NASCAR championship live updates, results, highlights from 2024 Cup Series title race at Phoenix
Phoenix Raceway plays host to what promises to be a doozy of a contest on Sunday afternoon.
After a 35-race slate, the NASCAR Cup Series Championship is finally here. Given the way the past few postseason races have ended, expect a fiery finish.
At Martinsville, Ryan Blaney was the hero, surging past title contenders Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson in the race’s final 10 laps to hoist the Xfinity 500 title — and a golden ticket to the Valley of the Sun.
Blaney has been here before. One year ago, he found himself in a similar situation: Blaney needed a win at the Paperclip to ensure entry into the championship race. He did just that, hoisting the checkered flag at Martinsville. One week later, he found himself frolicking at Phoenix, having captured the Cup Series crown.
MORE: Meet the final four racing for 2024 Cup Series title
Could a similar fate unfold on Sunday? Blaney isn’t the only star hoping for NASCAR’s top prize. Tyler Reddick, William Byron, and Joey Logano — Blaney’s Team Penske teammate — all are hoping for the same sort of showing come the end of Sunday.
Regardless, onlookers will be expecting fireworks throughout Sunday’s race. Given all that’s at stake, such a hypothesis makes sense.
The Sporting News is tracking live updates from Sunday’s Cup Series Championship race. Follow below for highlights, analysis, and more from the Cup Series’ season finale at Phoenix Raceway.
STREAM: Watch NASCAR Cup Series Championship with Fubo (free trial)
NASCAR championship live updates, results, highlights from 2024 race
(All times Eastern)
6:33 p.m.: Logano puts a little distance between him and Blaney with 10 laps to go. His lead goes from 0.50 seconds to 0.75 seconds.
6:31 p.m.: Blaney is now within a second of Logano. 14 laps to go from Phoenix. Blaney has the speed. Logano has the track position. Who will win out?
6:30 p.m.: Blaney has cut Logano’s advantage to 1.35 seconds. There’s still 17 to go. Blaney is pumping hard.
6:28 p.m.: Blaney clears Byron for second place! He’ll have a shot at Logano with 21 laps to go. He’s 2.20 seconds away from his Team Penske teammate. Logano can’t afford to drop more than 0.1 seconds per lap.
6:26 p.m.: Blaney is in Byron’s rearview mirror. He’s faster than the No. 24. If he keeps it clean, he should be able to get past him.
6:24 p.m.: Blaney has the fastest car on the track. When he gets a clean run, he tends to outperform Logano by 0.1-0.2 seconds. Is 28 laps enough for the No. 12 to get beyond the No. 24 and No. 22 car? Only time will tell.
6:22 p.m.: Blaney finally overcomes Larson for P3. He’s about 1.50 seconds from Byron, who surrendered track position of his own after losing some speed.
6:15 p.m.: Logano has built up a one-second lead over the No. 24 car. He’s about 2.50 seconds in front of Blaney and 3.50 seconds above Reddick. Still 45 laps to go from the Valley of the Sun!
6:12 p.m.: Back to green! Logano overtakes Byron with a sweeping exchange across the low line! Blaney is attempting to crawl his way back into the hunt! Currently it’s Logano-Byron,-Blaney-Reddick.
6:05 p.m.: Byron will take the lead. Blaney, Logano and Reddick are headed to pit road. The No. 24 car’s crew chief, Rudy Fogle, made an inspired decision.
6:03 p.m.: CAUTION! Byron got just the sort of break he needed! Zane Smith clatters into Turn 2. The canary flies. And Byron — who found himself some ways back of his Team Penske foes — now will be near the front.
6:02 p.m.: Byron heads to pit road. He’s 12 laps back of Blaney and Logano’s strategy.
5:57 p.m.: Blaney and Logano are spit out in the same position as they came into pit road with. Blaney is out in front, with a slight advantage over Logano. Byron’s team is imploring him to stay the course. Looks like he’s planning on pitting 15-20 laps down the road.
