Stay tuned until the 2023 title is awarded in Phoenix

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 compete for the championship on the unique racing oval. Bell, Blaney and Larson all won the qualifying round, while Byron, who has six victories and is the winningest driver in the series this year, had to do his best at Martinsville last week to signal the finish.

But points don’t matter on Sunday – the driver who finishes best among these four will lift the trophy.

Here’s what to know before the championship race:

The starting grid for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship

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 years old), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

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

8. Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

9. Chris Buescher (17 years old), 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 of Ford Motorsports

15. Ryan Blaney (12 years old), Team Penske Ford

16. Daniel Suarez (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), GTG 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 years old), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

29. Corey Lajoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

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

31. Cole Custer (6), RFK Racing Ford

32. AJ Allmendinger (16), College Racing Chevrolet

33. Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

34. JJ Yeley (15), Rick Weir Racing Ford

35. Justin Haley (31), College Racing Chevrolet

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

TV/Live Broadcast Schedule for the NASCAR Cup Series

All times Eastern

Friday
8-9 pm: Training (USA, NBC Sports app)

Saturday
4:30-5:30 PM: Playoffs (USA, NBC Sports app)

Sunday
3-6:30 PM: NASCAR Cup Series Championship (NBC App, Peacock, NBC Sports)

Nascar Cup Series Championship Details

a path: Phoenix Raceway | A mile-long oval dog leg in Avondale, Arizona
Banking services: Forward Extension Dog Leg – 0-11 degrees | Turns 1-2 – 8-9 degrees | Back extension – 3 degrees | Turns 3-4 – 10-11 degrees
Race length: 312 rolls
Stage lengths: First stage – 60 laps | The second stage – 125 laps Stage 3 – 127 laps
2022 Winner: Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford

The best drivers and best bets for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship

The championship quartet are the four drivers who have the best chances of winning the race. According to BetMGM. For all nine years under the current qualifying system, the champion has won the final, which includes Kyle Larson’s 2021 title. Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate, William Byron, took the first of his six wins of the season in the spring race at Phoenix.

Best odds of winning
• 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 endorsing the favorites, he recently liked the elimination of Denny Hamlin (+2000), who had the third-best average finish of any driver in the field at Phoenix. If you’re looking at long shots, Kyle Busch (+5000) has a better average finish in Phoenix than Hamlin at 10.6.

Kevin Harvick’s last trip

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

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

The Bakersfield, Calif., native’s career began under tragic circumstances, stepping into the legendary Dale Earnhardt car after the seven-time champion was tragically killed in the 2001 Daytona 500. The famous Harvick won in only his third start that season and never 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 years old), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Denny Hamlin (11 years old), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ryan Blaney (12 years old), Team Penske Ford
Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
JJ Yeley (15), Rick Weir Racing Ford
AJ Allmendinger (16), College Racing Chevrolet
Chris Buescher (17 years old), 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), College Racing Chevrolet
Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Todd Gilliland (38), front row of Ford Motorsports
Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Carson Hocevar, 42, Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Eric Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), GTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Ryan Newman (51), Rick Weir Racing Ford
Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
PJ McLeod (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford
Daniel Suarez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Nascar Weather Cup Championship

Forecasts indicate high temperatures during the day High 80s, with little to no cloud cover. This puts things in the hands of the drivers – especially Championship 4 – as the track will be smooth and evolving as the day goes on.