# 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race

The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on November 5, 2023, at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona. Contested over 312 laps on the one mile (1.6 km) oval, it was the 36th and final race of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season. Ross Chastain won the race, with Ryan Blaney finishing second and claiming his first Cup Series championship. This was also the final race for Kevin Harvick before his retirement from the Cup Series.

## Report
### Background

Phoenix Raceway – also known as PIR – is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. It is named after the nearby metropolitan area of Phoenix. The motorsport track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the IndyCar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series. The raceway is currently owned and operated by International Speedway Corporation.
The raceway was originally constructed with a 2.5 mi (4.0 km) road course that ran both inside and outside of the main tri-oval. In 1991 the track was reconfigured with the current 1.51 mi (2.43 km) interior layout. PIR has an estimated grandstand seating capacity of around 67,000. Lights were installed around the track in 2004 following the addition of a second annual NASCAR race weekend.
Phoenix Raceway is home to two annual NASCAR race weekends, one of 13 facilities on the NASCAR schedule to host more than one race weekend a year. The track is both the first and last stop in the western United States, as well as the fourth and the last track on the schedule.

#### Championship drivers

* Kyle Larson was the first of four drivers to clinch a spot in the Championship 4, winning the first race of the Round of 8 at Las Vegas.
* Christopher Bell clinched the second spot in the Championship 4, winning the second race of the Round of 8 at Homestead.
* Ryan Blaney clinched the third spot in the Championship 4, winning the third race of the Round of 8 at Martinsville.
* William Byron clinched the final spot in the Championship 4, based on points.

#### Entry list

* (R) denotes rookie driver.
* (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
* (CC) denotes championship contender.
| No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer |
| 1 | Ross Chastain | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet |
| 2 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford |
| 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 5 | Kyle Larson (CC) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing | Ford |
| 7 | Corey LaJoie | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 8 | Kyle Busch | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 12 | Ryan Blaney (CC) | Team Penske | Ford |
| 14 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 15 | J. J. Yeley (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Ford |
| 16 | A. J. Allmendinger | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet |
| 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing | Ford |
| 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 20 | Christopher Bell (CC) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 21 | Harrison Burton | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford |
| 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford |
| 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | Toyota |
| 24 | William Byron (CC) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 31 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet |
| 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 38 | Todd Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 41 | Ryan Preece | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 42 | Carson Hocevar (i) | Legacy Motor Club | Chevrolet |
| 43 | Erik Jones | Legacy Motor Club | Chevrolet |
| 45 | Tyler Reddick | 23XI Racing | Toyota |
| 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet |
| 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 51 | Ryan Newman (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Ford |
| 54 | Ty Gibbs (R) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 77 | Ty Dillon | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 78 | B. J. McLeod (i) | Live Fast Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 99 | Daniel Suárez | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet |
| Official entry list ||||

## Practice

Kyle Busch was the fastest in the practice session with a time of 27.520 seconds and a speed of 130.814 mph (210.525 km/h).

### Practice results

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Time | Speed |
| 1 | 8 | Kyle Busch | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 27.520 | 130.814 |
| 2 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 27.549 | 130.676 |
| 3 | 12 | Ryan Blaney (CC) | Team Penske | Ford | 27.602 | 130.425 |
| Official practice results |||||||

## Qualifying

William Byron scored the pole for the race with a time of 27.150 and a speed of 132.597 mph (213.394 km/h).

