It’s Championship week in NASCAR’s three top series, and each of these series is wrapping up a grueling ten-race playoff. Now, four drivers from each series have a chance to win their respective Championship in Phoenix. So, what do you need to know about entering this weekend?
Friday, November 1st: Cup and Xfinity Practice and Truck Series Qualifying – Truck Series RACE
2:05 PM – 2:55 PM – Truck Series Qualifying on FS2
3:00 PM – 3:55 PM – Xfinity Series Practice on USA
4:05 PM – 4:55 PM – Cup Series Practice on USA
6:00 PM – NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship Race on FS1
Saturday, November 2nd: Cup and Xfinity Qualifying – Xfinity Series RACE
2:00 PM – 2:50 PM – Xfinity Series Qualifying on USA
3:05 PM – 4:30 PM – Cup Series Qualifying on USA
5:30 PM – NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race on the CW
Sunday, November 3rd: Cup Series RACE
1:00 PM – NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race on NBC
How Do We Get to Championship Race Weekend?
The NASCAR Championship Race is the finale of the NASCAR Season for its top three series, known as the NASCAR National Series. These Series, the Craftsman Truck, Xfinity, and Cup Series, have different lengths of seasons and playoff schedules.
The Truck Series has a 23-race season, followed by a 10-driver, seven-race, three-round playoffs. The Xfinity Series has a 33-race season followed by a 12-driver, seven-race, three-round playoff. The Cup Series, NASCAR’s premier series, has a 36-race season, followed by a 16-driver, ten-race, four-round playoff.
Despite the differing schedules, the Playoffs follow the same principle for each series. During the regular season, if you win a race, you are locked into the playoff field. Every three races, a single round, of the playoffs, four drivers are eliminated. To advance, the win and, in principle, applies. This process widdles down the field to four drivers racing it all out for the Championship.
How Does the NASCAR Championship Race Work?
The Championship race despite just four key drivers in each series gunning it out for the Championship, all three races have a full field of drivers. This causes chaos as the winner of the Championship Race might not be eligible for the Championship.
Historically, the winner of the Championship race is a member of the Championship Four, but there is a history of a non-eligible driver winning the race. In this case, the highest-finishing driver in the Championship Four will win the Championship.
While this system promotes survival and winning, one driver has worked the system in the past to win without winning a single regular season or playoff win. In 2019, NASCAR Truck Series driver Matt Crafton gamed the system and won the Championship with no wins, finishing fourth in the championship race.
Who Are the Championship Contenders?
NASCAR Cup Series
No. 12 Ryan Blaney: Team Penske, 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Champion, 3 Wins, 11 Top-Fives, 17 Top-Tens in 2024
No. 22 Joey Logano: Team Penske, 2018, 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Champion, 3 Wins, 6 Top-Fives, 12 Top-Tens in 2024
No. 24 William Byron: Hendrick Motorsports, 2017 NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion, 3 Wins, 12 Top-Fives, 20 Top-Tens in 2024
No. 45 Tyler Reddick: 23XI Racing, 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Regular Season Champion, 2018, 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion, 3 Wins, 12 Top-Fives, 20 Top-Tens in 2024
NASCAR Xfinity Series
No. 00 Cole Custer: Stewart-Haas Racing, 2023 Xfnitity Series Champion, 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series Regular Season Champion, 4 Wins, 11 Top-Fives, 19 Top-Tens in 2024
No. 7 Justin Allgaier: JR Motorsports, 2 Wins, 9 Top-Fives, 19 Top-Tens in 2024
No. 19 Christian Eckes: McAnally-Hilgemann Racing, 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Regular Season Champion, 4 Wins, 14 Top-Fives, 21 Top-Tens in 2024
No. 98 Ty Majeski: ThorSport Racing,1 Wins, 17 Top-Fives, 17 Top-Tens in 2024, 2 Wins, 9 Top-Fives, 13 Top-Tens in 2024
What Are The Major Storylines Entering Phoenix?
While the other two lower series have moderate storylines entering Phoenix, the Cup Series has the most.
