# 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race

The 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on November 6, 2022, 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 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season. Joey Logano won the race, claiming his second Cup Series championship.

## 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.
On October 28, 2022, Hendrick Motorsports announced that Alex Bowman would return to the No. 48 car for this race, having sat out the rest of Round of 12 and Round of 8 races (eliminating himself from Round of 12) after he suffered a concussion at the Texas playoff race. Ty Gibbs was set to participate in the race, but withdrew and was replaced by Daniel Hemric after the sudden death of his father Coy Gibbs the previous night.

#### Championship drivers

Joey Logano 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 final race of the Round of 8 at Martinsville. Ross Chastain and Chase Elliott clinched the remaining two spots based on points.

#### Entry list

* (R) denotes rookie driver.
* (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
* (CC) denotes Championship Contender.
* (OC) denotes Championship Contender for the Owner’s Playoffs.
| No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer |
| 1 | Ross Chastain (CC) | Trackhouse Racing Team | Chevrolet |
| 2 | Austin Cindric (R) | Team Penske | Ford |
| 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 5 | Kyle Larson (OC) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing | Ford |
| 7 | Corey LaJoie | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 8 | Tyler Reddick | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 9 | Chase Elliott (CC) | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford |
| 14 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 15 | Garrett Smithley (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Ford |
| 16 | A. J. Allmendinger (i) | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet |
| 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing | Ford |
| 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 20 | Christopher Bell (CC) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 21 | Harrison Burton (R) | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford |
| 22 | Joey Logano (CC) | Team Penske | Ford |
| 23 | Daniel Hemric (i) | 23XI Racing | Toyota |
| 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 31 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet |
| 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 38 | Todd Gilliland (R) | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 41 | Cole Custer | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 42 | Ty Dillon | Petty GMS Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 43 | Erik Jones | Petty GMS Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 45 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | Toyota |
| 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet |
| 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 51 | Cody Ware | Rick Ware Racing | Ford |
| 77 | Landon Cassill (i) | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 78 | B. J. McLeod (i) | Live Fast Motorsports | Ford |
| 99 | Daniel Suárez | Trackhouse Racing Team | Chevrolet |
| Official entry list ||||

## Practice

Ross Chastain was the fastest in the practice session with a time of 27.019 seconds and a speed of 133.240 mph (214.429 km/h).

### Practice results

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Time | Speed |
| 1 | 1 | Ross Chastain | Trackhouse Racing Team | Chevrolet | 27.019 | 133.240 |
| 2 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 27.060 | 133.038 |
| 3 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 27.075 | 132.964 |
| Official practice results |||||||

## Qualifying

Joey Logano scored the pole for the race with a time of 26.788 and a speed of 134.389 mph (216.278 km/h).

### Qualifying results

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | R1 | R2 |
| 1 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 26.648 | 26.788 |
| 2 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 26.828 | 26.791 |
| 3 | 14 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 26.617 | 26.825 |
| 4 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 26.821 | 26.897 |
| 5 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 26.808 | 26.979 |
| 6 | 21 | Harrison Burton (R) | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 26.777 | 27.011 |
| 7 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 26.769 | 27.056 |
| 8 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 26.793 | 27.090 |
| 9 | 41 | Cole Custer | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 26.786 | 27.125 |
| 10 | 23 | Ty Gibbs (i) | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 26.746 | 27.175 |
| 11 | 8 | Tyler Reddick | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 26.831 | — |
| 12 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 26.846 | — |
| 13 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 26.873 | — |
| 14 | 2 | Austin Cindric (R) | Team Penske | Ford | 26.874 | — |
| 15 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 26.877 | — |
| 16 | 16 | A. J. Allmendinger (i) | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 26.880 | — |
| 17 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 26.881 | — |
| 18 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing | Ford | 26.903 | — |
| 19 | 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing | Ford | 26.932 | — |
| 20 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 26.943 | — |
| 21 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 27.009 | — |
| 22 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 27.015 | — |
| 23 | 45 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 27.021 | — |
| 24 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 27.025 | — |
| 25 | 1 | Ross Chastain | Trackhouse Racing Team | Chevrolet | 27.064 | — |
| 26 | 31 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 27.071 | — |
| 27 | 7 | Corey LaJoie | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 27.085 | — |
| 28 | 99 | Daniel Suárez | Trackhouse Racing Team | Chevrolet | 27.114 | — |
| 29 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 27.143 | — |
| 30 | 43 | Erik Jones | Petty GMS Motorsports | Chevrolet | 27.226 | — |
| 31 | 38 | Todd Gilliland (R) | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 27.256 | — |
| 32 | 42 | Ty Dillon | Petty GMS Motorsports | Chevrolet | 27.292 | — |
| 33 | 78 | B. J. McLeod (i) | Live Fast Motorsports | Ford | 27.561 | — |
| 34 | 51 | Cody Ware | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 27.718 | — |
| 35 | 15 | Garrett Smithley (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 27.787 | — |
| 36 | 77 | Landon Cassill (i) | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 28.414 | — |
| Official qualifying results |||||||

## Race

* Note: Joey Logano, Christopher Bell, Ross Chastain, and Chase Elliott were not eligible for stage points because of their participation in the Championship 4.

