The 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race was the 33rd and final stock car race of the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series, the Championship 4 race, and the 26th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, November 9, 2024, at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona, a permanent tri-oval shaped racetrack. The race was originally scheduled to be contested over 200 laps, but was increased to 213 laps due to numerous overtime restarts. In an action-packed race, Riley Herbst, driving for Stewart–Haas Racing, would make a last lap pass on Justin Allgaier for the lead to earn his third career NASCAR Xfinity Series win, his second of the season, and the final win for Tony Stewart as a partner in Stewart-Haas Racing, which after dissolving of the partnership with Gene Haas became Haas Factory Team. Herbst was also the class of the field, winning both stages and leading a race-high 167 laps. To fill out the podium, Allgaier, driving for JR Motorsports, and Aric Almirola, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
Despite mid race penalties and a second place finish, Allgaier claimed the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship, finishing six positions ahead of the rest of the final four drivers. This is Allgaier's first championship in the series, after previously competing in the final four six different times.
Report
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
A. J. Allmendinger advanced after winning at Las Vegas. Austin Hill advanced after winning at Homestead–Miami. Justin Allgaier 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. (OP) denotes owner's playoff car.
#DriverTeamMake00Cole Custer (CC)Stewart–Haas RacingFord1Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet2Jesse Love (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet5Anthony AlfredoOur MotorsportsChevrolet07Patrick EmerlingSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet7Justin Allgaier (CC)JR MotorsportsChevrolet8Sammy SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet9Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet10Daniel Dye (i)Kaulig RacingChevrolet11Josh WilliamsKaulig RacingChevrolet14Greg Van AlstSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet15Dylan LuptonAM RacingFord16A. J. Allmendinger (CC)Kaulig RacingChevrolet18Sheldon Creed Joe Gibbs RacingToyota19William Sawalich (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota20Aric Almirola (OP)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota21Austin Hill (CC)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet26Jeffrey Earnhardt (i)Sam Hunt RacingToyota27Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet28Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord29Blaine PerkinsRSS RacingFord31Parker RetzlaffJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet35Joey GaseJoey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet 38Matt DiBenedettoRSS RacingFord39Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord42Leland Honeyman (R)Young's MotorsportsChevrolet43Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet44Brennan PooleAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet45Stefan Parsons (i)Alpha Prime RacingChevrolet48Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet51Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet53Garrett SmithleyJoey Gase MotorsportsFord81Chandler SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota88Connor ZilischJR MotorsportsChevrolet91Josh BilickiDGM RacingChevrolet92Dawson Cram (i)DGM RacingChevrolet97Shane van Gisbergen (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet98Riley Herbst Stewart–Haas RacingFordOfficial entry list
Practice
The first and only practice session was held on Friday, November 8, at 3:05 PM MST, and would last for 50 minutes. Jesse Love, driving for Richard Childress Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 27.587, and a speed of .
Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed12Jesse LoveRichard Childress RacingChevrolet27.587130.49627Justin Allgaier (CC)JR MotorsportsChevrolet27.700129.964388Connor ZilischJR MotorsportsChevrolet27.706129.936Full practice results
Qualifying
Qualifying was held on Saturday, November 9, at 2:00 PM MST. Since Phoenix Raceway is a mile oval, the qualifying system used was a single-car, one-lap system with only one round. Drivers will be on track by themselves and will have one lap to post a qualifying time, and whoever sets the fastest time won the pole.
William Sawalich, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would score the pole for the race, with a lap of 26.832, and a speed of .
No drivers would fail to qualify.
Qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed119William Sawalich (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota26.832134.168218Sheldon CreedJoe Gibbs RacingToyota26.980133.432398Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord27.070132.989481Chandler SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota27.085132.915521Austin Hill (CC)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet27.165132.52362Jesse Love (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet27.202132.343700Cole Custer (CC)Stewart–Haas RacingFord27.217132.27081Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet27.236132.178916A. J. Allmendinger (CC)Kaulig RacingChevrolet27.244132.1391031Parker RetzlaffJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet27.264132.0421138Matt DiBenedettoRSS RacingFord27.300131.868125Anthony AlfredoOur MotorsportsChevrolet27.337131.6901310Daniel Dye (i)Kaulig RacingChevrolet27.345131.6511445Stefan Parsons (i)Alpha Prime RacingChevrolet27.386131.454158Sammy SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet27.403131.3721627Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet27.413131.3251797Shane van Gisbergen (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet27.463131.0811826Jeffrey Earnhardt (i)Sam Hunt RacingToyota27.486130.9761911Josh WilliamsKaulig RacingChevrolet27.490130.9572043Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet27.526130.7852188Connor ZilischJR MotorsportsChevrolet27.530130.7662251Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet27.553130.6572328Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord27.570130.5772415Dylan LuptonAM RacingFord27.571130.5722529Blaine PerkinsRSS RacingFord27.590130.4822642Leland Honeyman (R)Young's MotorsportsChevrolet27.616130.3592792Dawson Cram (i)DGM RacingChevrolet27.674130.0862844Brennan PooleAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet27.742129.7672939Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord27.792129.5343007Patrick EmerlingSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet27.810129.4503148Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet27.857129.2313291Josh BilickiDGM RacingChevrolet27.943128.834339Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet27.994128.599Qualified by owner's points3435Joey GaseJoey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet28.321127.1143514Greg Van AlstSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet28.380126.8503653Garrett SmithleyJoey Gase MotorsportsFord28.535126.161377Justin Allgaier (CC)JR MotorsportsChevrolet30.261118.9653820Aric Almirola (OP)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota34.983102.907Official qualifying results Official starting lineup
Race results
Stage 1 Laps: 45 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts198Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord10281Chandler SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota9318Sheldon CreedJoe Gibbs RacingToyota8421Austin Hill (CC)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet051Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet667Justin Allgaier (CC)JR MotorsportsChevrolet0700Cole Custer (CC)Stewart–Haas RacingFord0819William Sawalich (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota0920Aric Almirola (OP)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota2102Jesse Love (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet1 Stage 2 Laps: 45 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts198Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord10218Sheldon CreedJoe Gibbs RacingToyota9320Aric Almirola (OP)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota842Jesse Love (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet7500Cole Custer (CC)Stewart–Haas RacingFord0688Connor ZilischJR MotorsportsChevrolet5716A. J. Allmendinger (CC)Kaulig RacingChevrolet081Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet3919William Sawalich (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota0107Justin Allgaier (CC)JR MotorsportsChevrolet0 Stage 3 Laps: 123 Pos.St#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts1398Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord213167Running602377Justin Allgaier (CC)JR MotorsportsChevrolet2134Running3533820Aric Almirola (OP)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota2130Running4442188Connor ZilischJR MotorsportsChevrolet2130Running385481Chandler SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota2130Running41662Jesse Love (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet2136Running397218Sheldon CreedJoe Gibbs RacingToyota21320Running478700Cole Custer (CC)Stewart–Haas RacingFord2137Running299916A. J. Allmendinger (CC)Kaulig RacingChevrolet2130Running2810521Austin Hill (CC)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet2135Running271181Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet2130Running35121797Shane van Gisbergen (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet2130Running2513119William Sawalich (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota2130Running0143148Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet2132Running2315158Sammy SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet2130Running22161627Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet2130Running21171310Daniel Dye (i)Kaulig RacingChevrolet2132Running018339Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet2130Running19192415Dylan LuptonAM RacingFord2130Running18202251Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet2130Running17213291Josh BilickiDGM RacingChevrolet2130Running16222529Blaine PerkinsRSS RacingFord2130Running15232328Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord2130Running14242844Brennan PooleAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet2130Running13252043Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet2130Running12261138Matt DiBenedettoRSS RacingFord2130Running11273435Joey GaseJoey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet2130Running10283007Patrick EmerlingSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet2120Running9292939Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord2120Running8303653Garrett SmithleyJoey Gase MotorsportsFord2120Running7312642Leland Honeyman (R)Young's MotorsportsChevrolet2100Running6322792Dawson Cram (i)DGM RacingChevrolet2090Running0331911Josh WilliamsKaulig RacingChevrolet2080Running4341031Parker RetzlaffJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet2040Accident3351826Jeffrey Earnhardt (i)Sam Hunt RacingToyota1690Engine036125Anthony AlfredoOur MotorsportsChevrolet1520Accident1373514Greg Van AlstSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet1080Suspension1381445Stefan Parsons (i)Alpha Prime RacingChevrolet610Accident0Official race results
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 3 1 Justin Allgaier 4,035 1 2 Cole Custer 4,029 (–6) 1 3 A. J. Allmendinger 4,028 (–7) 3 4 Austin Hill 4,027 (–8) 5 Chandler Smith 2,314 (–1,721) 6 Sheldon Creed 2,264 (–1,771) 1 7 Riley Herbst 2,254 (–1,781) 1 8 Jesse Love 2,247 (–1,788) 9 Sam Mayer 2,205 (–1,830) 10 Parker Kligerman 2,190 (–1,845) 11 Sammy Smith 2,185 (–1,850) 12 Shane van Gisbergen 2,157 (–1,878)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 1,228 2 Toyota 1,172 (–56) 3 Ford 1,072 (–156) Note: Only the first 12 positions are included for the driver standings.
References