Posted on by Reid Spencer

AVONDALE, Ariz. — Joey Logano pulled off a masterful restart and held on for dear life.

Fifty-four laps later, Logano had his third NASCAR Cup Series championship — most among full-time active drivers — by a scant 0.330 seconds over Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney.

On the final restart on Lap 259 of 312 of Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway, Logano drove like a cannon shot from sixth place past Blaney, Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson and finally, race leader and Championship 4 contender William Byron to seize the top spot on Lap 260.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos: Phoenix

Logano remained out front the rest of the way, though Blaney got as close as 0.167 seconds back over the last 10 laps.

The victory was Logano’s fourth at Phoenix, his fourth of the season and the 36th of his career. As a three-time champion, Logano ties Lee Petty, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip and Tony Stewart, all NASCAR Hall of Famers.

Only four drivers have more titles: Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Jimmie Johnson with seven each and Jeff Gordon with four.

The championship was the third straight for team owner Roger Penske, with Logano winning in 2022 and Blaney claiming the crown last year.

“I love the playoffs, I love it, man,” Logano said. “What a race! What a Team Penske battle there at the end. Had a good restart and was able to get in front of the 12 (Blaney). And he had a lot of long-run speed there, and it was all I had there to hold him off.

“Man, three (championships), that’s really special to get that. What a team. To fight through today, we went through a little bit of adversity throughout the race.

“I’ve got the best team. I don’t know if I’m the best driver, but I’ve got the best team, and together, we’re very well-rounded and can show up when it matters the most. We’ve got a mentally tough team that can make things happen when it matters.”

Logano’s team, however, had issues on pit road. The No. 22 Ford lost four spots under caution for the Stage 1 break, and after green-flag stops during the second stage, Patrick Gray from Austin Cindric’s No. 2 team replaced Logano’s jackman, Graham Stoddard, who was ill.

After the final restart, Logano took charge, with considerable help from his spotter.

SHOP: Champion gear

“Coleman Pressley,” said Logano, who led twice for 107 laps, second to Christopher Bell’s 143. “He was telling me where (Blaney) was. He was up there telling me the best lanes to run. And it’s a balance of putting dirty air on him and running the fastest laps for my Ford. We just got a little too tight there at the end and couldn’t really wrap the bottom as well as I wanted to.

“One-two for Team Penske, three championships in a row since this Next Gen car (was introduced in 2022). Couldn’t be more proud of everyone at the shop that’s built these things.”

Byron finished third behind Logano and Blaney. Tyler Reddick was last among the Championship 4 drivers in sixth.

After the final restart shook out, Blaney was fourth behind Logano, Byron and Larson. He passed Larson on Lap 277 and Byron on Lap 290. Over the next 22 suspense-filled laps, Blaney got close to Logano’s rear bumper but not close enough to make a move for the lead.

“I had to work really hard to get by the 5 (Larson) and the 24 (Byron). Joey was pretty far away, and I was working really hard to try to get to Joey. I was kind of nervous that if I ended up getting close to him, a lot of my stuff would be burned off of it, and it kind of was. But didn’t have a choice. I couldn’t really wait.

“Yeah, just took too long. The restart didn’t play out for us. I feel like if I came out behind Joey and didn’t have two cars in between us that I had to pass, I would have been able to have a better shot. But just the restart didn’t work out, and that’s just the way it goes sometimes.”

Logano followed a strange path to the championship. He was eliminated from the playoffs at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, only to get a second life when the Chevrolet of Alex Bowman failed post-race inspection by not meeting minimum weight.

WATCH: Logano presented the Bill France Cup | Logano after third Cup title: ‘I love the playoffs’ | Watch full race highlights

Logano took full advantage, winning at Las Vegas the following week to earn his place in the Championship 4 round.

Larson and Bell finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Bubba Wallace, Elliott, Chris Buescher and Daniel Suárez came home seventh through 10th.

After the race ended, Logano looked around in bewilderment.

“Where’s my crew?” Logano asked, then realized that his team was hustling from pit stall No. 24 on the backstretch, the stall assigned by NASCAR after Logano’s car failed pre-race inspection twice.

The final race marked a season of endings. Pole winner Martin Truex Jr. finished 17th in his final race as a full-time driver.

Kyle Busch’s record streak of 19 straight years with at least one Cup victory ended in a 21st-place finish. Logano now holds the longest active streak at 13 years.

Stewart-Haas Racing is ceasing to operate after the end of the race, with 12th-place Noah Gragson finishing highest among the four SHR drivers.

Jeff Striegle called his last race in the booth for the Motor Racing Network (MRN). Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing, announced his retirement after 45 years with NASCAR’s exclusive tire maker.

Harrison Burton finished 16th in his final drive for the Wood Brothers. And FedEx sponsored Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota for the final time.

NOTE: Post-race inspection in the Cup Series garage concluded without issue, confirming Logano as the Phoenix winner and 2024 Cup Series champion.

Contributing: Staff reports

Posted on by Holly Cain

AVONDALE, Ariz. – Perhaps there was “something” that seemed almost inevitable about Joey Logano’s impressive run to his third NASCAR Cup Championship Sunday at Phoenix Raceway.

