The 2025 NASCAR tour will come to a close this weekend as the Cup, Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series will make the trek out west to Phoenix Raceway to crown the season’s champions in all three divisions. Chevrolet stands tall entering the championship weekend as the only manufacturer to have the opportunity to compete for all three titles.

Coming off a ‘walk-off’ win, William Byron and his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Kyle Larson, will represent Chevrolet in the fight for the coveted Bill France Cup. In the Xfinity Series, the Bowtie brand added onto an already record season by sweeping the Championship Four with the series’ reigning champion, Justin Allgaier, and three first-time title contenders, Connor Zilisch, Carson Kvapil and Jesse Love, competing for the manufacturer’s 23rd driver championship in the division. Carrying an already career season, Tyler Ankrum is set to make his first Championship Four appearance in the Truck Series.
 

Byron Beaming with Confidence

William Byron drove arguably the race of his career at Martinsville Speedway. With his back against the wall, the 27-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina, native turned a ‘must-win’ situation into an opportunity to compete for his first career championship title in NASCAR’s top division. The victory, his third of the season, came in nearly dominate fashion including a pole win, a sweep of the stages and a tally of 304-laps led en route to a position in this weekend’s title-deciding race. Byron has competed in the playoffs for the past seven consecutive seasons, including three-straight Championship Four appearances. In 15 career starts at Phoenix Raceway, Byron has earned one trip to victory lane and an average finish of 10.8 (third-best of the series). The Next Gen era has fared well for the driver at the one-mile venue – recording results no worse than sixth in five of the seven events. Byron has also earned top-10 finishes in each stage for the past nine consecutive races at the track – helping to boost a series-best running position of 9.178.

Larson Eyeing Second Career Title

A strong pair of rounds ultimately delivered Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson a spot back in the Championship Four for the third time in his NASCAR Cup Series career. The 33-year-old Elk Grove, California, native will have the opportunity to earn a spot on a very elite list in series’ history with the Team Chevy driver looking to become just the third active and 18th driver all-time to become a multi-time champion in NASCAR’s premier series. Larson has 22 career starts at Phoenix Raceway under his belt, with his most memorable coming in 2021 when he earned his first victory at the track en route to his championship title. Similar to his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Larson’s numbers in the Next Gen era at the track include an impressive four top-five and five top-10 finishes in seven events.
 

A Historic Xfinity Series Season Continues

What has already been a record season continues for Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series as the manufacturer concluded the Round of Eight with a sweep of the Championship Four – guaranteeing its 23rd driver championship in the division. Since the elimination-style format was introduced to the series’ playoffs in 2016, Chevrolet has been the only manufacturer in history to sweep the Championship Four positions – accomplishing the feat with JR Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing in 2017. The pair of organizations powered Chevrolet to the feat once again this season with a trio of JR Motorsports drivers – Connor Zilisch, Justin Allgaier and Carson Kvapil – and Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love representing the manufacturer in this season’s title-deciding race.
 

Allgaier Aiming to Defend

One of Team Chevy’s longest-tenured drivers, Justin Allgaier, could rest easy in the Round of Eight elimination race with an already guaranteed spot in the Championship Four on points. One year ago, the 39-year-old old Riverton, Illinois, native earned his long-awaited title as a NASCAR Xfinity Series champion. Allgaier will be able to lean on his veteran experience heading into the season finale weekend with the Team Chevy driver making his series-leading eighth appearance in the Championship Four. Among the remaining title contenders, Allgaier is the only past winner at Phoenix Raceway with two victories on his resume. On top of his wins, the reigning champion has garnered an impressive 12 top-fives and 20 top-10s throughout his 30 career starts at the one-mile Arizona venue.
 

Team Chevy’s Rising Stars Get First Title Chance

Joining the reigning champion in the title-deciding race is a trio of Team Chevy rising stars that are set to make their first career appearance in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Four.

Joining the likes of his JR Motorsports teammate, Connor Zilisch punched his ticket into the Championship Four following the penultimate race of the Round of Eight. The 19-year-old Mooresville, North Carolina, native’s record-setting rookie campaign positions him as a strong favorite for the championship title. Zilisch has set a handful of records this season, highlighted by his 10 wins (the most by a rookie in series’ history) and 18 consecutive top-fives for a 2.1 average finish during that time span. Zilisch has just two starts at Phoenix Raceway, with his best finish of fourth coming in his first appearance at the track in the championship race one year ago.

