Kyle Larson comes full circle in winning NASCAR Cup Championship Race: At the end of an almost mythical season came the quintessential story of redemption. Taking advantage of an opportune caution and a blazingly fast pit stop by his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet crew, Larson held off Martin Truex Jr. during a 24-lap green-flag run to the finish in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race.[Read More] (11-7-2021)
#5-Kyle Larson won the Season Finale 500 NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway to capture his first NASCAR Cup Series Championship.
The win is his 10th of the year, 1st win at Phoenix and 16th career win.
#19-Truex, Jr. finished 2nd followed by #11-Hamlin, #12-Blaney, #5-Elliott, #10-Almirola, #18-Busch, #4-Harvick, #20-Bell, and #2-Keselowski.
A late caution came out with 31 laps remaining. Larson entered the pits running 4th, but his crew got him off pit road first and he was able to hold off the rest of the Playoff drivers.
Stage 1 was won by #19-Truex, Jr. Stage 2 was won by #5-Larson.
There were 18 lead changes among 7 drivers and 9 cautions for 51 yellow flag laps.
The average speed of the race was: 100.348mph.
See race details at: Race Results, Drivers Points Standings, Owners Points Standings, Cumulative Report, Penalty Report.
Race Fast Facts – Phoenix:
Kyle Larson (P) won the 34th Annual NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race, his 16th victory in 259 NASCAR Cup Series races.
This is his 10th victory and 26th top-10 finish in 2021.
This is his first victory and ninth top-10 finish in 15 races at Phoenix Raceway.
Martin Truex Jr. (P) (second) posted his 14th top-10 finish in 32 races at Phoenix Raceway. It is his 20th top-10 finish in 2021.
Denny Hamlin (P) (third) posted his 20th top-10 finish in 33 races at Phoenix Raceway.
Anthony Alfredo (34th) was the highest finishing rookie.
Kyle Larson and Hendrick Motorsports have won the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Driver/Owner Championships.
Chase Briscoe has won the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors.
Chevrolet has won the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturers Championship.
(NASCAR)(11-7-2021)
NASCAR Cup Series Championship Fast Facts:
Driver Champion: Kyle Larson
Team: No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Kyle Larson has won his first NASCAR Cup Series championship becoming the 35th different driver to accomplish the feat.
Kyle Larson is now the seventh different champion in the elimination-style format of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs – Kevin Harvick, 2014; Kyle Busch, 2015; Jimmie Johnson, 2016; Martin Truex Jr., 2017; Joey Logano, 2018; Kyle Busch, 2019; Chase Elliott, 2020; Kyle Larson, 2021.
Larson won the season finale at the Phoenix Raceway to claim the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series title.
In 2021, Larson has posted 10 wins, 20 top fives, and 26 top 10s. During the Playoffs this season, Larson has produced five wins, six top fives and eight top 10s – ties Tony Stewart (2011) for most wins in a single Playoff run.
Kyle Larson, from Elk Grove, California is the fourth NASCAR Cup Series champion from the state of California; joining NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon (Vallejo), Kevin Harvick (Bakersfield) and Jimmie Johnson (El Cajon).
Owner Champion: Hendrick Motorsports
This is Hendrick Motorsports’ record 14th NASCAR Cup Series driver/owner championship, the most all-time in the series (2021, ‘20, ‘16, ’13, ’10, ’09, ’08, ’07, ’06, ’01, ’98, ’97, ’96, ’95).
This is Hendrick Motorsports’ 17th NASCAR national series owner championship, extending its all-time record (14 Cup, three Gander Truck, 1997,1999, 2001).
Hendrick Motorsports was the first team to win five consecutive championships (2006-2010). It was also the first to win four straight, from 1995-98 (Jeff Gordon in 1995 and 1997-98; Terry Labonte 1996).
Hendrick Motorsports has won 14 of the last 27 NASCAR Cup Series championships (1995-2021), putting the team’s title-winning percentage during that span at 51.9%.
