NASCAR results, highlights: Ryan Blaney takes 2023 Cup Series Championship as Ross Chastain wins at Phoenix

NASCAR Cup Series Championship race results

1. Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2. Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford

3. Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

4. William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

5. Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford

6. Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

7. Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

8. Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

9. Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford

10. Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota

11. Daniel Suárez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

12. Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

13. Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

14. Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

15. Brad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing Ford

16. Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

17. Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

18. Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford

19. Carson Hocevar (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

20. Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

21. Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

22. Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota

23. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet

24. Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

25. Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

26. Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford

27. J.J. Yeley (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford

28. Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

29. Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

30. Todd Gilliland (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford

31. Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

32. A.J. Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

33. BJ McLeod (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford

34. Ryan Newman (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford

35. Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford

36. Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Buescher wins Stage 2 as Bell retires

Chris Buescher won Stage 2 at Phoenix, passing Ross Chastain for the lead with 14 laps to go in the stage. William Byron finished fourth, best of the Championship 4, followed by Ryan Blaney in sixth and Kyle Larson in seventh. Christopher Bell’s day and championship chances are done.

Bell’s right front brake rotor exploded on lap 109 causing him to smack the wall and ending his day and bringing out the first non-competition yellow flag. Up until that point Byron had been in control and leading most of the way.

Byron claims Stage 1

William Byron is ⅓ of the way to his first career NASCAR Cup Series championship.

Byron, who started the championship race at Phoenix from the pole, got a clean launch at the green flag and drove away for most of the 60-lap opening stage. Byron’s championship Hendrick Motorsports teammate and championship rival Kyle Larson lost a spot during the stage, finishing fourth. Christopher Bell and Ryan Blaney initially were stymied in traffic, but eventually made some gains late in the stage to finish ninth and tenth, respectively.

The NASCAR Cup Series will crown its 2023 champion on Sunday at Phoenix Raceway.

Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, William Byron and 2021 series champion Kyle Larson will vie for the championship at the unique, dog-leg oval. Bell, Blaney and Larson all won in the Round of 8 to advance, while Byron, who with six victories is the winningest driver in the series this year, had to sweat it out at Martinsville last week to point his way into the finale.

But points don’t matter Sunday — the driver who finishes best among those four will hoist the Cup.

Here’s what to know ahead of the championship race:

NASCAR Cup Series Championship starting grid

1. William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2. Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

3. Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

4. Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

5. Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota

6. Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

7. Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

8. Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

9. Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford

10. Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota

11. Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

12. Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

13. Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

14. Todd Gilliland (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford

15. Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford

16. Daniel Suárez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

17. Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford

18. Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

19. Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford

20. Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

21. Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

22. Carson Hocevar (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

23. Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

24. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet

25. Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford

26. Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

27. Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford

28. Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

29. Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

30. Ryan Newman (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford

31. Cole Custer (6), RFK Racing Ford

32. A.J. Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

33. Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

34. J.J. Yeley (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford

35. Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

36. BJ McLeod (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford

NASCAR Cup Series Championship TV/streaming schedule

All times Eastern

Friday
8-9 p.m.: Practice (USA, NBC Sports app)

Saturday
4:30-5:30 p.m.: Qualifying (USA, NBC Sports app)

Sunday
3-6:30 p.m.: NASCAR Cup Series Championship (NBC, Peacock, NBC Sports app)

NASCAR Cup Series Championship details

Track: Phoenix Raceway | 1-mile, low-banked dog-leg oval in Avondale, Arizona
Banking: Frontstretch dog-leg – 0-11 degrees | Turns 1-2 – 8-9 degrees | Backstretch – 3 degrees | Turns 3-4 – 10-11 degrees
Race length: 312 laps
Stage lengths: Stage 1 – 60 laps | Stage 2 – 125 laps | Stage 3 – 127 laps
2022 winner: Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford

Top drivers and best bets for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship

The championship quartet are the four drivers with the best odds to win the race, according to BetMGM. In all nine years under the current playoff format, the champion has won the finale, which includes Kyle Larson’s 2021 crown. Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate, William Byron, took the first of his six victories this season in the spring race at Phoenix.

Best odds to win
• Kyle Larson +175
• Ryan Blaney +275
• William Byron +325
• Christopher Bell +450

Yahoo Sports’ Nick Bromberg broke down the title race odds earlier in the week, and in addition to backing the favorites, he likes recently eliminated Denny Hamlin (+2000), who has the third-best average finish of any driver in the field at Phoenix. If you’re looking at the long shots, Kyle Busch (+5000) sports an even better average finish at Phoenix than Hamlin at 10.6.

Kevin Harvick’s final ride

Sunday will mark Kevin Harvick’s final race in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Harvick announced his retirement back in January. He will step away after 23 seasons in which he made 826 starts and scored 443 top-10s, 251 top-5s and 60 wins so far. Harvick has 30 top-10s, including 20 top-5s and nine wins, in 41 career starts at Phoenix, so adding to one or all of those totals is a distinct possibility as he bids farewell.

The Bakersfield, California, native’s career began under tragic circumstances, as he stepped into the legendary Dale Earnhardt’s car after the seven-time champion was tragically killed at the 2001 Daytona 500. Harvick famously won in just his third start that season and has not looked back.

NASCAR Cup Series Championship entry list

Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford
Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Cole Custer (6), RFK Racing Ford
Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford
Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
J.J. Yeley (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford
A.J. Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford
Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford
Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota
William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Todd Gilliland (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Carson Hocevar (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Ryan Newman (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford
Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
BJ McLeod (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford
Daniel Suárez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

NASCAR Cup Series Championship weather

The forecast calls for daytime high temperatures in the high 80s, with little-to-no cloud cover. That puts things squarely in the hands of the drivers — particularly the Championship 4 — as the track will be slick and evolve as the day goes on.