Venue & Race Details
- Track: Phoenix Raceway, Avondale, Arizona
- Configuration: 1-mile oval, low-banked tri-oval
- Race Distance: 200 laps (200 miles)
- Stages: Stage 1 ends at Lap 45, Stage 2 at Lap 90, Final Stage to Lap 200
- Purse: $2.15 million
Weather & Track Conditions
- Forecast: Mostly sunny, race-time temps around 86°F (30°C), 0% chance of rain
- Track Conditions: Warm desert air means slick asphalt, with tire wear and late-race restarts likely to play a huge role. Phoenix has produced four straight overtime finishes in the Xfinity finale.
Driver Matchups – Championship 4
- Connor Zilisch (JR Motorsports, #88 Chevy):
- Rookie phenom, 10 wins in 2025, led laps in 20 straight starts, record 18 consecutive top-5 finishes.
- Only Championship 4 driver with a playoff win this year.
- Moving to Cup in 2026—this is his lone Xfinity title shot.
- Justin Allgaier (JR Motorsports, #7 Chevy):
- Defending 2024 champion, making his 8th Championship 4 appearance.
- Veteran experience is unmatched; finished 2nd in last year’s finale but secured the title.
- Jesse Love (Richard Childress Racing, #2 Chevy):
- Sophomore driver, first Championship 4 appearance.
- Won 3 races this season, consistent top-10 finisher.
- Looking to deliver RCR’s first Xfinity title since 2019.
- Carson Kvapil (JR Motorsports, #8 Chevy):
- Rookie, 2 wins this season, steady progression.
- Battling Zilisch for both the championship and Rookie of the Year honors.
Race History
- 2024: Riley Herbst won the race in double overtime; Allgaier’s 2nd-place finish clinched him the championship.
- 2023: Cole Custer won the finale and the championship.
- Recent Trend: Phoenix finales almost always go into overtime, with late cautions reshuffling the order.
Recent Driver Form
- Zilisch: Dominant all season, averaging a 2.1 finish over last 18 races.
- Allgaier: Veteran consistency, 2 wins in playoffs last year, steady top-10s this season.
- Love: Peaked late in the season, strong on short tracks.
- Kvapil: Rookie momentum, but less Phoenix experience.
Trends:
- JR Motorsports has 3 of 4 Championship 4 drivers, giving them a statistical edge.
- The young guns (Zilisch, Kvapil, Love) vs. the veteran (Allgaier) narrative mirrors past Phoenix finales.
- Phoenix often rewards track position and pit strategy more than raw speed.
Bottom Line: Expect a high-drama, late-race shootout under the desert lights. Zilisch enters as the overwhelming favorite, but Allgaier’s veteran savvy and Phoenix experience make him a dangerous spoiler. Love and Kvapil are wild cards who could capitalize if chaos unfolds in the final laps.
