NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Standings: Championship 4 at Phoenix

After 36 weeks, the NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4 has been decided. One final race at Phoenix for all the marbles. In the group of four, three are making their first-ever appearance in the championship race. Meanwhile, another driver is looking for his second title in just three years.

Following the Round of 8 elimination race at Martinsville, four drivers were taken out of the championship race. Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, Tyler Reddick, and Chris Buescher were all under the cutline by the end of the Xfinity 500.

The big winner was Ryan Blaney at Martinsville. He was great in the Round of 8. Despite entering the playoffs in the 12th position, Blaney has advanced to his first NASCAR Championship 4.

Of course, Kyle Larson won at Las Vegas in dominant fashion. Then it was Christopher Bell at Homestead-Miami who locked himself into Phoenix. That meant just a single driver was able to advance on points.

William Byron, despite a really poor race overall, powered through to a P13 finish. He just barely scraped up enough points, 24, to advance over Denny Hamlin.

NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4:
Kyle Larson – 5000
Christopher Bell – 5000
Ryan Blaney – 5000
William Byron – 5000

The points have been reset. These are the NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4 drivers. Whichever of them is able to best the other three on Sunday will claim the Bill France Cup. Only Kyle Larson has been to a Championship 4 before this season. He will try to claim his second championship, his first coming in 2021.

NASCAR Championship 4 – Xfinity and Truck Series

There will be two other NASCAR Championship 4 races this week. Phoenix is going to host the Xfinity and Truck Series championships. It should produce quite a weekend of racing. I think we are going to see two great races in the second and third-tier series.

Truck Series Championship 4:
Corey Heim
Carson Hocevar
Ben Rhodes
Grant Enfinger

I think the Truck Series might be the hardest race to predict. Heim, Hocevar, former champion Rhodes, and Enfinger. Heim is coming back to the Truck Series next year. Hocevar going to Cup. Rhodes will return to Trucks. Enfinger has been waiting for this moment his entire career.

With his extra starts in the Cup Series, I’ll take Hocevar to win his first NASCAR Championship 4 at just 20 years of age.

Xfinity Series Championship 4:
Sam Mayer
Justin Allgaier
John Hunter Nemechek
Cole Custer

This is our only NASCAR Championship 4 without a former champion. While Rhodes and Larson will try to recreate the 2021 championship weekend, the Xfinity Series is wide open. Any of these drivers can go on to win their first championship.

Sam Mayer is arguably the hottest name in the Xfinity Series right now. However, Allgaier, Nemechek and Custer are three very experienced drivers. With how Allgaier keeps popping up at the end of these races, I’m bound to pick the No. 7 team to claim the championship.