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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 race at Phoenix Raceway turned into a long afternoon filled with cautions, tire failures, and constant strategy changes. The 312-lap event featured 12 caution flags that slowed the field for 86 laps and repeatedly reshuffled the running order. Drivers faced tire issues, contact, and pit-road penalties throughout the race.
Several incidents removed strong contenders or forced teams to change plans during pit stops. Late crashes during restarts tightened the field again in the closing laps. By the time the race reached its final laps, teams had already dealt with multiple disruptions that reshaped the competition and forced careful strategy decisions at Phoenix Raceway.
Tire Failures Create Early Trouble in the NASCAR Cup Series Race
Kyle Busch ran deep in the field on lap 93 when his right front tire went flat. Busch lost control and struck the wall in Turn 2 after the tire failed. The race remained green at that moment, but the situation quickly escalated for the rest of the field.
One lap later, Shane van Gisbergen lost a tire while running 13th. His car spun in Turn 4, bringing out the caution flag. The yellow slowed the field and triggered pit stops for the lead lap cars.
Teams used that caution period to adjust tire strategy and make small setup changes. Crew chiefs called drivers to pit road for fresh tires and fuel as the field regrouped. The restart compressed the running order and reset the race for the next stage.
Another tire failure changed the race later in Stage 2. Chase Briscoe ran third on lap 132 when his right front tire failed entering Turn 4. Briscoe hit the outside wall and brought out another caution.
The crash ended a strong run for the No. 19 team. Briscoe had spent much of the stage near the front before the tire issue forced him out of contention.
Contact and Penalties Change the Running Order
Contact between drivers and penalties on pit road continued to reshape the NASCAR Cup Series race as it moved toward the final stage.
Ryan Preece spun in Turn 1 on lap 210 after contact with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Connor Zilisch was also involved but kept control of his car and continued without spinning. The incident brought out another caution as the field slowed once more.
Pit road mistakes also changed the running order during the race. Kyle Larson received a speeding penalty during one caution period. The penalty sent Larson to the back of the field, forcing him to pass cars and regain track position.
Connor Zilisch also received a penalty for having too many crew members over the wall during a pit stop. That violation dropped him back in the running order as well.
The race’s biggest crash occurred on lap 254. AJ Allmendinger made contact with Joey Logano entering Turn 1. The contact triggered a multi-car accident that involved several drivers.
Austin Dillon, Daniel Suarez, Chase Elliott, Josh Berry, and Shane van Gisbergen were all involved in the incident. Officials brought out another caution as safety crews cleared damaged cars from the track.
Late Cautions Tighten the Field at Phoenix Raceway
Mechanical problems and restart crashes continued to interrupt the NASCAR Cup Series race late in the event at Phoenix Raceway.
Austin Hill reported a right rear tire going down on lap 286 while running 24th. Hill managed to reach pit road without bringing out a caution flag.
One lap later, Austin Dillon lost a right rear tire in Turn 2 while running ninth. Dillon slowed on the track, and officials displayed another caution.
The yellow erased track position for several drivers who had begun preparing for the final run to the finish.
Another crash followed during a restart on lap 294. Ty Dillon, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., John Hunter Nemechek, and Zane Smith collided on the backstretch. The accident triggered yet another caution and regrouped the field again.
By the end of the race, multiple drivers had been affected by crashes or major problems. Those drivers included John Hunter Nemechek, Ty Dillon, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Zane Smith, Daniel Suarez, Shane van Gisbergen, Josh Berry, Chase Elliott, and Austin Dillon.
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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