Despite a dismal finish to the Round of Eight, Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love was backed up by a strong points cushion to secure his first trip into the Championship Four. The 20-year-old Menlo Park, California, native was the first driver to punch his ticket into the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs with his victory in the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway. Throughout his sophomore campaign in the series, steady consistency has put Love near the top of a variety of statistical categories including an average finish of 11.4 and 21 top-10 finishes – both of which rank the No. 2 team second-best in the series. Phoenix Raceway might just be the best spot for Love to find redemption. One year ago, Love fell just short of the win during an overtime restart – resulting in a sixth-place finish. In his three career starts at Phoenix, Love has yet to finish worse than ninth, with his best finish of second coming in his debut appearance at the track.

In a race all the way to the checkered-flag at Martinsville Speedway, Carson Kvapil and the No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet team edged out the remaining title contenders by four-points to earn the fourth and final position in the Championship Four. The 22-year-old Mooresville, North Carolina, native will head into the final race of his rookie season with seven top-fives, 14 top-10s and an average finish of 13.8. Hungrier than ever for this first win, Kvapil could become the first driver since 2021 to earn his first career victory and the championship at the same time – a feat last achieved by Daniel Hemric.
 

Ankrum’s Career Season Continues with First Championship Four Berth

McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Tyler Ankrum made the ultimate comeback in the final stage at Martinsville Speedway to earn his first career berth into the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship Four. Ankrum is currently competing in his seventh full-time season in the division – joining the Bowtie brigade in 2024 when the 24-year-old San Bernadino, California, native took over the reigns of the No. 18 Chevrolet for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing. A championship title would add onto an already career season for the Team Chevy driver. Making his return to victory lane for the first time since his rookie campaign at Rockingham Speedway earlier this spring, Ankrum will head into the season-finale weekend with a career-best eight top-five and 15 top-10 finishes in 2025.
 

Chevrolet’s season statistics with 35 NASCAR Cup Series races complete:

Wins: 15

Poles: 13

Laps Led: 3,941

Top-Fives: 65

Top-10s: 140

Stage Wins: 27

Chevrolet’s season statistics with 32 NASCAR Xfinity Series races complete:

Wins: 25

Poles: 20

Laps Led: 3,775

Top-Fives: 107

Top-10s: 209

Stage Wins: 49

Chevrolet’s season statistics with 24 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races complete:

Wins: 6

Poles: 2

Laps Led: 956

Top-Fives: 48

Top-10s: 109

Stage Wins: 8
 

BOWTIE BULLETS:

· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Phoenix Raceway:

Kyle Busch – three wins (2019, 2018, 2005)

Ross Chastain – one win (2023)

William Byron – one win (2023)

Kyle Larson – one win (2021)

Chase Elliott – one win (2020)

· In 58 NASCAR Cup Series races held at Phoenix Raceway, Chevrolet has recorded 27 victories, including a record-setting streak of 10 straight – earned by six different drivers between 2005-2010.

· Chevrolet is the only manufacturer that will compete for the championship title in all three divisions this weekend with Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron and Kyle Larson in the NASCAR Cup Series; JR Motorsports’ Connor Zilisch, Justin Allgaier and Carson Kvapil and Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love in the NASCAR Xfinity Series; and McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Tyler Ankrum in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

· Since the start of the elimination-style format in the NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs, Chevrolet has been the only manufacturer to sweep the Championship Four – accomplished in 2017 with JR Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing.

· Chevrolet has earned at least half of the top-10 finishing results in 14 of the 35 points-paying races thus far this season, including a season-high seven top-10 finishes at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway.

· In 143 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 67 victories – a winning percentage of 46.9%.

· With its 43 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 881 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

FOR THE FANS:

Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway at Phoenix Raceway, which features a variety of Chevrolet vehicles including: 2026 Corvette ZR1X, 2026 Tahoe Z71, 2026 Equinox Activ, 2026 Blazer EV SS, 2026 Silverado High Country, 2026 Silverado EV Trailboss, 2026 Colorado Z71 Trailboss, 2500 HD Trailboss, Silverado 1500 Trailboss, and a Chase Elliott No. 9 Show Car.

Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display:

Friday, October 31

· Tyler Ankrum: 10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

· Grant Enfinger: 10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

· Rajah Caruth: 11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.

· Sammy Smith: 11:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

· Connor Zilisch: 12:15 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.

