bell’s last-lap smash into the outside wall for the momentum that would’ve pushed him one point past Byron was illegal. Bell was dropped four spots to 22nd.
Blaney led three times for 32 laps, including the final 15, after starting 14th.
All four drivers involved in the championship race have three victories each.
You can search the driver and playoff standings at this link.
In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, part-timer Aric Almirola completed a season sweep at Martinsville, Virginia, with his third victory in a tension-filled race that allowed fourth-place Cole Custer to defend his series title at Phoenix. Justin Allgaier was fifth and claimed the final spot in the championship four.
Chandler Smith confronted Custer afterward over a late-race battle for position that infuriated Smith, who threw a punch at Custer.
Six drivers competed for the final two spots claimed by Allgaier and Custer on points. Austin Hill (four wins) and AJ Allmendinger are the other finalists.
You can search the driver and playoff standings at this link.
Grant Enfinger, Ty Majeski, Corey Heim and Christian Eckes make up the four contestants in the Truck Series final. Heim has six wins, Eckes four and Enfinger and Majeski two each.
Eckes qualified by passing Taylor Gray and defending series champion Ben Rhodes over the final five laps after a restart to win at Martinsville. He started on the pole and led 187 of 200 laps.
You can search the driver and playoff standings at this link.
Here’s the TV schedule for all three series this weekend:
NASCAR CUP SERIES
Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway
5 p.m. Saturday, qualifying at Phoenix Raceway, USA, and live-streamed on fubo TV (FREE trial), Sling TV (discount) and DirecTV Stream (FREE trial and discount)
3 p.m. Sunday, Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway, NBC and live-streamed on Peacock and fubo TV (FREE trial)
XFINITY SERIES
Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway
4 p.m. Saturday, qualifying at Phoenix Raceway, USA, and live-streamed on fubo TV (FREE trial), Sling TV (discount) and DirecTV Stream (FREE trial and discount)
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway, The CW
TRUCK SERIES
Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway
4 p.m. Friday, qualifying at Phoenix Raceway, FS2, and live-streamed on fubo TV (FREE trial), Sling TV (discount) and DirecTV Stream (FREE trial and discount)
8 p.m. Friday, Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway, FS1, and live-streamed on fubo TV (FREE trial), Sling TV (discount) and DirecTV Stream (FREE trial and discount)
