NASCAR lineup, championship grid set by qualifying results at Phoenix

We’ll have to wait a little longer to see how the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship race ends. By late afternoon or early evening Sunday, we’ll know the finishing order of the four finalists.

What we do know now is how they’ll start Sunday’s race at Phoenix Raceway.

It’ll be championship finalists Denny Hamlin, the pole sitter, and William Byron on the front row, with Kyle Larson starting third Row 2. Chase Briscoe, the lone first-timer among the finalists, will start 12th.

Unlike many weeks throughout the season, Saturday speed often leads to Sunday results at Phoenix. Especially on Championship Sunday.

The season finale moved to Phoenix in 2020. In four of those five championship races, the race winner came from the group of four championship finalists, including Joey Logano last year. Each time, the winner started on the front row.

Three of those four times, he started from the pole, while Logano won last year after starting second, on the outside of Row 1.

NASCAR lineup for Phoenix championship race

1. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
2. William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
3. Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
4. Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford
5. Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford
6. Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
7. Josh Berry, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
8. Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
9. Chris Buescher, No. 17 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
10. Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
11. Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
12. Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
13. Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
14. Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
15. Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
16. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 HYAK Motorsports Chevrolet
17. Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
18. Noah Gragson, No. 4 Front Row Motorsports Ford
19. Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
20. Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
21. Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford
22. Zane Smith, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford 
23. Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota
24. Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota
25. Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
26. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
27. Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team Ford
28. John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
29. Justin Haley, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
30. Todd Gilliland, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford 
31. Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
32. Riley Herbst, No. 35 23XI Racing Toyota
33. Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford
34. Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
35. JJ Yeley, No. 44 NY Racing Team Chevrolet
36. Casey Mears, No. 66 Garage 66 Ford
37. Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
38. AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

Phoenix race time and channel, how to watch

Saturday: Xfinity Series championship race, 7:30 p.m. (CW).

Sunday: Cup Series championship race, 3 p.m. (NBC).

All times Eastern.