### Stage Results

Stage One Laps: 60
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Points |
| 1 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 0 |
| 2 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 9 |
| 3 | 14 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 8 |
| 4 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 7 |
| 5 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 6 |
| 6 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 0 |
| 7 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 4 |
| 8 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 3 |
| 9 | 8 | Tyler Reddick | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 2 |
| 10 | 2 | Austin Cindric (R) | Team Penske | Ford | 1 |
| Official stage one results ||||||
Stage Two Laps: 125
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Points |
| 1 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 10 |
| 2 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 0 |
| 3 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 8 |
| 4 | 14 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 7 |
| 5 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 6 |
| 6 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 0 |
| 7 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 4 |
| 8 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 3 |
| 9 | 8 | Tyler Reddick | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 2 |
| 10 | 2 | Austin Cindric (R) | Team Penske | Ford | 1 |
| Official stage two results ||||||

### Final Stage Results

Stage Three Laps: 127
| Pos | Grid | No | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Points |
| 1 | 1 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 312 | 40 |
| 2 | 2 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 312 | 54 |
| 3 | 25 | 1 | Ross Chastain | Trackhouse Racing Team | Chevrolet | 312 | 34 |
| 4 | 3 | 14 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 312 | 48 |
| 5 | 7 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 312 | 41 |
| 6 | 8 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 312 | 39 |
| 7 | 22 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 312 | 30 |
| 8 | 21 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 312 | 29 |
| 9 | 4 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 312 | 38 |
| 10 | 17 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 312 | 27 |
| 11 | 14 | 2 | Austin Cindric (R) | Team Penske | Ford | 312 | 28 |
| 12 | 16 | 16 | A. J. Allmendinger (i) | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 312 | 0 |
| 13 | 15 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 312 | 24 |
| 14 | 30 | 43 | Erik Jones | Petty GMS Motorsports | Chevrolet | 312 | 23 |
| 15 | 12 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr. | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 312 | 36 |
| 16 | 9 | 41 | Cole Custer | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 312 | 21 |
| 17 | 10 | 23 | Daniel Hemric (i) | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 312 | 0 |
| 18 | 27 | 7 | Corey LaJoie | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 312 | 19 |
| 19 | 6 | 21 | Harrison Burton (R) | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 312 | 18 |
| 20 | 13 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 312 | 17 |
| 21 | 19 | 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing | Ford | 312 | 16 |
| 22 | 23 | 45 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | Toyota | 311 | 15 |
| 23 | 11 | 8 | Tyler Reddick | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 311 | 18 |
| 24 | 28 | 99 | Daniel Suárez | Trackhouse Racing Team | Chevrolet | 311 | 13 |
| 25 | 20 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 311 | 12 |
| 26 | 32 | 42 | Ty Dillon | Petty GMS Motorsports | Chevrolet | 311 | 11 |
| 27 | 26 | 31 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet | 311 | 10 |
| 28 | 5 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 310 | 9 |
| 29 | 31 | 38 | Todd Gilliland (R) | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 309 | 8 |
| 30 | 34 | 51 | Cody Ware | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 308 | 7 |
| 31 | 33 | 78 | B. J. McLeod (i) | Live Fast Motorsports | Ford | 307 | 0 |
| 32 | 29 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | 307 | 5 |
| 33 | 35 | 15 | Garrett Smithley (i) | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 304 | 0 |
| 34 | 24 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 304 | 3 |
| 35 | 18 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing | Ford | 270 | 2 |
| 36 | 36 | 77 | Landon Cassill (i) | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet | 84 | 0 |
| Official race results ||||||||

### Race statistics

* Lead changes: 11 among 16 different drivers
* Cautions/Laps: 6 for 39
* Red flags: 0
* Time of race: 2 hours, 58 minutes and 42 seconds
* Average speed: 104.757 miles per hour (168.590 km/h)

## Media
### Television

NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, two–time Phoenix winner Jeff Burton and three-time Phoenix winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. called the race from the broadcast booth. Dave Burns, Parker Kligerman, Marty Snider and Dillon Welch were the pit reporters. Rutledge Wood, who reported select races for NASCAR on NBC from outside the track in the city/metropolitan area of the racetrack in 2022, was at this race in-person serving as a roving reporter.
Steve Letarte, normally in NBC's broadcast booth, had to miss the race due to having an emergency appendectomy.
NBC :
| Booth announcers | Pit reporters | Roving reporter |
| Lap-by-lap: Rick Allen Color-commentator: Jeff Burton Color-commentator: Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Dave Burns Parker Kligerman Marty Snider Dillon Welch | Rutledge Wood |

### Radio

MRN covered 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. Kim Coon, Steve Post, Brienne Pedigo and Jason Toy covered the action for MRN from pit lane.
MRN :
| 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 | Kim Coon Steve Post Brienne Pedigo Jason Toy |

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| | 1 | Joey Logano | 5,040 |
| 1 | 2 | Ross Chastain | 5,034 (–6) |
| 1 | 3 | Christopher Bell | 5,027 (–13) |
| | 4 | Chase Elliott | 5,009 (–31) |
| | 5 | Denny Hamlin | 2,379 (–2,661) |
| | 6 | William Byron | 2,378 (–2,662) |
| | 7 | Kyle Larson | 2,354 (–2,686) |
| | 8 | Ryan Blaney | 2,354 (–2,686) |
| 1 | 9 | Chase Briscoe | 2,292 (–2,748) |
| 1 | 10 | Daniel Suárez | 2,272 (–2,768) |
| | 11 | Austin Dillon | 2,228 (–2,812) |
| | 12 | Austin Cindric | 2,226 (–2,814) |
| 1 | 13 | Kyle Busch | 2,224 (–2,816) |
| 1 | 14 | Tyler Reddick | 2,215 (–2,825) |
| 1 | 15 | Kevin Harvick | 2,126 (–2,914) |
| 1 | 16 | Alex Bowman | 2,107 (–2,933) |
| Official driver's standings ||||
| Pos | Manufacturer | Points |
| 1 | Chevrolet | 1,324 |
| 2 | Ford | 1,250 (–74) |
| 3 | Toyota | 1,188 (–136) |