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AVONDALE, ARIZONA – NOVEMBER 02: Noah Gragson, driver of the #4 Long John Silver’s Ford, and Chris Buescher, driver of the #17 Body Guard Ford, race during the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on November 02, 2025 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Arizona this weekend for the Straight Talk Wireless 500. The race takes place at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday, March 8, 2026. This event marks an early turning point in the season schedule. It is the first race that is not a superspeedway or road course. Teams now face the one-mile oval at Phoenix.
The track sits in Avondale, Arizona. Its flat corners and dogleg front stretch test drivers and teams. Pit calls and tire wear often decide the outcome. The race also gives teams a clearer look at their speed. Several lineup changes and a new rules adjustment add more focus to this weekend’s race.
NASCAR Cup Series Entry List Includes 37 Cars
NASCAR released a 37-car entry list for the race. The field includes 36 chartered teams and one open entry. The open car is the No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Austin Hill will drive the car this weekend.
Austin Hill already has one win this year in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season. That victory came at Daytona.
The entry list includes many regular Cup drivers. Ross Chastain returns in the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet. Austin Cindric drives the No. 2 Ford for Team Penske. Austin Dillon returns in the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet.
Noah Gragson will drive the No. 4 Ford for Front Row Motorsports. Kyle Larson returns in the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Brad Keselowski drives the No. 6 Ford for RFK Racing.
Kyle Busch competes in the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Chase Elliott drives the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Denny Hamlin returns in the No. 11 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Ryan Blaney drives the No. 12 Ford for Team Penske. Christopher Bell returns in the No. 20 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. William Byron drives the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.
The list also includes Tyler Reddick in the No. 45 Toyota for 23XI Racing. Rookie Connor Zilisch appears in the No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet. Shane van Gisbergen drives the No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet.
Driver Moves Highlight The 2026 Season
The 2026 season includes several driver and team changes. Connor Zilisch begins his first full Cup season this year. He drives the No. 88 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing. The Phoenix race marks his first Cup start at this track.
Daniel Suárez also changed teams before the season began. He now drives the No. 7 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports. Suárez replaced Justin Haley in that seat.
Some teams also switched manufacturers. The Haas Factory Team moved to Chevrolet for the 2026 season. Cole Custer drives the team’s No. 41 car. Rick Ware Racing also changed to Chevrolet this year. Cody Ware drives the No. 51 car for that team.
These changes increase Chevrolet’s presence in the Cup Series field this season.
Phoenix Raceway Adds New Technical Rule
The Phoenix race also introduces a major technical update. NASCAR introduced a new horsepower rule for short tracks starting with the 2026 season. For the 2026 season, NASCAR raised the horsepower level used on short tracks. NASCAR raised the engine output to 750 horsepower for races on tracks shorter than 1.5 miles.
The previous limit was 670 horsepower. Phoenix Raceway falls within the new rule. Teams will see the higher power level here for the first time.
The track often produces aggressive restarts. Drivers use the dogleg section of the front stretch to gain position. The added horsepower could make those restarts even more intense.
Recent results also shape the race story. Tyler Reddick enters the weekend after winning the first three races of the season. He won at Daytona, Atlanta, and Circuit of the Americas.
Dogli Wilberforce is a sports writer who covers NASCAR, Formula 1 and IndyCar Series for Heavy Sports. With bylines at Total Apex Sports and Last Word on Sports, Wilberforce has built a reputation for delivering timely, engaging coverage that blends sharp analysis with accessible storytelling. Wilberforce has covered everything from major football transfers to fight-night drama, bringing readers the insight and context behind the headlines. More about Dogli Wilberforce
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