Hendrick Motorsports has won 280 NASCAR Cup Series races (series-most) leading 20 different drivers to Victory Lane – Geoffrey Bodine, Tim Richmond, Darrell Waltrip, Ken Schrader, Ricky Rudd, Jeff Gordon, Terry Labonte, Jerry Nadeau, Jimmie Johnson, Joe Nemechek, Kyle Busch, Brian Vickers, Casey Mears, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mark Martin, Kasey Kahne, Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman, William Byron and Kyle Larson.
Hendrick Motorsports began its NASCAR Cup Series program in 1984 at Daytona International Speedway with driver Geoffrey Bodine.
Crew Chief Champion: Cliff Daniels
Cliff Daniels, from Smithfield, Virginia, has won his first career NASCAR Cup Series championship (2021).
Daniels is the 44th different NASCAR Cup Series crew chief to win a championship.
Daniels has 10 career NASCAR Cup Series wins, all with Kyle Larson.
Cup Series Playoff Standings after Phoenix:
1) #5-Kyle Larson, 5040
2) #19-Martin Truex, Jr., 5035
3) #11-Denny Hamlin, 5034
4) #9-Chase Elliott, 5032
See the Driver Points Standings and Owners Point Standings.
Cars to the rear: #52-Bilicki (unapproved adjustments), #66-Hill (unapproved adjustments)
Paint Schemes
Pit Stall Selections: The selections of pit stalls for the Season Finale 500 NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway have been made.
Pole winner #5-Kyle Larson chose pit stall 1.
Outside pole sitter #9-Chase Elliott took the ninth stall, with an opening in front of it.
See all pit choices on Pit Stall chart page.(11-6-2021)
#5-Kyle Larson won the Busch pole for the Season Finale 500 NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway with speed of 137.847mph for his 10th career pole.
#9-Chase Elliott will start second followed by #24-William Byron, #12-Ryan Blaney, #1-Kurt Busch, #11-Denny Hamlin, #41-Cole Custer, #20-Christopher Bell, #4-Kevin Harvick, and #22-Joey Logano.
Playoff drivers starting outside the top 10: #19-Martin Truex, Jr. will start 12th.
See the complete qualifying results and the Season Finale 500 Starting Lineup page.(11-6-2021)
Phoenix Raceway – Qualifying Fast Facts:
Kyle Larson (P) won the Pole Award for the 34th Annual NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race with a lap of 26.116 seconds, 137.847 mph.
This is his 10th pole in 259 NASCAR Cup Series races.
This is his second pole and 29th top-10 start in 2021.
This is his first pole in 15 races at Phoenix Raceway.
Chase Elliott (P) (second) posted his 27th top-10 start of 2021 and his 11th in 12 races at Phoenix Raceway.
William Byron (third) posted his third top-10 start at Phoenix Raceway. It is his 23rd in 36 races this season.
Chase Briscoe (22nd) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
(NASCAR)(11-6-2020)
Qualifying Order
Practice for the Season Finale 500 NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway is over after 50 scheduled minutes. The top 5 were:
#2-Keselowski 135.384
#5-Larson 135.293
#21-DiBenedetto 135.110
#20-Bell 135.084
#9-Elliott 134.831
Other playoff drivers: #11-Hamlin 8th fastest, #19-Truex, Jr. 18th fastest.
Slowest: #66-Hill 123.254
Most laps run: #4-Harvick, 37 laps
Best 10 consecutive lap avg (of 22 drivers): #12-Blaney 132.596
See the speeds on the Season Finale 500 Practice speeds page.(11-5-2021)
Crew Rosters
Goodyear Tire Notes
The Entry List for the Season Finale 500 NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway is posted, 39 teams/drivers [for 40 spots] are listed.
Some of the drivers entered include: #13-Starr, #15-Smithley, #53-Gase, #66-Hill.
See the full entry list on the Season Finale 500 Entry List page.
There will be one practice session and qualifying for the Phoenix race.
Cup Series TandemDraft Stats: Season Finale 500 at Phoenix