The 34-year-old Connecticut native, father-of-three and perpetual race and title contender once again proved why competitors can never take him lightly and shouldn’t count him out. He is not one to mince words and is absolutely convinced he can win every single time he climbs into his No. 22 Team Penske Ford to race.

That confidence and bravado powers him and his team. And it’s been, well, very effective.

RELATED: Race results | Joey Logano driver page

“I knew we were capable. This team and myself and the more pressure I could put on myself, the better I’m going to be,” Logano said Sunday from the Champion’s Stage. “I don’t know what that is, but it seems like the playoffs are always better for the 22 and it’s not just myself that thrives under pressure, it’s my whole team. And it’s contagious. If we can bring that confidence and believe it, we are very dangerous.

“We’ve got a really great group all the way through, and our pit crew delivered in the end when it needed to,” he added. “I’m so fortunate to be in this car.”

Even before Sunday’s 312-lapper for the title, Logano’s team was penalized for failing initial technical inspection and lost his choice of pit stall for the big race. On Sunday, he had to overcome a slow first pit stop and lost a vital crewman to illness mid-race.

And then ultimately, Logano — who led two times for 107 laps — had to hold off a hard-charging defending series champion — his Penske teammate — Ryan Blaney in the closing laps at Phoenix to have the chance to hoist the Bill France Cup for a third time (2018, 2022, 2024) – most among all active full-time drivers.

MORE: Logano after third title: ‘I love the playoffs!’ | Race Rewind

So, the exuberance Logano showed on the Phoenix victory stage, taking his young family on track to the flag stand with him to retrieve that important championship checkered flag, was heartfelt and heart-spoken. His very presence in the Championship 4 was a “bonus” chance to race for the championship — restored to the title chase eligibility following the Round of 8 elimination race when Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman was dropped from the field and Logano re-inserted. A four-race winner this season, he did not waste the opportunity.

The combination of Logano and team owner Roger Penske presents one of the most powerful pairings in NASCAR history. This is the third consecutive championship for the NASCAR Hall of Famer owner Penske — with Logano (2022) Blaney (2023) and Logano (2024) — and the fifth title of Penske’s career.

SHOP: Joey Logano championship gear

The Logano and Blaney one-two finish even gave Penske a new accolade – rare at this point in his career of mega-accomplishment — marking the first time in the championship team’s history it had finished one-two in the NACAR Cup Series standings.

“It’s just one thing; it’s the people, the ones that have worked so hard with us,” Penske said when asked what it was about his team’s perpetual run to success.

And as for that driver proudly, jubilantly hoisting a trophy Sunday night?

“When he puts the helmet on, there’s nobody that gets after it like he does,” Penske said, smiling.

Just this season, Penske’s organization won the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the WEC title, the Indianapolis 500 and now claims the NASCAR Cup Series title. Again.

It’s an ever-mounting list of accomplishments, and even the team’s competitors appreciate this team’s impact on the sport.

“I think it shows you not only what Joey’s capable of behind the wheel but the whole team, the Penske organization,” said four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Hendrick Motorsports executive Jeff Gordon, whose driver William Byron finished third in the title chase.

“Joey is a heckuva champion. I knew when he got in [to the Championship 4] he’d be a major threat. You can’t ever count him out and he’s obviously very experienced and very mature behind the wheel. And that team is obviously a very strong team.”

MORE:  Joey Logano through the years

Blaney, who ultimately finished a slight 0.330-second behind his teammate Logano was disappointed to not become the first back-to-back series champion since Jimmie Johnson’s five straight from 2006-2010. But even in defeat recognized what the efforts meant for the team – said about the team.

“I’m really proud of our effort, proud of our year and at least a Penske car won the championship,” Blaney said.

“Obviously, I want to win, but if we can’t, we want the 22 to win and Roger and Ford to get another championship. A Penske 1-2 in the championship, a lot to be proud of and it’s really all we talked about was how great it would be for us two to battle it up and that’s what it ended up with, I just didn’t have the track position at the end. I’m really happy for them and for Roger.”

“Joey is one of the best ever, I feel like, and he didn’t make any mistakes,” Blaney continued. “That group does a good job of knowing what they need to do all the time and a testament to that whole team to rise to the occasion and Joey in particular to know what he needs to do behind the wheel to get it done.”

Contributing: Staff reports

Posted on by Press Release

PHOENIX (Nov. 10, 2024) — A Louisiana Lottery player has claimed victory in the NASCAR Powerball Playoff™ and the $1 million top prize!

Meagan Lewis, 47, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was declared the $1 million winner of the national Powerball® promotion during a drawing broadcast live from Phoenix Raceway® on NBC before the start of the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race™. Lewis, who was present for the drawing alongside the other three lottery finalists, gasped when her number was drawn by the machine.

“I have no words,” said Lewis. “I got 42 text messages by the time I got off the stage!”

Lewis, a casting director, was joined on stage by her mother, Patricia Brehm, after she was declared the $1 million winner. Lewis said she’s going to save the money, but eventually would like to take her family on a cruise to Alaska.

Lewis was one of four lottery players nationwide who entered the Powerball promotion through their state lottery and won a VIP trip for two to NASCAR Championship Weekend™, Nov. 8-10, at Phoenix Raceway and entry into the $1 million drawing.

