For four NASCAR Cup Series drivers Sunday at Phoenix Raceway, it truly was the winner takes all.

The NASCAR Cup Series championship race, to be held on November 10, completes the 36-race schedule of the premier stock car racing series in the United States. Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Joey Logano and Tyler Reddick make up the Championship 4, with the best finisher among those four drivers being crowned champion on Sunday.

Here’s what you need to know for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series championship race.

Date: Sunday November 10
Track: Phoenix Speedway
Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
TV: NBC/Peacock
Duration of the race: 312 laps (312 miles)
Steps: 60/185/312

How to watch the NASCAR Cup Series championship race in Phoenix

After a season full of victories and participations, stage points, playoff points, calculations and strategies, the objective of the Championship 4 drivers is simple on Sunday. Cross the finish line in front of your fellow title contenders and you are the champion.

That’s exactly what Ryan Blaney did a year ago, finishing second behind Ross Chastain but ahead of Kyle Larson and William Byron to lift the Bill France Cup Trophy. With his victory last Sunday at Martinsville Speedway, Blaney will once again have a chance to challenge for the title.

Team Penske: Take nothing for granted with two cars in Championship 4
Hendrick Motorsport: Looking to close out the 40th anniversary season with a title
Race 23XI: Looking to “put NASCAR back in the spotlight” with the Michael Jordan Championship

Whether anyone wants to acknowledge it or not, the events that have transpired near the conclusion of the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville will put all parties on alert in Phoenix.

Trackhouse Racing, Richard Childress Racing and 23XI Racing all received penalties this week for manipulating the result of last Sunday’s race. NASCAR’s Elton Sawyer also noted this week that, should such action take place this weekend in Phoenix, harsher penalties could be imposed. including potential driver suspensions.

Hopefully this course of action will be enough to deter another controversial incident in Phoenix.

Phoenix’s most unique and defining feature is his dogleg forward stretch. Once a relatively narrow section of race track with a slight left turn (this was the backstretch of the circuit at the time), reconfigurations over time have completely changed this area of ​​the race track.

Today, what was once a large lawn to the driver’s left has been completely paved, with NASCAR giving competitors free rein to access the runoff area. Additionally, the track’s start/finish line was moved to just before the dogleg start in 2019.

What does this mean? There are an infinite number of racing lines across what is now the Phoenix front stretch. On restarts you’ll likely see them all used, with the peloton often ending up three, four or even five deep fighting for valuable track position while the peloton is bunched up.

A bold restart decision could potentially crown – or hinder – a championship contender on Sunday.