For the fourth race of the 2025 Cup Series season, it is a showdown in the desert at Phoenix Raceway. Here is everything you need to know before the race on Sunday.
NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway Preview
Phoenix Raceway plays host to the fourth race of the season, the Shriners Children’s 500. The first of two trips to the desert in 2025, could our winner Sunday find himself racing here in November for a championship? Can anyone beat Christopher Bell or William Byron? or could those two past Phoenix winners keep racking up the wins in 2025?
Phoenix 🏁 🏆- only the beginning 👊🏼 #teamtoyota pic.twitter.com/YTltpb6aI1
— Christopher Bell (@CBellRacing) March 11, 2024
This weekend in Phoenix, the race will have an option tire in 2025. Teams will have a second, softer tire, to use during the race; stay on the yellow, harder, Goodyear tires or bolt on a set of reds? A new element of strategy to spruce up a Phoenix race.
Tire strategy will be top-of-mind when the Cup Series takes on @phoenixraceway this weekend. pic.twitter.com/QNx8yXsg0u
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) March 6, 2025
Race Preview:
The Shriners Children’s 500, is a 500-kilometer race around Phoenix Raceway. The stage breaks are at laps 60, and 185, and the final lap is lap 312. Teams will have two different tires to run, the normal ‘yellow’ Goodyear tire and a ‘red’ softer tire.
Cup Series Points Standings:
Here are the points standings following Circuit Of The Americas:
1. William Byron: 116
2. Ryan Blaney: 114
3. Tyler Reddick: 111
4. Christopher Bell: 95
5. Chase Elliott: 95
6. Bubba Wallace: 94
7. Alex Bowman: 87
8. Michael McDowell: 85
9. Kyle Busch: 81
10. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: 80
READ MORE: NASCAR Cup Series at COTA Highlighted by Rules Inconsistency, Bell Victory
The Track: Phoenix Raceway
Opened in 1964, Phoenix is a flat 1-mile oval originally designed for IndyCar. The Cup Series started racing at the track in 1988, with Alan Kulwicki winning the inaugural race. Kevin Harvick holds the record for wins at the track with nine wins, Joey Logano and Jimmie Johnson are tied with four for second place.
Drivers To Watch:
Toyota has been strong during this spring race at Phoenix. Christopher Bell is the defending race winner, and also the winner of the last two weeks. Momentum is key in racing, and Bell and the #20 team have a bunch. I think Bell is the Toyota to beat this weekend.
William Byron was last week’s 2nd place finisher and the 2023 spring race winner. Like Bell, Byron has momentum from the previous three races. If Chevy is your favorite, William Byron is the Chevy you should watch this weekend.
Team Penske has dominated Phoenix in the ‘Next-Gen’ era. Three championships were won, 2 with Joey Logano and 1 with Ryan Blaney. While Logano and Blaney are tied for top-fives here, I think Blaney is stronger. In almost half the starts at Phoenix, Blaney has identical stats and more pole awards, 3 versus Logano’s 2. Penske will be tough to beat this weekend, and I think Ryan Blaney will be leading the camp.
READ MORE: Why Ryan Blaney is the lock for the 2024 Championship
How To Watch The Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway:
The Cup Series will begin racing at Phoenix with practice and qualifying on Saturday, March 8th. Coverage begins at 2:00 pm Eastern on Amazon Prime Sports. Following practice, qualifying will begin at 3:10 pm Eastern, still on Prime. The Shriners Children’s 500 will be on Sunday, March 9th, coverage begins at 3:30 PM Eastern on Fox Sports One, with driver in-car cameras on MAX.
Last Word on Motorsports will have all the news from Phoenix Raceway this weekend, be sure you stay connected with us, @lastwordonmotorsports on X/Twitter and BlueSky.
Featured Image Credit: Chris Graythen, Getty Images. 3/10/2024