In addition to winning a VIP trip, the three lottery players eliminated in the championship drawing of the NASCAR Powerball Playoff have each won $10,000; they include: 

·       Anthony Lawrence — Magnolia, Del.
·       Beverly Lipford — Goldsboro, N.C.
·       Michael Wells — Columbia, S.C.

The VIP trip included roundtrip airfare for two to Phoenix, Ariz., three nights hotel accommodations, two Ally Curve Hospitality Club passes for both the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race on Nov. 9 and the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race on Nov. 10, two passes for VIP experiences at Phoenix Raceway during the NASCAR Championship Weekend including Cup Series™ VIP access, NASCAR team hauler tour, MRN radio booth tour, pace car rides, Victory Lane access, welcome dinner and all meals, and ground transportation to scheduled events and activities.

“This weekend has been thrilling from start to finish!” said Matt Strawn, Powerball Product Group Chair and Iowa Lottery CEO. “As the official lottery game of NASCAR, this was our second year of adding to the anticipation and excitement of NASCAR Championship Weekend, while offering players the chance to win this premier experience and $1 million prize.”

“Powerball will be back next year for a third installment of the NASCAR Powerball Playoff. Stay tuned to your state lottery for 2025 entry dates!”

“This Powerball promotion has quickly become a fun, NASCAR-centric way to further engage our loyal fans and lottery players alike,” said Michelle Byron, NASCAR executive vice president, chief partnership and licensing officer. “Fans should be on the lookout for lottery activations at NASCAR races throughout the country next year for new chances to win.”

The four finalists entered the Powerball portion through one of 27 participating state lotteries. Participating lotteries held in-state contests and second-chance drawings throughout the 2024 NASCAR regular season to form a national pool of entrants. Sixteen lottery players were randomly selected from the national pool in a preliminary drawing to advance to a series of playoff-style drawings, with cash prizes awarded to all 16 lottery players based on their elimination position.

Lotteries that participated in the 2024 NASCAR Powerball Playoff include Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Hoosier (Indiana), Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Players can follow the NASCAR Powerball Playoff on Facebook, Instagram, and online at Powerball.com.

NASCAR® is a registered trademark of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC. Copyright ©2024 National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC. All Rights Reserved. NASCAR®, LLC is not a sponsor of this promotion.

 

NASCAR Powerball Playoff final chart 2024
Powerball

 

Posted on by Brandon White

HICKORY, N.C. — The expectation was simple for Connor Hall ahead of his debut race with JR Motorsports: Just win.

Hickory Motor Speedway’s prestigious Fall Brawl served as the setting for Hall’s first appearance driving one of the most famous rides in Late Model Stock history. Nearly everything went according to plan for Hall, who dominated the evening and held off a valiant charge from Landon S. Huffman to park JR Motorsports’ No. 8 in Victory Lane.

Hall knew what kind of legacy he was carrying on when he agreed to drive for JR Motorsports’ Late Model Stock program. Delivering a checkered flag in his first outing with the organization provided Hall plenty of optimism as he prepares to fully embark on this new chapter in his life.

“The only way to truly repay all these people is to end up in Victory Lane,” Hall said. “I’ve dreamed of being a super competitive race-car driver my whole life, and this is the biggest opportunity of my racing career so far. I know it’s only one race, but it’s super rewarding to make things happen, and it means the world to work with these guys.”

JR Motorsports has been a gold standard for efficiency in Late Model Stocks since the mid-2010s when they had Josh Berry as their driver. Among the plethora accomplishments Berry accumulated in a JR Motorsports car included a ValleyStar Credit Union 300 win at Martinsville Speedway and a NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series national title in 2020.

When Berry moved up to JR Motorsports’ NASCAR Xfinity Series program, Carson Kvapil was tasked with carrying on the proud tradition of success. Kvapil had no issues shouldering those massive expectations, as the impressive resume he built over the past three years featured a ValleyStar Credit Union 300 victory of his own earlier this season.

Carson Kvapil
Among the accomplishments JR Motorsports has enjoyed in the past couple of years include a ValleyStar Credit Union 300 victory with Carson Kvapil in September. (Photo: Ted Malinowski/NASCAR)

Responsibility has now fallen upon Hall to build upon the momentum established by Berry and Kvapil. Being able to pilot the famed No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet was a goal Hall had quietly worked toward, but he admitted he needed time to fully develop into a driver worthy of such a seat.

“I tried coming after this ride in 2021 when it came up after Josh,” Hall said. “I thought I was ready, but looking back on it, I don’t think I was. I had two wonderful seasons with Chad [Bryant Racing] and a wonderful season with Nelson [Motorsports]. That gave me some time to mature, and now was the time to strike while the iron was hotter.

“I’d like to lose a couple pounds, but as far as my race craft goes, I feel like it’s where it needs to be.”

Hall more than capitalized on the three years he patiently waited for the JR Motorsports ride to become an option again. Along with branching out into touring competition, the consistency Hall displayed at his home track of Langley Speedway was pivotal towards him winning two consecutive Weekly Series national championships.

Armed with more accomplishments and experience, everything lined up perfectly for Hall to find his place under the JR Motorsports banner, a move that became official in October. Both sides were eager to start building some cohesion before the 2025 racing season commenced.

