The 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race was the 33rd and final stock car race of the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series, the Championship 4 race, and the 25th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, November 4, 2023, in Avondale, Arizona at Phoenix Raceway, a permanent tri-oval shaped racetrack. The race was originally scheduled to be contested over 200 laps, but was increased to 202 laps, due to a NASCAR overtime finish. In a wild overtime restart, Cole Custer, driving for Stewart–Haas Racing, took advantage of the lead, and held off the rest of the field to earn his 13th career NASCAR Xfinity Series win, and his third of the season. Custer also dominated the race, winning the second stage and leading a race-high 96 laps. To fill out the podium, Sheldon Creed, driving for Richard Childress Racing, and Justin Allgaier, driving for JR Motorsports, finished 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
In addition to winning the race, Custer also claimed the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship, finishing in two positions ahead of his closest competitor, Justin Allgaier. This was the first championship for Custer after previously finishing second in the standings from 2018 to 2019, and the first championship for Stewart–Haas Racing in the Xfinity Series. Sam Mayer finished in fifth and ranked third in the championship. John Hunter Nemechek had dominated the early stages of the race, leading 66 laps and winning the first stage. He ultimately hit the wall on the final lap and finished 28th while running in the top five; he finished fourth in the championship.
Background Phoenix Raceway – also known as PIR – is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. It is named after the nearby metropolitan area of Phoenix. The motorsport track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the IndyCar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series. The raceway is currently owned and operated by International Speedway Corporation.
The raceway was originally constructed with a road course that ran both inside and outside of the main tri-oval. In 1991 the track was reconfigured with the current interior layout. PIR has an estimated grandstand seating capacity of around 67,000. Lights were installed around the track in 2004 following the addition of a second annual NASCAR race weekend.
Phoenix Raceway is home to two annual NASCAR race weekends, one of 13 facilities on the NASCAR schedule to host more than one race weekend a year. The track is both the first and last stop in the western United States, as well as the fourth and the last track on the schedule.
Championship drivers
Sam Mayer advanced after winning at Homestead–Miami. Justin Allgaier advanced after winning at Martinsville. John Hunter Nemechek advanced by virtue of points. Cole Custer advanced by virtue of points.
Entry list
(R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points. (CC) denotes championship contender.
#DriverTeamMake00Cole Custer (CC)Stewart–Haas RacingFord1Sam Mayer (CC)JR MotorsportsChevrolet02Blaine Perkins (R)Our MotorsportsChevrolet2Sheldon CreedRichard Childress RacingChevrolet4Stefan Parsons (i)JD MotorsportsChevrolet6Brennan PooleJD MotorsportsChevrolet07Dawson CramSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet7Justin Allgaier (CC)JR MotorsportsChevrolet08J. J. YeleySS-Green Light RacingFord8Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet9Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet10Daniel HemricKaulig RacingChevrolet11Derek Kraus (i)Kaulig RacingChevrolet16Chandler Smith (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet17Rajah Caruth (i)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet18Sammy Smith (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota19Myatt SniderJoe Gibbs RacingToyota20John Hunter Nemechek (CC)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota21Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet24Connor Mosack (R)Sam Hunt RacingToyota25Brett MoffittAM RacingFord26Kaz GralaSam Hunt RacingToyota27Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet28Joe Graf Jr.RSS RacingFord31Parker Retzlaff (R)Jordan Anderson RacingChevrolet35Joey GaseEmerling-Gase MotorsportsFord38Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord39Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord43Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet44Daniel Dye (i)Alpha Prime RacingChevrolet45Jeffrey EarnhardtAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet48Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet51Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet53Chris Hacker (i)Emerling-Gase MotorsportsChevrolet66Timmy Hill (i)MBM MotorsportsFord74Brad PerezCHK RacingChevrolet78Anthony AlfredoB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet91Kyle WeathermanDGM RacingChevrolet92Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet98Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFordOfficial entry list
Practice The first and only practice session was held on Friday, November 3, at 4:05 PM MST, and lasted for 50 minutes. John Hunter Nemechek, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 27.679, and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed120John Hunter Nemechek (CC)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota27.679130.063200Cole Custer (CC)Stewart–Haas RacingFord27.817129.417398Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord27.913128.972Full practice results
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Saturday, November 4, at 12:30 PM MST. Since Phoenix Raceway is a mile oval, the qualifying system used was a single-car, one-lap system with only one round. In that round, whoever set the fastest time won the pole. Sammy Smith, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, scored the pole for the race, with a lap of 27.153, and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed118Sammy Smith (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota27.153132.582221Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet27.155132.572320John Hunter Nemechek (CC)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota27.164132.528419Myatt SniderJoe Gibbs RacingToyota27.165132.52352Sheldon CreedRichard Childress RacingChevrolet27.202132.343616Chandler Smith (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet27.207132.319700Cole Custer (CC)Stewart–Haas RacingFord27.262132.05287Justin Allgaier (CC)JR