### Qualifying results

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | R1 | R2 |
| 1 | 24 | William Byron (CC) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 27.074 | 27.150 |
| 2 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 27.182 | 27.168 |
| 3 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 27.067 | 27.186 |
| 4 | 5 | Kyle Larson (CC) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 27.149 | 27.191 |
| 5 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 27.130 | 27.219 |
| 6 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 27.124 | 27.244 |
| 7 | 43 | Erik Jones | Legacy Motor Club | Chevrolet | 27.151 | 27.368 |
| 8 | 1 | Ross Chastain | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet | 27.106 | 27.386 |
| 9 | 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing | Ford | 27.129 | 27.458 |
| 10 | 45 | Tyler Reddick | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 27.150 | 27.957 |
| 11 | 54 | Ty Gibbs (R) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 27.181 | — |
| 12 | 41 | Ryan Preece | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 27.182 | — |
| 13 | 20 | Christopher Bell (CC) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 27.203 | — |
| 14 | 38 | Todd Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 27.205 | — |
| 15 | 12 | Ryan Blaney (CC) | Team Penske | Ford | 27.218 | — |
| 16 | 99 | Daniel Suárez | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet | 27.232 | — |
| 17 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 27.241 | — |
| 18 | 8 | Kyle Busch | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 27.246 | — |
| 19 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 27.249 | — |
| 20 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 27.266 | — |
| 21 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 27.275 | — |
| 22 | 42 | Carson Hocevar (i) | Legacy Motor Club | Chevrolet | 27.280 | — |
| 23 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 27.295 | — |
| 24 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 27.316 | — |
| 25 | 21 | Harrison Burton | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 27.421 | — |
| 26 | 14 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 27.444 | — |
| 27 | 2 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | 27.446 | — |
| 28 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 27.460 | — |
| 29 | 7 | Corey LaJoie | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 27.557 | — |
| 30 | 51 | Ryan Newman (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 27.578 | — |
| 31 | 6 | Cole Custer (i) | RFK Racing | Ford | 27.582 | — |
| 32 | 16 | A. J. Allmendinger | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 27.599 | — |
| 33 | 77 | Ty Dillon | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 27.606 | — |
| 34 | 15 | J. J. Yeley (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 27.662 | — |
| 35 | 31 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 28.003 | — |
| 36 | 78 | B. J. McLeod (i) | Live Fast Motorsports | Chevrolet | 29.248 | — |
| Official qualifying results |||||||

## Race

* Note: Ryan Blaney, Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson, and William Byron were not eligible for stage points because of their participation in the Championship 4.

### Race results

For the first time since 2013, the final race of the season was not won by the eventual Cup Series Champion. Instead, Trackhouse driver Ross Chastain, who was eliminated in the second round of the playoffs, wound up dominating the second half of the race to take the win, his second of the season and his fourth overall. As Ryan Blaney, who placed second, had the highest finishing position of the drivers who qualified for the Championship 4, he was declared the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Champion.

#### Stage results

Stage One Laps: 60
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Points |
| 1 | 24 | William Byron (CC) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 0 |
| 2 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 9 |
| 3 | 1 | Ross Chastain | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet | 8 |
| 4 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 7 |
| 5 | 5 | Kyle Larson (CC) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 0 |
| 6 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 5 |
| 7 | 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing | Ford | 4 |
| 8 | 43 | Erik Jones | Legacy Motor Club | Chevrolet | 3 |
| 9 | 20 | Christopher Bell (CC) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 0 |
| 10 | 12 | Ryan Blaney (CC) | Team Penske | Ford | 0 |
| Official stage one results ||||||
Stage Two Laps: 125
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Points |
| 1 | 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing | Ford | 10 |
| 2 | 1 | Ross Chastain | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet | 9 |
| 3 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 8 |
| 4 | 24 | William Byron (CC) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 0 |
| 5 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 6 |
| 6 | 12 | Ryan Blaney (CC) | Team Penske | Ford | 0 |
| 7 | 5 | Kyle Larson (CC) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 0 |
| 8 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 3 |
| 9 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing | Ford | 2 |
| 10 | 43 | Erik Jones | Legacy Motor Club | Chevrolet | 1 |
| Official stage two results ||||||

