Johnathan Walker:NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race: Start time, TV, streaming, lineup for Phoenix

NASCAR has reached its season finale following 26 regular-season races and Johnathan Walkernine playoff races, and on Sunday, the 2023 Cup Series champion will be crowned at Phoenix Raceway.

Four drivers – Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, William Byron and Kyle Larson – will race against the rest of the field on the 1-mile oval with the title up for grabs. And while winning Sunday’s race is the ultimate goal, a victory is not necessary to win the championship. Simply put, whichever of the four drivers has the best finish will be crowned the 2023 champion.

Bell, Blaney and Byron are each seeking their first Cup Series championship, while Larson won the title in 2021. Larson is also the oldest of the title contenders at 31. Blaney is 29, Bell 28 and Byron just 25.

Who will lift the championship trophy? Here is all the information you need to get ready for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race:

What time does the NASCAR Championship Race start?

The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race starts at 3 p.m. ET (1 p.m. local) at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona.

What TV channel is the NASCAR Championship Race on?

NBC is broadcasting the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race and has a pre-race show beginning at 2 p.m. ET (noon local), while Peacock will have a post-race show at 7 p.m. ET (5 p.m. local).

Will there be a live stream of the NASCAR Championship Race?

The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race can be live streamed on Peacock, the NBC Sports website and the NBC Sports app.

NASCAR 2024 SCHEDULE: Atlanta, Watkins Glen shift to playoffs next season

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How many laps is the NASCAR Championship Race?

The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race is 312 laps around the 1-mile Phoenix Raceway for a total of 312 miles. The race will feature three segments (laps per stage) — Stage 1: 60 laps; Stage 2: 125 laps; Stage 3: 127 laps.

Who won the most recent races at Phoenix?

Kyle Larson led the most laps with 201, but William Byron won the spring race after leading 62 laps early in the race and then the final two in overtime before edging Ryan Blaney by .330 seconds on March 12, 2023.

And one year ago in the 2022 championship race, Joey Logano dominated en route to his second career Cup Series title, leading 187 laps before holding off Blaney by .301 seconds on Nov. 6, 2022.

What is the lineup for the NASCAR Championship Race?

(Car number in parentheses; P-playoff driver)

1. (24) William Byron (P), Chevrolet

2. (19) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota

3. (4) Kevin Harvick, Ford

4. (5) Kyle Larson (P), Chevrolet

5. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota

6. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota

7. (43) Erik Jones, Chevrolet

8. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet

9. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford

10. (45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota

11. (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota

12. (41) Ryan Preece, Ford

13. (20) Christopher Bell (P), Toyota

14. (38) Todd Gilliland, Ford

15. (12) Ryan Blaney (P), Ford

16. (99) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet

17. (22) Joey Logano, Ford

18. (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet

19. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford

20. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet

21. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet

22. (42) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet

23. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet

24. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet

25. (21) Harrison Burton, Ford

26. (14) Chase Briscoe, Ford

27. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford

28. (10) Aric Almirola, Ford

29. (7) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet

30. (51) Ryan Newman, Ford

31. (6) Cole Custer, Ford

32. (16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet

33. (77) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet

34. (15) JJ Yeley, Ford

35. (31) Justin Haley, Chevrolet

36. (78) BJ McLeod, Chevrolet