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The end of the NASCAR season is close as the last race in 2022 will be run this Sunday. The NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway will determine two things. First – who wins the race and second, which of the four eligible drivers will win the Cup Series Championship?
That means there are two main sets of odds this week that you can consider. Race winner and who will take the title. Any driver in the field can win the race as always. But only the four remaining drivers, of the original 16 playoff contenders, can still win the Championship. If a non-contending driver wins the checkered flag, then the Championship will boil down to the best finish and earned points during the race of the final four eligible drivers.
Don’t worry – NBC does a great job with their graphics showing exactly how the title contenders are doing while still showing the overall positions of the entire field. Check out the complete odds for the race to win outright below.
2022 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race Preview
Track: Phoenix Raceway, Avondale, Arizona
Type: 1-mile asphalt doglegged tri-oval, 4 turns
Race Distance: 312 laps / 312 miles
Defending Track Winner: Chase Briscoe
TV/Radio: NBC / SiriusXM & MRN Local affiliates
As for Phoenix Raceway, the track is no longer a mystery as drivers have had a few seasons to get used to the reconfigured venue. It’s a place where the urge to cut across certain portions of the track as if you were taking a shortcut outweighs the damage doing so could cause to tires or the entire car.
But we all saw how Ross Chastain used the outside wall at Martinsville to keep him on the track while going wide open to pick up spots and make it to the final four as an eligible driver. That stunt may work at certain tracks, but maybe not Phoenix with its unique dogleg design.
Favorites at Phoenix
Here are the top five favorites to win the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race outright:
Chase Elliott +235
Christopher Bell +350
Joey Logano +400
Ross Chastain +400
Kyle Larson +1400
Of the above drivers, three have won at Phoenix; Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson and Joey Logano. Elliott and Larson have one Cup Series each at the track while Logano has won at Phoenix twice. If you’re looking for a driver with a bunch of wins at the track then Kevin Harvick may be your driver.
Harvick is not one of the favorites or eligible to win the Championship this season. However, he has won at Phoenix a record nine times in a Cup Series car. Harvick did make the playoffs this year but was eliminated following the first round.
2022 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race Predictions
Joey Logano +400
Joey Logano still seems to be the driver that people tend to forget for some reason. Logano has two Cup Series wins at Phoenix with 15 runs of 10th or better in his Cup Series career. In his last ten races at the track, he’s scored a win and finished 12th or better eight times. Earlier this season he contended for a win a Phoenix, but settled for an 8th-place run.
Ross Chastain +400
Ross Chastain pulled off one of the greatest racing moves that Martinsville has ever produced last weekend. That’s been somewhat of his story all season long – hard-fought miracle endings. Earlier this season Chastain failed to run out front during the Phoenix spring race but he blew past Ryan Blaney who had led almost the entire race and came in 2nd behind race winner Chase Briscoe.
Kevin Harvick +2000
Kevin Harvick would love the opportunity to add to his nine-win total at Phoenix Raceway. Harvick has shown glimpses of greatness again this year with two wins and finishing many races inside the top ten. The only fade on Harvick is that he seems to bog down sometimes when gets toward the front. This is a track that he owns the record for wins – a perfect chance to add another checkered flag.
Others to Consider: Christopher Bell (+350) has proven that he can race with the best with two clutch wins that kept him in the Championship hunt. Can he maintain that level of performance is the only question? Chase Briscoe (+3300) is the defending Phoenix race winner at Phoenix but is not getting much respect according to the odds. He led over 100 laps during that race.
2022 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race Betting Lines
Chase Elliott +235
Christopher Bell +350
Joey Logano +400
Ross Chastain +400
Kyle Larson +1400
Denny Hamlin +1600
Ryan Blaney +1800
Kevin Harvick +2000
Martin Truex Jr +3000
William Byron +3000
Chase Briscoe +3300
Kyle Busch +4000
Tyler Reddick +4000
Darrell Wallace Jr. +5000
Alex Bowman +8000
Brad Keselowski +8000
Aric Almirola +9000
Daniel Suarez +9000
Austin Cindric +12500
Austin Dillon +20000
Chris Buescher +20000
AJ Allmendinger +25000
Erik Jones +25000
Cole Custer +25000
Ty Gibbs +30000
Justin Haley +50000
Michael McDowell +50000
Ricky Stenhouse Jr +50000
Harrison Burton +100000
Ty Dillon +100000
Corey Lajoie +100000
Todd Gilliland +100000
Landon Cassill +150000
BJ McLeod +150000
Cody Ware +150000
Garrett Smithley +150000