· Tristan McKee: 2:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.

· Carson Kvapil: 3:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.

Saturday, November 1

· Justin Allgaier: 10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

· Corey Day: 11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.

· Shane van Gisbergen: 11:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

· Justin Haley: 11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

· Alex Bowman: 12:40 p.m. – 12:55 p.m.

Sunday, November 2

· Michael McDowell: 9:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.

· Ross Chastain: 9:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

· Austin Dillon: 9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.

· Daniel Suarez: 9:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

· Chase Elliott: 10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

· William Byron & Kyle Larson: 10:20 a.m. – 10:35 a.m.

· Kyle Busch: 10:40 a.m. – 10:55 a.m.

Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:

Friday, October 31: 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Saturday, November 1: 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Sunday, November 2: 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
 

TUNE-IN:

NASCAR Cup Series

NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race

Sunday, November 2, at 3 p.m. ET

(NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Xfinity Series

NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race

Saturday, November 1, at 7:30 p.m. ET

(CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship Race

Friday, October 31, 7:30 p.m. ET

(FS1, NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)
 

QUOTABLE QUOTES:

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

You’ve been the spoiler before at the Phoenix championship race. How difficult is it to do that?

“A lot of that depends on how good your car is. Typically, we always run pretty well at Phoenix and Phil (Surgen) does a great job in giving me a car that’s really drivable there. We also get a little extra practice which is different from most weekends. And when you’re not running for the championship and are solely focused on winning, you can use different strategy in comparison to the Championship 4 guys. Winning in the championship race is just as important as it is any other weekend. There is nothing better than going to victory lane at the last race of the season like we did in 2023.”

What do you plan to do in the off season?

“I’m going to stay in Phoenix and hit the NASCAR banquet. I plan to get home to Florida and see the family and we’ll have a fall crop harvesting and get the spring crop ready. Not that I do a lot of work but I like to look at it and get in my brother’s (Chad) way when I can (laughs). December in South Florida staying in a double-wide, it’s hard to beat it.”

Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

To close out the season, the sport returns to Phoenix Raceway. What is the outlook for the No. 3 team racing in the desert?

“We tested at Phoenix (Raceway) earlier this year, so I’m excited to get back there. We all know the Penske cars are very fast at Phoenix, but I feel better than I did the first race around. We were just okay there. But after the test, I feel like we learned some things that could help us.”

Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

“I would say this is probably the best I’ve felt about what we’re bringing for the Championship 4 compared any other year. Everyone at Hendrick Motorsports went to work on getting our flat short track program better. We went to Gateway and we were super strong and New Hampshire we were really good and Phoenix is somewhat similar to those places so I feel like we’ll have a better opportunity to win a championship than we ever had in the Next Gen era. That motivates me and gets me excited.

Making the final four is really tough to begin with. Huge props to everyone at Hendrick Motorsports for working hard and getting us to this point. We have a 50 percent chance of winning Mr. H a 15th championship.

I would love to win a second championship. I’ve said this before, but I really look up to Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon and to win one more would move me closer to matching guys that I looked up to or surpass them someday. We’re going to try to execute like we have been here lately and see where that puts us.”

Justin Haley, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

What are your thoughts on Phoenix?

“I can’t thank Gainbridge enough for all of their support. I want to thank my guys on the team for building competitive cars each and every week. In the spring we had a good baseline, but got caught up in an unfortunate situation. I’m looking forward to coming back and contending with the guys up front. I am hoping to go out on a good note and have a great race.”

Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Do you race the drivers in the Championship 4 any differently at Phoenix Raceway? Do you try to give them extra room?

“You definitely don’t want to put yourself in a spot where you take out a Championship 4 contender. It’s important to be mindful of everything going on around you but you’re also not just going to just layover and give positions away.”

How important is it to end this season on a positive note with a strong run at Phoenix Raceway?

“I’m not sure that I would put any more emphasis on Phoenix Raceway than I would at any other week prior because I think every race is important.

How does having the practice session on Friday change your strategy for the weekend?

“Anytime you’re able to get a little bit more practice should allow you time to dissect the car and make the necessary changes that you think you need as a driver to be able to have a good race car.”

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

“One to go. Kaulig Racing and our No. 16 group has a lot of positives to take away from this year, even though the results didn’t always show that. As we head to Phoenix, we’re focused on closing out the season with a strong run, continuing to learn, and focusing ahead to the off-season and building for 2026.”