The Fall Brawl made the most sense for Hall and long-time JR Motorsports crew chief Bryan Shaffer to start building their notebook. Hickory worked for Hall from a logistical standpoint, but the success he and JR Motorsports have each enjoyed at the facility cemented them as the team to beat for Saturday’s festivities.

Hall cultivated a similar drive in the Fall Brawl that had guided him to Victory Lane several times at Hickory before. Leading every lap was not paramount for Hall, who effectively managed his tires around the abrasive surface and put himself in a perfect position to secure his maiden Fall Brawl trophy.

Connor Hall
The Fall Brawl was a perfect opportunity for Connor Hall and crew chief Bryan Shaffer to start developing on-track chemistry. (Photo: NASCAR)

As the laps dwindled, Hall saw Huffman’s white No. 28 Pinnacle Racing Group Chevrolet get closer in his rearview mirror. Having grown familiar with the young competitor’s driving style during past Hickory visits, Hall mentally prepared himself to dig in and fend off Huffman.

The two drivers engaged in an intense battle to the finish, with Huffman showing no trepidation with plenty of tires left for him to utilize. Huffman’s bravery enabled him to power his way around Hall and hold the lead at the white flag.

It took a last-lap bump and run for Hall to survive Huffman’s onerous drive and formally notch his first victory with JR Motorsports.

“[Landon] and I have had a couple of awesome battles here,” Hall said. “The last one he came out on top, so I’m happy to come out on top in this one. [The bump and run] is not something you can do to anybody. You have to know who you’re racing with, and I credit Landon for being a really talented race-car driver. It was a hell of a battle those last 10 laps.

“Sometimes you’re the windshield, sometimes you’re the bug.”

A disappointed Huffman put responsibility on himself for falling one spot short of a Fall Brawl triumph despite getting moved by Hall. Burning up his rear tires earlier in the run is what Huffman believes set into motion everything that happened in the closing laps.

Despite this, Huffman was not ready to surrender a potential victory to Hall. He has appreciated every chance to battle Hall on-track this year and did not see anything egregious about what they did to settle the Fall Brawl.

“[Connor and I] have talked about it,” Huffman said. “I hold no grudges against him and still don’t, even though he won. I feel like he does the same with me. I have a lot of respect for him and you can’t hide what he’s done the past few years, along with what he could do next year. Hopefully I’m in the way of that.”

Saturday’s Fall Brawl was the latest in a series of battles between Landon S. Huffman (28) and Connor Hall (77). (Photo: NASCAR)

Since his father Shane previously competed for JR Motorsports himself, the younger Huffman knows what kind of standard permeates from that organization. Saturday’s Fall Brawl showcased why no punches can be pulled against JR Motorsports regardless of who is driving for the team.

Finishing second to Hall in only his first race with JR Motorsports provided Huffman plenty of motivation, but making gains with PRG’s own Late Model Stock program is the most sensible method for him to consistently defeat JR Motorsports and everyone else in the discipline.

“This definitely helps the confidence, but it doesn’t change the mentality,” Huffman said. “You still have to stay hungry and do all you can. We didn’t win, and even if we did, there’s still more cars to race the next race.”

By outlasting Huffman in the Fall Brawl, Hall now has the first of what he hopes will be many crown jewel Late Model Stock victories with JR Motorsports.

Hall put together a strong debut performance even though there are still many details, both big and small, he is still ascertaining in his new environment. The support system in place at JR Motorsports has allowed the transition to be more seamless for Hall, who now finds himself leaning on both Kvapil brothers, Carson and Caden, for advice.

Winning in his first outing for JR Motorsports was a reasonable goal for Hall, but the process toward achieving long-term efficiency is ongoing. Hall feels there is still room for improvement after the Fall Brawl triumph, but he is ready to work with Shaffer and everyone else at JR Motorsports to see how much progress they can make together.

“We still have a little ways to go,” Hall said. “Everything is so new, and every time I sit in the thing, I learn to drive it a little bit differently or think of something that needs to be moved. After another race or so, I think we’ll be a well-oiled machine.”

Following in the footsteps of drivers like Berry and Kvapil would not be an easy task for any driver regardless of experience. If the Fall Brawl is any indication, then Hall is on the right trajectory to carving out his own legacy in a JR Motorsports Late Model Stock.

Posted on by Alex Cadavid

Editor’s note: Race projection updated after practice and qualifying sessions.

And then there were four.

Thirty-five races have led us here, and with the Championship 4 contenders now set, it’s going to be a fight to the checkered flag on Sunday at Phoenix Raceway (3 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Peacock).

RELATED: Set your Fantasy Live lineup | Weekend schedule

The value of experience, momentum and performance in the clutch is simply not quantifiable, but those qualities can’t be counted out when you stack up the four drivers vying for a Cup Series title. Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick and Willliam Byron have each demonstrated one or more of those qualities several times throughout this season.

With the final contest being in the desert oasis at Phoenix, it most likely puts a smile on each of the driver’s faces. Logano has won there three times, while Byron is the only other driver to win there, too. Blaney has three runner-up finishes and netted top 10s in the last eight Phoenix races. As for Reddick, he’s finished third there twice and recorded a top-10 finish at the track this past spring. In the simplest terms, expect all four contenders to not just run well on Sunday, but they might be running next to one another when comes down to the wire.