5:55 p.m.: Blaney clears Logano on Lap 235. Have no fear for the No. 22 car, though; Logano’s pit crew calls him into pit road. Blaney will have to make a move out to pit road to respond.
Blaney goes through!
The No. 12 takes the championship lead from @joeylogano with less than 80 to go! pic.twitter.com/wliQW3AAmm
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) November 10, 2024
5:53 p.m.: It’s a Team Penske showdown for P2! Logano and Blaney are duking it out to see who can stay out in front. Byron isn’t too far back in fourth. Reddick is a distant P6 with 79 to go.
5:46 p.m.: The start of the final stage sees Bell race out in front. Logano has displaced Blaney atop the totem pole of championship contenders.
5:34 p.m.: Blaney puts forth an impressive run in Stage 2, powering his way to the stage victory. One stage away from glory.
5:09 p.m.: Logano’s pit crew is making a swap: NBC is reporting that the No. 22 team is replacing its jackman, as he’s feeling under the weather. He’ll be replaced by the jackman from Austin Cindric’s team. All hands on deck for Team Penske today.
4:56 p.m.: Blaney and Byron are surging up the field. Bell is out in front. But Blaney is about a second behind, pushing hard in second-place.
4:51 p.m.: Green flag pit stops have commenced, with Reddick, Blaney, Byron and Logano all getting work done in their pit stalls.
4:43 p.m.: 42 laps down in Stage 2 and Bell remains out in front. Blaney has opened up a near two-second advantage over fourth-place Byron. We’ve got two-thirds of the race to go. But it’s been a standout showing by the Team Penske star thus far.
4:33 p.m.: Back to green at Phoenix. Bell has burst out in front. As for championship contenders, it’s Blaney who is the highest-placing, sitting in third, one spot — and about one second — in front of Byron. Logano and Reddick are in P5 and P10, respectively.
4:25 p.m.: Here’s a look at the championship standings through the first opening stage. Blaney looks like he has some serious speed.
.@Blaney gains 11 spots in 60 laps, but @joeylogano leads 50+ laps to dominate the opening stage. #Championship4 pic.twitter.com/xlCgB67Zqg
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) November 10, 2024
4:20 p.m.: CAUTION! One of the most bizarre caution flags you’ll ever see just occurred on the track. The pace car crashed into the cones separating pit road from the track. There’s a slight delay here at Phoenix as debris is cleared off the track.
4:11 p.m.: Logano keeps his place atop the podium through the end of Stage 1. Blaney, meanwhile, displaced Reddick for sixth. Still plenty of time left.
4:07 p.m.: The battle at the top is heating up, with Logano attempting to hold off Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Truex and Christopher Bell.
Further down the track, the jostle for sixth place continues. Blaney is pushing hard on Reddick. But the 23XI Racing star is doing just enough to keep the Team Penske standout away.
4:00 p.m.: Logano holding firm as we approach lap 50. Reddick, Blaney and Byron are all within a few spots of one another. Still, they’re eating Logano’s dust at the moment. 12 laps to go before the end of the opening stage. At this point of the year, it’s all about positioning and strategy, not stage points.
3:50 p.m.: Through the first 25 laps, Logano has been the dominant force on the track, easily slipping beyond Truex to take first.
3:37 p.m.: CAUTION! Ty Gibbs goes spiraling on the first lap! Didn’t appear to collect
TY GIBBS HITS THE WALL!
We have action in Phoenix on lap 2. 😳 pic.twitter.com/WYRnoYvWRc
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) November 10, 2024
3:35 p.m.: Here we go! The Cup Series Championship is underway! Truex and Logano lead the way to start!
3:12 p.m.: Another famous sporting Michael is gracing Phoenix Raceway ahead of Sunday’s race. Michael Phelps will sit in the pace car to lead off the championship contest!
2:58 p.m.: Driver introductions have commenced! We’re not too far form the start of today’s championship race.
2:25 p.m.: On the topic of Truex, NASCAR appears to be pulling out all the stops to pay homage to the 2017 Cup Series champion and 34-time race winner.
