The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series champion will be crowned Sunday (3 p.m. ET, NBC) at Phoenix Raceway.
Denny Hamlin, William Byron, Chase Briscoe and Kyle Larson will be vying for the title, with the best finisher from that group earning the 2025 crown.
After qualifying on pole, Hamlin (+310) is the race favorite according to live NASCAR odds at BetMGM, followed by Larson (+350), Byron (+350), Ryan Blaney (+525) and Briscoe (+1200).
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And while the Championship 4 will get most of the attention Sunday at Phoenix, and rightfully so, I’m betting on a non-playoff driver to win today’s championship race.
NASCAR Odds, Best Bet Pick for Phoenix
*Odds as of Sunday morning
Team Penske has dominated the short, flat tracks of late, including at New Hampshire in September, where Blaney, the race winner, and Joey Logano, the fourth-place finisher, combined to lead a whopping 263 of 301 laps.
That performance is especially important because teams ran the same tire combination that they’ll use Sunday at Phoenix.
Blaney has carried that speed into this weekend, posting the fastest five, 15- and 20-lap averages in practice, while running the second-best 10-lap pace.
The driver of the No. 12 Ford also qualified fifth, locking in optimal track position to start today’s race as well.
Simply put: This car and driver have been too fast at this style of race track for me to pass on his current +525 price tag at BetMGM.
NASCAR Pick: Ryan Blaney to Win (+525) — BetMGM