That's right, the NASCAR Cup Series is back in the desert. Phoenix Raceway hosts The Chase presented by Mobil 1 on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET, broadcast on USA Network, HBO Max, MRN Radio, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. This 1-mile oval brings a fresh dynamic this time around, as it is not serving as the season finale for the first time since 2019.
Even without the finale tag, the pressure is immense. Just four races remain to decide the title, and the calendar is pivoting to a flatter, shorter track after a stretch of three consecutive intermediates. Following this stop, the unpredictable Talladega Superspeedway looms, leading into Martinsville Speedway and the return to Homestead-Miami Speedway where a champion will be crowned at the end of 312 laps in Arizona.
Kyle Larson arrives at the venue holding a 49-point cushion over Denny Hamlin, who is hunting for redemption after his Championship 4 defeat last year and his first Chase victory. Meanwhile, Christopher Bell sits minus 51 and Chase Briscoe is minus 65, both carrying strong momentum, while Team Penske teammates Ryan Blaney (minus 85) and Joey Logano (minus 92) aim to capitalize as the schedule swings toward their organization's strengths.
Ryan Blaney enters as the undisputed king of the desert. The 32-year-old has captured victories in the last two Phoenix races, notably fending off Christopher Bell on a restart with 12 laps remaining during a springtime triumph. Blaney has collected top-five finishes in eight out of nine Next Gen races at Phoenix, marred only by an engine failure in spring 2025. Having secured top fives in each of the past three races, another one would match the longest streak of his career. Driving the No. 12, he stands alone as the only driver to score points in all 12 stages of The Chase, backed by the fifth-best pit crew in the field. Saturday went entirely to script as he clocked the fastest practice time and secured the Busch Light Pole Award. A victory would make him the first Penske driver to win three straight races at a single track since Rusty Wallace accomplished the feat at Martinsville between 1994 and 1995.
Christopher Bell is matching that elite pace. The driver of the No. 20 for Joe Gibbs Racing has landed inside the top five in four of his last five Phoenix appearances, including victories in the spring races of 2024 and 2025. He controlled large portions of this spring's event by leading 176 laps before taking second place, which marked the opening of a series of eight runner-up results in 2026, capped by another last weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Since the beginning of 2022, he has paced the field for 474 circuits, more than any other competitor in the series. Through six Chase events, Bell leads all drivers with 79 stage points and sits second in overall points with 266, trailing only Larson.
Speaking of the points leader, Kyle Larson managed a sixth-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway, which qualified as his worst outing of The Chase. He still walked away with 49 points, stretching his advantage by seven markers over Hamlin. Larson continues tracking toward one of the most dominant postseasons in history, boasting a 2.8 average finish across six races—the best start to a Chase in NASCAR history. Despite a narrative that Hendrick Motorsports struggles on flat tracks, Larson completely defies it by winning at World Wide Technology Raceway last month and maintaining stellar Phoenix numbers. The No. 5 driver grabbed third place in each of the last three desert races and holds a 4.9 average across his most recent seven starts at the venue. Sunday could see him stretch his series lead into nearly untouchable territory, though launching from a 22nd-place starting spot means a heavy climb is ahead.
