Season finale has lots to like
AVONDALE, Ariz. — The fans held their $4 beers, sharpies and phones as they stacked four rows deep seeking just a glimpse of NASCAR champion Chase Elliott inside his garage stall.
The crowd erupted in cheers as the No. 9 Chevrolet was pushed into the bay. It was empty, but no one seemed to care all that much.
Everyone was just happy to be at the big show.
A year after the pandemic forced renovated Phoenix Raceway to host its first championship weekend in front of only 8,000 fans a day, the full $178 million facelift is on display. Every single allotted space has been sold for Sunday, when the Cup title will be decided in front of about 60,000 spectators.
They’ll bring their koozies, coolers, some will sit on Rattlesnake Hill and, yes, some will even wear their “Let’s Go, Brandon” T-shirts despite NASCAR’s disapproval.
Elliott, Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr., and Denny Hamlin will try to make the season finale a race to remember, with one driving away with a Cup Series championship that will be impossible for him to forget.
This Sunday for NASCAR’s championship four is arguably one of the best yet under this winnertake-all format introduced in 2014.
Elliott is the reigning champion, NASCAR’s most popular driver and defending race winner, while 2017 champion Truex won at Phoenix this spring.
They join three-time Daytona 500 winner and four-time championship loser Hamlin in chasing Larson, a nine-race winner this year and the FanDuel favorite to win his first NASCAR title.
Take your pick of the most enticing storylines in the desert.
Hendrick Motorsports vs. Joe Gibbs Racing in a 2-on-2 battle for the trophy.
The winner will drive either a Chevrolet (Hendrick) or a Toyota (Gibbs); Ford will be a championship spectator.
Or the in-house rivalry between Elliott and Larson for title of top dog at Hendrick Motorsports, the winningest team in NASCAR history and leader this season with 16 wins through 35 races.
Truex, a four-race winner this year back at Phoenix in the same Toyota he drove to the win in March, is the dark horse. His Gibbs teammate Hamlin is the enigma as he tries to win his first Cup in his fifth try.
In qualifying Saturday night, Larson nipped Elliott for the pole.
Hendrick and Chevrolet start with an early edge Sunday against Truex Jr. and Hamlin. Hamlin starts sixth in the No. 11 Toyota and Truex is 12th in the No. 19.
“Today we’re behind,” Truex said. “I don’t know that that guarantees tomorrowwe’llbebehind.”
Larson will gladly take the top spot.
“It definitely doesn’t hurt for sure,” he said.
“I don’t know if it’s a championship-winning moment.”
Larson, Hamlin and Truex all had team members ejected for Sunday’s race for twice failing inspection. Larson had his pick of pit stalls and his team chose the first one.