MotorsportsChevrolet27.274131.994998Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord27.306131.8391024Connor Mosack (R)Sam Hunt RacingToyota27.308131.8301139Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord27.316131.7911210Daniel HemricKaulig RacingChevrolet27.328131.7331317Rajah Caruth (i)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet27.339131.6801431Parker Retzlaff (R)Jordan Anderson RacingChevrolet27.399131.392158Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet27.402131.377161Sam Mayer (CC)JR MotorsportsChevrolet27.449131.1521707Dawson CramSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet27.481131.0001827Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet27.509130.8661925Brett MoffittAM RacingFord27.580130.529209Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet27.583130.5152191Kyle WeathermanDGM RacingChevrolet27.609130.3922238Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord27.611130.3832311Derek Kraus (i)Kaulig RacingChevrolet27.638130.2552426Kaz GralaSam Hunt RacingToyota27.644130.2272551Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet27.651130.1942692Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet27.763129.6692743Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet27.771129.6322835Joey GaseEmerling-Gase MotorsportsFord27.775129.613296Brennan PooleJD MotorsportsChevrolet27.780129.5903048Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet27.787129.5573153Chris Hacker (i)Emerling-Gase MotorsportsChevrolet27.787129.5573202Blaine Perkins (R)Our MotorsportsChevrolet27.854129.2453366Timmy Hill (i)MBM MotorsportsFord27.863129.204Qualified by owner's points3445Jeffrey EarnhardtAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet27.870129.1713508J. J. YeleySS-Green Light RacingFord28.157127.855364Stefan Parsons (i)JD MotorsportsChevrolet28.223127.5563728Joe Graf Jr.RSS RacingFord28.400126.7613878Anthony AlfredoB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet––Failed to qualify3944Leland HoneymanAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet28.620125.7864074Brad PerezCHK RacingChevrolet––Official qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup
Race results Stage 1 Laps: 45 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts120John Hunter Nemechek (CC)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota0200Cole Custer (CC)Stewart-Haas RacingFord0316Chandler Smith (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet8421Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet751Sam Mayer (CC)JR MotorsportsChevrolet0618Sammy Smith (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota577Justin Allgaier (CC)JR MotorsportsChevrolet089Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet3919Myatt SniderJoe Gibbs RacingToyota21025Brett MoffittAM RacingFord1 Stage 2 Laps: 45 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts100Cole Custer (CC)Stewart-Haas RacingFord021Sam Mayer (CC)JR MotorsportsChevrolet0320John Hunter Nemechek (CC)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota0421Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet7516Chandler Smith (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet669Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet578Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet482Sheldon CreedRichard Childress RacingChevrolet397Justin Allgaier (CC)JR MotorsportsChevrolet01098Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFord1 Stage 3 Laps: 110 Pos.St#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts1700Cole Custer (CC)Stewart–Haas RacingFord20296Running40252Sheldon CreedRichard Childress RacingChevrolet2024Running38387Justin Allgaier (CC)JR MotorsportsChevrolet2020Running344998Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord2020Running345161Sam Mayer (CC)JR MotorsportsChevrolet2020Running326158Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet2020Running357221Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet20221Running448616Chandler Smith (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet2020Running439118Sammy Smith (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota20211Running33102426Kaz GralaSam Hunt RacingToyota2020Running2711209Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet2020Running34121827Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet2020Running25131431Parker Retzlaff (R)Jordan Anderson RacingChevrolet2020Running24141317Rajah Caruth (i)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet2020Running0151925Brett MoffittAM RacingFord2020Running23163048Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet2020Running21172191Kyle WeathermanDGM RacingChevrolet2020Running20181139Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord2020Running19191707Dawson CramSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet2020Running18202551Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet2020Running17211210Daniel HemricKaulig RacingChevrolet2024Running1622419Myatt SniderJoe Gibbs RacingToyota2020Running17233445Jeffrey EarnhardtAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet2020Running14243878Anthony AlfredoB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet2020Running13252692Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet2020Running12262743Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet2020Running11272835Joey GaseEmerling-Gase MotorsportsFord2020Running1028320John Hunter Nemechek (CC)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota20266Running929296Brennan PooleJD MotorsportsChevrolet2020Running8303366Timmy Hill (i)MBM MotorsportsFord2000Running0313728Joe Graf Jr.RSS RacingFord2000Running6323202Blaine Perkins (R)Our MotorsportsChevrolet2000Running533364Stefan Parsons (i)JD MotorsportsChevrolet1940Running0341024Connor Mosack (R)Sam Hunt RacingToyota1800Accident3353153Chris Hacker (i)Emerling-Gase MotorsportsChevrolet1780Suspension0363508J. J. YeleySS-Green Light RacingFord1010Accident1372311Derek Kraus (i)Kaulig RacingChevrolet840Accident0382238Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord140Vibration1Official race results
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 3 1 Cole Custer 4,040 2 Justin Allgaier 4,034 (-6) 2 3 Sam Mayer 4,032 (–8) 1 4 John Hunter Nemechek 4,009 (–31) 5 Austin Hill 2,273 (–1,767) 6 Sammy Smith 2,248 (–1,792) 2 7 Sheldon Creed 2,225 (–1,815) 1 8 Daniel Hemric 2,224 (–1,816) 1 9 Chandler Smith 2,219 (–1,821) 2 10 Parker Kligerman 2,209 (–1,831) 11 Josh Berry 2,172 (–1,868) 12 Jeb Burton 2,126 (–1,914)Official driver's standings
Note: Only the first 12 positions are included for the driver standings.
References