Let’s not waste any more time, because come Sunday it will be 265 days since the 2024 Daytona 500 and since then, we have all waited for the moment when one of these drivers will be crowned champion.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP 4

RYAN BLANEY: Similar to his stats at the Virginia short track, Blaney is top-tier around Phoenix Raceway. Not only does he have the best finish out of the four drivers from the spring race, but he has the best career average finish out of all of them at this circuit at 10.9. For comparison, Blaney’s teammate in the finale, Logano, has 31 starts at Phoenix and has recorded eight top fives, 16 top 10s, 908 laps led and five stage wins. As for Blaney, in 17 starts there, he has eight top fives, 12 top 10s, 431 laps led and four stage wins, almost on pace to surpass Logano’s numbers in a handful of races. He’s not just consistent at Phoenix, he’s a threat to win there almost every time.

JOEY LOGANO: Logano’s last outing at Phoenix was rough. His day ended early after contact with John Hunter Nemechek and was scored 34th. Safe to say after being the first team locked in, the No. 22 was probably quick to forget what happened in the spring and went right to mapping out a similar plan they had in 2022. Giving anyone a two-week advantage is scary; giving it to Logano and his crew chief Paul Wolfe is downright dangerous. So much has already been said about this team lacking a consistent pace, but when it’s time to perform and deliver on the biggest stages Logano is no stranger to answering the call.

TYLER REDDICK: So many times this postseason the Regular Season Champion has stared elimination in the face and he’s yet to blink. This year, Reddick has transcended into a superstar. He’s matched his career-high win total for a season (three), set new career highs in top-five finishes (12), top 10s (20) and will finish in the top four in points for the first time in his career no matter what. It’s easy to say his lack of experience will keep him from winning the title, but when you drive for an NBA Hall of Famer in Michael Jordan the expectation is a championship, plus Jordan was 28 years old when got his first — same age as Reddick now.

WILLIAM BYRON: Speaking of this year’s Daytona 500, the winner of it is here. So many numbers and stats point to Byron having an advantage, and rightfully so. He was the first driver to three wins this season and while he stalled out in summer months, in the playoffs he’s been the best of the four. With seven top 10s, an average running position of 7.48 and an average finish of 9.3, he’s frankly been red-hot since the playoff opener at Atlanta. Byron also has run 1,058 laps in the top five at Phoenix in the Next Gen era; the closest title contender is Blaney at 749 laps. But it doesn’t just stop there, on pit road Byron also has the slightest advantage over the others and that may just be the difference when it’s all said and done.

RACING INSIGHTS’ PROJECTIONS FOR THE NASCAR CUP SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP RACE

Racing Insights’ advanced statistical formula includes current track, current track type, recent performance, team data and pit-crew data to arrive at a projected winner and full race results. 

FinishCar NumberDriver
15Kyle Larson
220Christopher Bell
311Denny Hamlin
412Ryan Blaney
524William Byron
69Chase Elliott
722Joey Logano
81Ross Chastain
919Martin Truex Jr.
1045Tyler Reddick
1117Chris Buescher
1223Bubba Wallace
1314Chase Briscoe
1448Alex Bowman
1554Ty Gibbs
1677Carson Hocevar
176Brad Keselowski
188Kyle Busch
192Austin Cindric
204Josh Berry
2141Ryan Preece
2299Daniel Suárez
2310Noah Gragson
247Justin Haley
2534Michael McDowell
263Austin Dillon
2743Erik Jones
2821Harrison Burton
2971Zane Smith
3047Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
3142John H. Nemechek
3238Todd Gilliland
3351Corey LaJoie
3431Daniel Hemric
3584Jimmie Johnson
3615Kaz Grala
3716Derek Kraus
3844J.J. Yeley
3966Chad Finchum
4050Jeb Burton
Posted on by Zack Albert

AVONDALE, Ariz. — Cole Custer had all the makings for a successful defense of his NASCAR Xfinity Series championship from a year ago, leading the title-eligible quartet until Justin Allgaier’s late-race surge. Austin Hill also seemed to have a potential upper hand, out front for the final dash to the checkered flag after a late two-tire pit strategy play that put him in position for his first title.

Neither them nor fellow title contender AJ Allmendinger were able to capitalize in overtime in Saturday’s season finale, but all three were gracious in defeat as Allgaier drove to his long-awaited first Xfinity Series crown at Phoenix Raceway. Custer finished eighth, Allmendinger ninth and Hill completed the top 10 in the year-ending showdown, while Allgaier placed second behind race winner Riley Herbst.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos: Phoenix

Custer’s bid seemed the strongest for much of the final stage, and he clung to the top spot among the Championship 4 foursome as the laps ticked down. His hold was challenged, however, as Allgaier rallied from a pair of penalties with a fortunate caution flag, then reeled in Custer’s No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford down the stretch. He slipped by for third place on Lap 194 of a scheduled 200 — extended 13 laps by a pair of overtimes — before a late caution shook up the situation.

Custer was jammed up when Hill tried to maintain his edge on older tires, giving Allgaier’s No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet the edge for the last restart.

