The time has come for the top drivers in all three national NASCAR series to head to Phoenix for the final race weekend of the season. A total of 12 drivers will enter the weekend eligible to win the title. Only three will achieve this goal.
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With a hectic weekend at Martinsville now in the past, it's time for a quick refresher.
Cup Series Championship 4
The four drivers battling for the biggest prize in the Cup Series are Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, and William Byron. Three of these drivers won their way into the Championship 4. The last one secured his spot on points.
Logano was the first driver to punch his ticket, something he also did in 2018 and 2022 before winning the title. He used a fuel-strategy gamble to take the lead at Las Vegas Motor Speedway during the final stage. He outlasted Christopher Bell, who had dominated the race.
Reddick was the second driver to secure his spot. He won the second race of the Round of 8, which took place at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Unlike Logano, this is Reddick's first time competing for the Cup title.
Blaney delivered a win last weekend at Martinsville Speedway. He worked his way through the field in the closing laps, passing multiple other playoff drivers in the process. He won at the Virginia short track and ensured that he could defend his Cup title.
Byron pointed his way into the Championship 4 using a mix of playoff points and top-10 finishes. Bell initially beat Byron on points, but NASCAR penalized him for an apparent "wall ride" on the final lap of last weekend's race. This penalty dropped Bell multiple spots in the running order and put him behind Byron in points earned.
This weekend's race at Phoenix Raceway marks Byron's second time contending for the Cup title.
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Xfinity Series Championship 4
The four drivers battling for the Xfinity Series championship will be AJ Allmendinger, Austin Hill, Cole Custer, and Justin Allgaier. Only two of these drivers won their way into the title race.
Allmendinger was the first to punch his ticket. He won the Round of 8 opener at Las Vegas Motor Speedway — his first win of the season — and secured his return to the Championship 4. This is Allmendinger's second time competing for the title. He finished fourth in 2021.
Hill won his way into the title race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He is the only driver in the final four who has never competed for a title in any of the national NASCAR series.
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Custer pointed his way into the finale with a strong Round of 8. He has three previous appearances in the Championship 4. He finished second behind Reddick in both 2018 and 2019 and then he won the title last season.
Allgaier also pointed his way into the playoffs on the strength of a series-high 16 stage wins and a solid Round of 8. This season marks Allgaier's seventh appearance in the Championship 4. He has never finished better than second in the standings.
Truck Series Championship 4
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The Truck Series Championship 4 features Grant Enfinger, Corey Heim, Christian Eckes, and Ty Majeski. Two of these drivers won races in the Round of 8. The other two scored enough points to move on.
Enfinger was the first to reach the title race. He won the Round of 8 opener at Talladega Superspeedway and then he followed it up by winning at Homestead. This season marks Enfinger's third time reaching the title race.
Eckes won last weekend's Round of 8 finale at Martinsville, albeit in controversial fashion. He knocked both Taylor Gray and Ben Rhodes out of the way in the closing laps and won his fourth race of the season. This is Eckes's first time competing for a title.
Heim, who leads the series with six wins, finished third in the championship standings last season. He gave himself an opportunity to surpass this mark this season by pointing his way into the title race.
Majeski, now in his third full season with ThorSport Racing, won the final two races of the regular season to secure some crucial playoff points. He then performed solidly enough during the playoffs while other drivers dealt with setbacks.
Majeski will contend for the title for the second time in his career. He finished fourth in 2022 while Zane Smith won the title.
