Ryan Blaney Takes 2023 Cup Collection Championship with Ross Chastain’s Victory at Phoenix

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

Buescher wins Stage 2 as Bell retires

Chris Buescher received Stage 2 at Phoenix, passing Ross Chastain for the lead with 14 laps to go within the stage. William Byron completed fourth, better of the Championship 4, adopted by Ryan Blaney in sixth and Kyle Larson in seventh. Christopher Bell’s day and championship likelihood is completed.

Bell’s proper entrance brake rotor exploded on lap 109 inflicting him to smack the wall and ending his day and bringing out the primary non-competition yellow flag. Up till that time Byron had been in management and main a lot of the means.

Byron claims Stage 1

William Byron is ⅓ of the way in which to his first profession NASCAR Cup Collection championship.

Byron, who began the championship race at Phoenix from the pole, obtained a clear launch on the inexperienced flag and drove away for a lot of the 60-lap opening stage. Byron’s championship Hendrick Motorsports teammate and championship rival Kyle Larson misplaced a spot through the stage, ending fourth. Christopher Bell and Ryan Blaney initially had been stymied in site visitors, however finally made some beneficial properties late within the stage to complete ninth and tenth, respectively.

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

Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, William Byron and 2021 collection champion Kyle Larson will vie for the championship on the distinctive, dog-leg oval. Bell, Blaney and Larson all received within the Spherical of 8 to advance, whereas Byron, who with six victories is the winningest driver within the collection this 12 months, needed to sweat it out at Martinsville final week to level his means into the finale.

However factors don’t matter Sunday — the motive force who finishes finest amongst these 4 will hoist the Cup.

Right here’s what to know forward of the championship race:

NASCAR Cup Collection Championship beginning 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 Membership 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), Entrance Row Motorsports Ford
15. Ryan Blaney (12), Group Penske Ford
16. Daniel Suárez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
17. Joey Logano (22), Group Penske Ford
18. Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
19. Michael McDowell (34), Entrance Row Motorsports Ford
20. Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
21. Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
22. Carson Hocevar (42), Legacy Motor Membership Chevrolet
23. Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
24. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
25. Harrison Burton (21), Wooden Brothers Racing Ford
26. Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
27. Austin Cindric (2), Group 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. A.J. Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
33. Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
34. J.J. Yeley (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford
35. Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
36. BJ McLeod (78), Stay Quick Motorsports Ford

NASCAR Cup Collection Championship TV/streaming schedule

All occasions Jap

Friday
8-9 p.m.: Observe (USA, NBC Sports activities app)

Saturday
4:30-5:30 p.m.: Qualifying (USA, NBC Sports activities app)

Sunday
3-6:30 p.m.: NASCAR Cup Collection Championship (NBC, Peacock, NBC Sports activities app)

NASCAR Cup Collection Championship particulars

Monitor: Phoenix Raceway | 1-mile, low-banked dog-leg oval in Avondale, Arizona
Banking: Frontstretch dog-leg – 0-11 levels | Turns 1-2 – 8-9 levels | Backstretch – 3 levels | Turns 3-4 – 10-11 levels
Race size: 312 laps
Stage lengths: Stage 1 – 60 laps | Stage 2 – 125 laps | Stage 3 – 127 laps
2022 winner: Joey Logano (22), Group Penske Ford

High drivers and finest bets for the NASCAR Cup Collection Championship

The championship quartet are the 4 drivers with the very best odds to win the race, based on BetMGM. In all 9 years below the present playoff format, the champion has received the finale, which incorporates Kyle Larson’s 2021 crown. Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate, William Byron, took the primary of his six victories this season within the spring race at Phoenix.

Finest odds to win
• Kyle Larson +175
• Ryan Blaney +275
• William Byron +325
• Christopher Bell +450

Yahoo Sports activities’ Nick Bromberg broke down the title race odds earlier within the week, and along with backing the favorites, he likes lately eradicated Denny Hamlin (+2000), who has the third-best common end of any driver within the subject at Phoenix. Should you’re trying on the lengthy pictures, Kyle Busch (+5000) sports activities a good higher common end at Phoenix than Hamlin at 10.6.

Kevin Harvick’s remaining journey

Sunday will mark Kevin Harvick’s remaining race within the NASCAR Cup Collection.

Harvick introduced his retirement again in January. He’ll step away after 23 seasons by which he made 826 begins and scored 443 top-10s, 251 top-5s and 60 wins to date. Harvick has 30 top-10s, together with 20 top-5s and 9 wins, in 41 profession begins at Phoenix, so including to at least one or all of these totals is a definite risk as he bids farewell.

The Bakersfield, California, native’s profession started below tragic circumstances, as he stepped into the legendary Dale Earnhardt’s automobile after the seven-time champion was tragically killed on the 2001 Daytona 500. Harvick famously received in simply his third begin that season and has not appeared again.

NASCAR Cup Collection Championship entry record

Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Austin Cindric (2), Group 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), Group Penske Ford
Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
J.J. Yeley (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford
A.J. 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), Wooden Brothers Racing Ford
Joey Logano (22), Group Penske Ford
Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota
William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Michael McDowell (34), Entrance Row Motorsports Ford
Todd Gilliland (38), Entrance Row Motorsports Ford
Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Carson Hocevar (42), Legacy Motor Membership Chevrolet
Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Membership 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), Stay Quick Motorsports Ford
Daniel Suárez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

NASCAR Cup Collection Championship climate

The forecast requires daytime excessive temperatures within the excessive 80s, with little-to-no cloud cowl. That places issues squarely within the fingers of the drivers — notably the Championship 4 — because the monitor will probably be slick and evolve because the day goes on.