At the Round of Eight cutoff race at Martinsville this past Sunday, a controversial finish saw Christopher Bell, driver of Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20, removed from the Championship Four for a safety violation. The safety violation stems from Bell accelerating off the wall in turn four after passing Bubba Wallace, a violation of NASCAR’s rules.
However, this was far from the most controversial aspect of the finish, as radio chatter suggests that Wallace, a fellow Toyota teammate, may have faked a low tire to allow Bell to pass and qualify for the Championship Four. While the wall ride removed Bell from the Championship Four, the alleged pass may also affect his standing.
Furthermore, William Byron, who took Bell’s Spot in the Championship Four, appeared to have a blockade behind him, as one loss of position would have removed Byron from the Playoffs. This blockade, made up of Chevrolet drivers Austin Dillon and Ross Chastain, allowed Byron to hold his position for several of the closing laps of Sunday’s race.
As of Press Time, NASCAR has not penalized any drivers involved other than Bell. However, it is not expected that it will affect those racing for the Championship.
Entry Lists
Truck Series
There are 35 entries for 36 spots in the Truck Series, meaning no teams will be sent home.
Notable entries include:
William Sawalich – No. 1 – Tricon Garage
Andres Perez – No. 04 – Roper Racing
Brett Moffitt – No. 4 – Hettinger Racing
Connor Mosack – No. 7 – Spire Motorsports
Jake Garcia – No. 13 – ThorSport Racing
Keith McGee – No. 22 – Reaume Brothers Racing
Frankie Muniz – No. 27 – Reaume Brothers Racing
Stefan Parsons – No. 44 – Niece Motorsports
Kaden Honeycutt – No. 45 – Niece Motorsports
Thad Moffitt – No. 46 – Young’s Motorsports
Conner Jones – No. 66 – ThorSport Racing
Jack Wood – No. 91 – McAnally Hilgemann Racing
Former Winners in The Field:
Brett Moffitt – 2018
Christian Eckes – 2023
Stewart Friesen – 2019
Xfinity Series
There are 38 entries for 38 spots in the Xfinity Series, meaning no team teams will be sent home.
Notable entries include:
Patrick Emerling – No. 07 – SS-Green Light Racing
Daniel Dye – No. 10 – Kaulig Racing
Greg Van Alst – No. 14 – SS-Green Light Racing
Dylan Lupton – No. 15 – AM Racing
William Sawalich – No. 19 – Joe Gibbs Racing – Xfinity Series Debut
Aric Almirola – No. 20 – Joe Gibbs Racing
Jeffrey Earnhardt – No. 26 – Sam Hunt Racing
Carson Ware – No. 35 – Joey Gase Motorsports
Stefan Parsons – No. 45 – Alpha Prime Racing
TBA – No. 53 – Joey Gase Motorsports
Connor Zilisch – No. 88 – JR Motorsports
Josh Bilicki – No. 91 – DGM Racing
Dawson Cram – No. 92 – DGM Racing
Former Winners in The Field:
Brandon Jones – Spring 2020
Chandler Smith – Spring 2024
Cole Custer – Fall 2023
Justin Allgaier – Spring 2017, Fall 2019
Sammy Smith – Spring 2023
Cup Series
For the Cup Series, there are 39 entries for 40 spots, meaning no teams will be sent home.
Notable entries include:
Derek Kraus – No. 16 – Kaulig Racing
Jeb Burton – Nol. 50 – Team AmeriVet
Chad Finchum – No. 66 – MBM Motorsports
Jimmie Johnson – No. 84 – Legacy Motor Club
Former Winners in The Field:
Chase Briscoe – Spring 2022
Chase Elliott – Fall 2020
Christopher Bell – Spring 2024
Denny Hamlin – Spring 2012, Fall 2019
Jimmie Johnson – Spring 2008, Fall 2007, 2008, 2009
Joey Logano – Spring 2020, Fall 2016, 2022
Kyle Busch – Spring 2019, Fall 2018
Kyle Larson – Fall 2021
Martin Truex Jr – Spring 2021
Ross Chastain – Fall 2023
William Byron – Spring 2023
Qualifying Order
Truck Series
Xfinity Series
Cup Series
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