William Byron is on the pole for the NASCAR Cup Series championship race. In the first stage, Byron led all 50 laps and won the stage. Harvick caught up to Byron in the final laps of the stage. In the second stage, Byron held the lead, but Chastain took the lead after pit stops. Chastain, Byron, and Truex were the top three off pit road. With 85 laps remaining, Chastain was leading the race. Larson, Blaney, and Byron were also in the top five. Chastain continued to lead with 55 laps to go, followed by Blaney, Truex, Larson, and Byron. Chastain regained the lead after pit stops, with Blaney in second. Chastain, Truex, Larson, and Byron were the top four with 27 laps to go.
27 to go Chastain leads Larson Blaney Byron Hamlin
30 to go. Chastain to second, then Larson Blaney and Byron. Jones back to 6th.
Off pit road: Hamlin Jones Larson Chastain Byron Blaney Truex.
Off pit road before the choose: Hamlin, Jones, Larson, Chastain, Byron, Blaney, Truex, Buesher, Harvick, Keselowski
Chastain now leads. Truex to second. Blaney back to 3rd. 4th place Larson is 2 seconds behind Blaney
55 to go. Chastain leads Blaney -.2 second back Truex -1 Larson -3.6 Byron -4.4
Briscoe pits and Chastain retakes the lead. Blaney .4 second back. Then Truex Larson and Byron. 58 to go.
85 laps remaining Chastain Blaney Truex Byron Larson the top 5. Chastain's lead is .3 second
William Byron, running second, still leads the championship fight as the race hits 200 laps. Byron has controlled the championship for majority of the race.
Order off pit road: Ross Chastain William Byron (P) Martin Truex Kyle Larson (P) Ryan Blaney (P) Kevin Harvick Brad Keselowski Chris Buescher Bubba Wallac Erik Jones
Leaders pit. Off pit road: Chastain Byron Truex Larson Blaney Harvick
Off pit road: Chastain Byron Truex Larson Blaney Harvick
Race off pit road: Chastain, Byron, Truex, Larson, Blaney. Harvick loses three spots, Buescher loses *seven* spots.
10 to go in stage 2. 175 laps complete. Buescher Chastain Harvick Truex Byron Blaney Larson Wallace Keselowski Jones.
142/312 Ross Chastain Kevin Harvick Chris Buescher Martin Truex Jr. William Byron (P) Kyle Larson (P) Ryan Blaney (P) Bubba Wallace
Back to green. 116 laps complete Harvick Chastain Byron Buescher Larson Truex Blaney Jones Wallace Suarez the top 10.
Harvick, Chastain, Byron the top 3 off pit road. @Blaney lost some spots. 200 laps to go @phoenixraceway.
Leaders all pit. Off pit road: Harvick Chastain Byron Buescher Larson Truex Blaney
Lap 75 of 312: Byron leads still. Then Larson, Blaney and Bell run 4-5-6 behind Harvick and Chastain. Gap between the No. 24 and No. 4 is sitting around 1 second or so.
RESTART 1 -- Lap 69: Byron and Harvick lead back to the green flag. Byron back to the lead. Larson battling Wallace for fourth as Blaney & Bell close up to his bumper. Larson clears to fourth, Blaney sixth, Bell seventh. Now Blaney to fifth past Wallace, Bell sixth. #NASCAR
Stage 2 restart: Byron holds the lead over Harvick and Chastain. Larson settles in P4, Blaney up to P5 (restarted P8), Bell in P7 for now.
Back to green for the start of the second stage. 68 laps complete Byron Harvick Chastain Larson Buescher Wallace Truex Blaney Bell Hamlin the top 10.
Off pit road at Lap 65: Byron maintains over Harvick, Chastain, Larson (+1), Buescher (+1), Wallace (-2), Truex, Blaney (+2), Bell and Hamlin. #NASCAR
Off pit road: Byron Harvick Chastain Larson Blaney comes out 8th, Bell 9th.
Off pit road and before the choose: Byron, Harvick, Chastain, Larson, Buescher, Wallace, Truex, Blaney, Bell, Hamlin
off pit road: Byron Harvick Chastain Larson Buescher Wallace
OK, here come the first pit stops of the day. Race off pit road: Byron, Harvick, Chastain, Larson, Buescher. Wallace loses two spots. Blaney gains two spots to P8.
Byron wins opening stage. Byron Harvick Chastain Wallace Larson .. 9th-Bell 10th-Blaney
Suddenly a four-car battle for the lead as Harvick has caught Byron and Wallace/Chastain have caught Harvick. Five laps to go in Stage 1.
10 laps to go in Stage 1. William Byron has led all 50 laps of the NASCAR championship race so far.
15 laps left in stage 1. Byron over Harvick by Larson has fallen to 5th. Bell and Blaney are 9th and 11th.
Twenty laps into the #NASCAR Cup Series championship race. Byron leads Harvick, Larson, Wallace and Truex with 40 laps left in Stage 1. Bell and Blaney unable to make much forward progress early -- 13th and 14th respectively.
Byron on the pole for the championship race. Champ 4: 1-Byron 4-Larson 13th-Bell 15th-Blaney ... top-10: Byron Truex Harvick Larson Wallace Hamlin Jones Chastain Buescher Reddick