The NASCAR Cup season comes to a close Sunday at Phoenix Raceway with the crowning of a champoion.
Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, Tyler Reddick and William Byron will race for the championship.
Logano seeks his third Cup title. Blaney looks to become the first driver to win back-to-back titles since Jimmie Johnson’s record run of five consecutive championships from 2006-10. Reddick and Byron look to claim their first Cup crown.
Here’s a look at some of the particulars of the Cup championship.
How is the champion determined at Phoenix?
The top finisher of the four championship-eligible driver wins the title. No points, no stage points, nothing. Consider it a race within the race but involving only the four cars going for the championship.
Last year was the first time since this format debuted in 2014 that the champion didn’t win the season finale. Ross Chastain won the race. Ryan Blaney finished second but claimed the title because he finished the best among the four drivers eligible for the championship.
Playoff format
Sixteen drivers qualify for the playoffs. A win in the 26-race regular season qualifies a driver for a spot in the playoffs (unless there is a penalty attached to the win as was the case with Austin Dillon’s Richmond win in August).
If there are not 16 different winners by the end of the regular season, the drivers highest in points fill out the field. There were 14 different winners by the end of the regular season this year, leaving two spots via points. Those two spots went to Ty Gibbs and Martin Truex Jr.
The playoffs are 10 races.
Four drivers are cut from championship contention every third race. So, after the Bristol night race, the championship field was whittled from 16 to 12. After the Charlotte Roval, the playoff field was cut from 12 to 8. After Martinsville, the playoff field was cut from 8 to the four that will race for the championship.
How to watch the championship race?
NBC and Peacock will broadcast the Cup championship race. Pre-race coverage begins at 2 p.m. ET with an expanded Countdown to Green show.
Pre-race ceremonies are scheduled to begin around 3:15 p.m. ET.
What will the driver win for the championship?
The driver will receive the Bill France Cup, which is named for the sport’s founder.
NASCAR no longer reveals the amount of money the champion receives.
The champion will be honored at a banquet Nov. 22 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series champions also will be honored that evening.
