The Valley of the Sun plays host to the final race of the Cup Series calendar. For four of NASCAR’s greatest talents, the colosseum could prove especially memorable.
Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick. Ryan Blaney and William Byron all are vying for American stock car racing’s greatest prize, the Cup Series Championship. All four enter Sunday’s race in fine form, with Logano, Reddick and Blaney all capturing checkered flags in the Round of 8 and Byron showcasing impressive mettle to hold off Christopher Bell in the final lap at Martinsville.
Phoenix Raceway is no cakewalk. It comes teeming with uncertainty, a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval that can get swept up in chaos when jockeys are especially aggressive.
Position reigns supreme across “The Desert Oddball.” Given the stakes associated with Sunday’s contest, that could prove especially notable. No better way to improve your chances then by putting forth an impressive run in qualifying.
With that, here’s what you need to know about the pole winner and starting lineup or Sunday’s race at Phoenix, the Cup Series Championship.
MORE: Watch NASCAR Cup Series Championship with Fubo (free trial)
Who won the NASCAR Cup Series Championship pole for 2024?
Martin Truex Jr. captured the pole at Phoenix, continuing his impressive form in qualifying races over the course of his career. The Joe Gibbs Racing standout recorded his 26th career pole on Saturday afternoon. It could very well be his last; Truex is retiring from full-time racing at the end of the season.
Truex, 44, will be joined in the Front Row by Logano, who enters Sunday’s race as the highest-placing qualifier among Championship 4 racers. He’s followed by Byron (P8), Reddick (P10) and Blaney (P17). Logano is known for his Cup Series Championship prowess in even years; he’s won two titles thus far, both of which came in evenly-numbered campaigns (2018, 2022). Could he add another trophy to his collection in 2024? He seems in good stead to do so after qualifiers.
NASCAR Cup Series Championship starting lineup 2024
Leading the line for Sunday’s Cup Series title race are Martin Truex Jr. and Joey Logano.
| Starting pos. | Driver | Car No. | Team |
| 1. | Martin Truex Jr. | 19 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 2. | Joey Logano (P) | 22 | Team Penske |
| 3. | Ross Chastain | 1 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 4. | Kyle Larson | 5 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 5. | Chase Elliott | 9 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 6. | Ty Gibbs | 54 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 7. | Christopher Bell | 20 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 8. | William Byron (P) | 24 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 9. | Harrison Burton | 21 | Wood Brothers Racing |
| 10. | Tyler Reddick (P) | 45 | 23XI Racing |
| 11. | Austin Cindric | 2 | Team Penske |
| 12. | Chase Briscoe | 14 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 13. | Justin Haley | 7 | Spire Motorsports |
| 14. | Denny Hamlin | 11 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 15. | Carson Hocevar | 77 | Spire Motorsports |
| 16. | Alex Bowman | 48 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 17. | Ryan Blaney (P) | 12 | Team Penske |
| 18. | John Hunter Nemechek | 42 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 19. | Erik Jones | 43 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 20. | Corey LaJoie | 51 | Rick Ware Racing |
| 21. | Noah Gragson | 10 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 22. | Daniel Hemric | 31 | Kaulig Racing |
| 23. | Jimmie Johnson | 84 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 24. | Chris Buescher | 17 | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing |
| 25. | Kyle Busch | 8 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 26. | Derek Knaus | 16 | Kaulig Racing |
| 27. | Brad Keselowski | 6 | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing |
| 28. | Zane Smith | 71 | Spire Motorsports |
| 29. | Bubba Wallace | 23 | 23XI Racing |
| 30. | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 47 | JTG-Daugherty Racing |
| 31. | Kaz Grala | 15 | Rick Ware Racing |
| 32. | Todd Gilliland | 38 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 33. | Ryan Preece | 41 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 34. | Daniel Suarez | 99 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 35. | Michael McDowell | 34 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 36. | Austin Dillon | 3 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 37. | JJ Yeley | 44 | NY Racing Team |
| 38. | Chad Finchum | 66 | MBM Motorsports |
| 39. | Josh Berry | 4 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 40. | Jeb Burton | 50 | Team AmeriVet |
