If it feels like the Daytona 500 was a while ago, well, that’s because it was. Eight and a half months, to be exact. Now the winner of that race, William Byron, is one of the final stock car steerers standing, joined by surefire NASCAR Hall of Famer Joey Logano, wunderkind Jumpman pilot Tyler Reddick and, thanks to some last-minute race-winning heroics at Martinsville last weekend, defending Cup Series champ Ryan Blaney.
This Championship 4 have endured a particularly peculiar season that has produced 18 winners over 35 races, the anointing of first-time winner in Harrison Burton, a farewell tour for legend Martin Truex, Jr., an Indy/Charlotte Double Duty attempt by Kyle Larson and yet another controversial win by Austin Dillon, not to mention some fights, an antitrust suit filed against NASCAR (by Reddick’s team, 23XI Racing) and a big ol’ spaghetti pile of postseason controversy as Blaney celebrated at Martinsville Speedway, the deciding factor in Byron making the cut.
Who are this year’s fearless foursome fighting for the Cup in Sunday’s highest-finisher-wins-it-all 312-lap throwdown? How did they get here? How have they fared at Phoenix Raceway in the past? Where are their heads as they, well, head into the desert? And if the guy driving for Michael Jordan wins the title, will he be expected to hug the trophy and cry all over it like MJ did in ’91 and ’96?
Read ahead as we give you the stats, the path and also a short Q&A with each member of NASCAR’s Championship 4.
Ryan Blaney | No. 12 | Ford Mustang | Team Penske
2024: 3 wins, 3 wins, 1 pole, 11 top-5s, 17 top-10s, 5 DNFs
2024 playoffs: 1 win, 0 poles, 4 top-5s, 6 top-10s, 2 DNFs
Playoff history: 8th appearance, 5 wins, 1 this year
Best championship finish: Defending NASCAR Cup Series champion
Phoenix career stats: 17 starts, 0 wins, 8 top-5s, 12 top-10s, 2 DNFs, 10.9 average finish
McGee: So, how exactly would you describe last Sunday at Martinsville? Not all the controversy happening behind you, but the relief of that amazing late drive, the win and transferring into the title fight?
Blaney: It felt like redemption. I gave the race away the week before at…
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