The ultimate day of the NASCAR season is right here and it’s championship Sunday.
Ryan Blaney defends his Cup Collection title, whereas teammate Joey Logano desires to affix rarefied air with a 3rd. William Byron has one other likelihood after developing quick final yr. And Tyler Reddick might make probably the most recognizable sports activities figures on this planet — Michael Jordan — a champion in a brand new sport.
There are 312 laps to settle it. Martin Truex Jr. begins from the pole in his last full-time NASCAR begin driving a paint scheme from when he made his first Cup Collection begin in 2004.
The inexperienced flag is after 3pm ET. Here’s a last take a look at the 4 championship contenders.
Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Crew Penske Ford
Wins: 3
Poles: 1
Laps led: 555
Prime-10 finishes: 17
Prime-five finishes: 11
Championships: 1 (2023)
Common season common end: 15.8
Postseason common end: 15
TEAM 411: Though these are the defending champions, there’s one member of the crew who was not on the No. 12 automobile final yr. Ben Gitlin, who’s Blaney’s inside mechanic, has not received a championship and a triumph Sunday could be his first.
AT A GLANCE: The reigning and defending sequence champion surged late in the summertime to select up two wins and solidify his postseason spot. The primary two rounds went properly, with Blaney in no actual hazard of being eradicated. However the third spherical began tough, with a DNF in Las Vegas and being put in a must-win state of affairs within the elimination race. Satirically, crew chief Jonathan Hassler mentioned earlier than Martinsville that the No. 12 crew is aware of it may succeed even when backed towards a wall, and the 2023 championship run expertise helped calm the nerves. And now, right here they’re, making an attempt to do it once more and searching calm and comfy within the course of.
Joey Logano, No. 22 Crew Penske Ford
Wins: 3
Poles: 3
Laps led: 307
Prime-10 finishes: 12
Prime-five finishes: 6
Championships: 2 (2018, 2022)
Common season common end: 18.34
Postseason common end: 15.33
TEAM 411: Logano’s crew has largely stayed the identical through the years, and he usually mentions their racing – and championship – expertise. Nonetheless, there’s one crew member, Joe Dilly, the entrance tire changer, who has not beforehand received a championship.
AT A GLANCE: Removed from the strongest crew within the common season, Logano and crew chief Paul Wolfe blew minds by prevailing in a five-overtime occasion at Nashville to earn their postseason spot. With out that victory, Logano is probably going not within the postseason or at Phoenix with a shot at a 3rd championship. You nearly must snigger at how Logano’s season has performed out: a five-overtime win, wrecked by Austin Dillon from the lead at Richmond, opens the playoffs with a win, advances to the Spherical of 8 via a disqualification, then wins the primary race to advance to Phoenix. Logano did snigger after profitable Las Vegas, which grew to become a montage that went viral on social media. He is likely to be doing that once more Sunday night time as everybody else once more shakes their head in disbelief.
Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota
Wins: 3
Poles: 3
Laps Lled: 597
Prime-10 finishes: 20
Prime-five finishes: 12
Championships: 0
Common season common end: 11.15
Postseason common end: 19.88
TEAM 411: Reddick, crew chief Billy Scott and various different crew members on the No. 45 are searching for their first Cup Collection championship. However three crew members have skilled that earlier than: Brian Dheel, the gasman; Julian Pena, the race engineer; and David Bryant, the chief mechanic.
AT A GLANCE: It was a sluggish begin to the common season however Reddick and his crew have been spectacular via the late summer season to win the common season title. It may need been a shock to some who weren’t paying consideration as the main target was totally on the Hendrick Motorsports drivers and Denny Hamlin. However these extra playoff factors have been invaluable to Reddick and his crew. Why? As a result of the postseason has been plagued by messy races and outcomes. In 9 races, Reddick has two top-10 finishes, and a type of was the victory in Miami that gave him a shot at Phoenix, the place he wants one other drive of a lifetime.
William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Wins: 3
Poles: 1
Laps led: 338
Prime-10 finishes: 20
Prime-five finishes: 12
Championships: 0
Common season common end: 14.57
Postseason common end: 9.33
TEAM 411: Byron, crew chief Rudy Fugle and different crew members are searching for their first Cup Collection championship. However two people have achieved it already: Ryan Patton, the tire service, has celebrated two championships and Jeff Cordero, the entrance tire changer, has achieved so as soon as.
AT A GLANCE: Byron received three of the primary eight races and seemed like he was selecting up the place he left off in 2023. And whereas the common season was strong for the No. 24 crew, they nonetheless went via one other silent summer season. Byron hasn’t received since April, though he’s hardly been out of the image. Of the 4 remaining drivers, Byron has the perfect common end from the final 9 races within the postseason and has achieved every part however win. Byron and Fugle put collectively a robust automobile early at Phoenix final yr however pale when it mattered most. Sunday is an opportunity to take that have and switch it right into a championship.