“Yeah, it definitely stings,” Custer said. “There were a lot of points in that race where I felt like we were in a really good spot here. But it just came down to that restart with the 21 (Hill) and him staying out on older tires, which is their right. We were all going for a championship, and I would have done the same thing. He made his car really wide going into Turn 1; so I tried to go high, I tried to go middle, and he ended up blocking us on the top and got us all bottlenecked. And then the 7 was able to slip by. You just get the short end of the stick sometimes, and that was us today.”

The attempt for back-to-back crowns was also a farewell for their Xfinity Series operation under the banner of Stewart-Haas Racing, which went out a winner with Herbst and a championship runner-up with Custer. No. 00 crew chief Jonathan Toney was magnanimous after the final flurry of restarts, tipping his cap to Allgaier after the checkers.

“It’s just coming down to that green-white-checkered here last year, the seas parted for us, and we were able to kind of come through the middle and be able to win the championship,” Toney told NASCAR.com. “Tonight, man, Justin’s come close so many times, and you can’t help but be happy for a guy like that and that team, (crew chief) Jim Pohlman, and that whole 7 bunch. That’s a championship-caliber team, and it’s been fun racing against them all year. You know, we’d love to win the championship for Cole, and we’ve got a lot of guys we’re going to be missing next year with this whole Stewart-Haas Racing going away this year. But we’re proud of this team. We’d love to win that championship, but the 98 (Herbst) winning this race, that was pretty cool, too. It kind of put an exclamation point on this season for our Stewart-Haas program.

“But yeah, you get in those situations. Last year, it went our way. This year, it didn’t. So you can’t be upset, this one corner or one race isn’t going to define our season. We’re proud of what we’ve done all year, and I think we proved ourselves as a championship-caliber team. At the end of the day, that’s all you can ask for.”

Hill led just once for five laps, but those were in overtime after crew chief Andy Street went with two tires — a half-set of seven-lap-old scuffs — on the No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, putting Hill up front on Lap 201. The tire disadvantage showed when the race went back green, and Hill’s move to block the top side only worked so long, shorting Custer’s momentum and providing an avenue for Allgaier to move low and clinch.

“It was kind of a Hail Mary shot there at the end,” Street said. “But I had confidence in Austin that if we got track position up there, he could make the car pretty wide. But it was gonna be hard to hold off any kind of stickers (new tires) behind us.”

The result brought an end to Hill’s first Championship 4 appearance and a season where he collected a series-high four wins. He’ll return to RCR’s No. 21 group next year.

“Obviously, you want to win the championship, so we came up short there,” Hill said. “But all in all, I think at the start of February in Daytona, you just want to be one of those final four drivers to have a shot at it. We were able to do that. I think all in all, this year has been a solid year for us. There’s areas that we still need to work on and be better as a race team, some other areas to win some more races. I think that we’re going to be a lot better going into next year. There’s a lot of things going on at RCR with new cars and just some moving parts and pieces. I feel really good about where I’m at with RCR. I think we’re making strides each and every year, and if we keep doing that, we’ll end up a champion one day.”

MORE: Championship Weekend schedule | Live blog: Phoenix

Allmendinger officially finished where he started — in ninth — but his No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevy was relegated to the tail of the field for the start because of unapproved pre-race adjustments. He came back up through the field along with Allgaier in the early going, and he was 18th at the end of the first stage, bringing up the Championship 4 caboose. He’d come back to seventh by Stage 2’s end, but never quite forged his way into the field’s top rungs.

“I told my guys before the weekend started that I wouldn’t pick any other guys to go to war with like we did,” Allmendinger said. “We’ve had a lot of ups and downs. At times maybe not enough speed. At times, maybe me trying to push too hard. I was happy I could at least get them a win at Vegas. I feel like I’ve let them down a lot of times this year. Yeah, today was disappointing. I’m not sure what else we can do from a preparation and effort standpoint, honestly. We spent three weeks working on the car and countless hours in sim. Just was never there all weekend, honestly. Just fought hard.”

Allmendinger sat on the pit wall for several minutes after parking. He’ll return to the Cup Series full-time next year after achieving his second Championship 4 appearance in the last four seasons.

“We struggled finding a good balance for AJ to make speed with,” No. 16 crew chief Alex Yontz told NASCAR.com. “So having to start in the rear, for sure didn’t help anything, but at the end of the day, I don’t think it changed the outcome of where we finished, how we raced. All we could ask for was that late caution and to get tires there and just have a shot at it. Can’t say enough about all the men and women at Kaulig Racing for working their butts off all year and giving us this opportunity and putting us in position to race for a championship.

“We’ve been here, I think, a total of three times now, four with Kaulig, and I feel like we’ve walked away each time learning something else new. So for us to still be a smaller, newer team, I feel like we’re on the right track. We didn’t come home with the championship, but we’re not going to hang our heads. We’re going to walk out of this garage with our heads held high, just the same way we did when we walked in. No, we didn’t win it, but we give it one hell of a shot.”

Posted on by Zach Sturniolo

AVONDALE, Ariz. — Modern-day NASCAR Cup Series drivers can rarely accomplish something Jimmie Johnson did.

Ryan Blaney has that opportunity Sunday at Phoenix Raceway.

