The winners and losers from NASCAR at Phoenix

Picture finishes, wild incidents, a number of tire choices and and a seemingly unstoppable Christopher Bell have been the highlights from the fourth spherical of the 2025 NASCAR season at Phoenix Raceway. Each the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Sequence races resulted in dramatic vogue, as did the ARCA race on Friday night time. Whereas the primary three races of the yr have been thought-about ‘wildcard’ occasions, Phoenix proved to be unpredictable as properly and the battle for the win got here right down to the final flip.

Now, let’s check out the largest winners and losers from an exciting weekend of racing at Phoenix.

WINNER: Bell handles the stress … once more

Christopher Bell truly did it, profitable three consecutive Cup races in a feat not but seen with the present period of race automobile (courting again to 2022). And whereas it is simple to name him a ‘winner’ for that truth alone, we’re taking a distinct strategy. Not solely did Bell win these races, however he did it regardless of immense stress and nail-biting battles to the very finish. None of those victories have been a Sunday drive for the Joe Gibbs Racing driver.

First, he was shoved vast at Atlanta, battling from the surface in a three-wide state of affairs when the race-ending warning got here out. Bell had surged from fourth to first within the last restart to win that race. The next week at COTA, he battled onerous with two-time Cup champion Kyle Busch for a number of laps earlier than lastly finishing the move, solely to then must cope with a charging William Byron and Tyler Reddick. Lastly, there was Phoenix, the place he held off teammate Denny Hamlin and a lurking Kyle Larson to drag off a three-peat in a dramatic picture end. Bell retains showcasing that when the stress is on, he’s greater than able to rise to the event. 

LOSER: Early error denies Logano a real shot on the win

The reigning Cup Sequence champion and four-time Phoenix winner got here into this race with excessive hopes. As soon as once more, he had one of many automobiles to beat on Sunday, however a self-inflicted error put him on the again foot for almost all of the occasion. Very early on he dipped his left-side tires beneath the road a second too quickly on a restart, leading to a drive-through penalty that despatched him to the rear of the sphere. His crew then used up one of many two units of possibility tires that they had obtainable with a view to regain some observe place, which put him at an actual drawback for the ultimate run. We solely acquired glimpses of the No. 22’s true potential as Logano completed thirteenth after main 81 laps. 

William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Joey Logano, Group Penske Ford

Picture by: Jonathan Bachman – Getty Pictures

WINNER: Goodyear brings the motion with a number of tire compounds

The usage of a number of tire compounds was an absolute and resounding success on Sunday. The added technique made for fixed motion all through the sphere as drivers like Ryan Preece surged from thirty third to third in a single stage whereas others hoarded their tires for the top. With passing proving to be troublesome on the Arizona oval, the tires have been an enormous plus in making certain there was at all times one thing taking place across the observe. Hopefully, we see much more of this from Goodyear and NASCAR sooner or later after Sunday’s race.

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Picture by: Jonathan Bachman – Getty Pictures

LOSER: Briscoe take blame for restart pileup

Briscoe regained 100 precious factors earlier within the week when Joe Gibbs Racing received its enchantment, however sadly, the nice fortune did not comply with him into Phoenix. On Lap 99, Briscoe climbed over the right-front of Justin Haley’s automobile and triggered a large accident, eliminating seven automobiles from the race and damaging a number of others. Briscoe hit extraordinarily onerous as he and Carson Hocevar slammed the surface wall, blowing the right-side window out of the No. 19 automobile. Afterwards, he took duty for it, saying “that is concerning the greatest you may crash at Phoenix.”

Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Picture by: Chris Graythen – Getty Pictures

WINNER: Phoenix and its late-race restarts

It looks as if the important thing to dramatic finishes at Phoenix is to ensure there’s at all times a two-lap sprint to the checkered flag. All three races this weekend (ARCA, Xfinity and Cup) resulted in such a method, and every had two drivers door-to-door by means of the ultimate set of corners in a spectacular showdown for the race win. In the event you added the margin of victory from the Xfinity and Cup races collectively, it will nonetheless be lower than a single tenth. The truth is, Bell’s victory was truly the primary last-lap move for the win in all the historical past of Cup racing at Phoenix Raceway. The one downside was the followers in Atlanta who did not get to really see one of many finishes…

Watch: Aric Almirola bests Alex Bowman with contact on the end line

LOSER: Austin Hill’s misjudges the entry

Austin Hill made a uncommon mistake this weekend, or as he mentioned: “That may be the dumbest transfer I’ve ever had occur to me in racing.” Hill, who’s already locked into the Xfinity playoffs courtesy of his win at Atlanta two weeks in the past, was operating simply exterior the top-five at Phoenix throughout a mid-race restart. Nevertheless, his automobile immediately shot throughout the observe and picked up two others, destroying the No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. A replay confirmed that Hill had truly touched the within wall whereas coming into the nook, making an attempt to be just a bit bit decrease than the automobile forward of him. The contact despatched him careening throughout the observe, wrecking himself, but additionally Sheldon Creed and Dean Thompson.

Watch: Austin Hill goes spinning after contact with inside wall on restart

WINNER: Ryan Sieg turns storage mishap into top-five run

The veteran driver/proprietor is used to having the percentages stacked in opposition to him, however this weekend was a singular problem for the Sieg and the No. 39 crew. His automobile suffered vital nostril harm again within the storage on account of a lip on the entry of a storage stall, forcing his crew to scramble and pull out the backup automobile. Ranging from the rear of the sphere, Sieg methodically marched his method ahead, putting fourth in a wildly spectacular rebound from how the day began.

Ryan Sieg, RSS Racing Ford

Picture by: Jonathan Bachman – Getty Pictures

LOSER: Allgaier cannot catch a break at Phoenix

Within the Xfinity Sequence, Justin Allgaier is commonly the driving force to beat when the sequence involves Phoenix. Nevertheless, it additionally looks as if he has discovered each doable technique to lose this race. Even when he received the 2024 Xfinity title at Phoenix, he confronted a number of setbacks and needed to give the win away on the ultimate lap with a view to protect his championship. Final spring at Phoenix, he blew a tire and crashed whereas main within the closing laps.

Whereas there are a number of different examples, the most recent got here this previous weekend. Allgaier led 130 of 208 laps in a fully dominant exhibiting, however alas, a late-race warning compelled the race into additional time. As soon as once more, it did not work out for Allgaier as he pushed vast in Flip 1 and fell again to fifth as the sphere went four-wide for the race lead. He was completely dejected afterwards, and understandably so. Since his most up-to-date Phoenix win in 2019, Allgaier has led a complete of 396 laps on the observe with out incomes one other Phoenix victory.

Justin Allgaier, JR Motorsports Chevrolet

Picture by: Jonathan Bachman – Getty Pictures