NASCAR at Phoenix: Odds, how to watch, stream and listen to the fourth Cup Series race

By Shane Connuck

March 9, 2024 6:00 AM

Kyle Larson (5) exits turn 1 and into turn 2 during the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Ariz., on Nov. 5, 2023. Alex Gould USA TODAY NETWORK

As the NASCAR season continues taking shape, its top circuit heads to the track that will crown its next champion.

Phoenix Raceway, the mile-long, low-banked tri-oval that has hosted the November championship race since 2020, is the site of this week’s Cup Series race. Kyle Larson enters the season’s fourth race atop the series standings, followed by defending champion Ryan Blaney, Martin Truex Jr., William Byron and Ross Chastain.

After Larson finished right behind Blaney in last year’s championship race, which was won by Chastain, this season’s first three Cup Series races have been among the closest on record.

The average margin of victory of 0.222 seconds is the fourth-closest at this point in the season since the advent of electronic scoring in 1993. These races won by Byron, Daniel Suarez and Larson have averaged 37.7 lead changes per race, which are the second-most in the modern era (1972-2024) behind the 2011 season with 41.0 lead changes.

Denny Hamlin (11) pits during the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 5, 2023, in Avondale, Ariz. Mark J. Rebilas USA TODAY Sports

“I think we’re going to know a lot more about who the top guys are after Phoenix,” said Denny Hamlin, who currently sits 10th in the Cup Series standings after his first Top 10 finish. “This is a big week for all the race teams that think they have championship aspirations. If you want to try something, it’s going to be this week because you’re not going to get too far out of the box once you get to championship weekend in November.”

Phoenix will host the 2024 Cup Series championship race on Nov. 10 after the playoffs open with Atlanta and Watkins Glen. Larson, who is preparing to compete in both the Indianapolis 500 and Charlotte’s Coca-Cola 600 on May 26, tested an Indy car at Phoenix in February.

Daytona 500 winner William Byron (24) navigates turn 2 at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Ariz., on Nov. 5, 2023, the track where the NASCAR Cup Series championship race is held. Alex Gould USA TODAY NETWORK

Byron, the Charlotte native and Daytona 500 winner, won the most recent spring race at Phoenix after restarts forced a thrilling overtime finish in which Byron emerged victorious over Larson and Blaney.

“Phoenix is a track that I feel like we have really improved at,” Byron said. “I know this weekend will be a new aero package that was tested in the offseason, so practice will be crucial on Friday. Our teammate (Larson) was a part of that test. We’ll use those notes as a good starting point for when we unload”