The defending Cup Series title winner will fight for his second consecutive championship in the season finale Sunday (3 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Peacock). No one has won back-to-back titles in the Cup Series since Johnson, when he won an unprecedented — and since unseen — five in a row from 2006-10.

MORE: What to Watch: Championship Preview | Phoenix schedule

Blaney is far from ready to compare himself to Johnson, who earned a record-tying seven Cup championships and 83 wins, tied for sixth all-time. But Blaney enters the Arizona oval with an air of confidence that he and his No. 12 Team Penske cohort can pull off the long-unseen feat this week.

“I feel like we’ve been incredibly strong all year, really,” Blaney said during Thursday’s Championship 4 Media Day. “I mean, it doesn’t really show how great we’ve been really as a 12 team. It’s easy for me to see it, how they are operating. I feel like it has been just unbelievable.

“This place has been pretty good to us in the past. I feel like our performance at these types of race tracks this year have been really, really strong. Hopefully, that continues.”

Ryan Blaney drives a NASCAR Cup Series car at Phoenix.
Brittney Wilbur | NASCAR Digital Media

The stats indeed back Blaney. The 30-year-old has finished runner-up in each of the past two season-enders at Phoenix, where his 10.9 average finish is fifth-best of any track Blaney has made two or more starts. And of Blaney’s three wins in 2023, two came on flat short tracks — Iowa Speedway and Martinsville Speedway — with the seven-eighths-mile Iowa comparing more similarly to the 1-mile track at Phoenix.

Becoming a champion at the sport’s highest level has directly impacted Blaney’s mindset on the track in 2024.

“Behind the wheel, it gives you more confidence, right?” he said. “You’re always looking for confidence — at least I am always looking for confidence. I think as an athlete and driver, you’re always trying to find reasons why you deserve to be here, why you deserve to have the job that you have. When you can accomplish things like that, it definitely in your mind solidifies those. It makes you feel good. That confidence just keeps stacking and helps you out.”

That confidence, perhaps, could guide him back atop the championship stage at Phoenix by Sunday night’s end.

Consider some of the names of those who have been fortunate — been exceptional — enough to win consecutive championships: David Pearson. Dale Earnhardt. Cale Yarborough. Richard Petty. Jeff Gordon.

Each of those drivers is enshrined in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

With 13 Cup wins to his name and his 2023 title, Blaney may still have work to do before his resume is deemed worthy of Hall entry. But at 30 years old, Blaney appears to have plenty more years ahead for him to accrue those starts. And a consecutive championship Sunday would do wonders toward those efforts.

Posted on by Holly Cain

AVONDALE, Ariz. — In one of the most remarkable comebacks in recent memory, longtime fan favorite Justin Allgaier, at last, claimed the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship trophy Saturday night at Phoenix Raceway — coming from a lap-down mid-race in a back-up car to hoist the shiny hardware.

Stewart-Haas Racing’s Riley Herbst’s No. 98 Ford passed Allgaier’s No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race win on the last lap of double overtime for his second win of the 2024 season and joined the new series champ Allgaier in twin celebratory burnouts on the front stretch of the mile-track.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos: Phoenix 

“I said all weekend, I don’t know what the plan is, but HE has a reason for everything and tonight is true of that, this is mind-blowing, it really is,” said Allgaier, his voice already hoarse and strained from screaming in happiness, but the smile unshakable as his young daughters came in for a hug for dad.

“This team never gave up. [Crew chief] Jim Pohlman and his leadership skills are second to none. He told me all weekend that we were going to have a chance and we tried to give it away every way we could.”

It was an emotional outcome for the 38-year-old Allgaier, who joked that he was just trying to make the race exciting for the fans. He has qualified for the Championship 4 seven times, finishing runner-up twice including last year.

And now he could finally celebrate. Allgaier’s team owners, NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his sister Kelly Earnhardt Miller joined Allgaier’s longtime sponsor Rick Brandt on pit road. They were overjoyed to congratulate their driver who overcame a weekend of obstacles to finally claim this historic moment — and it came on a night when the sport observed a moment of silence to honor another great champion, NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison, who passed away earlier Saturday.

The obstacles Allgaier faced happened well before the race’s green flag. His primary car was destroyed in a crash four laps into Friday’s opening practice session after running over oil on the track from another car that ultimately forced four drivers into back-ups for the race. The car swap meant Allgaier started last in the 38-car field Saturday night, but the always upbeat 14-year veteran of the series had moved into the top 10 by lap 26.

WATCH: Allgaier shows his emotions after first Xfinity title

Then, after all that work, Allgaier was called for a restart violation on Lap 101 and sent down pit road for a penalty … only to be called for speeding on the way out and penalized with another trip down pit road — both penalties served during green flag racing. After the penalties, Allgaier dropped to 35th on-track and was a lap down on Lap 107 of the scheduled 200-lapper.

He got a huge break in fortune with a caution period with 45 laps remaining — opting to stay out and get back on the lead lap. He stayed in the top 10 and worked his way forward – moving from sixth place to second on the first overtime restart. He started on the front row of the second overtime restart but was passed on the final lap by Herbst for the race win. Allgaier’s second-place finish was still good enough to land the championship, however.

It marked the third career win for the 25-year-old Las Vegas native Herbst, who crossed the line .247-second ahead of Allgaier and led a dominating 167 of the 213 laps.

