The final four competitors are now set, and NASCAR is just one week away from crowning the 2024 Cup Series champion.
Ryan Blaney and William Byron joined Joey Logano and Tyler Reddick in the Championship 4 following Sunday’s race at Martinsville Speedway. Those four will race against a full field of drivers next weekend at Phoenix Raceway in the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race.
But neither Logano, Reddick, Blaney or Byron have to win the season finale at Phoenix to win the 2024 title – whoever has the best finish among those four will take the championship. So, while taking the checkered flag at Phoenix would be electrifying, the goal for the final four drivers is to outrun the other championship contenders.
Ross Chastain won last year’s season finale as a non-playoff driver, but Blaney won the championship, outdueling the other final four drivers with a runner-up finish. Last year, however, marked the first time since the current playoff format was enacted in 2014 that the series champion did not win the final race of the year.
Here’s what to know about the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race:
When is the 2024 NASCAR Championship Race?
The championship race, the final race of the 2024 season, is Sunday, Nov. 10 at 3 p.m. ET (1 p.m. local) at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona.
How to watch the 2024 NASCAR Championship Race
The championship will be televised on NBC.
The race can be streamed on Fubo, which is offering a free trial, and the NBC Sports website and the NBC Sports app for those who sign in with a cable or satellite provider.
Date: Sunday, Nov. 10
TV: NBC
Live stream: NBC Sports website, NBC Sports app and Fubo.
Watch the NASCAR Championship Race on Fubo
Who are the 2024 NASCAR Championship 4 drivers?
Joey Logano of Team Penske, Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing, Ryan Blaney of Team Penske and William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports will race for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series championship at Phoenix Raceway.
Blaney is the reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion, while Logano is a two-time series champion, winning in 2018 and 2022. Reddick and Byron are seeking their first Cup titles.
How did the final four drivers make the 2024 NASCAR Championship Race?
Logano won the first race of the third round at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and Reddick won the second race of the third round at Homestead-Miami Speedway to clinch automatic berths.
Blaney took the checkered flag Sunday at Martinsville Speedway to earn the final automatic berth, while Byron became the last member of the Championship 4 by accumulating the most points among drivers who did not win one of the three third-round races.
Which drivers have won NASCAR Cup Series championships under this playoff format?
The current playoff format was adopted in 2014, and Kevin Harvick won his first championship while also winning the final race of the year. Here are the NASCAR Cup Series champions since 2014 and their finish in the season’s final race:
2014: Kevin Harvick (won at Homestead-Miami Speedway)
2015: Kyle Busch (won at Homestead)
2016: Jimmie Johnson (won at Homestead)
2017: Martin Truex Jr. (won at Homestead)
2018: Joey Logano (won at Homestead)
2019: Kyle Busch (won at Homestead)
2020: Chase Elliott (won at Phoenix Raceway)
2021: Kyle Larson (won at Phoenix)
2022: Joey Logano (won at Phoenix)
2023: Ryan Blaney (runner-up at Phoenix)
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.