RESPECT. 👏
Martin Truex Jr. received a standing ovation ahead of his final race as a full-time NASCAR Cup Series driver. pic.twitter.com/ndANu9wb5v
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) November 10, 2024
Drivers get ready to pose for a photo with Martin Truex Jr. after the driver meeting. pic.twitter.com/iKfA7McxPF
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) November 10, 2024
2:15 p.m.: Plenty of history on the line among the field of Championship 4 drivers. Ryan Blaney can become the first driver to win back-to-back Cup Series crowns since Jimmie Johnson. He’s starting the day in P17. But Team Penske has shown speed at Phoenix in the past
2:00 p.m.: Easy to focus on the playoff drivers for today’s contest. But Martin Truex Jr. is starting the day on pole. The Joe Gibbs Racing star is retiring from full-time racing at the end of the year. Can he cap off his Hall of Fame career with a win at Phoenix?
What channel is NASCAR on today?
- TV channel: NBC (U.S.) | TSN5 (Canada)
- Live stream: Peacock, Fubo
- Radio: MRN
Sunday’s race will be broadcast on NBC in the United States. Canadian viewers can find the action on TSN5.
Veteran announcer Leigh Diffey will lead the race’s lap-by-lap commentator. He’ll be joined by former Cup Series star Jeff Burton, as well as former Daytona 500-winning crew chief Steve Letarte.
Cord-cutters can follow the action on Peacock, as well as with Fubo, which offers a free trial.
MORE: Meet the final four racing for 2024 NASCAR Cup Series title
NASCAR start time today
- Date: Sunday, Nov. 10
- Time: 3 p.m. ET
The Cup Series Championship has a listed start time of 3 p.m. ET., but pre-race festivities are expected to push the waving of the green flag closer to 3:32 p.m. ET.
NASCAR Cup Series Championship starting lineup 2024
Leading the line for Sunday’s Cup Series title race are Martin Truex Jr. and Joey Logano.
| Starting pos. | Driver | Car No. | Team |
| 1. | Martin Truex Jr. | 19 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 2. | Joey Logano (P) | 22 | Team Penske |
| 3. | Ross Chastain | 1 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 4. | Kyle Larson | 5 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 5. | Chase Elliott | 9 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 6. | Ty Gibbs | 54 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 7. | Christopher Bell | 20 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 8. | William Byron (P) | 24 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 9. | Harrison Burton | 21 | Wood Brothers Racing |
| 10. | Tyler Reddick (P) | 45 | 23XI Racing |
| 11. | Austin Cindric | 2 | Team Penske |
| 12. | Chase Briscoe | 14 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 13. | Justin Haley | 7 | Spire Motorsports |
| 14. | Denny Hamlin | 11 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 15. | Carson Hocevar | 77 | Spire Motorsports |
| 16. | Alex Bowman | 48 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 17. | Ryan Blaney (P) | 12 | Team Penske |
| 18. | John Hunter Nemechek | 42 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 19. | Erik Jones | 43 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 20. | Corey LaJoie | 51 | Rick Ware Racing |
| 21. | Noah Gragson | 10 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 22. | Daniel Hemric | 31 | Kaulig Racing |
| 23. | Jimmie Johnson | 84 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 24. | Chris Buescher | 17 | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing |
| 25. | Kyle Busch | 8 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 26. | Derek Knaus | 16 | Kaulig Racing |
| 27. | Brad Keselowski | 6 | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing |
| 28. | Zane Smith | 71 | Spire Motorsports |
| 29. | Bubba Wallace | 23 | 23XI Racing |
| 30. | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 47 | JTG-Daugherty Racing |
| 31. | Kaz Grala | 15 | Rick Ware Racing |
| 32. | Todd Gilliland | 38 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 33. | Ryan Preece | 41 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 34. | Daniel Suarez | 99 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 35. | Michael McDowell | 34 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 36. | Austin Dillon | 3 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 37. | JJ Yeley | 44 | NY Racing Team |
| 38. | Chad Finchum | 66 | MBM Motorsports |
| 39. | Josh Berry | 4 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 40. | Jeb Burton | 50 | Team AmeriVet |
