Championship 4 preview: How the Xfinity Series field stacks up

NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship 4 drivers Chase Briscoe, Austin Cindric, Justin Allgaier and Justin Haley will be battling for a title in Saturday’s Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 200 at Phoenix Raceway (5 p.m. ET on NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). See how they compare as we make cases for why they will win the title and why they won’t at the 1-mile Arizona track.

CHASE BRISCOE

Team: Stewart-Haas Racing No. 98 Ford

2020 stats: 9 wins, 16 top fives, 21 top 10s

Championship 4 appearances: 1

Why he’ll win: He’s been fast all year. The majority of the races this season, Briscoe has been a contender for victories. He was the second-highest finishing Championship 4 driver in the spring race at Phoenix with a sixth-place finish (Justin Haley finished fifth) and expect him to do better this time around.

Why he won’t: He’s had a rocky playoff run. While he kicked off both the Round of 12 and 8 with trips to Victory Lane, three finishes of 18th or worse hasn’t been ideal. That can’t happen at Phoenix.

JUSTIN ALLGAIER

Team: JR Motorsports No. 7 Chevrolet

2020 stats: 3 wins, 10 top fives, 18 top 10s

Championship 4 appearances: 4

Why he’ll win: Allgaier has the most Championship 4 experience among his three other competitors. He knows what to expect in this situation. He also won at Phoenix last year to make the final playoff round.

Why he won’t: Overall, the speed in the 7 car has been feast or famine. Three finishes outside the top 20 in the postseason and a 13th-place finish in this year’s Phoenix spring race isn’t ideal for Allgaier’s chances.

JUSTIN HALEY

Team: Kaulig Racing No. 11 Chevrolet

2020 stats: 3 wins, 10 top fives, 20 top 10s

Championship 4 appearances: 1

Why he’ll win: Haley has been the most consistent driver out of the Championship 4 contenders with a win at Talladega and four finishes of 12th or better. He was also the highest-finishing driver in the spring race at Phoenix with a fifth-place result.

Why he won’t: In order to win the title, you need to be up front. Haley has only led 12 laps in the six races of the playoffs. You need to lead laps to establish your shot at victory on Saturday and that could be a struggle for him.

AUSTIN CINDRIC

Team: Team Penske No. 22 Ford

2020 stats: 5 wins, 18 top fives, 25 top 10s

Championship 4 appearances: 1

Why he’ll win: Cindric has four straight finishes of eighth or better at Phoenix, dating back to the fall of 2018. It’s that consistency that has put Cindric in contention for Victory Lane all season long and don’t anticipate that changing in the finale.

Why he won’t: Like Briscoe, Cindric’s playoff run has been hit or miss. A best finish of fourth and four top 10s kept him in the game, but he’s only found the front to lead 63 laps in the six-race stretch. If you want a chance to win at Phoenix, you have to get to the front and stay there.