Kyle Larson won the championship this afternoon with his 10th race win of the season in the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway. Martin Truex, Jr. finished in P2 with Denny Hamlin completing the podium. The top three along with Chase Elliott were in contention for the championship.
Larson led the field to green at the start of the race from Elliott, who took the lead on Lap 2. Bubba Wallace and Corey LaJoie made contact, sending Wallace into the wall on Lap 7. The restart on Lap 12 saw Elliott leading from William Byron, from Hamlin in P3. Larson restarted down in P31. More contact, this time with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. sent LaJoie into the wall on Lap 15. Stenhouse spun but didn't make contact. The race restarted on Lap 21 with Ryan Blaney leading from Brad Keselowski.
Lap 45 saw Blaney and Kevin Harvick battle for the lead from Chase Elliott in P3. Truex Jr., Larson, and Hamlin completed the top six. The lead changed hands several times, with Truex emerging victorious over the first stage.
Pit stops saw Elliott leading Stage 2 from Truex, Jr., with all championship contenders completing the top 4 including Larson and Hamlin in P3 and P4 respectively. Lap 129 saw Quin Houff lose a tire and hit the wall at Turn 3, causing another yellow flag. Elliott led the restart on Lap 136 from Harvick, but it didn't last long as Stenhouse hit the wall, also at Turn 3 after losing a tire. The race restarted on Lap 146, with Elliott leading from Harvick, from Larson who took P3 from Harvick.
Chase Briscoe hit the wall on Lap 155 from P12, causing another yellow flag. The race restarted on Lap 162 with Tyler Reddick leading from Kurt Busch. Pit stops saw Larson take the lead, with Elliott in P2. Larson sustained damage from contact with Elliott on Lap 167, but Larson held the lead and took Stage 2.
Truex Leads After Alfredo Loses a Tire
Stage 3 started on Lap 198 with Larson leading from Elliott, from Hamlin in P3. Larson held the lead until Lap 236 when he lost it to Elliott, but got it back after pit stops. Hamlin passed Larson for the lead on Lap 245. Lap 248 saw Anthony Alfredo lose a tire and hit the wall in Turn 2, causing a yellow flag.
The restart saw Truex leading from Blaney, with Hamlin in P3. The four championship contenders once again were placed in the top four spots on Lap 259. David Starr suffered a broken brake rotor on Lap 283, bringing out another yellow flag. The restart had Larson in the lead, with Hamlin in P2 from Elliott. Larson defended from Truex, with Elliott on a charge with 12 laps to go.
Truex got the gap to Larson down to 0.5 seconds with 2 laps to go, but it wasn't enough as Larson took the checkered flag and won the NASCAR Cup championship.