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet

“I’m excited to have Real American Beer back on board for the last race in Phoenix. We’re focused on finishing strong and carrying that momentum into next year. I’m really proud of the No. 47 team for all their hard work and effort this season.”

Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

What makes Phoenix such a dynamic track given it’s the final race of the season?

“It’s not so much the track as it is the weekend. It’s the championship weekend. It’s high intensity and high excitement. But for me, it’s the last race of the season and you want to go out with good momentum. I know it sounds silly, but we always talk about, you’re only as good as your last race, and you don’t want to carry your last race into the offseason if it is not a good one. So, finishing off strong is super important for everybody at the shop, the crew, and morale. It’s a grueling season. You get to the end and you don’t want the last couple of races to be that gut shot where you just feel like you’ve lost steam. So, I think finishing strong across the last few weeks is really important as we build momentum going into the 2026 season.”

Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

How do you rate this season overall?

“It has been a tough season, but I think we learned a lot as a team and I learned a lot as a driver. On and off the track, there were some moments that were not ideal or in any way fun to work through, but we can look back now and say we made it and we’re a stronger team for it. We were so close to a win multiple times this year and it sucks to not have the finishes to show for that, but that just gives us something to strive for as we work through the off season.”

Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Talk about your Sunoco Rookie season and how much you’ve progressed on the ovals.

“It’s been a fun season but challenging too. The road courses, obviously, have been amazing, and then the ovals – I started the year finishing in the 30s, but I feel like we’ve grounded out, now we’re a 15th to 10th place car on most weeks. I think how much better we’ve gotten is a pretty awesome feeling, but certainly those first ten weeks of the year were eye-opening. We’ve made huge progress on the ovals the last couple of months, so we just need to keep building off that and we will be in a good spot to start next season.”

It’s a big deal to win five races as a Cup Series rookie. What does that mean to you?

“It means everything. That’s why I moved here, and that’s why Justin believed in me, and he knew I could do this. I’ve changed my life to come and do this, and to come and make true of what everyone believed in me and to execute myself and get everything right, it’s why I go racing. As I said, sharing it with those people and seeing how much it means to the guys who work so hard every week on the car and their pit stops, it’s so cool. It means the world to everyone. To see the guys at the shop who did all the prep work for these wins too, and I love the team environment. It’s been a great year for the team.”

Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Have you taken time to think about what Monday after Phoenix will be like for you?

“My years with Trackhouse have been the best years of my Cup career, not just on-track, but off-track, building something with people and thinking outside the box, being different; I loved that. That’s something that can’t be taken away from me. I’ve been part of huge organizations that never made me feel as important as Trackhouse made me feel in the early years and that’s what I want to keep with me. At the same time, I can’t wait for the future. I’m only 33 years old and feel like I’m in the prime of my career.”

What has Trackhouse has meant to you? You were a part of the organization from the very beginning.

“Trackhouse was literally a piece of paper the first time I heard about the team. It was interesting to me, because I was coming from a team that was an upstart project, but when the COVID epidemic hit, it didn’t work out. Essentially Trackhouse was a similar project. I believed in it right away; my dad and others did not, but my gut was telling me that it was something good after talking with Justin.

I followed my gut, and I wasn’t wrong. I was super happy because I believed Trackhouse was probably the first team in the NASCAR Cup Series that gave me 100% trust. We were able to build something very good together and I’m very proud of that. Definitely the best moments of my career in the Cup Series have been at Trackhouse and that’s another thing I’m going to keep with me.”

Connor Zilisch, No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet

“It’s really cool to have both Justin and Carson in the Championship 4 at Phoenix. I think Carson did a great job at Martinsville to race his way in. We just need to execute the day and make the most of it on Saturday. We’ve made sure that everything we do is calculated and that we’re making changes for the better and not just to do it. Before the season started my crew chief Mardy Lindley had me fill out a points and win prediction. I had myself winning four races. To sit here today with 10 wins and winning the regular season championship plus locking into the Championship 4 early, I certainly have outdone my expectations. It’s been really, really cool to experience it and be a part of it. We’ve had bad days, but I’ve certainly learned through all of it. I’ve become a better driver and more importantly become a better human at JRM. I’ve learned how to treat people, how to build a team, and to be a leader. I’m certainly grateful for my time at JRM. I’ve grown a lot and I’m excited to carry all the things that I’ve learned into the Cup Series and hopefully make my mark there.”

GM PR