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NASCAR Championship Weekend returns to Phoenix Raceway on Sunday, when four of the world’s greatest stock car drivers will compete for the coveted Bill France Cup and the honors of etching their name in history as the 2024 Cup Series champion.
Familiar faces and high-profile names make up the quartet of title contenders seeking supremacy in the desert, all of whom have forged their unique and deserving path to the marquee event.
Over the course of the past nine weeks, moments of thrills and controversy were iconized, leading to an unsuspecting cast of characters in the finale.
Team Penske headlines the group, following bookended wins in the Round of 8 by Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney, opposite first-time title contenders Tyler Reddick and William Byron, back for a second straight shot at a NASCAR Cup Series championship.
Logano got the party started for Team Penske, technically two years ago, when he started a current stretch of back-to-back titles for the prestigious organization, but also in the 2024 playoffs. The two-time champion not only won the opening race of the postseason but became the first driver to lock into the Championship 4 with his victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway — just like when he won it all in 2022.
Unfortunately, Logano’s opportunity to bring Roger Penske a third consecutive championship came at the expense of Tucson-born racer Alex Bowman, who was disqualified from the Round of 12 elimination race, allowing the No. 22 team to advance. Although criticized for qualifying for the title fight with a relatively lackluster season résumé, the 34-year-old Logano continues to show that if you give him a chance, he’s going to take advantage.
“Anytime you can get locked in early and start thinking about the championship race before everybody else … . It’s a little bit more relaxed when you get to Phoenix,” Logano said. “You’re not stressed out the whole week leading into it, on top of all the other media stuff you have to do.
“It just becomes a really busy week, so you can get ahead on so much. It really can feel a lot more like just a race and that you’re actually prepared for, and you have that advantage over the rest of the guys.”
Much like how his teammate was able to remain opportunistic and replicate prior success, reigning champion Blaney made a statement with another walk-off victory in the semifinal race at Martinsville (Virginia) Speedway. The third-generation driver mounted a late rally, surging by former champions Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott for his third win of the season, effectively knocking both drivers out of contention, along with Denny Hamlin.
Similar to last year, Blaney didn’t have the most consistent or flashy regular season. However, he and the No. 12 team turned it up when it mattered most, in the playoffs. What makes the 30-year-old’s performance even more impressive, is the fact he executed in a must-win scenario and was able to overcome an agonizing runner-up result the weekend prior.
“It’s nice to have two Penske cars in,” Blaney said. “It’s nice to join (Logano) and have a decent shot to bring Roger another title — a third title in a row. These guys are the best at what they do and it’s been so much fun to get to run with them and share wins and championships. It’s super strong right now in our organization and hopefully it carries over.”
Mired in controversy, Byron claimed the final spot in the Phoenix finale due to a safety violation on the final lap of the race at Martinsville by Christopher Bell. On the final corner of the semifinal event, Bell hammered the throttle and rode along the wall to gain a position, in a move that was outlawed by NASCAR following Ross Chastain’s “Hail Melon” at the same track in 2022.
There were also three other drivers with manufacturer alliances to the two playoff contenders manipulating the finish, but the decision by the No. 20 team was the official determining factor.
At any rate, Byron will be the sole Hendrick Motorsports driver representing the winningest organization in the sport’s history, as he makes his second Championship 4 appearance. Along with Bell, the driver of the No. 24 was one of the most successful in the postseason, carrying six consecutive finishes of sixth or better into Phoenix — a place at which he won last spring and finished fourth in the finale.
“I’ve never been a part of anything like this, so I don’t really know how to feel,” Byron said. “I hate it for everyone involved, but I’m happy for this No. 24 team. I’m excited to go to Phoenix. We’ve been up and down. Not as good a year as last year, but still end up in the same spot — with a chance to race for the championship. I learned a ton from last year, so I’m excited to go race there.”
Finally, there’s Reddick, who serves as the biggest surprise and unknown, making his first title bid. Make no mistake, the driver for 23XI Racing has developed a serious reputation for delivering in big-time moments, like his team owner Michael Jordan, so he can’t be counted out.
First, Reddick won the regular-season title by one point, overcoming a stomach bug to do so. Then, he and the No. 45 team pieced together a miraculous comeback from an early wreck in the Round of 12 elimination race to advance on points. Most recently, the two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion ripped the high line (and the win) away from Blaney in the final corner at Homestead-Miami (Florida) Speedway to secure his spot in Phoenix.
“It feels good, but the job’s not done,” Reddick said. “We’ve got work ahead of us, but that’s what we live for. We live for these moments, and I’m excited for a week of preparation, getting out there early, getting settled in and ready to go.”
Grandstand seating is sold out, but limited tickets are available for Sunday’s Cup Series finale, where Blaney, Byron, Logano or Reddick will be crowned champion. There’s also still time to lock down seats for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship on Friday, as well as the Xfinity Series title race on Saturday.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Blaney, Logano headline NASCAR championship at Phoenix Raceway
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