### Final Stage results

Stage Three Laps: 127
| Pos | Grid | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Points |
| 1 | 8 | 1 | Ross Chastain | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet | 312 | 57 |
| 2 | 15 | 12 | Ryan Blaney (CC) | Team Penske | Ford | 312 | 35 |
| 3 | 4 | 5 | Kyle Larson (CC) | Hendrick Motorsprots | Chevrolet | 312 | 34 |
| 4 | 1 | 24 | William Byron (CC) | Hendrick Motorsprots | Chevrolet | 312 | 33 |
| 5 | 9 | 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing | Ford | 312 | 47 |
| 6 | 2 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 312 | 41 |
| 7 | 3 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 312 | 47 |
| 8 | 6 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 312 | 29 |
| 9 | 19 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 312 | 28 |
| 10 | 5 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 312 | 37 |
| 11 | 16 | 99 | Daniel Suárez | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet | 312 | 26 |
| 12 | 21 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 312 | 25 |
| 13 | 28 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 312 | 24 |
| 14 | 12 | 41 | Ryan Preece | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 312 | 23 |
| 15 | 31 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing | Ford | 312 | 24 |
| 16 | 20 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 312 | 21 |
| 17 | 23 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 312 | 20 |
| 18 | 17 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 312 | 19 |
| 19 | 22 | 42 | Carson Hocevar (i) | Legacy Motor Club | Chevrolet | 312 | 0 |
| 20 | 7 | 43 | Erik Jones | Legacy Motor Club | Chevrolet | 312 | 21 |
| 21 | 11 | 54 | Ty Gibbs (R) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 312 | 16 |
| 22 | 10 | 45 | Tyler Reddick | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 312 | 15 |
| 23 | 24 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 312 | 14 |
| 24 | 26 | 14 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 312 | 13 |
| 25 | 18 | 8 | Kyle Busch | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 311 | 12 |
| 26 | 25 | 21 | Harrison Burton | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 311 | 11 |
| 27 | 34 | 15 | J. J. Yeley (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 311 | 0 |
| 28 | 33 | 77 | Ty Dillon | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 310 | 9 |
| 29 | 35 | 31 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 310 | 8 |
| 30 | 14 | 38 | Todd Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 309 | 7 |
| 31 | 29 | 7 | Corey LaJoie | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 308 | 6 |
| 32 | 32 | 16 | A. J. Allmendinger | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 308 | 5 |
| 33 | 36 | 78 | B. J. McLeod (i) | Live Fast Motorsports | Chevrolet | 306 | 0 |
| 34 | 30 | 51 | Ryan Newman (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 305 | 0 |
| 35 | 27 | 2 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | 301 | 2 |
| 36 | 13 | 20 | Christopher Bell (CC) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 108 | 1 |
| Official race results ||||||||

### Race statistics

* Lead changes: 18 among 8 different drivers
* Cautions/Laps: 4 for 27 laps
* Red flags: 0
* Time of race: 2 hours, 52 minutes, and 1 second
* Average speed: 108.827 miles per hour (175.140 km/h)

## Media
### Television

NBC covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, two–time Phoenix winner Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and three-time Phoenix winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. called the race from the broadcast booth. Dave Burns, Kim Coon, Parker Kligerman and Marty Snider handled the pit road duties from pit lane.
NBC :
| Booth announcers | Pit reporters |
| Lap-by-lap: Rick Allen Color-commentator: Jeff Burton Color-commentator: Steve Letarte Color-commentator: Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Dave Burns Kim Coon Parker Kligerman Marty Snider |

### Radio

MRN had the radio call for the race, which was also simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden, Jeff Striegle and Rusty Wallace called the action from the broadcast booth when the field races down the front straightaway. Dave Moody called the action from turns 1 & 2 and Mike Bagley called the action from turns 3 & 4. Steve Post, Jacklyn Drake, Jason Toy, and Chris Wilner covered the action for MRN from pit lane.
MRN Radio :
| Booth announcers | Turn announcers | Pit reporters |
| Lead announcer: Alex Hayden Announcer: Jeff Striegle Announcer: Rusty Wallace | Turns 1 & 2: Dave Moody Turns 3 & 4: Mike Bagley | Steve Post Jacklyn Drake Jason Toy Chris Wilner |

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| | 1 | Ryan Blaney | 5,035 |
| 1 | 2 | Kyle Larson | 5,034 (–1) |
| 1 | 3 | William Byron | 5,033 (–2) |
| 2 | 4 | Christopher Bell | 5,001 (–34) |
| | 5 | Denny Hamlin | 2,383 (–2,652) |
| | 6 | Tyler Reddick | 2,344 (–2,691) |
| 1 | 7 | Chris Buescher | 2,310 (–2,725) |
| 1 | 8 | Brad Keselowski | 2,302 (–2,733) |
| | 9 | Ross Chastain | 2,299 (–2,736) |
| | 10 | Bubba Wallace | 2,279 (–2,756) |
| 1 | 11 | Martin Truex Jr. | 2,269 (–2,766) |
| 1 | 12 | Joey Logano | 2,258 (–2,777) |
| 1 | 13 | Kevin Harvick | 2,241 (–2,794) |
| 1 | 14 | Kyle Busch | 2,232 (–2,803) |
| | 15 | Michael McDowell | 2,185 (–2,850) |
| | 16 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 2,168 (–2,867) |
| Official driver's standings ||||
| Pos | Manufacturer | Points |
| 1 | Chevrolet | 1,329 |
| 2 | Toyota | 1,249 (–80) |
| 3 | Ford | 1,240 (–89) |