“I knew we were going to have a fast race car, these guys have been working on this race car and I knew we were going to be really really fast,” said Herbst, whose SHR team is closing at the conclusion of the season. “It’s been a really tough week at the shop, really emotional time. I’m forever grateful to every man and woman at Stewart-Haas Racing they gave me a really fast car today and I can’t thank everyone enough.”

It was actually fellow championship contender — reigning champ Cole Custer — who mounted the most consistent challenge to Herbst. He ran up front for most of the race, just off the pace of his SHR teammate and ultimately finished eighth in the No. 00 SHR Ford — his effort answered last year’s title with a runner-up in this year’s championship standings.

The other two championship contenders, Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger and Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill finished ninth and 10th. And as disappointed as the three title contenders were in not claiming the season championship, each conceded the night had a positive ending with their longtime competitor Allgaier finally getting that trophy after 14 years of competition in the series.

“I’m really happy for Justin, that was a long time coming,” said Custer, who will compete in the NASCAR Cup Series full-time next season. “He’s definitely a deserving champion and they ran a great race, especially there at the end.”

Hill, making his first Championship 4 appearance, agreed with the sentiment.

“Justin Allgaier has been doing this for a really long time and to see him finally get it done, I’m really happy for him and happy for his family,” he said. “He’s a great guy to be around, a great competitor.

“He’s going to be a great champion for the Xfinity Series. I’ve enjoyed racing that 7 team all season long. If I couldn’t have gotten the championship, I’m glad he was the one that got it done.”

NOTE: Post-race inspection in the Xfinity Series garage concluded without issue, confirming Herbst as the Phoenix winner and Allgaier as the 2024 Xfinity Series champion. The No. 7 Chevrolet and No. 98 Ford will undergo engine teardown Sunday, Nov. 10.

Contributing: Staff reports

Posted on by John Crane

After 471 races and 14 full-time seasons in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Justin Allgaier can finally call himself champion. 

The 38-year-old Allgaier and No. 7 JR Motorsports driver was first to the start/finish line on Saturday evening in the Xfinity Series finale, prevailing for the title over fellow Championship 4 drivers AJ Allmendinger, Cole Custer and Austin Hill.

RELATED: Race results | Justin Allgaier driver page

“This team right here, Dale [Earnhardt Jr.], Kelly [Earnhardt Miller], LW [Miller], every man and woman that works in this race shop,” Allgaier said. “Jim Pohlman (crew chief), this guy right here, unbelievable. Rick Brandt. I mean, the guys stuck with me through thick and thin. We’ve had a lot of bad years.

“Two years ago, I sat down to dinner, and on Friday night, I told him if we won the championship, I was retiring on the spot. My wife said, you can’t do that. I signed a two-year contract a couple of months ago, and I’ll be honest with you, I thought I’d have different emotions up here, and I thought I’d be ready to be done. It just makes you fired up to come back next year and try to win it again.”

The journey has been a long and winding one for the Spaulding, Illinois native, who began his NASCAR career in 2005 and jumped into the full-time Xfinity pool in 2009. And, aside from a two-year stint as full-time Cup Series driver from 2014-15, Xfinity has remained Allgaier’s bread and butter.

Allgaier’s office since 2016 has been with JR Motorsports, and his tenure as driver of the No. 7 Chevy has been an exceptional one. Heading into Saturday night’s race, Allgaier has 22 Xfinity Series wins in that number and never finished lower than seventh in the final championship standings. 

A championship had evaded Allgaier in his quest to seize Xfinity title No. 1. That is, until now.

“He’s (Allgaier) made his home with us, and he’s given us so much and never said no, never rolled his eyes, never shrugged his shoulders, not once,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. said. “And man, we need a lot. We ask a lot from him and our partners, drivers. He does everything with a smile, and so I wanted this really, really badly for him.”

Although Allgaier clinched his Xfinity Series Playoffs berth relatively early — via a Darlington Raceway win in the 11th contest of the season — inconsistent results were an on-and-off nuisance, as shown by nine finishes of 25th or worse. 

Nevertheless, experience and talent still played in Allgaier’s favor, including an eight-race stretch from June 22 (New Hampshire) to Aug. 31 (Darlington) that resulted in one win, three top fives and eight top-10 finishes.

Four straight top-10 finishes from the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval in the Round of 12 finale through the entirety of the Round of 8 led Allgaier to Phoenix, which acted as an avenue to seize a title and squash past heartbreak. After all, it was at Phoenix where an overtime restart in the 2023 Xfinity Series Championship resulted in a deflating title defeat. Add in the fact the veteran had to go to a backup car for the 2024 title race after a wreck in practice, and the same story looked to be written once again. 

This time, however, was different. This time, it was Allgaier who, after years of Xfinity Series racing, summited the mountaintop to become a NASCAR champion.

“I’m at a loss for words, and we’re going to celebrate this one, for sure,” Allgaier said. “It’s unbelievable, but I just cannot say thank you enough to everybody that’s ever helped me in my career to get to this point. Seven times in the Championship 4, and we finally got it done.”

And who knows – with Allgaier returning to the JR Motorsports fold next season, perhaps a title defense is in order for a driver who finally overcame the championship hurdle.