Ryan Blaney wins the 2023 Cup Series championship while Ross Chastain wins in Phoenix

Buescher wins stage 2 while Bell retires

Chris Buescher won the second stage in Phoenix, overtaking Ross Chastain for the lead with 14 laps to go. William Byron finished fourth, best in Championship 4, followed by Ryan Blaney in sixth and Kyle Larson in seventh. The day and Christopher Bell’s championship chances are exhausted.

Bell’s right front brake rotor exploded on lap 109, causing him to hit the wall, ending his day and bringing out the first out-of-competition yellow flag. Byron had been in control and most of the way up until this point.

Byron claims level 1

William Byron is on his way to his first career NASCAR Cup Series championship.

Byron, who started the championship race in Phoenix from pole, got off to a clean start at the green flag and ran away for most of the 60-lap opening stage. Byron’s Hendrick Motorsports championship teammate and championship rival Kyle Larson lost a place during the stage, finishing fourth. Christopher Bell and Ryan Blaney initially got stuck in traffic, but made some progress towards the end of the stage, finishing ninth and tenth respectively.

The NASCAR Cup Series will crown its 2023 champion on Sunday at Phoenix Raceway.

Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, William Byron and 2021 series champion Kyle Larson will battle for the championship at the unique dog-leg oval. Bell, Blaney and Larson all won in the Round of 8 to advance, while Byron, who is the series’ winningest driver this year with six wins, had to work hard at Martinsville last week to make his way to the finale.

But points don’t count on Sunday – the driver who performs best among these four takes the trophy.

Here’s what you should know before the championship race:

NASCAR Cup Series Championship starting grid

1. William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2. Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

3. Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

4. Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

5. Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota

6. Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

7. Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

8. Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

9. Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford

10. Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota

11. Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

12. Ryan Preece (41), Stewart Haas Racing Ford

13. Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

14. Todd Gilliland (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford

15. Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford

16. Daniel Suárez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

17. Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford

18. Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

19. Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford

20. Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

21. Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

22. Carson Hocevar (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

23. Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

24. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet

25. Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford

26. Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

27. Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford

28. Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

29. Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

30. Ryan Newman (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford

31. Cole Custer (6), RFK Racing Ford

32. AJ Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

33. Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

34. JJ Yeley (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford

35. Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

36. BJ McLeod (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford

NASCAR Cup Series Championship TV/Streaming Schedule

Always east

Friday
8-9 p.m.: Training (USA, NBC Sports App)

Saturday
4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.: Qualifying (USA, NBC Sports App)

Sunday
3-6:30 p.m.: NASCAR Cup Series Championship (NBC, Peacock, NBC Sports App)

NASCAR Cup Series Championship Details

Rail: Phoenix Raceway | 1 mile low banked dogleg oval in Avondale, Arizona
Banking: Front extension dogleg – 0-11 degrees | Rotates 1-2 – 8-9 degrees | Back stretch – 3 degrees | Rotates 3-4 – 10-11 degrees
Race length: 312 rounds
Stage lengths: Stage 1 – 60 laps | Stage 2 – 125 laps | Stage 3 – 127 laps
Winner 2022: Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford

Top drivers and best bets for the NASCAR Cup Series championship

The championship quartet consists of the four drivers with the best chance of winning the race. according to BetMGM. In all nine years of the current playoff format, the champion has won the finals, which includes Kyle Larson’s 2021 crown. Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron took the first of his six wins this season at the spring race in Phoenix.

Best chances of winning
• Kyle Larson +175
• Ryan Blaney +275
• William Byron +325
• Christopher Bell +450

Yahoo Sports’ Nick Bromberg broke down the title race odds earlier in the week, backing not only the favorites but also the recently eliminated Denny Hamlin (+2000), who has the third-best average finish of all drivers in the Phoenix. Looking at long shots, Kyle Busch (+5000) averages an even better 10.6 than Hamlin in Phoenix.

Kevin Harvick’s last ride

Kevin Harvick’s final race in the NASCAR Cup Series will take place on Sunday.

Harvick announced his resignation in January. He will retire after 23 seasons in which he has made 826 starts, 443 top-10 finishes, 251 top-5 finishes and 60 wins. Harvick has 30 top-10 finishes in 41 career starts with Phoenix, including 20 top-5 finishes and nine wins, so it’s entirely possible he could add to any or all of those totals upon his departure.

The Bakersfield, California native’s career began in tragic circumstances when he climbed into the legendary Dale Earnhardt’s car after the seven-time champion tragically died in the 2001 Daytona 500. Harvick famously won in just his third start this season and hasn’t been able to get it back.

NASCAR Cup Series Championship Entry List

Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford
Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Cole Custer (6), RFK Racing Ford
Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford
Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
JJ Yeley (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford
AJ Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford
Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford
Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota
William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Todd Gilliland (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Ryan Preece (41), Stewart Haas Racing Ford
Carson Hocevar (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Ryan Newman (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford
Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
BJ McLeod (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford
Daniel Suárez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

NASCAR Cup Series Championship Weather

The weather forecast is for high temperatures during the day high 80s, with little to no cloud cover. This puts things squarely in the hands of the riders – particularly Championship 4 – as the track will be smooth and evolve throughout the day.